What Jesus Did! from Heartlight

Unhealthy Rush - Luke 19:11-14

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0600

Key Passage

"Jesus traveled closer to Jerusalem. Some of the people thought that God's kingdom would come soon. Jesus knew the people thought this, so he told them this story: "A very important man was preparing to go to a country far away to be made a king. Then the man planned to return home and rule his people. So he called ten of his servants together. He gave a bag of money to each servant. The man said, 'Do business with this money until I come back.' But the people in the kingdom hated the man. So the people sent a group to follow the man to the other country. In the other country, this group said, 'We don't want that man to be our king!'""

— Luke 19:11-14 (Read Full Text)

Key Thought

Jesus is trying to slow down the rush running through the crowd. The rumor has gotten started that the Kingdom of God is going to begin immediately on his arrival in Jerusalem. He chooses to use a story to dispel this myth. However, the key for us is to notice how followers of Jesus want to rush his work rather than letting him fulfill matters based upon his Father's timing and will. Our impatience with the Lord's timing can lead us into making poor decisions.

Prayer

Father, give me the wisdom to know your will in my life and the patient endurance to wait on your timing. Forgive me for my foolish impatience. Through your Spirit, please develop my self-control, patience, and peace. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Related Scriptures

"But the Spirit gives love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. There is no law that can say these things are wrong."
— Galatians 5:22-23

"that God will strengthen you with his own great power; that God will strengthen you, so that you will be patient and not quit when troubles come. Then you will be happy and give thanks to the Father. He has made you able to have the things he prepared for you. He has prepared these things for all his people who live in the light (good)."
— Colossians 1:11-12

"The Lord is not being slow in doing what he promised--the way some people understand slowness. But God is being patient with you. God doesn't want any person to be lost. God wants every person to change his heart and stop sinning. But the Day when the Lord comes again will be a surprise like a thief. The sky will disappear with a loud noise. All the things in the sky will be destroyed with fire. And the earth and everything in it will be burned."
— 2 Peter 3:9-10

Jesus Came to Save the Lost! - Luke 19:10

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0600

Key Passage

""The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them.""

— Luke 19:10 (Read Full Text)

Key Thought

Jesus didn't come to please the religious crowd. Jesus didn't come to pander to the social crowd. Jesus didn't come to hang out with the wild bunch. Instead, Jesus entered the world to save sinners. When we look back over the Gospel of Luke, we see Jesus reach out to men and women, young and old, powerful and forgotten, demon possessed, and the politically connected. He came to save sinners of all shapes, sizes, and stripes. He came to save you and me.

Prayer

Holy and righteous God, thank you for your great desire to bring salvation to all people -- including me. Open my heart and move me to reach out to others who need to know your grace. Even more, dear Father, stir me to seek the lost as passionately as your Son did ... and still does. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Related Scriptures

"I have not come to ask good people to change. I have come to ask bad people to change their hearts and lives!""
— Luke 5:32

"The next morning, Jesus woke up very early. Jesus left the house while it was still dark. He went to a place to be alone and pray. Later, Simon and his friends went to look for Jesus. They found Jesus and said, "All the people are looking for you!" Jesus answered, "We should go to another place. We can go to other towns around here. Then I can tell people {God's message} in those places also. That is why I came." So Jesus traveled everywhere in Galilee. He spoke in the synagogues. And he forced demons to leave people."
— Mark 1:35-39

"A thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I came to give life -- life that is full and good."
— John 10:10

Repentance Means Change! - Luke 19:8-9

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0600

Key Passage

"Zacchaeus said to the Lord (Jesus), "I want to do good. I will give half of my money to the poor. If I have cheated any person, I will pay that person back four times more!" Jesus said, "Today is the day for this family to be saved from sin. Yes, even this tax collector is one of God's chosen people!""

— Luke 19:8-9 (Read Full Text)

Key Thought

Zacchaeus is a living example of repentance in this passage. Repentance is a change of heart that leads to a change of life. Zacchaeus was so touched by the Lord's loving presence, his heart was changed and he made a commitment to change his lifestyle. That kind of change is the mark of salvation and the guarantee of a new person!

Prayer

Father, thank you for the joy your salvation brings. I praise you for the joy and hope my salvation has brought to me. Please empower me with your Spirit to produce the fruit of repentance, a life that blesses others and brings glory to you. In the name of Jesus Christ, my Lord, I pray. Amen.

Related Scriptures

"When the people heard this, they felt very, very sorry. They asked Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" Peter said to them, "Change your hearts and lives and be baptized, each one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ. Then God will forgive your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is for you. It is also for your children and for the people that are far away. It is for every person that the Lord our God calls to himself." Peter warned them with many other words; he begged them, "Save yourselves from the evil of the people that live now!" Then those people who accepted (believed) what Peter said were baptized. On that day about 3,000 people were added to the group of believers. {The believers continued to meet together.} They used their time to learn the teaching of the apostles. The believers shared with each other. They ate together and prayed together."
— Acts 2:37-42

""My brothers, I know you did those things to Jesus because you did not understand what you were doing. Your leaders also did not understand. God said that these things would happen. God said through the prophets that his Christ would suffer and die. I have told you how God made this happen. So you must change your hearts and lives! Come back to God and he will forgive your sins. Then the Lord (God) will give you times of spiritual rest. He will give you Jesus, the One he chose to be the Christ. But Jesus must stay in heaven until the time when all things will be made right again. God told about this time when he spoke long ago through his holy prophets."
— Acts 3:17-21

"In the past, people did not understand God, but God ignored this. But now, God tells every person in the world to change his heart and life."
— Acts 17:30

The Joy of Sinners in Jesus - Luke 19:6-7

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0600

Key Passage

"Then Zacchaeus came down quickly. He was happy to have Jesus in his house. All the people saw this. They began to complain, "Look at the kind of man Jesus stays with. Zacchaeus is a sinner!""

— Luke 19:6-7 (Read Full Text)

Key Thought

I'm not sure how those of us who are religious today would react to the actions of Jesus with sinners if he were among pysically us today. I do know, however, that many who regard themselves as sinners are still excited to know they are actually welcomed by Jesus into his grace. Those of us who have been in Christ a long time need to be re-awakened to the hunger that many people have for the Lord. Let's help them find him by looking for those seeking to find him. Then, let's welcome them as Jesus did.

Prayer

Father, open my eyes to see those around me who are seeking after your Son. Please give me the wisdom to know when to speak, what to say, and how to act so that I can be helpful in their search to come to know Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.

Related Scriptures

"If you are always trying to do good, then no person can really hurt you. But you may suffer for doing right. If that happens, then you are blessed (happy). "Don't be afraid of those people {that make you suffer}; don't be worried." But you should keep the Lord Christ holy in your hearts. Always be ready to answer every person who asks you to explain about the hope you have. But answer those people in a gentle way with respect. Always be able to feel that you are doing right. When you do that, the people who say bad things about you will be made ashamed. They say these bad things about the good way you live in Christ. They will be made ashamed for the bad things they said about you."
— 1 Peter 3:13-16

"Many tax collectors and bad people came to listen to Jesus. Then the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to complain, "Look! This man (Jesus) welcomes bad people and even eats with them!" Then Jesus told them this story: "Suppose one of you has 100 sheep, but he loses one of them. Then he will leave the other 99 sheep alone and go out and look for the lost sheep. The man will continue to search for the lost sheep until he finds it. And when he finds the sheep, the man is very happy. The man carries the sheep to his home. He goes to his friends and neighbors and says to them, 'Be happy with me because I found my lost sheep!' In the same way, I tell you, heaven is a happy place when one sinner changes his heart. There is more joy for that one sinner than there is for 99 good people that don't need to change their hearts."
— Luke 15:1-7

"My brothers and sisters, one of you may wander away from the truth. And another person may help him come back to the truth. Remember this: Any person who brings a sinner back from the wrong way will save that sinner from death (hell). By doing this, that person will cause many sins to be forgiven."
— James 5:19-20

Seeking the Lost - Luke 19:1-5

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0600

Key Passage

"Jesus was going through the city of Jericho. In Jericho there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a wealthy, very important tax collector. He wanted to see who Jesus was. There were many other people that wanted to see Jesus too. Zacchaeus was too short to see above the people. So he ran to a place where he knew Jesus would come. Then Zacchaeus climbed a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus. When Jesus came to that place, Jesus looked up and saw Zacchaeus in the tree. Jesus said to him, "Zacchaeus, hurry! Come down! I must stay at your house today.""

— Luke 19:1-5 (Read Full Text)

Key Thought

When Zacchaeus demonstrated his desire to see Jesus, Jesus looked up and saw him, then told Zacchaeus that he needed to stay with him. God wants us to know that when people are actively seeking the Lord, he seeks after them until he finds them! Not only does he willingly listen to those whose hearts are burdened (Luke 18:1-14), he also reaches out for those who are seeking him. This is true even if they are outcasts in their own world like Zacchaeus (Luke 5:27-31; 19:7).

Prayer

Father, I know you longed for me to be your child even before I had begun to seek after you. Thank you for finding me and bringing me into your family through the gift of your Son. In Jesus' name I praise and thank you for your grace that has brought my salvation. Amen.

Related Scriptures

"God wanted the people to look for him. Maybe they could search all around for him and find him. But he is not far from any of us: 'We live with him. We walk with him. We are with him.' Some of your own writers have said: 'For we are his children.'"
— Acts 17:27-28

"So I tell you, continue to ask, and God will give to you. Continue to search, and you will find. Continue to knock, and the door will open for you. Yes, if a person continues asking, that person will receive. If a person continues looking, that person will find. And if a person continues knocking, the door will open for that person. Does any of you have a son? What would you do if your son asked you for a fish? Would any father give his son a snake? No! You would give him a fish. Or, if your son asks for an egg, would you give him a scorpion ? No! {You are like all other people}--you are evil. But you know how to give good things to your children. So surely your heavenly Father knows how to give the Holy Spirit to those people that ask him.""
— Luke 11:9-13

"Without faith, a person cannot please God. Any person who comes to God must believe that God is real. And any person who comes to God must believe that God rewards those people who truly want to find him."
— Hebrews 11:6

Bringing Praise to God - Luke 18:42-43

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0600

Key Passage

"Jesus said to him, "You can see now! You are healed because you believed." Then the man was able to see. The man followed Jesus, thanking God. All the people that saw this praised God for what happened."

— Luke 18:42-43 (Read Full Text)

Key Thought

The crowds knew that Jesus' acts of compassion were not to draw attention to himself, but to bring praise to God. He lived his life to bring honor, glory, and praise to his Father. Just as Jesus lived to glorify God, we too, are put here to bring God glory. If not only our best achievements but also our everyday lives mean that our Father is praised, then we have succeeded in life!

Prayer

Father, may all good things that I do and the way that I live each day bring you honor and praise. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Related Scriptures

"When Jesus came near the town gates, he saw a funeral. A mother, who was a widow, had lost her only son. Many people from the town were there with the mother while her son was being carried out. When the Lord (Jesus) saw her, he felt very sorry for her. Jesus said to her, "Don't cry." Jesus walked to the coffin and touched it. The men that were carrying the coffin stopped. Jesus said to the dead son, "Young man, I tell you, get up!" Then the son sat up and began to talk. Jesus gave him to his mother. All the people were filled with fear. They began praising God and said, "A great prophet has come to us!" And they said, "God is taking care of his people.""
— Luke 7:12-16

"We Jews were the first people who hoped in Christ. And we were chosen so that we would bring praise to God's glory. It is the same with you people. You heard the true teaching--the Good News about your salvation. When you heard that Good News, you believed in Christ. And in Christ, God put his special mark on you by giving you the Holy Spirit that he promised. That Holy Spirit is the guarantee that we will get the things God promised for his people. This will bring full freedom to those people who belong to God. The goal of all this is to bring praise to God's glory."
— Ephesians 1:12-14

"All people will fear you, O Lord. All people will praise your name. Only you are holy. All people will come and worship before you, because it is clear that you do the things that are right.""
— Revelation 15:4

Jesus Wants to Hear About Your Burdens - Luke 18:40-41

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 02:00:00 -0600

Key Passage

"Jesus stopped there and said, "Bring that blind man to me!" When the blind man came near, Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man said, "Lord, I want to see again.""

— Luke 18:40-41 (Read Full Text)

Key Thought

You see them on the street. "How you doing?" they ask. "Fine." Your reply is automatic and instinctive. However, you are not fine. You just know that they don't really want to hear about your burdens. They are just being nice and giving you a perfunctory greeting. If you are blessed, you may actually have a few folks close to you who are interested in the heaviness in your heart, but the vast majority of folks don't want to hear about it. In fact, many folks don't have a single person who really wants to share the burdens of their heart. Jesus, however, will take the time to listen and has the heart to hear. Offer him the burdens of your heart!

Prayer

Thank you, Father, for showing me your desire to hear the burdens of my heart by showing your love through Jesus. In his name I offer my thanks. Amen.

Related Scriptures

"A man that had leprosy came to Jesus. The man bowed on his knees and begged Jesus, "You have the power to heal me if you want." Jesus felt sorry for the man. So Jesus touched the man and said, "I want to heal you. Be healed!" Immediately the leprosy disappeared, and he was healed."
— Mark 1:40-42

"Don't worry about anything. But pray and ask God for everything you need. And when you pray, always give thanks. And God's peace will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. That peace which God gives is so great that we cannot understand it."
— Philippians 4:6-7

"Jesus finished saying all these things to the people. Then Jesus went into Capernaum. In Capernaum there was an army officer. The officer had a servant that was very sick; he was near death. The officer loved the servant very much. When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some older Jewish leaders to him. The officer wanted the men to ask Jesus to come and save the life of his servant. The men went to Jesus. They begged Jesus {to help the officer}. They said, "This officer is worthy to have your help. He loves our people and he built the synagogue for us." So Jesus went with the men. Jesus was coming near the officer's house when the officer sent friends to say, "Lord, you don't need to do anything special for me. I am not good enough for you to come into my house. That is why I did not come to you myself. You only need to give the order and my servant boy will be healed. {I understand your authority.} I am a man under the authority (power) of other men. And I have soldiers under my authority. I tell one soldier, 'Go,' and he goes. And I tell another soldier, 'Come,' and he comes. And I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and my servant obeys me." When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Jesus turned to the people that were following him. Jesus said, "I tell you, this is the most faith I have seen anywhere, even in Israel. " The group that was sent to Jesus went back to the house. There they found that the servant was healed."
— Luke 7:1-10