Good morning...later than usual!
The more I read these stories in Luke, the more I am thinking I will do a sermon series on some of the ones we don't really know about or forget about. Like the first passage of the disciples asking Jesus how to pray! This is Luke's version of the Lord's prayer (See Matthew's version in Matthew 6:9-13). The disciples waited until Jesus was done praying and then asked...teach us (v 1)! They had the model and now they wanted to learn more! How is your prayer life? Where did you learn? Who was your model? Jesus tells them to keep God's name holy and to ask for bread...God will sustain their spiritual life, bread will sustain their physical life. He also reminds them to keep God's kingdom in their mind...something Jesus ha been talking about a while. When we say the Lord's prayer in church, do we really know what the words are saying and what they mean, or do we just say them and not really pay attention? Maybe a message on the Lord's prayer might be good too!
We come then to a section of "passionate persistence" in prayer life. It may seem in this passage (vv 5-13) that if we continue to ask, we can wear God down and God will eventually give in, similar to what a kid might do with a parent! However, I think with the continual prayer, we actually change our hearts! In v 9, we hear Jesus say, keep seeking, keep asking, keep knocking. Translation-- don't ever give up on God! Don't give up seeking or searching, don't give up conversation. Why do we give up on God?
Traditional Jewish culture had "paid exorcists" that would come and remove demons, however, they could only do it if the demon was vocal and could speak their name. When Jesus exorcised the mute demon (v 14), the people tough Jesus was using the power of Satan! Jesus response (vv 20-23) basically is that I am stringer than Satan, that's why I can do what I can do. People (back then) doubted Jesus power. Do we doubt Jesus' power? Why? When the demons leave a body, they continue to seek another to be able to inhabit it and take control (v 24), so they are "seeking empty houses". An exorcised person must be filled quickly with Jesus. Hearts are like vacuums-- they can fill just as easily with evil as they can with Jesus. How important is it for us to continuously be witnessing about God and God's love?
The people were continuously asking for more signs (vv 29- 32). They received a sign from Jonah who was dead for three days and returned to life (Jonah 1-2); Jonah was in "the fish" for three days and then spit out, the people of Nineveh were saved! Notice any similarities to a story we all know? Why do people continuously ask for signs from Jesus? Do we still ask for signs? I am not too sure about the "Queen of the South" reference; I know it relates to 1 Kings 10 and about how the Queen came to Solomon and heard about all the good things God did for Solomon, so she believed in God. I will do some more research on that and get back to that.
Jesus has some quite stern words for us in Vv 33-36- don't be a hypocrite! Be a display of God through our actions and our words Eyes are the window to the soul and what your soul is can be seen in your eyes. You may act good, but if your heart is evil, it will be shown. Do you know any hypocrites? A few times I have said that the church is full of hypocrites. Jesus would probably say the same things about the Pharisees of his time (vv 37-44). You can have the appearance of cleanliness and holiness, but our inner reality will soon come out and people will know. How many people do we know that are like that?!
I am glad that I am doing these readings. I am reading some stories for the first time and it is good to get refreshers on others and see them through a different lens. Have a good reading and enjoy the beautiful day (well, down here in State College PA it is anyway!).
Shalom+
Pastor Paul
I think the Lord'sm prayer is one of the most beautiful prayers This chapter in Luke was hard for me to follow I guess i didn't always get the references that Jesus was making I looked in my reference bible and tried to piece it to together in my mind but for some reason it;s not sinking in.
ReplyDeleteHi Clara. I get that way too. Sometimes I get so confused especially with the stories I don’t know well! Reading a different version/ translation sometimes help. As well as sleep! Keep going. You’re doing a great job!
ReplyDeleteVerses 24-26 are a bit scary. I picture this unclean spirit flying around through the air looking for a resting place but not finding one it goes back to the person from which it came AND brings 7 other spirits more evil than itself! Why is this in this book? It sounds like the person is helpless against these spirits.
ReplyDeleteWhat Jesus says about hypocrisy is interesting. Are we all somewhat hypocritical? We’re trying really hard to forgive but bad feelings can still surface from time to time. Can you try to do good even though you can’t love all your neighbors all the time? I strive not to judge others but I do it every day. This is a tough issue.
I think the demon looking for a home is part of Luke's Gospel so we can begin to understand that we need to have Jesus in our hearts- or evil will take over! Ans I think we are all somewhat hypocritical! I see evidence of it often, especially in the church-- we are supposed to know better! And that also includes loving neighbors and judging! I think as long as we try to do better, we are good.
DeleteMy prayer life is not great - I do have conversations with God, as the moment comes up. But I do not have a prayer time like others I know. - first thing in the morning or at night. When I was young, I always said my prayers at night. My mother taught me some, I learned some in Sunday School, and some from my reading. But. I am not good at it. When I fill in at the pulpit, I ALWAYS write out my prayers. It’s interesting in Luke that the end part of the Lord’s Prayer is not there. I wonder if thats why in the Catholic Church they end with “but deliver us from evil.” I can actually say that Lord’s Prayer and do a grocery list at the same time. This is how awful reciting the Lord’s Prayer has come to me, because I know it by heart. I have to really concentrate on what I am saying - yes, a message on it’s meaning (and the surrounding circumstances,) would be so GREAT! Do you know I have been in churches where they sing it - lead singer sings and then the congregation repeats - it’s really cool! I think vs. 5-13 is the persistence. Sometimes we ask for something but in a week or two realize it’s not what we wanted after all -or needed. So I agree with you - the more we seek, the more we ask, the more we think about it - maybe we don’t realize that we asked for we don’t really want or need it after all. Hmmmm - maybe that is God’s answer????? I never give up on God but sometimes I am caught between the fact that God has plans for us.....plans to better our lives and here we are told to continue asking. So which is it? I don’t doubt God’s power BUT I am not sure what that power is - if that makes sense? Having gone through several toxic relationship, I have to say that I totally get the idea of filling yourself up with the Holy Spirit and God’s love or the demon will come right back and lead you right down the path you shouldn’t be going down!!! I not only think it’s important to keep witnessing - I think it’s important that we continue to keep LIVING God’s word. My Bible says that the Queen from the South was the Queen of Sheba and what Jesus was saying is that if the Queen of Sheba could respond to Solomon’s wisdom, and the people of Nineveh could respond to Jonas, then the people that Jesus was speaking to should respond even stronger to His words since He is greater then either Solomon or Jonas. Which does make sense to me. I think vs. 33-36 reminds me of a quote you put in our bulletin once - something like - If you want to be the light, then you have to turn it on. I think that sums up those versus very well. These last few verses go back again to pouring good wine into bad bottles, new garments on old ones, can’t change some of your actions without changing all of them, and now this - you can’t clean just the outside of a cup and platter - you must clean it all if you want them to be truly clean. The same with us. I have to say that I probably am a hypocrite at times. I sometimes expect more from people then I do of myself. Or I am harder on people who act a certain way then I do of myself. This Chapter is full of lessons - but do I seek a sign? You bet I do! And once, I got a VERY clear sign. One I have never forgotten. Being a student of history I love all the things that Jesus said that Abraham Lincoln paraphrased in his speeches. Sorry - off the track but couldn’t resist. Safe travels tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteGreat commentary Donna...I have a few sung renditions of the Lords prayer...maybe we can try it some day! I do have to investigate the Queen of Sheba thing more....sounds like it might be an interesting story to preach on! Yes, turn on that light so everyone can see and start by changing the actions that we do! Thanks for the commentary, Donna!
ReplyDeleteLearned to pray when young, you probably know this one,now I lay me down to sleep. Later we were taught The Lords prayer on the knees. I think why we give up on God is our lives get to complicated and the devil's trys to step in. Yes your eyes are windows to your soul. Love is all. Not only in the church ,but in each one of us,we all have our moments to be a hypocrite.
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