Waiting to Catch

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

WAITING TO CATCH

Luke 11:53-54

53 When Jesus left there, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions, 54 waiting to catch him in something he might say.

NIV

At first glance, this wouldn’t have anything to do with our lives, or being able to make any application we could use as a life lesson. However, it might. Because Jesus had spoken plain to them and threatened their self-righteousness on so many levels, they became angry to the point of hatred. Because we know the rest of the story, and how they finally heard enough they felt it was a way to charge with a crime against God. Luke tells us here they watched him closely to see if he would say something they could use against him. Here is where we see how this comes into our lives. If we think we are not being watched by the world, we are deceiving ourselves. We cannot hide in the church all day long; we must go out among the world daily. Now, of course, the whole premise is based on whether we are reflecting the glory of God in ever-increasing glory. That is the people we have contact with in our daily walk, such as at work, or in the regular places we frequent know that we are born-again, Spirit-filled followers of Jesus Christ. It is sad to say that if we just tell them we are Christians, they would not be threatened by us, or think of us much differently than they are, for many people use that term to define who they think they are. The Pharisees thought they were in the right place with God because of their thinking they obeyed all the laws. It doesn’t really matter how people define themselves, but it matters how God defines us. Nevertheless, if we are being image bearers of God, then the world, those who have not come to Jesus may not feel that comfortable in our presence, and simply watch us, and listen to us to catch being or saying something that does not match who we say we are, if we actually say that we are born-again, Spirit-filled followers of Jesus Christ. If they can catch us, they might say we are a hypocrite, and they can discredit anything else we say about Jesus or God. Just as the Pharisees were waiting to catch Jesus in something he might say, the world is waiting to catch us. 

The Key

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

THE KEY

Luke 11:52

52 "Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering." 

NIV

Our research has found the experts in the law, the Rabis would wear a key as a symbol of their position as a teacher or as an emblem of knowledge. A key is what opens a door, but the problem Jesus was dealing with here is that these experts in the law not only did not use the key to knowledge to open the gospel of Jesus Christ. This brings it home to those who either teach the scriptures or preach. There is a great responsibility placed on their shoulders. God holds them to a higher standard because they should be able to have the correct way to see the truth through a combination of their studies and the leading of the Spirit. Yet we have such a diverse interpretation of the scriptures depending on denominational bias. We engage in arguments about what this or that scripture means. We take some verses completely out of context and make a theological statement or take a theological position to the detriment of many. It was said of the Jews, that when two gathered together there were three opinions. Sadly, that has not changed much among Christians. We charge each other with the idea, “What makes you think you have the right interpretation?”. Then we have those that key in one truth leaving all others behind. However, what do we do? How do we come to terms with how we should live through all this diversity? We do know the Spirit leads us into all truth. How can we trust that others are following the leading of the Spirit, or are they following their own minds? What we know is that we have to be mindful to listen to the Spirit, do our due diligence of study, and see the way to live by the way God intended us to. It is the Spirit who holds the key and He has opened the door.

Forefathers

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

FOREFATHERS

Luke 11:47-51

47 "Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your forefathers who killed them. 48 So you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs. 49 Because of this, God in his wisdom said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.' 50 Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, 51 from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.

NIV

Our research found that it was customary for some Jews to beautify the tombs of some of the great leaders of the past by lighting wax candles and whitewashing their tombs. This was to show respect and honor to them; however, their ancestors had killed the prophets and Jesus, it is telling them by respecting the tombs they were giving approval to kill the prophets, and in fact, they were going to give approval to kill Jesus. Giving approval of the sin of those of the past, made them responsible and would be held guilty of their sin, and thus their own sin. How do we deal with this truth as it applies to our lives? We would think that we certainly would not approve of the sins of our past relatives, although we might visit their graves and place flowers in remembrance of them, and even honor their memory in some other manner. After all, they are our ancestors and family. Some distant family, but then our parents are the ones who gave us birth and raised us. Why wouldn’t we honor them, especially when one of the commands is to honor our parents, and it will bring us long life? However, they were all sinners, some saved by grace, others who lived and remained in the darkness of this world. We wonder when we give honor to those past family members who sinned, are we guilty of their sin, or held accountable. We know the first step in being saved is to acknowledge our sin, repent, change the way we think about sin, know that it is an offense to God, and seek his forgiveness, which he freely gives, through Jesus Christ. We wonder if we ever speak the truth about our past family, saying they were sinners with some being wretched sinners. Those of us who grew up in a sinful family should confess that to be true, while those who grew up in a Christian family should also confess their past family were not perfect either, but sinful, just that their sins had been dealt with in Christ Jesus. Let us be careful how we deal with the truth about our forefathers. 

Burdens

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

BURDENS

Luke 11:45-46

45 One of the experts in the law answered him, "Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also." 46 Jesus replied, "And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.

NIV

It was not uncommon for the experts in the law, to put additions to the law, which were not part of the law but were extremely burdensome to carry out. The problem that Jesus brought to them, was they did not feel it necessary to follow the rules and regulations they expected the common people to adhere to. We do not think times have changed much in that there have been many religious groups, or perhaps we should use the term, denomination, that have found it right to add to the gospel of Jesus. In other words, their gospel is Jesus plus, with the plus being burdensome to fulfill. Even within some of the holiness churches there have been additional rules for living a righteous life. Over the years, we have lived through the, no smoking, no drinking, no dancing, no movie theaters, no roller rinks, or bowling alleys, as well as women should not be seen in church with slacks, or too much markup. Even today, there are some sects, or religious groups that adhere to these so-called bible-based rules and regulations. The experts want to establish how others live according to the additional rules that they have established. How have we become so much like those experts in the law in the time of Jesus? Have we taken our interpretation of the law so far, that it has become a burden on people? It seems we spend more time on the rules and regulations we think apostles added to the gospels than on the actual gospel of Jesus Christ. One of the heaviest burdens is to focus on what James said about faith without works is dead. So, the burden of doing enough good deeds is placed on the people. How many “Good deeds” is enough to fulfill the requirement. That may be up to the experts in the law to determine. If we focus on the words of James, then we have taken the gospel and added to it. In other words, salvation is dependent on faith in Jesus Christ and doing good works. If we do not do good work then we are not saved, for our faith is a dead faith, it is meaningless. Is that what the truth of God really is? Is that putting a burden on the people of God, the people of faith, considering that Jesus said the work that God requires is to believe in the one he sent? Simply loving each other as Jesus loved us would mean we would want to help others when they are in need. But it should not become a burden, like the experts in the law put upon the people. If we are walking in the Spirit, His fruit will become evident within us, starting with love, which is never a burden. We need to be careful of burdens. 

Remembered or Not

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

REMEMBERED OR NOT

Luke 11:44

44 "Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it." 

Once again, Matthew’s account is a little different regarding these graves. Jesus called the Pharisees whitewashed tombs, nice and clean on the outside, but dead man’s bones on the inside. Yet in Luke’s account, Jesus said they were like unmarked graves which no one would know their grave is there and thus walk over without knowing. What does that mean? It doesn’t sound like whitewashed tombs at all. We cannot be sure how the graves or sepulchers could be walked over without knowing it. The Greek word used here for graves is mneemeion, which is meant any visible object for preserving or recalling the memory of any person or thing. However, in the scriptures, it is a Sepulchre, which we think as a hole carved out of a hillside, much like the one Jesus was laid in with a stone rolled over the entrance. We do remember when we were in Israel, the gravesites within what appeared as a cemetery, looked like concrete boxes above ground. These would be easily whitewashed. However, if the grave was a cave of like these concrete boxes, it would be difficult to walk over them without knowing they were there. Besides, how can one walk over a hillside tomb? These words of Jesus have to be seen as metaphorical but what was his meaning. How could someone even walk over a Pharisee? However, if they were unmarked, nothing available to preserve them or recall their memory, then perhaps their lives were meaningless. All their  efforts to find righteousness in observing the law meant nothing, they would end up not being remembered by God. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord. Will enter the kingdom of heaven”. He went on to explain about the men who told him they had prophesied in his name and had driven out demons in his name, but he told them plainly, “I never knew you, away from, you evildoers!” perhaps the Pharisees fit somewhat in that category, although they never did anything in the name of Jesus, but there will be those whose names will not be known anymore by God. There will be those who will not get a new name written on a white stone that only Jesus knows. The Pharisees knew the law but did not know who Jesus truly was, so if someone does not know the name of Jesus, or who Jesus is, and does not put his words into practice it is possible their names will not be remembered by God. However, praise His Holy Name, we know who Jesus is, and have accepted him as our Lord and Savior, He knows our name as it is written down in the Book of Life, and one day Jesus will call out our name and tell us to come into his rest. But those, like the Pharisees who refuse Jesus as the Savior of the world, will not be remembered, for their names have already been deleted or blotted out. They will simply be walked over, looked over, with nothing to preserve them, or to recall their memory. 

A Great Seat

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

A GREAT SEAT

Luke 11:44

43 "Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.

NIV

Matthew’s record of these words includes the wearing of the phylacteries and that everything they do is done for men to see. This greeting in the marketplaces is being called Rabbi. But this wanting the seat of honor in the synagogue gives us this sense of men being all puffed up about themselves. The tassels on the edge of their garments were longer and the phylacteries were very important in making them appear holy and righteous. These were small squares of parchment with verses from the law in Deuteronomy. They wore them like amulets or charms. The idea was they were supposed to ward off evil. We found it comes from Exodus 13 when God told them that all that happened in their deliverance from Egypt would be a sign on their foreheads for their sons. Although we could spend much time going over all the details of these things, the Pharisees were so impressed with themselves rather than living as God intended them to. Although we do not have the most important pews or seats in our churches, we might get caught up in thinking more highly of ourselves than we should. We do like our titles, whatever they may be. Depending on which denomination, we have Pastor, Reverend, Doctor, Elder, then all the distinctions of assistant, associate, youth, children’s pastors, and other titles in the church like elders and deacons, treasurer, board member, and the list of titles goes on and on. We also must be careful not to make too much of our educational levels or boast about what kind or how many degrees we might have, although it seems to depend on the denomination, they make a big deal about educational level more than the call of God upon a person life for qualifications for ministry. This being puffed up is extremely dangerous both to the individual who is puffed up and to the church they are in. We have seen it happen to the point that people have put these individuals on a pedestal, assisting them in their pridefulness which may have been the case with the Pharisees. The holier one looks, the holier they are treated, unless the opposite effect occurs where their puffed up, prideful, boasting in themselves causes harm in the church, which could very well have been the case with the Pharisees and that is why Jesus gave them that woe to you. Let us not wait for Jesus to give us a woe, and see ourselves for who we are, children of God, born-again, Spirit-filled followers of Jesus. Let us not be concerned about that great seat. 

Woe to You

 DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE

WOE TO YOU

Luke 11:42

42 "Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.

NIV

Jesus is still reclining at the table in the house of a Pharisee, and we would have to believe, although Luke does not make a point of telling us, there were other Pharisees reclining at the  table. Of course, the Pharisees would make sure everyone saw them god a tenth of their mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs. There were not only about trying to keep every of the laws of God, including all the additional rules they had developed from their interpretation of the law. Jesus tells them they should not abandon the giving of a tenth, which of course, is proof to us the tithe is alive and well within the New Testament Church. However, they were not about justice and the love of God. They did not care about the divine law of God, being just. This Greek word krisis, has a direct meaning of making a right judgement, such as the judgment of God, Judgement of Jesus, however, that carries the idea if both making the right judgment about the divine law of God, and being just, which is acting or being in conformity with what is morally upright and good. When justice or being just is used as a verb, which may be the way Jesus intended it to mean, it can be seen as one guided by truth and reason. We know the Pharisees through they were guided by the truth, but refused to hear the truth of Jesus about the kingdom of God and that Jesus came to set men free from sin. They neglected the truth, they neglected being guided by the truth of God, and the love, the agape love of God. This is the affection, good-will, benevolence type of love. This is loving each other with good-will toward them, waiting what is best  for them, being giving, benevolent toward them. We know the Pharisees were not anything like that toward the common people,  the very people God demonstrates his agape love toward in the person of Jesus. We wonder if we love others as God does. We wonder if we are just, not just acting, but living in conformity to with what is morally upright and good. We try to, or at least make every effort to love others and to live uprightly. Without making excuses for our being human, we are human and have not yet attain perfection. Therefore, we might fail or fall short of the mark that Jesus is taking about here. Still. It is the desire of our heart to serve God and do what is right in his sight, which we have done in the sense of putting our trust in Jesus, which the Pharisees refused to do  But have we become too invested in following the law, or the rules and regulations then the love of God?  We should not hear any woes from Jesus aimed at our lives, or should we could we ever hear, woe to you?