Luke Pt. 22: Whose Side?

This Scripture exists to address a serious problem that happens in Jesus Christ’s Church. The problem at it’s root is we don’t understand things about Evil based on scripture. We can at times be confused about the spiritual world how it has only two sides. Jesus Christ wants to teach us about Evil, we need to listen and apply the biblical knowledge, not get sucked into emotional ideas about evil. Ideas about evil being less than intentional, less than diabolical, less than absolutely opposed to God and His Christ, less than divisive, less than opportunistic.

In this passage Jesus is going to specifically address some of the ways evil works. We need to pay attention, we need to build a culture that intentionally works against evil from a place of understanding and unity. We are all able to be infected with what is afflicting these people, Jesus is addressing. Whenever something is addressed in Scripture that means it pertains to you and me. Dear Christian, never tell yourself: ‘oh that can’t happen to me’. When something like that comes out of our mouth we give evil a place.

11:14-28

14 One day Jesus cast out a demon from a man who couldn’t speak, and when the demon was gone, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed…15 but some of them said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.” 16 Others, trying to test Jesus, demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.

  • Jesus does an amazing healing and for some it’s not ‘good enough’
  • The result of a lack of grace & faith: cynical, jaded and demanding
  • Who were the ‘some of them’ that questioned what side Jesus was on?
  • On who’s side are the people questioning Jesus’ authority? Are they neutral?
  • Because Jesus was not their tribe (The Temple) they labeled Him ‘Evil’

17 He knew their thoughts, so he said, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A family splintered by feuding will fall apart. 18 You say I am empowered by Satan. But if Satan is divided and fighting against himself, how can his kingdom survive?

  • Since He knew what they were thinking He addressed the root issue
  • Root issue for them & us is we don’t apply biblical knowledge of how evil works
  • Evil is not haphazard. Evil is not obvious. Evil is subtle & intentionally deceptive
  • Evil seeks to divide it’s opponents while banding together to survive

19 And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said. 20 But if I am casting out demons by the power of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you.

  • Jesus tells them: ‘Your Bias is Showing’! If someone is in your tribe, they’re ok
  • Jesus calls them out for using a double standard, not seeking objective truth
  • Can we get this narrow minded about what is constitutes Kingdom work?
  • They only see God’s work in a context they have deemed ‘appropriate’

21 For when a strong man is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe— 22 until someone even stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings.

  • This is a story to show there are different sides and you are on one or the other
  • One side can appear to be the one in power until the greater power shows itself
  • We can’t always see God working, it appears evil has the upper hand
  • But eventually God will show Himself sovereign over evil
  • Because HE is stronger He can render evils weapons useless
  • And HE can take what evil has stolen: SOULS!

23 “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.

  • This is the main point of the passage and other teaching of Christ: ‘Pick a Side’
  • Everything that is not Good is Evil by definition…there is no 3rd Kingdom
  • The Myth of the 3rd Kingdom Book: Kingdom matrix by Jeff Christopherson
  • Exposition of the Biblical teaching that there is no ‘middle ground’

24 “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ 25 So it returns and finds that its former home is all swept and in order.

(Move In Ready / Unoccupied Space)

  • If ‘Spiritual House’ is Unoccupied, ie. Neutral, it is open to be inhabited by evil
  • The unoccupied space is not neutral, it’s still evil’s territory until good replaces it
  • What is not good, is evil…What is not evil is good

26 Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before.”

  • If you don’t replace evil with God you are still basically evil
  • All that is not ruled by good / God’s Ways is open to become ruled by evil
  • If your ‘House’ (Life / Soul) isn’t aligned with Good it is de-facto aligned with evil
  • Don’t leave your ‘house’ available to ‘squatters’
  • Once entrenched, evil get stronger; when given place evil becomes the ‘Owner’

27 As he was speaking, a woman in the crowd called out, “God bless your mother—the womb from which you came, and the breasts that nursed you!” 28 Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”

  • Your linage is not what determines your blessedness
  • True Blessings: Our receptiveness to God’s Word & practice of God’s Word
  • Practice means to with regularity and the goal of improving
  • As disciples this is how we are to approach God’s Word: becoming a practitioner

SUMMARY:

Those on Christ’s side don’t create division by making false claims & accusations.

Division is a killer of kingdoms & families; on our side we fight it with God’s Grace!

Evil can appear to be in charge, God’s ways are always able to overcome it.

All Spiritual things are either of Christ or of the enemy, there is no spiritual neutrality!

Jesus says: ‘You are either with me or against me’, there is no 3rd Kingdom!

When evil is expelled it must be replaced with good or evil will reclaim the territory.

There’s more blessings in practicing God’s Word than any heritage or tradition.

APPLICATION:

How can you avoid being demanding & instead be gracious towards God’s actions?

Understanding evil always seeks to divide, how do you proactively promote unity?

What things are considered ‘spiritually neutral’? How do you avoid treating them that way?

Have you ever recognized a place in your life you ‘swept clean’ but didn’t replace the evil?

What are some specific ways you can become more of a practitioner of God’s Word?

/by

Luke pt. 21: Listen, Pray & Persist

Just like last week, let us not be too familiar with this passage. Ask God to illuminate it anew for you today!Together these teaching of Christ provide something of a ‘Prayer 101’…

Luke 10:38-42 & 11:1-13

38 As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught.

  • This is the first time we meet Mary & Martha (Sisters of Lazarus)
  • Martha was the hostess, she invited Jesus Christ into her home / her presence
  • Mary is given the chance by Martha, to sit at Christ’s feet, to be in His presence
  • She no only heard, she listened to His teaching (she ‘took it to heart’)

40 But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.”

  • What was Martha distracted from? She wanted to listen to Christ’s teaching too!
  • It is not a bad thing to be ‘Doing something for Jesus’…preparing a meal
  • It’s a ‘Big Dinner’ / a lot of preparation… Who is she trying to impress?
  • She’s frustrated, but she chose to remove herself from the Lord’s presence
  • Instead of making the right choice, she wants Jesus to have Mary miss out too!
  • She is focused on someone else other than her relationship with Christ

41 But the Lord said to her, “My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! 42 There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.”

  • Jesus wants her to know that she is dear to Him, but He points out wrong focus
  • He say’s: you’re worried about the wrong stuff, because only one thing matters
  • The ‘One thing that matters’ is to listen to my teaching so you can have eternity
  • Mary surrendered herself to what matters most and it will be her’s forever
  • Mary chose ‘Focused’ discipleship rather than ‘Distracted’ discipleship

Are you leaving space in your world of doing things for Jesus to just BE with Jesus? The idea is that Jesus wants us to sit at His feet (posture of a Disciple). He wants us to not be distracted by doing things, even good things!

1 Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.”

  • Christ had a habit of going off alone to pray, He may have had ‘favorite places’
  • When he was done, not interrupting Him, ONE of His disciples implores Christ
  • It’s possible this disciple was one of John the Baptist disciples (Andrew & John)
  • This is a great request, who better to learn of prayer from?
  • The humility of the disciple is key, he recognizes his need to learn about prayer

2 Jesus said, “This is how you should pray: “Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. 3 Give us each day the food we need,

  • This is pointed teaching framing out the core of our relationship with God
  • This is structure & priorities for how God wants us to communicate with Him
  • We start with God’s singular place as the only Holy One!
  • He wants us to care about & act in ways that keep His Reputation / Name Holy
  • We are to care about & act in ways which enact His will (kingdom come = Will)
  • #1 & #2 PRAYER priorities: God’s Reputation & His Will being done
  • Greek: may your name be held in honor, may your reign begin
  • Daily Bread = Mana… We ask for what we need today; trust in future provision
  • God wants us to have an on going relationship, daily contact

4 and forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us. And don’t let us yield to temptation.”

  • Daily seeking God for our needs includes the need to be forgiven
  • Our constant experiencing of God’s forgiveness enables us to be forgiving
  • We are to ask for HIS power over temptation; Greek: keep us from times of trial

5 Then, teaching them more about prayer, he used this story: “Suppose you went to a friend’s house at midnight, wanting to borrow three loaves of bread. You say to him, 6 ‘A friend of mine has just arrived for a visit, and I have nothing for him to eat.’

  • Now we have a parable that says: if you really need something, keep asking
  • It is meant to give an example to what Christ just said about prayer
  • He uses an example of one who is asking for something on behalf of others
  • It is a request for something necessary, for someone else

7 And suppose he calls out from his bedroom, ‘Don’t bother me. The door is locked for the night, and my family and I are all in bed. I can’t help you.’ 8 But I tell you this—though he won’t do it for friendship’s sake, if you keep knocking long enough, he will get up and give you whatever you need because of your shameless persistence.

  • The initial answer is: ‘I can’t help you’
  • Then Jesus says: ‘but I’ll tell you this…’ When He says that, we do well to listen
  • The answer can change if you can be persistent enough
  • A key factor is that Jesus is talking about prayers for others in need
  • When asking God for help on behalf of others, our persistence can play a role

9 “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.

  • Then He expands the principal by saying, whatever you ask God for keep at it!
  • Seeking: looking for answers from God to explain situations
  • Knocking: We knock on doors so that someone will come to the door

11 “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? 12 Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! 13 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.”

  • You parents: Your motives for the care of your children are, right?
  • Would a parent who’s child asks for something good give them something bad?
  • You (any parent) can make this happen in the imperfect state of sin
  • Imaging how much better God will do it
  • And His desire is for His Spirit to indwell and guide YOU & Me

Summary:

2 examples of how to listen to Jesus: distracted & focused. Jesus says which is best.

Our Prayer life should start with our growing in unity with who God is & His will.

Our prayer life should be daily relationship about physical provision & soul provision.

We are to be ‘Shamelessly Persistent’ when interceding with God for those in need.

We are to keep asking, seeking & knocking because God WILL answer.

We can trust God’s motives in how He answers our prayers.

Application Questions:

What are the things that distract you from a more focused discipleship?

What parts of ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ do you practice regularly & what parts need attention?

What is your theological justification for being persistent in praying for other’s needs?

What keeps you from being persistent in praying for your material & spiritual need?

/by

Luke Pt. 20: Am I A Neighbor?

Luke 10:

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”

27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[c]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d]”

28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.”

29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[e] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

/by

Luke Pt. 19: Peace, Provision, Power & Privilege

Luke 10:1-20

10 The Lord now chose seventy-two other disciples and sent them ahead in pairs to all the towns and places he planned to visit. 2 These were his instructions to them: “The harvest is great, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.

  • Key differences between the instructions given the twelve vs these 72
  • Christ trained leaders (12) then gave then ½ of as many to then train 12 x 6 = 72
  • One extra P: Prayer
  • The worker being sent into the fields are told to ask for more workers to be sent
  • Those who God sends on mission are to ask Him for co-workers
  • Who is in charge of ‘The Harvest’? If it’s about us, beware pride or self-loathing
  • We do not ‘Own’ any ministry, we should not say ‘My Ministry’
  • Every mission field is ‘His Field’

3 Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves. 4 Don’t take any money with you, nor a traveler’s bag, nor an extra pair of sandals. And don’t stop to greet anyone on the road.

  • ‘Now Go’… if God gives you a job don’t delay (delayed obedience = disobedience)
  • Realize this is not going to be ‘Safe’…God does not offer ‘Safe’ to Christ followers
  • Count on God to provide essentials and that what you have now is enough
  • Don’t tell God to prepare you more, He knows if you are prepared enough
  • Stay focused on what you have been sent to do, keep moving

5 “Whenever you enter someone’s home, first say, ‘May God’s peace be on this house.’ 6 If those who live there are peaceful, the blessing will stand; if they are not, the blessing will return to you. 7 Don’t move around from home to home. Stay in one place, eating and drinking what they provide, because those who work deserve their pay.

  • Establish if people are willing to accept God’s offer of peace (Gospel)
  • Even if the offer is rejected, you are still blessed for offering it
  • Don’t go provision shopping, be content with God’s idea of provision for you
  • Let God bless you for doing what He asked you to do.

8 “If you enter a town and it welcomes you, eat whatever is set before you. 9 Heal the sick, and tell them, ‘The Kingdom of God is near you now.’ 10 But if a town refuses to welcome you, go out into its streets and say, 11 ‘We wipe even the dust of your town from our feet to show that we have abandoned you to your fate. And know this—the Kingdom of God is near!’

  • Once welcomed, live as those who welcomed you do: ‘Contextual Mission Work’
  • Demonstrate God’s power by healing (Physical & Emotional)
  • Give people hope that the Kingdom is becoming accessible (Gospel)
  • See if God is working there and if not, let them know you have no part in their fate
  • When rejected, try to leave them thinking about The Kingdom

12 I assure you, even wicked Sodom will be better off than such a town on judgment day. 13 “What sorrow awaits you, Korazin and Bethsaida! For if the miracles I did in you had been done in wicked Tyre and Sidon, their people would have repented of their sins long ago, clothing themselves in burlap and throwing ashes on their heads to show their remorse.

  • How can Sodom be better off?
  • They didn’t get a chance to respond to the offer of God’s peace
  • Korazin & Bethsaida saw His power 1st hand and didn’t respond (no repentance)
  • Jesus says those in ‘wicked’ towns would respond in repentance vs rejecting Him

14 Yes, Tyre and Sidon will be better off on judgment day than you. 15 And you people of Capernaum, will you be honored in heaven? No, you will go down to the place of the dead.” 16 Then he said to the disciples, “Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me.”

  • Tyre & Sidon neighbors to Israel where God was not fully revealed
  • They will be better off because they didn’t get the opportunity Capernaum did
  • God has mercy on those who He gives less chances / reveals Himself to less
  • The Message = Jesus Christ = God
  • How people respond to the Gospel is the same as how they respond to God
  • The principal; from those who are given much, much is expected

But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required. Luke 12:48

17 When the seventy-two disciples returned, they joyfully reported to him, “Lord, even the demons obey us when we use your name!” 18 “Yes,” he told them, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning!

  • The joyful report: demonic forces must obey Christ’s followers who ‘use His name’
  • ‘In Someone’s Name’ & to ‘Come In Someone’s Name’ are about unity & oneness
  • When we act in unity with God’s will, we can trust that demons must obey us
  • The most powerful of Angels (now The Enemy) is forced to bend to God’s will
  • Only through unity with God’s will & His Spirit can we overcome demonic forces

19 Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. 20 But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.”

  • He gives them ‘Authority’, but the real gift isn’t the authority
  • The real gift is eternal union w/ God, Him forgiving our sin & buying us out of hell
  • Because God Himself has ‘registered’ our names in heaven we get that authority
  • But the value of that authority is not even close to the value of salvation (eternity)

21 At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.

  • What gave Jesus such Joy?
  • The very idea of what He was going to accomplish @ the cross: Our Salvation!
  • He was joyful the 72 were learning important theological lessons
  • Thanking God for being who He is: opposes the Proud, gives grace to the humble
  • If we want to please Him we need to do things His way: humble yourself!

22 “My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

  • Trust, unity, complete transparency & total intimacy are perfect in the Trinity
  • You cannot know God The Father except thru God The Son
  • Christ chooses those He reveals the Father to (we don’t really ‘Choose Jesus’)

23 Then when they were alone, he turned to the disciples and said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you have seen. 24 I tell you, many prophets and kings longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.”

  • Christ shares this last part only with the 12
  • You are being given much, so much more than prophets and Kings
  • Many with strong desires to know God fully were not given what the 12 got

Summary:

It’s God’s field & harvest; we prayerfully ask God to multiply us & call our partners.
To work with Christ we must go where danger is, but He provides for our eternal safety.

Offering Christ’s Peace is the ultimate blessing, & our calling as Christ’s disciples.

Those given more opportunity will be judged more harshly regarding their response.

Working with Christ by His power is awesome. Christ’s salvation is ‘The Awesomest’!

Thinking we are wise & clever impairs our vision of God; humility opens our eyes.

Realize how fortunate you are if Christ has chosen you, so live thankfully & graciously.

Application Challenges:

Will you live for eternity and not to stay alive, trusting in Christ’s Peace without fear?
Will you live like God Provides everything, so you can follow where He leads?
Will you live trusting Christ’s Power He gives You to do His Kingdom Work?
Will you live from a place of gratitude for the Privilege of living your life for Christ?

/by

Luke Pt. 18: Maturity Matters

We all need to mature as disciples. Not only do we have that need, it should be an undisputed goal of Jesus Christ’s church: creating a culture seeking spiritual maturity. Spiritual, Emotional, & Relational health are the hallmarks of mature disciples of Christ.

Christ’s discipleship is a process that produces maturity. Maturity is the normal process of all creation: plants, animals & people. So if we are to move towards maturity as disciples of Christ, how do we measure that?

The Sermon on The Mount gives us standards for a relationally mature disciple of Christ, a vision of the goals of discipleship. Today’s passage gives us more standards in response to disciples being immature.

You can’t microwave Discipleship! It takes time, there is no other way God does it. Learning from mistakes and redoing lessons until it becomes lifestyle: Discipleship

Our passage today is a series of encounters between Jesus & His established disciples as well as those just becoming His disciples. In all these encounters Jesus points out their immaturity & leads them to maturity.

Here & now Christ uses His Body & Leaders to identify immaturity & to help the immature grow. This is how Jesus Christ’s church is supposed to work! Spiritual / Relational maturity is not a luxury for Christ’s Body, it is absolutely essential!

Ask God’s Spirit to open your eyes to your own immaturity, and for Him to change you!

Luke 9:37-62

37 The next day, after they had come down the mountain, a large crowd met Jesus. 38 A man in the crowd called out to him, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, my only child. 39 An evil spirit keeps seizing him, making him scream. It throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It batters him and hardly ever leaves him alone. 40 I begged your disciples to cast out the spirit, but they couldn’t do it.”

  • Always crowds! What a thing it must have been to see Him while incarnated
  • Only Child (seems to be a theme)
  • Dealing with Demonization / Possession is serious spiritual business
  • This Guy had heard of Jesus’ disciples casting out demons

One day Jesus called together his twelve disciples and gave them power and authority

to cast out all demons and to heal all diseases. (Luke 9:1) 3 weeks ago

  • The 12 had experience, but could not do it! ‘dem knew it, but them can’t do it’ B.Boys

41 Jesus said, “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you and put up with you?” Then he said to the man, “Bring your son here.”

  • God calls us what we are: faithless & corrupt (be honest about who you are)
  • They had cast out demons weeks ago at the most
  • The disciples did not apply what they knew and had seen God do (Need Practice)
  • How long until you are transformed? Some of that depends on you

42 As the boy came forward, the demon knocked him to the ground and threw him into a violent convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit and healed the boy. Then he gave him back to his father.

  • The evil spirit gave everyone a display of his possession
  • Jesus rebuked the demon, cast it out
  • He healed the boy of the damage done by the demon
  • Returned him to his previous state (reconciliation)

43 Awe gripped the people as they saw this majestic display of God’s power. While everyone was marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, 44 “Listen to me and remember what I say. The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of his enemies.” 45 But they didn’t know what he meant. Its significance was hidden from them, so they couldn’t understand it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.

  • No other explanation, so it has to be God
  • While the display of power was still fresh in their minds, He taught them
  • He had noticed how they forgot previous lessons (God knows we are not perfect)
  • We all need repetitive schooling from Jesus! Get used to it and make it lifestyle
  • We all need to take lessons from Jesus and wait for them to fully make sense

46 Then his disciples began arguing about which of them was the greatest. 47 But Jesus knew their thoughts, so he brought a little child to his side. 48 Then he said to them, “Anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me also welcomes my Father who sent me. Whoever is the least among you is the greatest.”

  • God has far less trouble noticing our pride than we do ourselves (false humility)
  • This is a direct call to be humble, not act humble!
  • True humility begins with how you approach God (we need outside evaluation)
  • We are not to aspire to be greatest but rather to be the least…180 difference
  • This sort of thing never happens in the church today, right? HA!

49 John said to Jesus, “Master, we saw someone using your name to cast out demons, but we told him to stop because he isn’t in our group.” 50 But Jesus said, “Don’t stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you.”

  • Our shared goal as Christ’s followers is more important than any group / sect
  • The opposition will be clear; worry about them, no need to go looking for enemies
  • Recognize we are on the same team
  • The spiritually immature will see false enemies and judge other people’s callings
  • I was regularly like this 15 years ago, can still be in my worst moments.

51 As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 52 He sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan village to prepare for his arrival. 53 But the people of the village did not welcome Jesus because he was on his way to Jerusalem.

  • Luke lays the ground work for Jesus’ mission to be understood
  • Samaritans only wanted Jesus if He was going to be on their side
  • Competition and cultural differences used as excuses for disunity

54 When James and John saw this, they said to Jesus, “Lord, should we call down fire from heaven to burn them up?” 55 But Jesus turned and rebuked them. 56 So they went on to another village.

  • Exercising power for personal reasons while ‘spiritualizing it’ = immaturity
  • We learn as we mature that ‘Vengeance Belongs to The Lord’…Him alone
  • I used to put a lot of energy into attempting to enact my idea of ‘Justice’
  • Jesus will use others to rebuke the immature, these guys accepted it, will you?

57 As they were walking along, someone said to Jesus, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head.”

  • Immature disciples over-promise; Jesus wants us deal with reality.
  • The message: ‘Count the Cost’ Christ’s disciples are guaranteed NOTHING here
  • A realistic view of discipleship as a long hard process is the start of maturity
  • Making choices that involve sacrifice of comfort, acceptance &status = Maturity

59 He said to another person, “Come, follow me.” The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” 60 But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead! Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.”

  • Meaning is: ‘let me inherit my father’s estate’
  • Priority is worldly things 1st, then heavenly things after. There never is an after…
  • Same message as the third soil in the parable of the soils from Luke 8

“The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.” ~ Jesus @ Luke 8:14

61 Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say good-bye to my family.” 62 But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.”

  • Being Christ’s disciple is not about being detached from you old life but living the same life in a totally new way. Don’t look back, look forward.
  • To be part of The Kingdom of God you must be ‘Undivided’ in your loyalties
  • Mature disciples will prioritize The Kingdom over EVERYTHING else

Summary:

Mature Disciples recognize their flaws and need for Christ’s Spirit

Mature Disciples trust God even when things don’t make sense

Mature Disciples are humble having been humbled by God

Mature Disciples recognize how God calls us all to serve Him differently

Mature Disciples accept that Justice belongs to The Lord

Mature Disciples consistently prioritize The Kingdom over things in this world

Application Questions:

To grow in maturity, how can you allow God to stretch you spiritually / emotionally / relationally?

How well do you recognize your ‘Spiritual Pride’? How can you intentionally pursue greater humility?

How do you avoid judging other’s practices, callings and ministry practices?

What may be the costs you have to consider to go to the next phase of your discipleship?

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