Author: Don Guthrie

Re: Verse reading—Luke 21:5-24 (day one)
“The time when come when not one stone (of the temple in Jerusalem) will be left upon another.”  (v 6)  Jesus saw it coming.  Judged by their stubborn rejection of Spiritual truth, Israel would soon be gone.  “All good things must come to an end.”  So says the old proverb.  The Bible affirms the same truth.  We tend to think of nations and families as quasi-permanent.  Hard to imagine a world without America in it, isn’t it?  The scripture shouts a different truth.  Things come to an end.  People.  Churches.  Families.  Careers.  Nations.  And those who have placed their identity and/or confidence in these temporary things are shattered with the fall.  “A voice says , ‘Call out.’  Then he answered, ‘What shall I call out?’  All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. . .the grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of the Lord lasts forever.”  (Isaiah 40:6-8)

Re: Verse reading—Luke 20:1-8, 20-26 (day seven)
“John’s baptism, was it from heaven or from men?” (v 4)  The Greek word for obedience is a combination of two ideas.  The literal translation is “to hear under”.  Essential step for anyone who hungers for LIFE.  Two questions.  1) Am I listening to God?  2) Am I under His authority? (will I actually do what He says?)  When the chief Priests came to Christ with questions, He challenged them at this point.  “How can you ask for more information, greater clarification, when you have not demonstrated a surrendered heart?”  His specific challenge was the call that came from God, through John, for Israel to be baptized.  They had, in the main, resisted.  Real problem.  None of us is welcome to come to God to have our curiosity satisfied.  Those who surrender get their questions answered.  Those who resist are pointed back to an earlier lesson.  He will speak, but only when we have ears to hear.

Re: Verse reading—Luke 20:1-8, 20-26 (day six)
“But he detected their trickery and said to them. . .”  (v 23)  I can be naïve, sometimes.  Lulled to sleep.  Defenses down, unprepared for imminent danger.  Jesus wasn’t.  Without being paranoid or suspicious, the Savior was always on alert for the next attack of the enemy.  A life-long lesson for him.  He began life with his family fleeing for safety as soldiers searched to kill Him.  He entered ministry being tempted in the wilderness.  “Get thee behind me, Satan!” He said to Peter in a tense moment.  No wonder He stayed on guard!  “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places,” said Paul.  (Ephesians 6:12)  “We are not ignorant of his (Satan’s) schemes.”  (2 Corinthians 2:11)  I forget, sometimes, how hostile the world is to faith.  How real the enemy is.  Jesus never did.

Re: Verse reading – Luke 20:1-8, 20-26 (day one)
Stressful day.  The last week of Jesus’ life.  His enemies challenged Him.  Public.  Dangerous.  They questioned His authority.  So He questioned back!  “John’s baptism,” he said pointing back to that moment years before when the call had come for the nation to “repent and be baptized.”   Was it (John’s message) from God?  Dilemma.  Say “yes” and Jesus would counter, “then why did you not obey?”  Say “no” and they would lose favor with the crowd.  “We don’t know” they finally said.  “Then I will not answer your request for more information about God until you have demonstrated your willingness to respond to the information you already have.”  (v 8 – Guthrie translation)  The way to more is to use what you already have.  “Be careful how you listen; for whoever has, to him shall more be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.”  (Luke 8:18)

Re: Verse reading – Luke 19:1-10  (day seven) 
Do we seek the lost?  It is easy (even logical) to sacrifice the lost sheep in order to keep the 99 safe.  Makes sense to us.  Not to Jesus.  (Luke 15)  Jesus said the he came to “seek and to save that which was lost.” ( v 10)  Lost people were His priority.  To prove it He risked the approval of the majority in order to rescue one isolated sinner (Zaccheus)  It required courage.  Attention to opportunity.  A steady denial of personal safety or popularity as God’s goal.  Seekers of the lost go into crowds looking for that “one” whose heart has been prepared for salvation.  The woman at the well. . . Zaccheus. . .the woman with the issue of blood.  Jesus didn’t see crowds.  He saw individuals.  Do we?  Every SS class, every choral group, every circle of 6?  “Sick people are the ones who need Doctors”  (Mark 2:17 – Guthrie translation)  Same idea.  Lost people are the priority.  God help us.

Re: Verse reading – Luke 19:1-10 (day six) 
When the Bible says that a person is lost, it primarily means “lost to God”.  Lost from the purposes and fellowship of God.  No longer His.  Owned and influenced now by someone else.  Most of us when we use this term (some regard it as archaic and judgmental) think more of the experience than the objective/spiritual reality.  We see it from our side, not Heaven’s.  Lost children or  hikers.  Only Luke tells the story of Zaccheus.  In fact, only Luke tells the story of the lost coin, the lost sheep and the lost (prodigal) son.  (Luke 15)  There must have been something about the word/concept that intrigued him.  What a tragedy it is to be lost to God!  Away from His fellowship and wisdom and protection.  To have an opportunity that is wasted/ignored.  It puts salvation in the correct perspective.  “The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was LOST.”  v 10.

Re: Verse reading – Luke 19:1-10 (day one) 
“When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come  down immediately.  I must stay at your house today.”  (v 5)  It is a term we use often.  A personal relationship with Jesus.  An attempt to define/describe salvation and the friendship we discover in Christ.  Not legal.  Not mechanical or organizational.  Personal.  Intimate.  One-on-one.  It starts with Jesus.  The Zach story reminds me.  Jesus looked up and noticed.  Called him by name.  Noted the real (pride- shattering) spiritual interest.  Wanted to have lunch and a visit.  Individual attention. Personal relationship.  No crowds for Jesus. Individuals. The reason we can have an personal relationship with Christ is that He is willing to have a personal relationship with us.  ” ‘Come, let us reason together’, says the Lord.”  (Isaiah 1:18)  Let us talk and listen to each other.  Let us be real friends, honest.  I want to know you personally.  It is the way people get saved.

Re: Verse reading – Luke 18:18-30 (day seven) 
“You will have treasure in heaven.”  (v 22)  I am reading the autobiography of a wealthy man.  Interesting.  His co-author writes,  “It is a game for him, money is the way he keeps score.”  Not sure that Jesus would discourage this competitive urge.  Very sure that he would point to the importance of gaining “true treasure”.  I have met Christians who have no ambition.  Not for themselves, not for their family or church or nation.  I do not think this honors God.  It is not synonymous with humility.  “If any man ASPIRES to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.”  (1 Timothy 3:1)  “He (Paul) was HURRYING to be in Jerusalem by Pentecost.” (Acts 20:16)  Jesus doesn’t criticize the RYR for his ambition.  He redirects it to the pursuit of something eternal.  A lesson here and for us all.  What is your ambition, friend?  Are you aiming for treasure in heaven?

Re: Verse reading – Luke 18:18-30 (day six) 
“One thing you still lack: sell all you have and give it to the poor. . .and come, follow me.”  (v 22)  I cannot imagine that anyone was comfortable.  It was an awkward moment, for sure.  Hard words!  Unpleasant.  Unexpected.  Full of Love.  Jesus was not willing for this young man to stay a stranger to LIFE.  So He gave him a hard assignment.  Sell. Give. Come. Follow.  Not something He said to everyone, because money is not always the issue.  The timeless truth?  In order for the heart to be healed, it must be rid of its idols.  To be saved, our lower hopes and loyalties must be destroyed. “Leadership is the art of disappointing people at a rate they can stand”, says Harvard professor, Ron Heifetz.  “Salvation is hard for rich people”, said Jesus as he watched the young man walk away.  Hard for everybody.  New dreams come only when old ones are disappointed.

Re: Verse reading–Luke 18:18-30 (day one) 
Strange math, don’t you think?  The rich, young ruler (RYR) comes to Jesus.  Sincerely interested.  Has much.  Obviously wealthy. Considerate. Conscientious.  Nevertheless,  he is still hungry for eternal life.  Jesus says, “You still lack one thing, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me.”  (v 22)  Notice the verbs?  Sell! Give! Come! Follow! FOUR things which are actually only ONE thing.  “And you shall love the Lord your God with ALL your heart, and all your soul, and all your mind, and all your strength.”  It is the last ounce of courage or energy that often means a medal or a victory for an athlete.  Much will not be enough.  All!  Why would God be any different?  Not perfection, but certainly full surrender is what God requires. Like the RYR, most of us just lack one thing.