TODAY IN THE WORD

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 9
Take nothing for the journey. - Luke 9:3
TODAY IN THE WORD
While it’s easy to focus on Jesus’ dramatic miracles and confrontations with the Pharisees, His most significant ministry—apart from our salvation—is found in His relational mentoring and teaching of His twelve closest disciples. A classic article in Discipleship Journal titled “If Jesus Led Your Small Group” suggests key principles based on how Jesus led His own “small group” of unlikely future church leaders. These principles include preparation or setting aside dedicated time, modeling what you say, room for questions, a safe atmosphere or forgiveness for failure, mutual friendship (rather than know-it-all authoritarianism), and flexibility.

We see these principles in today’s reading. Luke 9 seems to focus more on these personal dimensions of Jesus’ ministry. When He sent out the Twelve, it’s as if He were saying, “Here, you take the wheel.” This was a powerful and encouraging experience for them, so much so that Jesus afterward took them on a ministry debriefing retreat. When the crowds interrupted, He was disappointed that the disciples seemed to doubt He could do something as simple as provide lunch. His miracle told them once again that He was the Son of God. The leaders and crowds had varying opinions, but He wanted His disciples to have no doubts about His identity. With divine help (Matt. 16:17), Peter boldly declared that Jesus was “God’s Messiah” (v. 20).

Discipleship is a journey filled with highs and lows. There are moments of exhilarating insight, as in Peter’s confession. There are moments of beholding God’s glory, as at the Transfiguration. There are also times of shame and suffering as we live counter to the world’s priorities. Giving one’s life for Christ’s sake is part of what it means to be His disciple (vv. 23-26, 57-62). Following Him must be our absolutely top priority. Thankfully, it’s about God’s strength, not our own, for there will be times when we fail (as when the disciples couldn’t cast out an evil spirit) or embarrass ourselves (as when they argued about who was the greatest). Once we’ve put our hand to the plow, though, there’s no turning back!

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It is possible to understand some spiritual truths but remain clueless about others. Though Peter knew exactly who Jesus was, he didn’t grasp what Jesus told him about the suffering and death He would soon undergo (vv. 22, 44-45). Though the disciples had experienced Jesus’ power, they didn’t grasp that this power was for love and service, not conquest or revenge (vv. 51-56). We must trust that God is the One who enlightens our spiritual understanding at just the right times.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 10
You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. - Luke 10:21
TODAY IN THE WORD
A hit-and-run driver struck a 78-year-old man on a busy city street in Hartford, Connecticut. Car after car drove by the injured man, and bystanders gawked. Several people did call 911, but a surveillance camera captured most people’s unwillingness to get involved or help. The same month, again captured by video, a woman who had been waiting for a bed for 24 hours in a Brooklyn hospital collapsed on the floor, writhing in pain. Staff and patients in the waiting room noticed her convulsions but made no move to help. When someone did check on her over an hour later, it was too late—the woman was dead.

Whether in ancient or modern times, it seems that the sacrificial love of the Good Samaritan remains the exception rather than the rule. Jesus shared this parable about truly loving one’s neighbor in response to a test question from a religious leader about the greatest commandment (vv. 25-37).

The story teaches many things about love. Love is not predictable—those who might be expected to obey the commandment (two religious leaders) did not do so. Love crosses boundaries of ethnic and cultural prejudice, as the Samaritan helped the Jew. Love goes the extra mile and makes a personal investment, seen in the ways the Samaritan cared with his own resources for the robbery victim. Love loves when no one is watching, on a lonely road, not for human praise.

Jesus’ story illuminated the true nature of love, exhorted His hearers to love in this manner, and revealed the deep love and mercy of God. The “neighbor,” after all, turned out to be the one who showed mercy to the helpless man in need, just as God has done for us (vv. 36-37).

God’s merciful love enables another kind of love, that of friendship between human beings and God (John 15:15). Mary was one of Jesus’ closest friends, and at the end of the chapter she showed her devotion by choosing “what is better,” that is, to sit quietly and listen to her friend and Savior (v. 42).

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As when Jesus sent out the Twelve, His sending out of the 72 in today’s reading was a training exercise in leadership and ministry. But even more, it was an act of love for the people of Israel. The preaching and miracles done by this larger group of disciples gave many more people a chance to learn about Jesus than would otherwise have been possible. As He so often does, God was giving people maximum opportunity to turn to Him (see 1 Tim. 2:3-4).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 11
How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! - Luke 11:13
TODAY IN THE WORD
In his book, Read, Think, Pray, Live, youth pastor Tony Jones suggested that an old approach to prayer might be just the thing for modern young people. The approach is called lectio divina, and it involves four steps: reading a Scripture passage both aloud and silently, meditating on the passage, praying aloud about issues that God puts on one’s heart during the previous step, and finally, contemplating God and resting in Him. The idea is that youth today are exceptionally busy and, thanks to technology, constantly multitasking. For this reason, they have a hard time “being still” before the Lord (Ps. 46:10). “Lectio divina” is one way for them to slow down and find silence in which they can hear God’s voice.

Jesus taught His disciples another kind of model prayer in today’s reading (vv. 1-4; cf. Matt. 6:5-13). It begins with “Father”—how gracious of Almighty God to encourage us to address Him with such an intimate term! This is not to take Him for granted, however—“hallowed be your name, your kingdom come” recognizes His holiness and sovereignty and prays for the whole world to do the same.

The first personal petition, “Give us each day our daily bread,” is a request for basic physical needs to be met. The second, “Forgive us our sins,” covers our most basic spiritual need and is followed by reminders that we, too, should forgive others and need God’s help to resist sin’s temptation. Jesus’ expanded teaching on prayer emphasized persistence (vv. 5-8), boldness (vv. 9-10), and faith (vv. 11-13). We should pray tenaciously, believing that God can and will answer.

As seen in the rest of the chapter, prayer is important because it prepares the soul for spiritual experiences and conflicts beyond human strength. This included not only demonic opposition but also human opposition, as Jesus’ enemies made the illogical argument that He was casting out evil spirits using Satan’s power, demanded a sign in addition to all the miracles already performed, and focused on legalistic trivia like hand-washing and spice-tithing rather than justice and love (v. 42).

APPLY THE WORD
Young people are not the only busy Americans who use technology to multitask. Who among us is beyond the reach of our cell phone? How often does the background noise of a car radio or MP3 player fill our ears while we’re doing something else? Is “being still” before the Lord a lost art in our daily spiritual walk? Using the “lectio divina” approach, or simply using the model of the Lord’s Prayer, might slow things down enough for us to be able to savor prayer and listen to God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 12
From the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. - Luke 12:48
TODAY IN THE WORD
Junior high school science teacher Doug Edmonds makes science “cool.” Using music, Edmonds takes popular songs and rewrites the lyrics in order to explain scientific ideas such as density and chemical bonds. Then he creates videos of himself singing the new song, complete with visual aids such as flash cards and diagrams. These music videos are posted on the Internet, where his students (and anyone else) can learn from them. The songs help his students to remember and understand complex concepts. One said, “If I’m ever struggling on a quiz, I’ll just sort of sing them to my-self.”

As seen in His parables and elsewhere, Jesus was also a creative master teacher. Even when delivering spiritual warnings, He did so in powerful language and memorable images. There are seven things in today’s reading that He warned us to be on guard against.

(1) Hypocrisy (vv. 1-3). He called this “the yeast of the Pharisees” and warned that one day their true character would be known. (2) Disrespecting God (vv. 4-12). He cares for us, but those who reject Him will themselves be rejected on judgment day. When we stand firm, by contrast, He helps us. (3) Greed (vv. 13-21). The rich fool in the parable disrespected God and put his trust in the wrong object. In the end, his material possessions couldn’t save him. By comparison, we should seek God’s kingdom as genuine treasure.

(4) Worry (vv. 22-34). Greed might in part be fueled by worry or anxiety, which shows a lack of faith in God to care and provide. A lack of generosity might also show that we’re anxiously attached to our material resources. (5) Spiritual unreadiness (vv. 35-48). The servants in the parable weren’t ready for their master’s return. Committed servants of God need to be faithful and vigilant. (6) Spiritual unfaithfulness (vv. 49-53). Faith in Christ creates difficult social and personal choices, but proper priorities mean God must always come first. (7) Spiritual blindness (vv. 54-59). We need to be sensitive to the “signs of the times” and on the lookout for what God is doing.

APPLY THE WORD
Financial worry might be high—after all, today is when personal income tax returns must be filed in the United States, though this year we actually have until Monday, April 18. Tax season is an excellent time to take to heart Jesus’ warnings concerning greed and worry. Those with more should remember that “life does not consist in the abundance of possessions” (v. 15)—those with less, that we should “seek his kingdom, and [food and clothing] will be given to you as well” (v. 31).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 13
Unless you repent, you too will all perish. - Luke 13:5
TODAY IN THE WORD
Author and pastor John Piper wrote: “We were made to know and treasure the glory of God above all things. . . . The sun of God’s glory was made to shine at the center of the solar system of our soul. And when it does, all the planets of our life are held in their proper orbit. But when the sun is displaced, everything flies apart. The healing of the soul begins by restoring the glory of God to its flaming, all-attracting place at the center. We are all starved for the glory of God, not self. . . . Into the darkness of petty self-preoccupation has shone ‘the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God’ (2 Corinthians 4:4).”

Genuine faith keeps God at the center. When we sin, genuine repentance restores the relationship (vv. 1-9). In the thinking of Jesus’ day (and perhaps in the thinking of some in our own day), people who suffer tragedies must have done something wicked to deserve it. Presented with an example, however, Jesus essentially said that all people are sinners and equally deserving of divine punishment unless they repent. We cannot say that bad things happening show that a person must be especially bad. We are all sinful (Rom. 3:22-24). Like the fig tree in the parable, we all will be held accountable for our actions.

At present, the kingdom of God (vv. 18-30) is about people’s inner faith. The Lord can take faith as small as a mustard seed and turn it into a huge tree, or faith as small as a bit of yeast and mix it throughout a large batch of dough. Initially small and unimpressive, the mustard seed and bit of yeast will be victorious in the end, just as faith will be. In the future, the kingdom of God will be like a celebratory banquet of the faithful, global in scope but also full of overturned expectations. People who think they should be “in” will turn out to be “out” because they neglected the only banquet invitation that mattered—the “narrow door” of faith in Jesus Christ.

APPLY THE WORD
If “God so loved the world” and the kingdom banquet will welcome guests from all over the world, why did Jesus speak of faith as a “narrow door” (v. 24)? Because there is one and only one way to God—belief in His Son, Jesus Christ (John 14:6). No other way will do, no matter how “spiritual” or well intentioned. This truth offends many in our pluralistic age, but it reminds us of the rich necessity of “seeing and savoring Jesus Christ” (the title of a book by John Piper).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 14
Those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. - Luke 14:33
TODAY IN THE WORD
In one of the persecutions of Christians in the days of the Roman empire, a young believer named Procopius of Palestine gave his life for the sake of the gospel. He was brought before a magistrate in Caesarea and ordered to sacrifice to the gods, but he refused, saying, “There is no God but one only, the Maker and Creator of all things.” Then they told him to sacrifice to four Roman emperors, but again he stood firm and refused. For his faithfulness, he was beheaded on July 7, A.D. 303.

As Jesus said, true disciples must give up everything to follow Him (v. 33). In essence, discipleship is what needs to happen after we walk through the “narrow door” of faith in Christ (vv. 25-35).

This commitment is so extreme that Jesus explained it by using two rather shocking figures of speech: First, following Him requires such dedication that hyperbolically it’s like hating your family and even your own life. Second, following Him requires such dedication that metaphorically it’s like carrying a cross. As a means of executing criminals, a cross suggested shame, suffering, and death. In modern terms, it’s as though Jesus had said, “Want to follow me? You’ll need to have a seat in the electric chair.” To be His disciple we need to “count the cost” or understand the all-out, holding-nothing-back nature of the relationship.

One significant dimension of discipleship is hospitality. In today’s reading, Jesus drew an analogy between earthly and divine hospitality (vv. 12-24). At the time, he was receiving hospitality from a Pharisee, evidence that He continued to reach out to the religious leaders and give them further opportunities to believe in Him. After exhorting His listeners to good deeds (instead of hypocrisy) and humility (instead of pride), Jesus addressed the topic of hospitality and generosity. These should be offered freely, without expectation of repayment. God Himself has invited us to a heavenly banquet, even though He knows few will accept and none can repay Him. Refusing His hospitality is a bad idea, for accepting it is the only way to life and the most important decision we’ll ever make.

APPLY THE WORD
Many American Christians rarely link discipleship with hospitality. We like our individual space, and besides, we’re always busy! Hospitality can be viewed as an imposition or a Better Homes and Gardens-style performance. When we realize, however, that the people we are to invite into our homes are the same ones God has invited to His kingdom banquet, we realize how important it can be. Done as an act of discipleship, hospitality can be an expression of God’s love to others.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 15
There is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. - Luke 15:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
Preoccupied with plans for upcoming concerts and tours, classical violinist Gidon Kremer accidentally left his $3 million violin behind on a train. Once he realized the situation, he urgently called Amtrak officials to see what could be done. A baggage handler found the violin, undisturbed in its blue cloth case, and the valuable instrument was quickly returned to its owner. As a thank-you, Kremer invited the Amtrak employee who had located the violin to one of his concerts.

As eagerly as Kremer searched for his lost violin, God is even more passionate in searching for spiritually lost individuals. Up to this point in our month’s study, we have divided Luke’s Gospel into three main parts: Jesus’ birth (Luke 1-2), the start of His public ministry (chap. 3-7), and His main teachings (chap. 8-14). Today we begin a fourth section on the theme of God’s kingdom in Jesus’ teaching (chap. 15-19:27), to be followed by a final section on Passion Week, that is, Jesus’ death and resurrection (19:28-24:53).

The three parables in today’s reading reveal the joy God takes in saving the lost. The Pharisees thought it was improper for a rabbi to fraternize with “tax collectors and sinners,” but Jesus wanted everyone to know that this is what the kingdom of God is all about! His first story involved a lost sheep (vv. 3-7), the second a lost coin (vv. 8-10), and the third a lost son (vv. 11-32). The first two begin with an item that gets lost, and then a careful effort is made to find it, upon which great rejoicing follows. From a spiritual perspective, sin is lostness and redemption is “foundness,” so finding the lost item represents a sinner who by the grace of God repents.

The third parable is similar but more complex. The lost item in this story is a person who makes a series of choices. These choices include extreme disrespect to his father, selfishness, pleasure-seeking, wastefulness, and pride. By contrast, the father’s choices include grace, mercy, compassion, unconditional love, and finally a celebration of “life out of death” when his son returned.

APPLY THE WORD
While the shepherd and the housewife in the parables searched diligently for their lost items, the third story doesn’t mention the father searching at all. He let the son make his choices and walk his wayward road—what he did do was watch and pray. When the prodigal returned, he ran to meet him and threw a celebratory banquet. Sometimes our vigilant concern for the salvation of those we love means we must watch and pray, trusting that God is working in their hearts.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 16
God knows your hearts. - Luke 16:15
TODAY IN THE WORD
Recent studies suggest that Americans’ religious walk doesn’t match their religious talk. Seventy percent say they have no doubt God exists, and 40 percent claim to attend religious services regularly. Empirical evidence contradicts the latter claim, however. One study asked people to narrate their Sunday schedules, another estimated religious service attendance nationwide and compared that to poll responses, and another examined nearly 500 different time-use studies. All concluded that actual church attendance is only about half of what people say. Although most Americans don’t go to religious services, they apparently want others to believe they do.

God is not fooled by such posturing. He knows our hearts (v. 15)—in time our actions will prove what our hearts truly value. That’s why the good news of the coming of the kingdom of God in today’s reading (v. 16) is accompanied by so many practical, moral commands. Jesus taught things that weren’t popular then and aren’t popular now, but they’re true nonetheless. One cannot serve both God and money (v. 13). Divorce is related to adultery (v. 18). Riches can be a barrier to faith. Submission and stewardship are important spiritual disciplines. God is no respecter of persons.

The two main parables in this chapter deal with money. The parable of the shrewd manager teaches that money is a means, not an end. To give up money—not his money, but money nonetheless—to get friends showed a kind of cleverness that treated money as a means to a better end. If an unethical person can show the way in this area, how much more will spiritual wisdom lead us to treat money as a means to eternal ends. Earthly stewardship is a warm-up for heaven.

The parable of the rich man and Lazarus teaches us, among other things, that riches can be a barrier to faith when they compete for loyalty and priority in our lives. The rich man’s comfortable state on earth had led him to neglect faith and godliness, and as a result he ended up in hell. Too late he realized that he had lived for the wrong things!

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The phrase “everyone is forcing his way into it” (v. 16) is a difficult phrase to translate. The idea of “force” can have positive or negative connotations. It seems to point toward the passion, positive or negative, of people’s responses to the ministry of Jesus. To paraphrase this verse, “God’s Word promised the kingdom all along. Since John the Baptist its arrival has been proclaimed and people have been violently embracing or rejecting it.” Which one describes you?

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 17
It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. - Luke 17:30
TODAY IN THE WORD
Faith, according to Hebrews, “is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (11:1). But how do we live this out? Thankfully, many concrete examples are found in Scripture, especially in Hebrews 11, also known as the “Hall of Faith.” Abel, for instance, offered his sacrifice in humble faith and God accepted it. Noah trusted the Lord and “built an ark to save his family.” Abraham obeyed God and journeyed to a foreign land. Joseph anticipated the Exodus. Moses’ parents protected him from the murderous intentions of their Egyptian enslavers.

Today’s reading reveals five essential principles and practices of faith. First, faith means resisting and forgiving sin (vv. 1-5). Sin may be inevitable, but this doesn’t remove human responsibility. Woe to one who causes a child to sin or refuses to forgive a repentant brother! In their response, “Increase our faith!” the disciples correctly perceived the difficulty of obeying these commands.

Second, faith means serving without looking for praise or reward (vv. 6-10). Service as a spiritual “duty” is not an inspiring or motivating message in today’s world, but the fact is that God owes us nothing. Our work for His glory is proper and fitting and our duty and privilege to perform.

Third, faith means gratitude for God’s incredible work in our lives (vv. 11-19). This is seen in the incident with the ten lepers, only one of whom (and a Samaritan at that!) came back to say “thank you” for his miraculous healing from a dreadful disease. Once again, Luke stresses overturned expectations.

Fourth, faith understands that the “kingdom of God” is a spiritual reality (vv. 20-21). The Pharisees and others were looking for a savior from the Roman occupation and a new Davidic golden age, but Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is in your midst” (v. 20). Fifth and finally, faith understands that the “kingdom of God” is both present and future (vv. 22-37). It is present in Jesus and in people’s responses to Him, but it is also future in Jesus and His Second Coming.

APPLY THE WORD
The return of Christ is imminent. By this, we don’t mean that it will necessarily happen soon—after all, Scripture says, “About that day or hour no one knows” (Matt. 24:36). Rather, the imminent return of Christ means that it could happen at any time. Nothing else needs to happen first. It could be in the next minute, next week, next decade, or next century. Are we ready? No, if we’re focused on temporal things and worldly concerns. Yes, if we’re walking day by day with Christ in faith.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 18
What is impossible with man is possible with God. - Luke 18:27
TODAY IN THE WORD
Author and pastor John Piper called humility a “shy virtue.” What did he mean? “Our humility, if there is any at all, is based on our finiteness, our fallibility, and our sinfulness. But the eternal Son of God was not finite. He was not fallible. And he was not sinful. So, unlike our humility, Jesus’ humility originated some other way.” To put it simply, He chose to be humble (Mark 10:45; Phil. 2:6-8). “What defines Jesus’ humility is the fact that it is mainly a conscious act of putting himself in a lowly, servant role for the good of others. . . . [W]e are called to join Jesus in this conscious self-humbling and servanthood.”

Humility is a key dimension of citizenship in God’s kingdom, including humility in prayer (vv. 9-14). To some smug listeners, Jesus told a story built around a contrast. On one side stood a religious leader. His prayer was prideful. He boasted of his good works and compared himself favorably to others. On the other side a tax collector stood at a distance. His prayer was humble and repentant. He confessed his unworthiness and begged God for mercy. It was this man rather than the other who “went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (v. 14) The tax collector understood that we are to receive the kingdom “like a little child” (v. 17).

We should also pray with persistence and purity of heart. Jesus made the first point with a story about a widow and an unjust judge (vv. 1-8). If a widow could obtain justice under unfavorable circumstances through simple persistence, how much more can we expect the same from our just and loving God? The blind man who would not be shushed and shouted louder for healing certainly discovered this (vv. 35-43). The issue of purity of heart is shown in Jesus’ encounter with the rich young man (vv. 18-30). Though apparently in search of the kingdom, the fact was that his heart was attached more to his wealth than to God’s truth.

APPLY THE WORD
Some of us would rather “achieve” the kingdom than “receive” the kingdom (v. 17). Even though we know in our heads that salvation is all about God’s grace and not what we deserve, we still want to earn something. Perhaps we do good deeds in an attempt to “repay” God. Perhaps we take ideas like discipleship and sacrifice and turn them into spiritual achievements to take pride in. But in our own strength we can do nothing at all—there’s no room for pride in God’s kingdom!

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 19:1-27
The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. - Luke 19:10
TODAY IN THE WORD
At the Third Lausanne Congress on World Evangelization held last year in Cape Town, South Africa, an 18-year-old Korean high school student gave a stirring testimony. Born in Pyongyang, North Korea, she was the only child of a wealthy and well-connected family. When they were politically persecuted, they fled to China. There they met Chinese Christians and Korean and American missionaries who introduced her parents to faith in Christ. Her mother soon died of leukemia. Her father sought to take the gospel back to North Korea, but was imprisoned and is presumed martyred. She, too, received Christ and shares this passion to see His gospel flourish in the physically and spiritually impoverished land of her birth.

This is also the heart of her heavenly Father, and the very reason for the Incarnation: “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (v. 10). This verse is often described as the theme verse for Luke’s entire Gospel.

It is epitomized in the story of Zacchaeus (vv. 1-10). As a chief tax collector in the Roman system, he almost certainly was corrupt and locally notorious for his sinfulness. Yet God had moved in his heart until he took the undignified step of climbing a tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus.

Jesus knew he would be there and took the initiative to invite Himself to dinner. Though some would criticize this move, “to seek and to save the lost” was exactly why He had come. Zacchaeus responded with immediate faith, concretely demonstrating his repentance of sin by paying restitution and giving to the poor. These actions didn’t save him, but they were proof of God’s saving work in his heart.

Like Zacchaeus, we who are “found” seek to be faithful followers of Christ (vv. 11-27; cf. Matt. 25:14-30). Being faithful in our stewardship of resources is one such way. One servant in the parable failed to manage his talent well and stood condemned. The other two, however, obeyed faithfully and were ready on the day of the master’s return (cf. 1 Cor. 4:5).

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Thanks to modern technology, you can see and hear the North Korean student’s testimony. Video of it is available both at the Lausanne Congress Web site, http://conversation.lausanne.org/en/conversations/detail/11671, and on YouTube. (www.youtube.com). Her testimony of suffering and faith will stir your soul and encourage you in your daily walk. It is a vigorous witness to the power of the gospel and the love of God.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 19:28-48
Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! - Luke 19:38
TODAY IN THE WORD
When Roman generals returned from their conquests, they were welcomed back with a victory parade. The general would ride in a gilded chariot, prisoners in chains walking before him and soldiers marching in ranks and carts loaded with plunder behind him. Two slaves would also ride in the chariot, one holding a laurel wreath as a symbol of triumph and one whispering a warning in the general’s ear, “All fame is fleeting.”

When Jesus made his Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem at the beginning of Passion Week, the climax of His mission of redemption lay just ahead. The people who celebrated Him on Sunday would be shouting for His crucifixion by Friday. Because of this, the Triumphal Entry was a bittersweet event.

The sweetness came as the event fulfilled messianic prophecy, when Jesus rode the colt of a donkey into Jerusalem. The animal symbolized the kingship of David, and the people responded with praise and worship, shouting, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” (v. 38; Ps. 118:26). But it was bitter because Jesus knew He had come to Jerusalem to suffer and die. He understood well that His fortunes, humanly speaking, would soon be reversed. He also knew that the Pharisees had rejected Him and were looking for an opportunity to kill Him. They clearly recognized the meaning of what was happening, but they refused to accept it as true. Rather than acknowledging the Messiah, they asked Jesus to rebuke the people (vv. 39-40).

More sweetness is found when Jesus told them that the people’s praise was appropriate and true; “the stones will cry out” if they did not (v. 40). As for the people, they were riveted by His teaching, and the good news of the kingdom continued to be preached and believed. But there was also more bitter sorrow when Jesus wept over Jerusalem, understanding the tragedy of Israel’s rejection of Him and seeing ahead to the city’s future suffering and defeat. He was also angry at the spiritual abuse of the temple—the court of the Gentiles had been turned into a “den of robbers” when it should have been a place to seek the Lord.

APPLY THE WORD
During this earthly life, the Christian experience can often be bittersweet. The bitter includes suffering, rejection by the world, battles with sin and temptation, and the rigors of pilgrimage. The sweet includes the reality of redemption, the love of God, fellowship with His people, and the joys of pilgrimage. As we walk in this way, we follow in the footsteps of our Lord: “Wisdom is like honey for you: If you find it, there is a future hope for you” (Prov. 24:14).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 20
Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces. - Luke 20:18
TODAY IN THE WORD
Before condemned prisoners are executed, it has become customary to allow them to choose a last meal. Many request fast food or comfort food such as fried chicken, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and ice cream. Seafood is also popular, while others ask for dishes their mother made them as children. Officials report receiving many phone calls asking about prisoners’ last meals, so many that at least three states have put final meal menus on their Web sites.

The Jewish religious leaders planned no such kindness as a last meal for Jesus. Their plot to kill Him was hateful and unjust. They had been looking for an excuse to do so—if they could get Him to say something controversial or unpopular, the people would turn on Him.

To this end, they set three traps in today’s reading. The first trap was a lose-lose question about authority (vv. 1-8). If Jesus said His authority came from God, it might look like pride or blasphemy; but if He said from men, it would disappoint the crowds. He refused to play the game, however; His question regarding John the Baptist was a way of saying, “I see what you’re trying to do.” His parable of the tenants was a public indictment of their rejection of Him as Messiah (vv. 9-19).

The Pharisees’ second trap was a political question (vv. 20-26). It was another lose-lose scenario: If Jesus said not to pay taxes, He would brand Himself a rebel, and the Roman imperial machinery would kick into gear and crush Him. If He said to pay taxes, He would look like a Roman collaborator and lose the people’s respect.

The third trap question involved theology (vv. 27-40). The Sadducees thought they had found a contradiction in Scripture regarding resurrection and marriage and asked their question in the form of an extreme hypothetical scenario. Jesus told them their question came from an entirely wrong understanding of heaven and only revealed their ignorance of God’s kingdom. As usual, Jesus got the last word and identified Himself from Scripture as both David’s descendant and Lord (vv. 41-44).

APPLY THE WORD
Two thousand years after Jesus walked the earth, some things haven’t changed. The Sadducees did not believe in resurrection, and on this Resurrection Sunday the sad fact is that many modern individuals do not believe in it either. They think they know better. The foundations of our faith appear to the world as foolishness, but Christ’s Resurrection and our own future resurrections are at the heart of the Christian faith (1 Corinthians 15).

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 21
Be always on the watch, and pray. - Luke 21:36
TODAY IN THE WORD
Did you know that “once in a blue moon” actually happens? A “blue moon” is the second full moon in a month, an event that occurs about once every two-and-a-half years. To ring in the year 2010, a “blue moon” occurred on New Year’s Eve in North America, South America, Europe, and Africa. That hadn’t happened since 1990, and the next New Year’s Eve “blue moon” won’t occur until the year 2028.

As rare as a “blue moon” is, the advents of Christ are even rarer. According to Scripture, just two are planned for all of recorded history! From our vantage point in time, we look back on His first coming and forward to His second. In the Olivet Discourse, our passage today, Jesus spoke of these matters (vv. 5-38; cf. Matthew 24).

One lesson for His disciples was not to trust in church building projects, so to speak. Jesus’ shocking statement about the destruction of the temple was literally fulfilled in A.D. 70, when the Romans burned it to the ground. The crowds were focused on looking for a messiah to liberate them from Roman occupation, but Jesus wanted His disciples to understand the deeper nature of redemption and God’s plan for the world.

A second lesson He wanted them to learn was not to trust in impostors. Many false messiahs and teachers would show up during the “end times,” and believers would need to be discerning and rely on God’s wisdom to know how to respond. A third lesson was that there would be “signs of the times,” including both social (persecution and wars) and natural signs (earthquakes and famines).

The climax of history will be the Second Coming of Christ (v. 27). The first advent was about rejection and redemption, but the next will be about power and glory. How should we respond to all this? The point is not to try to decode the signs as if they were a puzzle, though we should be aware of passing events (vv. 29-31). Rather, we should remain steadfast when the going gets rough. God’s love will preserve our eternal lives no matter what happens.

APPLY THE WORD
What is the key to the end times? At a practical, everyday level, the answer can be found in the story that opens this chapter (vv. 1-4). The widow who put all her money into the temple offering trusted the Lord with all she had, without reservation. This is the sign of a heart that is not weighed down with the cares of this world (v. 34). We, too, will be ready for Christ’s return and found faithful if we trust Him with all we have, all we are, and all we do.

[Soldier4Christ]

Read: Luke 22:1-46
Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done. - Luke 22:42
TODAY IN THE WORD
In today’s reading, Jesus’ disciples were guilty of pandiculation. This seldom-used English word means, “Stretching the body and extremities when drowsy or tired, usually accompanied by yawning.” It can also be a verb, “pandiculate,” or an agent noun, “pandiculator.” The Latin root is pandiculari, meaning “to stretch one’s self.” While His closest friends unhelpfully pandiculated, Jesus prayed fervently in the Garden of Gethsemane (vv. 39-46). Knowing what would happen, and why, didn’t necessarily make things easier—He was in such agony that He sweat drops of blood. Nonetheless, the core of His prayer and of His entire life was, “Not my will, but [God’s] be done” (v. 42).

Just prior, Jesus had shared the Last Supper with His disciples and spoken quite plainly about His impending death. Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, had gone to the Pharisees and agreed to betray the Lord when an opportunity presented itself. Satan entered him, not against his will but as a result of his choices, and spurred the plot forward.The thirty pieces of silver do not seem to be a sufficient motive for Judas’ betrayal, but they are an indication of his low character. Jesus knew what was going on and revealed during dinner that one of them would betray Him (vv. 21-22) and that Peter would deny Him three times (v. 34), facts which no doubt added to His emotional burden.

As they shared the Passover meal, Jesus spoke to His disciples of His coming suffering, death, and resurrection, the fulfillment of Isaiah 53 (v. 37), and the redeeming power of His blood, soon to be shed for them and for all of us. As this would be the last close fellowship He would be able to share with them before His death, these were the matters closest to His heart. As part of the meal and the teaching, He instituted a “new covenant” and what we today call communion or the Lord’s Table (vv. 19-20). Though the “new covenant” meant that nothing would ever be the same, the disciples’ unfortunate response was to renew an old debate over which of them was the greatest.

APPLY THE WORD
Jesus taught about servant leadership (vv. 25-27). Those who view power and authority in worldly ways use it to seek their own advantage, to command respect, and to make themselves look good. But with God, power and authority are for different purposes, namely, to serve others. Jesus Himself showed the way—His divine power and authority culminated in Him presenting His life as the once-for-all sacrifice for sin (Heb. 9:26).