The Everyday Prayer

Re: Verse reading–Luke 16:19-31 (day three) 

“Send Lazarus to my father’s house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them.”  If we’ve gotten it into our heads that one’s post-death circumstances after a life of selfish disregard for God and others will result in regret for a life poorly lived, this story Jesus tells should disabuse us of that notion.  The narrative clearly shows us a man who is just as self-centered and self-important now as he ever was before: “Grant me a favor; send Lazarus to serve me; accord my family special status,” etc.  Privilege is his only language.  But that was a way of thinking and living he had learned long before now.  All the years of his mortal existence had steadily formed his character, and so the way he lived life was now the way he lived death.  Is it somehow different for you?

Re: Verse reading–Luke 16:19-31 (day two) 

“Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day.” vs. 19

It was clear from both chapter 15 and 16 of Luke’s gospel that he had an affluent audience. The parable of the prodigal son also told of an excessive lifestyle that ultimately led to destruction. What is clear in these texts is not the size of their bank account, but the size of their hearts. Remember the words from Matthew that say: Where your treasure is, there your heart is also. Ultimately everything we have is a gift and resource for God’s kingdom work here on earth. How are you choosing to use your time for him. Are you spending it with your kids telling them the truth of Jesus? Are you dedicating energy towards helping our community realize the beauty of Christ as Lord? Does your checkbook reflect a life focused first on Heavenly things? These are thing matters that matter to God.

Re: Verse reading–Luke 16:19-31 (day one) 

“There was a certain rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, gaily living in splendor every day.  And a certain poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with crumbs.”–v 19-21.

Some read these vivid words from Jesus as a general condemnation of rich people and a promise of universal blessing to the poor in the coming age.  In a “class struggle” (Marxist view of history), God will side with the oppressed.  So the narrative goes.

Others hear a more nuanced message aimed at the heart of every man.  The man was not condemned because he was rich, but because he was extravagantly rich AND extravagantly unconcerned. (Lazarus was no stranger.  The rich man saw him every day, or should have)

Do you think Heaven notices how we spend money?  Is it a damnable crime to not care?  Jesus thought so.

Re:Verse reading–Luke 15:1-2, 11-32 (day seven)

Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him.  Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
Luke 15:1-2

The Jewish community in Jesus’s day was taught to give alms to the poor.  They knew God cared deeply for the poor, and they went out of their way to be generous.  However, they never rubbed shoulders with the poor.  The poor were seen as lesser people never to be invited into your home, and meals were completely off the table.  They kept this same attitude toward sinners and tax collectors.  You may say a prayer for them, but you never fellowship with them.

Jesus turned this thought upside down.  Jesus would have lunch with anyone: a sinner, a Pharisee, the poor.  Whoever wanted to come to the table was allowed, and the intimacy of a meal allowed the conversation to sizzle.

If we are going to be a witnessing church we are going to have to do likewise.  We must sit down with the lost in our communities.  If we will be intentional about sharing meals with non-Christians fellowship will be strengthened and the world will know who Jesus Christ is.  Rarely are we accused of eating with sinners, but hopefully there’s a new day coming when our lunch will turn into witness.

Re:Verse reading–Luke 15:1-2, 11-32 (day five)

The effects of sin are clearly portrayed in the heart and life of the younger son. His sin separates him (by his own choosing) from his father.

The older brother has sin he must deal with as well. The effects are more subtle, yet just as damaging. He was unable to see and sense the grace and kindness of his father. He perceived obstacles rather than opportunities. He demonstrated worry rather than worship. Without ever changing locations, he was just as “far away” from his father as the younger brother.

It’s time to examine our hearts (believers/older brothers)!! Do we still sense and see the grace and kindness of God at work in the world? Do we rejoice and worship when God saves and restores human hearts?

Re:Verse reading–Luke 15:1-2, 11-32 (day four)

In Jesus’ parable, the older brother represented the Pharisees.  The younger brother represented the tax collectors, sinners and gentiles.  The Pharisees rejected those who were not ‘pure’ in their obedience to God (the father in our story).  In their own eyes, the Pharisees believed they were righteous before God.  Just as Saul believed that he was doing God a favor by purging the sinners from the world, the Pharisees were angry at the thought that God might show mercy to the sinners and forgive them.  They were blinded to the love of God the Father.

Saul too was blinded…it took a face to face encounter with Christ to open his eyes.  In His parable, Jesus pressed the Pharisees with the need to submit to the love and authority of God.  They needed to recognize themselves as sinners in need of forgiveness and restoration.  How about you?  Do you have an accurate picture of your position before God and your need for repentance?

Re:Verse reading–Luke 15:1-2, 11-32 (day three) 

“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”  As it turned out, Jesus would do even worse than that.  But that’s because he understood people were lost.  In the days before that word denoted a demographic or a class of persons who don’t subscribe to a particular version of theology, Jesus felt the giant wound of the human race.  He sensed acutely, agonizingly, that people were missing.  You can hear it in his story of the two brothers.  You can hear it in his metaphor of the lost sheep.  You can hear it in his parable of the banquet.  Jesus is grieved at a great absence.  What do you think about that?

Re:Verse reading–Luke 15:1-2, 11-32 (day two) 

But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! vs. 17

It happens at some point to all of us. We come to that moment where we realize our inability to go on. We have done all we can do on our own, and we are struck with the truth that it will never be enough. For you it may not be the absolute rock bottom like the prodigal son in this story, but we all get to the point where we look up and ask “why have I been on this path for so long?”

The story doesn’t end there. In what is becoming a familiar narrative for Dr. Luke the son’s first words to his father are complete contrition and humility.

And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ vs. 21 

When we experience that moment of brokenness and confess our utter need and dependence upon Jesus he does something very unexpected. He celebrates our return. We never get what we deserve when we submit to Jesus.

Re:Verse reading–Luke 15:1-2; 11-32 (day one) 

“This man receives sinners and eats with them.”–v 2.

I would probably have been uncomfortable.  You?  Jesus received sinners.  Ate with them.  Didn’t that blur the line of moral certainty?  Communicate acceptance or approval?

Why would He do it?  Great question!

In three brilliant stories Jesus provides the answer.  Lost sheep.  Lost coin.  Waiting Father.  The bottom line of each is the same.  Joy!

The reason that Jesus ate with sinners is rooted in the nature and purpose of God.  Heaven rejoices over repentance.  Even a single case!  The great purpose of God is evangelism and rescue and repentance and restoration.  Nothing makes Him happier.

To aim for your own happiness is one kind of life.  To aim for the joy of the Father is another.  “Therefore, whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to be pleasing to Him.”–2 Corinthians 5:9.  And the way we do it is evangelism.