We’re kicking off the year by walking through the Gospel of Luke together. A common New Year’s goal is to read through the entire Bible or at least read it more. I’ve found a common hurdle to this goal is this question: “Where do I start?”
Start here: 5 Steps to Understand the Bible. Next, if you are beginning in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, I wrote a series of posts about the story of Joseph. Joseph is a major character at the end of the book of Genesis, but the story of his family is a little messy and complicated. This series of posts should help you: Joseph: A Story of Redemption.
Finally, I’m covering a few chapters of Luke each week, and I’ll include some of my thoughts on each chapter. Read along with me, and share your thoughts on these chapters with me in the comments!
Be sure to check out the other chapters too:
Luke 10 – In the Zone
It’s all starting to come together! Have ever felt that? Have you ever been in that place where everything falls in place, and it all just feels right? When every detail works out right, I call it being in the zone.
If you play or watch sports, that phrase, “in the zone” is used quite often. The point guard can’t miss a shot, the pitcher is throwing the ball exactly where he wants, the quarterback has 15 straight completions. No matter the sport, everything just clicks for a player or team – no detail goes wrong.
I get the impression, Jesus is in the zone. Maybe better said, His ministry is in the zone. Everything seems to be clicking. All the details are just right. Last chapter he sent out his core group of 12 disciples with authority and power, and they crushed it. Now he sends out a larger group, and they too come back with amazing reports. Jesus and his team are getting all the details right, and they’re in the zone.
That’s not normal life though.
Normal life isn’t lived in the zone.
Normal life is the end of the chapter. Jesus’ friend Martha is putting on a banquet for Jesus and his friends, but sister Mary isn’t doing anything to help her. The day was falling apart in front of her eyes and more importantly, her guests. Every detail is being forgotten or messed up.
There is a reason being in the zone is celebrated; it’s rare that it happens. When Martha complains to Jesus that the details are being forgotten (because of her sister), Jesus says this,
“My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her.” -Luke 10:41-42 NLT
The way we get into the zone is not by thinking of the smallest detail, but by focusing on the big picture. Mary saw the bigger picture (Jesus), and she dropped everything for him. Martha got distracted by the details, and she nearly missed who was right in front of her – the son of God himself.
Today, focus on what is really important – look to Jesus, love your family, care for your spouse, spend time with your friends, invest in your calling. Get into the zone.
Luke 11 – Agreers or Doers?
Prayer, demons, and dirty dishes…Jesus covers a lot of ground in this chapter. He teaches on many different topics, but it all began with a request, “Teach us to pray.”
To learn, I must get beyond my pride…
I don’t ask Jesus to teach me enough. Sometimes it’s because of pride. I don’t think there is any more I need to learn about a subject. How crazy am I to feel this away about the one who created the heavens and the earth. He made me in his image, so there will always be plenty he can teach me.
Sometimes I don’t ask for Jesus to teach me because of my oversight or ignorance. I literally never thought to ask God for help. This is a pride thing too. Why wasn’t asking God for guidance the first thing I did?
…then I must act on what I learn.
Here is the other problem with asking God for help with wisdom or understanding. He expects us to do something with the information he gives us. In Luke 11, Jesus taught on prayer, and then he moved right into his authority over Satan (which is tied into prayer). He ends with this statement:
“Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”” -Luke 11:28
What’s the point of Jesus teaching me something if I won’t do it. In his book, “Everybody, Always”, Bob Goff argues we have become great “agreers” with Jesus, but we are very poor at doing. It’s not enough to agree with what Jesus teaches us, we must put it into practice.
This is where the rubber meets the road, and it’s probably why I don’t ask Jesus to teach me more. Learning means change and disruption in my life. It will mean I’ve been doing things incorrectly (I was wrong!). But I want to be blessed, so I choose to put Jesus teaching into action.
What will you ask Jesus to teach you? Will you put it into action?
Luke 12 – Happy, happy, joy, joy
The average person doesn’t believe in a happy, joyful God. Images of God (real or mental) tend to be stern, serious, demanding, and even angry. That’s why I like this chapter in Luke.
If you don’t read carefully, you might be tempted to picture God as unhappy. Jesus gives a lot of warnings about hypocrisy, greed and irresponsibility, and he shares some serious consequences of those actions. God seems kind of angry.
That’s not God’s heart. Read again the portion about money and worry, and notice this line,
“So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.” -Luke 12:32
This is who God is; this is his heart. God loves to give to his children. His heart is generous. He is happy.
We get caught up in the (real) consequences of disobedience, and we attribute personality to God because of the actions he must take as a loving parent. If you are a parent, you know what I mean. If we don’t have consequences for breaking the rules, then our children become spoiled and entitled.
As a parent our heart is generosity, kindness and joy…even when we are forced to punish our children. So is God.
So, ask God to show you who he truly is. Ask to see His heart. I think you’ll find joy.
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