Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Week Fourteen: February 22-28, 2016 - Luke 6:46-7:17

The very first verse of this week's passage is deserving of our time, reflection and prayer:  Jesus says, Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I tell you? (vs. 46)

Read this verse a few times slowly.  As you read it, ask the Lord this question: Jesus, where in my life do I not practice what you teach?  Pray about this question until the Lord reveals to you where you need to adhere to His teaching.  As the answer(s) is revealed to you, ask God for the grace to bring your life into alignment with His teaching.  Reflecting on last week's passage from Luke 6:27-45 may help you answer this question.  Do you love your enemies? Do you do to others as you would have them do to you? Do you judge and condemn others? Do you forgive? Do you give generously to meet the needs of others?

The issue in verse forty-six is "true discipleship."  Can we be a disciple of Jesus if we only confess to know Him?  Or does being a disciple of Jesus require more?  What defines true discipleship?  Jesus leads us to consider in this verse how right confession needs to be joined with right practice (obedience).  What good is it to call Jesus "Lord" and not treat Him as "Lord" by following His teachings and commands?

Verse forty-six leads us into the familiar words of Jesus (vv. 47-49) which admonish us to build our house (our lives) on the firm foundation of the rock.  To build our lives on the rock of Jesus, He teaches us that we must hear His words and act on them.  I'm reminded of the words of the Psalmist David who said, For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. (Psalm 27:5)  Such is the joy and confidence of those who build their lives upon Jesus and His teachings.  Alan Culpepper says in the New Interpreter's Bible, "We do not choose whether we will face severe storms in life; we only get to choose the foundation on which we will stand."

Luke 7:1-17 tells us of two healing stories.  The first, in verses 1-10, tells us of a Gentile centurion whose servant is healed by Jesus.  The miracle beyond the miracle is that Jesus never actually sees or talks directly with the centurion or the servant who is healed.  This teaches us an important lesson: we do not have to be in front of Jesus (physically) to receive His healing.  Through prayer, Jesus can bring healing to ourselves or others in the same way he healed the centurion's servant.  Just as the friends of the centurion served as mediators between the centurion and Jesus, we can serve as mediators between others and Jesus through our prayers.

Second, in verses 11-17, Luke tells us of a healing that mirrors a healing story in 1 Kings 17.  For "extra credit" this week, read the story of Elijah healing the widow's son in 1 Kings 17 and see if you can find all of the similarities between the two stories.  Luke frames Jesus' raising of the dead man in Luke 7:11-17 to make a very important statement: Jesus is the Messiah who is greater than a prophet (like Elijah).

The Luke passage this week leads us to consider the foundation on which we stand.  Is your life firmly rooted and grounded in Jesus?  How does your heart need to be transformed by His grace so that you can answer this question in the affirmative?  How do your actions need to conform to the teaching of Jesus?  For no one can lay any foundation other than the one that has been laid; that foundation is Jesus Christ. - 1 Corinthians 3:11

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