trying to find His way
“When all the people saw it, they also praised God.” (Luke 18:43) This blind man wasn’t the only one whose eyes were opened.The same group that tried to silence the blind man now see his healing.They did not understand – could not see – that this was what Jesus was about.Even after all this time with…
“They did not know what he was talking about.” (Luke 18:34) Sometimes I wonder, do we really know what Jesus is talking about?I grew up being told exactly what everything in the bible meant.I was told that true faith was ‘absolute certainty’ this was true.Over time I’ve started to question whether we really understand.Not that we’re…
“What is impossible with man is possible with God.” (Luke 18:27) In the context, Jesus is talking about the impossibility of our condition.We cannot be saved by “what must I do” (Luke 18:18).We have lost our original creation ability to love as God intended.No amount of memorizing or obeying the laws can change this.No amount of sacrifice…
“You still lack one thing.” (Luke 18:22) This man wanted to enter and experience life in God’s kingdom.He understood that you had to be ‘good’ to enter it.He kept the rules of the Moses Law, since this was ‘good’.But Jesus calls into question his whole idea of goodness.He kept the rules, but he still lacked something…
“Anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” (Luke 18:17). The kingdom of God is the goodness of this world entrusted to humans.Adam and Eve were entrusted this kingdom like newborn children.They did not need to work for it or earn it.They received it humbly and passively,…
“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else…” (Luke 18:9) To be righteous is to be right before God in all ways.Jesus sees religious people who were convinced they were right.They viewed themselves as right and others as wrong, as evildoers.They maintained lists of their rightness, and lists of…
“I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly.” (Luke 18:8) Jesus is contrasting God to an ungodly, uncaring judge.The widow keeps pressing for justice because he is her only hope.This judge is the only one that can help her, or she is done.This parable relies on the fact that God is not…
“It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. (Luke 17:30) Daniel has a vision of the Son of Man being revealed (Daniel 7:13-14).That Son of Man will appear while the beasts of this world wreak havoc.In the midst of the violence and misery, God’s Messiah will finally take charge.That day…
“But first he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.” (Luke 17:25)
“…because the kingdom of God is in your midst.” (Luke 17:21) Jesus is answering the Pharisees; how is the kingdom ‘entos’ them?This word normally means ‘within’ or ‘inside’ (see Matthew 23:37).In that verse, Jesus calls the Pharisees cups that are dirty ‘inside’.How can Pharisees, who resist Jesus and are dirty inside, have the kingdom in them?Assuming not,…