ThemesGod’s sovereignty in all things.God works through ordinary people living ordinary lives. IntroductionJosephus says that Ruth takes place right after the death of Samson.Judges covers 1373 – 1043 BC. Ruth likely toward the end of this time as there are only three generations from Ruth to David. Chapter 11Bethlehem to Moab = 50 milesSee Deut […]
Chapter 17 is made up of several sections and it’s not entirely clear how or if the sections go together. They are separate vignettes and it’s also not clear if they occur chronologically or if Luke groups them for another purpose. If we were to assign an overall title to the chapter, it would be […]
This is the second of two lessons on Chapter 16. The message of the chapter, told in two parables and a showdown with the Pharisees, is that the disciple of Christ must use the temporary resources of this sinful world to affect eternity. The believer is a steward of what he has and knows the […]
The message of Chapter 16, told in two parables and a showdown with the Pharisees, is that the disciple of Christ must use the temporary resources of this sinful world to affect eternity. The believer is a steward of what he has and knows the rewards of this life are finite, thus it makes no […]
Chapter 15 illustrates the two sides of Jesus’ ministry. On the one side are the sinners and tax collectors – the deplorables of society – who are attracted by Jesus’ compassion and teaching of forgiveness. On the other are the religious leaders – the elite of society – who are threatened by Jesus and horrified […]
Jesus’ approach to ministry is unconventional to say the least. In this passage He notices the huge crowds that follow Him and decides to winnow their numbers by giving them a sobering picture of discipleship. His sales pitch to them is, “Follow Me and your life will be really hard.” It’s not exactly a hard […]
The first 24 verses of this chapter all revolve around a meal. There are four vignettes in this passage, but all take place during a dinner at the house of a prominent Pharisee. Jesus uses the setting to point to a truth that’s repeated throughout Luke and all the gospels: self-righteousness and its associated spiritual […]
Life and belief are urgent. That’s the quick message of this passage. For the second time in this chapter (see also 13:1-9), Jesus stresses that the time for belief is right now. Other questions about salvation and who will be saved and how many and where they’re from or whether certain people will get in […]
Jesus engages in another Sabbath Showdown and uses it both to illustrate the dangers of hypocrisy and to make a statement about why He came to earth. Ultimately, the healing of the woman with the demonic disease, while glorious and loving, is about more than her and more than the Jewish religious leaders. It’s about […]
The teaching on judgment that ended Chapter 12 leads to a discussion as to why tragedies occur and if God uses them to punish the unrighteous. Jesus explains to His listeners that bad things don’t only happen to deserving people but they are a reminder that life is unpredictable, and judgment is certain. The lesson […]
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