The Immortals – Luke 20:27-40

Posted on June 25, 2013 by Steve

“Jesus replied, Marriage is for people here on earth. But in the age to come, those worthy of being raised from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage. And they will never die again. In this respect they will be like angels. They are children of God and children of the resurrection” (Luke 20:34-37, NLT).

The Sadducees were a branch of Judaism that did not believe in the resurrection of the dead. To refute the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead, they posed an ad absurdum argument to Jesus regarding a woman widowed seven times.

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The Problem with Political Correctness – Luke 20:1-8

Posted on June 24, 2013 by Steve

“They talked it over among themselves. If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn’t believe John. But if we say it was merely human, the people will stone us because they are convinced John was a prophet. So they finally replied that they didn’t know. And Jesus responded, Then I won’t tell you by what authority I do these things” (Luke 20:5-8, NLT).

One day near the end of His earthly ministry while Jesus was teaching in the Temple, the religious leaders challenged His authority. Jesus responded to the challenge by asking them by what authority did John the Baptist teach and baptize.

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Relentless – Luke 18:35-43

Posted on June 23, 2013 by Steve

“Jesus stopped and commanded that he be brought to Him. when he drew near, He asked him, ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’ ‘Lord,’ he said, ‘I want to see!'” (Luke 18:40, HCSB).

We’re all familiar with the old saying, “The squeaky wheel gets the grease.” Well, that’s sort of what happens in this story.

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Handling the Truth – Luke 18:34

Posted on June 22, 2013 by Steve

“But they didn’t understand any of this. The significance of his words was hidden from them, and they failed to grasp what he was talking about” (Luke 18:34, NLT).

What Jesus was talking about was His impending death and resurrection.

Has this ever happened to you? A significant work of God–even a miracle–occurs right in front of you and it goes completely unnoticed by you, until later!

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It’s Hard To Be Humble: Part 1 – Luke 18:14

Posted on June 21, 2013 by Steve

“Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14, HCSB).

Jesus told His disciples a story about how some people trust in themselves for their righteousness–that is, they are self-righteous–and in so doing, they look down on everyone else.

In the story Jesus told about a Pharisee and a tax collector who went to the Temple to pray.

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Sad Song or Hopeful Hymn – Deuteronomy 32:36

Posted on June 20, 2013 by Steve

“The Lord will indeed vindicate His people and have compassion on His servants when He sees that their strength is gone” (Deuteronomy 32:36, HCSB).

Deuteronomy 32 is called the Song of Moses. It is a song that was intended to warn Israel through the ages of the consequences of apostasy and disobedience to God.

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Jumping Upside Down – Luke 17:33; 18:14

Posted on June 19, 2013 by Steve

“If you cling to your life, you will lose it, and if you let your life go, you will save it…For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 17:33; 18:14, NLT).

In Luke 17 Jesus told His disciples about His second coming to earth and how those that try to hold on to their life in this world will lose it in the end.

In Luke 18 Jesus told the story of a Pharisee who prayed he was thankful he was not sinful like other men, while a certain tax collector prayed and called on God to have mercy on him as a sinner. Jesus exposes the prayer of the Pharisee as self-exalting.

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Holy Slavery – Luke 17:5-10

Posted on June 18, 2013 by Steve

“When you have done all that you were commanded, you should say, ‘We are good-for-nothing slaves; we’ve only done our duty.’” (Luke 17: 10, HCSB)

Slavery in the first century Roman world was much different from slavery in early American history. Roman slaves were either taken as the spoils of war or were slaves because they sold themselves into slavery, called bond-servants.

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Note to Myself: God Is in Charge – Deuteronomy 32:8-9

Posted on June 17, 2013 by Steve

“When the Most High assigned lands to the nations, when he divided up the human race, he established the boundaries of the peoples according to the number in his heavenly court. For the people of Israel belong to the Lord; Jacob is his special possession” (Deuteronomy 32:8-9, NLT).

These verses describe God’s sovereignty over His created order. They are part of a song that Moses composed under divine inspiration as a witness to God’s covenant with Israel (see 31:19-22).

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