The Gospels

Read This Week: Luke 5

One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything, and followed him. – Luke 5:1-11 NIV

A strange and seemingly debilitating contradiction exists within our hearts. We long to be and feel alive and want adventure. We want the release of endorphin and adrenaline and the desire to tempt fate. We want to be purposeful and leave a legacy. But, we can often lack faith and courage and are so averse to the risk that will ultimately allow us to experience it all. We often want to stay in the shallow, safe part of the waters of life when God may be calling us to go into deeper water with and for Him.

Luke 5 captures this kind of scene with the calling of the disciples. Jesus is teaching the people, and in the background are fishermen, some who would be called disciples of Christ. What’s interesting is that fishermen have a lot of the qualities it takes to successfully serve the Lord – courage, patience, determination, and faith. On this day, though, they lacked these things after fishing all night and catching nothing. Jesus stepped in and said to them: Put out into deep water and let down the nets for a catch.

The Lord challenges them to a greater vision and understanding of their lives. Even though they knew what they were doing and were adept at their craft, they limited their potential by lacking faith. But Jesus encourages and challenges them to “launch out into the deep.” He says go farther, dig deeper, and do a little more because there is a payoff if you trust Me. The disciples trust the word of God and verse 6 says:

When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.

How much do we miss out on in our lives and mission by not trusting God? Fear and apathy can grip us in life no matter the circumstances, the environment, or what we undergo. Whether it’s huge, or we fear the potential of something being huge, we can be gripped with uncertainty, and not put ourselves out there. The disciples discover what happens when we are obedient to the word of God even when we don’t understand what He is asking us to do. Jesus said in verse 10:

“Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything, and followed him.

God is saying the same thing to us in our generation. This movement into the deep water of life is what He wants; to go further with Him on the mission. Jesus made us a promise that He would be with there even to the end of the age. His promises are real and constant, and we can base our lives on them. We can take them with us and hold them in deep water when tempted to be afraid, relent to unbelief, or give up.

Just as He did for the disciples that day on the shore of the lake, God has great plans and purposes for our lives, and He wants us to risk, place our faith in, and be obedient to Him. The glory of God can often be seen most prominently in the deep water. Our prayer is that God gives us the strength and power to wade into them and be successful with His help.

Read This Week: Luke 4

At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also because that is why I was sent.” And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea. – Luke 4:42-44 NIV

Jesus had an eventful time in Luke chapter 4. He was tempted in the wilderness by the enemy, He was rejected in His hometown of Nazareth even while He proclaimed the Good News to the multitudes, He drove out an impure spirit, and healed many people. By any standards, these activities would constitute a busy schedule and one that would require a break. Jesus did just that because He always knew when He needed some quiet time with the Father. Verse 42 says that He went out to a solitary place.

Being alone and practicing solitude are two very different things. One can be comfortable while the other requires discipline. One can cater to self-absorption and the other to self-examination. One can provide less noise, but the other can bring perspective. One can be a conduit for physical rest and the other for life-change. Jesus understood the difference between the two and used it as an avenue to regroup spiritually and stay focused on the mission (v.43). He provides an example for us to find a solitary place to encounter the Lord, be refreshed in our life with God, and gain new energy and resolve for our mission. 

Being alone is not a bad thing. It can be good for the soul. Everyone needs to physically disconnect from the grind and press mute on the voices that bombard us each day. But sometimes, being alone exclusively does nothing more than fuel the things we struggle with, advance false beliefs, and encourage self-interest. 

A solitary place can help us understand our challenges and gain a spiritual perspective that we need to face the difficult circumstances of life. This time with God can shift our emphasis off of ourselves and onto the Word as we are still and listen to His voice. Our negative emotions can be re-centered and brought under the control of the Spirit, and we can learn humility and grow out of our brokenness.

A solitary place can arrange an encounter between selfishness and sanctification. It can help us tear down the false images of ourselves and rebuild a new person alive in the fullness of Christ. Our attitude can shift from personal recovery to spiritual renewal as we go from looking for relief to passionately seeking the will of God. It was more about renovation than rehabilitation.

A solitary place can facilitate spiritual and emotional healing. God deals with our issues in these spaces as we pursue Him without distraction. The Scriptures tell us that if we will return to God and rest in Him, we will find strength and confidence in the quietness. This promise rings true for us in the present as God can strengthen our hearts and minds as we engage with His truth in a quiet place.

Jesus was the Son of God, yet he chose to find rest in the solitary place in this chapter and throughout the Gospels. What Christ practiced should be something we do as well. In a solitary place, we are not just alone. We are face-to-face with our Father, that loves us and wants to refresh, renew, and equip us for our lives with Him. Then we can exit these places of solitude and encounters with the Lord and say as Jesus did in verse 43, I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God because that is why I am here.

Read This Week: Luke 3

When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli. – Luke 3:21-23 NIV

One of the most powerful scenes contained in the Gospels is the baptism of Jesus. The day after many people had presented themselves to John for baptism, Jesus approached the Jordan River to be baptized. At first, John did not want to do it because He knew Jesus was the Son of God who did not require repentance. But the Lord wanted to officially start His public ministry by identifying with the sinners that He came to seek and save. He wanted to demonstrate fellowship with God and relate to those who needed his salvation.

When John brought Jesus out of the water, the people saw an amazing display of divine majesty. Father God spoke from heaven and audibly identified Jesus as His beloved Son and even pronounced His favor on Him. Then the Spirit visibly and tangibly came on Jesus in the form of a dove showing the world that He was empowered to do and complete the will of God. Can you imagine being in the crowd that day and witnessing such an incredible moment? It set the tone for the rest of Jesus’ ministry on earth.

Then Luke does an interesting thing on the heels of this awe-inspiring moment. He interjects into the narrative a genealogy of Jesus or a listing of his generational ancestors back to Adam. Verse 23 begins it like this:

Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli. 

The Gospel writer was intentional; he knew that by placing the genealogy here, the reader would be instructed and reminded that the Son of God was also the incarnated Savior. Jesus was born into this world and part of a lineage that began with Adam. He was the God-Man who identified with the needs, hurts, struggles, and problems of mankind. Christ came from the line of David and was heir to his throne, signifying his kingship on earth and for all time in eternity.

This understanding of Jesus’ genealogy gives us a greater knowledge and insight into our status as an heir to Christ. It is the true generational wealth that can not be taken from us or lost in a deal or squandered by those who come after us. All believers, both men and women, become God’s children and heirs through faith in Christ. To know who we are in Him can deepen our love and motivate us to seek transformation by the Spirit. Galatians 3:26-29 sums this up best:

In Christ Jesus, you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. 

Read This Week: Luke 2

Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” – Luke 2:28-32 NIV

Luke chapter 2 is probably one of the most recognized Scriptures in the Bible because of its connection to Christmas. Every year, people, both sacred and secular, read and sing passages from the story of the birth of Christ contained in the words of this chapter. But there is so much more to it than the telling of Jesus’ birth. The narrative and theological implications of Luke 2 go from the incarnation and build on it to reveal some amazing truths about Jesus and His mission for us and the world.

This glorious foreshadowing of Jesus’ mission and how it relates to us can be seen in the story of Simeon (v.25-35), a righteous and devout man who was a part of the Jewish remnant that looked with anticipation for the Messiah. Simeon desired to see the Messiah before he died. He wanted to lay eyes on the One who would bring God’s salvation to the nation of Israel and the world. He had a vision of this that we read in verse 26: It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 

When Simeon goes into the temple and sees Jesus with Mary and Joseph, he realizes instantly that He is looking at the Messiah, the Son of the living God. He is so moved by this revelation of truth that he takes Jesus into his arms and begins to sing. What a greeting, right? His joy and gladness are such that he embraces Christ and can not help but break out in a song of praise. He also blesses God for keeping His promise and thanks the Lord for allowing him to see it with his own eyes. Verses 29-31 capture this poignant moment:

Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations.

As followers of Jesus, we are like Simeon. We have seen the glory of Christ revealed in our lifetime. We have witnessed his miracles (principally our salvation), His provision, His grace, His goodness, and His sovereignty that remains faithful even in the midst of the greatest of uncertainties. We have been called to His mission, been a part of His work, and seen the Gospel taken to the utmost parts of the earth just as Simeon sang about in this chapter. We have been witnesses to the kingdom advancing in our age. We have seen it.

May we live in light of this truth. Our reactions to knowing Jesus and seeing the work of the Messiah should be the same as Simeon’s so many years ago. Our eyes should open in the morning, our hearts should be filled with gratitude, and a song of praise and joy should resonate from our lips. Just like the saint of old in the temple that day, our life fulfillment is realized in the privilege we have to know and serve the God of the universe. We should rejoice and live with power because we’ve seen it.

Read This Week: Luke 1

“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm. He has filled the hungry with good things. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful.” – Luke 1:46-54 NIV

We hear so much in our society and culture about the word empathy. We tend to see it in the context of leadership, politics, social movements, and standards of thought. Unfortunately, there seems to be more talk about what certain people think empathy means than actually seeing empathy applied. Instead of asking who displays a myopic, skewed view of empathy, perhaps we should be asking who cares? Who is actually caring for their fellow man regularly in a tangible way instead of merely talking about it like a romantic idea? 

In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus performs miracles and mighty deeds, feeds the hungry, heals the sick, and helps others not because He shows empathy but because He is the all-encompassing definition of compassion. Compassion and mercy lead Him to care deeply and translate His feelings into discernable action. Consider the words of Mary’s joyful song of praise (v.46-55) and focus on the language that describes the characteristics of God seen in the person and life of Christ:

“For he has been mindful… He has done great things for me… His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation… He has performed mighty deeds… He has filled the hungry with good things… He has helped his servant, remembering to be merciful.

Mary gives us a preview of what is to come in the following chapters. We will observe Jesus in caring action and words. We will see a servant, a shepherd, and a Savior who is empathetic to people and mindful of them. And He does not just feel or relate to their pain and suffering, but He is aware of how it affects them, and He is careful to express that. Christ shows mercy out of His love and does great things for people of all backgrounds, races, beliefs, and social and economic statuses. He truly cares.

God wants us to care. He desires us to go beyond the rhetoric of who is empathetic and who is not and the faulty social constructs that determine it. This benevolent care on display from Jesus is what God calls His followers to be. He was the compassionate Son of Man, and we are to follow His example of love, care, and kindness in our lives.

We are to be among people and not just ones we like. We are to befriend sinners and those on the margins of life. We are to hold up the weak and share the burdens of the afflicted. Showing compassion and caring for others is a sign of Christlikeness and of one who allows the Lord’s power to be expressed through their heart to effect change in the world.

Who cares? God does. And if we love God, we care too. Let’s allow Him to teach us this and so many other things in the days and weeks ahead through the book of Luke.

Read This Week: Mark 16

Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone because they were afraid. – Mark 16:6-8 NIV

The morning of the resurrection is interesting for the women who had gone to the tomb when we look back at it. They were not expectant of anything amazing. Expectancy was lacking in the disciples and the women who ventured to the grave that morning. They went to anoint the dead not to witness a miracle. But when they encountered the angel, and he informed them that Jesus had risen, this was their reaction in verse 8: 

Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone because they were afraid.

The two Marys and Salome did not get what they expected to say the least. The word trembling in this version of verse 8 is better stated as astonishment. It is the Greek word ekstasis that means amazement or the state of one who is thrown into a state of blended fear and wonderment because of the novelty of an event.

Ekstasis is the word that we get the English derivative ecstasy from. In other words, the women had encountered a once-in-a-lifetime event that they were not expecting, and it put them into a state of fear, astonishment, and wonder. This reaction seemed to be a common occurrence throughout the book of Mark:

• And they were astonished at his teaching… (1:22)
• They were all amazed… (1:27)
• So that they were all amazed and glorified God… (2:12)
• They were astonished beyond measure… (7:37)
• When they saw him, they were greatly amazed… (9:15)
• They were exceedingly astonished… (10:26)
• They were amazed, and those who followed were afraid… (10:32)
• All the crowd was astonished at his teaching… (11:18)
• Jesus made no further answer so that Pilate was amazed… (15:5)

These reactions to Jesus should come as no surprise. He is, indeed amazing. The way that He loves us unconditionally is amazing. The grace that He poured out on us through the cross and continues to in our lives is amazing. His mercy in light of our sin is amazing. His goodness when we don’t deserve it is amazing. His faithfulness in the face of our constant disobedience is amazing, and His nurturing when we are hurting and defeated is beyond amazing.

In light of this, we should be a people that are amazed but not surprised. The Lord is unpredictable so be astonished but don’t be unexpectant that an amazing God will do amazing things. He will; He does, and He is. Consider this wonderful quote about our amazing, wonderful Father:

God is often unpredictable. He loves to invade everyday life. He comes to you when you least expect it. He manifests Himself to you even when you’re aware of your own shortcomings and feel as if you don’t deserve His grace. He does this to remind you that His love and desire for you aren’t based on what you do for Him but on who He is. His unpredictable love is meant to amaze you, fascinate you, and capture your heart with His passion for you.

Read This Week: Mark 15

Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law, and the whole Sanhedrin, made their plans. So they bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate. “Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate. “You have said so,” Jesus replied. – Mark 15:1-2 NIV

Jesus had been betrayed, arrested, brought before the Sanhedrin, mocked openly, and abandoned by his followers, most notably, Peter. Now he is being brought to his official trial before Pilate early in the morning. Roman leaders began at the earliest hours of the day, and the religious leaders wanted to be there first thing in the morning because their hatred for Jesus emboldened their desire to stop Him. 

The Jewish leaders took Jesus to Pilate because they did not have the legal right to execute their criminals. Jesus stood accused of doing what He refused to do all along, to defy the Roman government and their leaders. He always preached respect for those in authority and to “render unto Caesar what is his.” He had never sought to exert earthly power of the Romans but instead came as the suffering Savior, the lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world.

Now He stood before Pilate to answer trumped-up charges about his challenge of Roman rule. Pilate asked about this in verse 2: “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus was the king of the Jews, but not in a political or military sense. He answered Pilate’s question but not in the way he was anticipating. He affirmed his status as God and as supreme but not in a way that would further accusations against Him.

Jesus would not give Pilate the satisfaction of declaring Him guilty of treason yet he answered in such a way that made Pilate think and that required further exploration. He knew that no matter what Pilate declared about Him, that would not change who He was and is.

Who do we say that He is? Do our lives, behavior, actions, and words point to the person of Christ? When asked to testify to the true identity of the Savior, can we say so? The beauty of worshipping and following Jesus is that He never changes. His character, supremacy, and eternal identity cannot be changed or altered by any man, event, circumstance, or skeptical assertion.

The Sanhedrin, Pilate, the angry crowds, or any that came after them, did not and cannot determine who Jesus is. But when people we come in contact with are searching for meaning, answers, and spiritual truth, may they be able to find Jesus, point to us, and say, “They said so.”

Read This Week: Mark 14

When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.” They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, “Surely you don’t mean me?” “It is one of the Twelve,” he replied, “one who dips bread into the bowl with me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” – Mark 14:17-21 NIV

When we live in a community and have relationships with other people, we will be hurt. Sometimes we will get hurt badly. Other times our hearts will be completely broken. It is one of the most unfortunate yet normative things about the human condition and life with one another. We have all felt the emptiness of separation and the sting of rejection and grief when a relationship ends. The result of these realities is deeply emotional, spiritual, and even physical pain. And pain, especially the relational kind, makes us do strange things. Things that are not logical or helpful to us or anyone else.

When rejection and betrayal happen, we tend to disconnect our lives from others, and we will often go a step further and remove our love. When hurt, we naturally seek to isolate and displace our physical selves from other people, but we also have this strong desire to withhold our love from them. Pain and the memory of relational rejection make us risk-averse in our expressions of love. This conscious withholding and refusal to give our love to someone else appeals to the worst of us in relationships. It almost seems unfeeling when we withhold love from others to whom we desperately want to give it.

We do this because we are flawed and broken. We do this because we allow the pain of denial to override the desire to honor God, the joy of being in community, the fulfillment of friendship, and the warmth of intimacy. We will choose the outcomes of pain instead of the fulfillment of loving someone and being loved in return. But as we see in Mark 14, this is where Jesus demonstrated to us the beauty and power of unconditional love, love not withheld, gifted love expressed without reciprocation.

Christ knew He would be betrayed and sold out by Judas. He knew from the start that He would face rejection most deeply from one of His followers. Yet, Jesus invited Judas into his family, involved him in His ministry, and accepted him as one of His most intimate friends. He embodied sacrifice and love by receiving someone at their worst and investing life in them despite the outcome. He did not hold back His love even though He knew it would not ultimately impact Judas’ choice. Betrayal chooses to take. Love chooses to give.

May we seek to access the love of Christ and not hold back even when we don’t feel like loving. May we reach for it with passion and determination to see it win out over the unhealthy emotional indulgences that come from our sinful nature and human limitations. Jesus demonstrated this love for us. He taught us this love. He offered His salvation through it and thus, His love wins forever. That is why it wasn’t held back by God and should never be held back by those who say they love Him.

Read This Week: Mark 13

Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished? Jesus said to them: “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. – Mark 13:4-6 NIV

Mark 13 captures some interesting thoughts and teachings from Jesus about the immediate and distant future. These things come up after the disciples ask him to observe the beauty of the Temple and the magnificence of its structure. Jesus responds to this by telling them the Temple will not last and that their hope and trust better not lie in its walls. The Jewish leaders had already defiled the Temple, and Jesus would depart from it and leave it desolate. Ultimately, the Romans would destroy it and leave those who follow Christ to scatter.

As any of us would have inquired, the disciples ask Jesus when these things will transpire and what signs will warn them when it is about to happen. The Lord tells them of the things that will not be real signs. He says there will be false teachers (v. 5-6), wars, rumors of war (v. 7-8), earthquakes (v. 8), famine (v. 8), and persecution (v. 9-13), but these things have always been with us and will always be.

Jesus is ultimately saying that they and we do not have to depend on signs to have faith and serve Him. We must rely solely on God’s unchanging, eternal word. He reiterates this truth in verse 31: Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. 

Christ then proceeds to tell us what we should be concerned with instead of searching for signs. He says to make sure that we do not get led astray (v. 5), to not be alarmed (v. 7), to be on guard (v. 9), do not be anxious (v. 11), endure (v. 13), and stay alert (v. 33). It is clear the things we should be doing daily as Christians. We should live for Jesus and follow the Holy Spirit with great urgency instead of speculating on earthly signs and attempting to predict the future about Him. We are Christ-followers, not fortune-tellers.

May the earmarks of believers in these hard times be that of faith, hope, peace, service, and love. May it not be retreating in fear from the news cycle, cowering to the vain philosophies of the world, and giving in to the ever-increasing hostile culture toward people of faith. We can, in God’s power, do everything that Jesus instructed the disciples to do as we await our eternal destiny.

We don’t need a sign. The cross of Christ and His resurrection are the only signs we ever needed to have full confidence and trust in the will of God and His purpose for our lives. God said to us, here is your sign, now go live for me and be successful.

Read This Week: Mark 12

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents. Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.” – Mark 12:41-44 NIV

Mark 12 is packed full of biblical and spiritual truth that we can apply to our lives every day. It is another example of the theme of Jesus’ actions demonstrated along with his teachings. He teaches in a parable to communicate that He alone is the cornerstone of faith, then practically imparts ethical lessons about our responsibilities as citizens and our duty to love God first, and then love other people as ourselves. In between, Jesus teaches us that He is the Messiah and not King David and that we should be vigilant and aware of false teachers that say otherwise and exploit people. This chapter is a theological and practical tour de force.

Perhaps its most poignant teaching comes at the end of the section with the story of the widow’s offering. It is an example and a warning against pride, especially pride revolving around self-importance, wealth, and stature. The Scriptures show us through this poor widow that if a person is or feels important because of their socio-economic status, money, power, profession, or title, their importance is fake. The heart and character of a person are what make them valuable. And those things cannot be earned, bought, acquired, or gifted. They come from walking with God, emulating His heart, and following His word.

There were chests around the walls of the court that people would drop their money and offerings in. It was in the open, so the crowds could see who gave and what they gave. The rich and pious would make a big deal out of their giving so that people would revere and praise them for their bountiful gifts. Verse 41 says:

Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts.

Then, the poor widow comes along and puts in her offering, and it encompasses all that she has. It is everything that she has to live. Jesus is not impressed with the rich and religious, but he is humbled and moved by her sacrifice. He tells his disciples in verses 43-44:

Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.

The rich gave out of their abundance, but the poor widow gave all she had. It was not about the portion for her; it was about the proportion. The wealthy gave a small contribution because of their riches, but the widow gave her life. She gave all she had to live on, knowing that Christ and her offering to God were all she needed.

May we understand the same. May we realize that Christ is all we need to live. He is all we need to have significance, worth, importance, and riches beyond anything this world can offer. In Christ, what we live on is eternally sufficient to live life.