"The Shrewd Unjust Manager!"

Luke 16:1-15  

This is a great, but troubling story. Jesus statements about being faithful with little, being trustworthy with money, and faithful with what belongs to others are challenging and helpful. In addition we are told that we can’t serve two masters. We can have only one ultimate allegiance and we can’t serve both God and money. We are cautioned as Jesus refutes the Pharisees’ love of money and how they sought to justify themselves and their own action in the eyes of men; but God knew their hearts. (16:10-15)

However, this ‘unjust manager’ is commended even though he does not come across as either likable or worthy of praise. That the ‘unjust manager’ is used as an example and that he is commended is troubling. Jesus tells his disciples of a rich man who decided to terminate his manager for misusing his resources. The master called the manager to give an account of his management. Surely the master would not have let the manager go so easily if he was being a ‘good steward’ with the master’s assets. The manager realizes he is being sacked, but as he says he can’t dig and is ashamed to beg. He gets an idea so he calls his master’s debtors and reduces their debts considerably (20 months wages). The manager does this in order to be welcomed into homes once he losses his job. He was clever in looking out for his own interest, but it seems difficult to commend him since he had mismanaging things and he is described as 'unjust’. (16:1-9)

Curiously, the master commends the ‘unjust manager’ for acting shrewdly. This is surprising because the manager reduces the amount that the master’s debtors owed the master. But the master commends the manager for acting shrewdly in the manager’s own interest and to the master’s disadvantage. Some commentators say that the master was likely using an underhanded way of charging his debtors an overage or usury (see Exodus 22:25). If the manager removed the extra ‘interest’ or ‘usury’ than the master could not hold the manager responsible for the reduction without admitting his own wrongdoing. If so than the master may have seen the manager as acting shrewdly in the manager’s own interest and in the interest of the masters’ debtors. The master must have admired the way the manager used the situation in order to win friends that would feel obligated to help the manager once he was out of work.

Oddly, Jesus uses the example of an ‘unjust manager’ to teach his followers something about discipleship. So what can we learn from the ‘unjust manager’. This manager knew he was losing his job. He also knew that he couldn’t dig and that he was ashamed to beg. He called in the master’s debtors and reduced their debts. The masters’ debtors whose debts the manager reduced would be obligated to show the unemployed manager hospitality. Luke tells us that the children of this world are ‘more shrewd’ in dealing with their own kind than are the children of light. Jesus isn’t commending the manager’s dishonesty or the way he acted contrary to the interest of his employer. Jesus commends the manager’s shrewdness in winning friends that would welcome him into their homes. The manager was shrewd in using his position to meet his need to receive temporal hospitality.  

Jesus seems to be exhorting his disciples to use their wealth and influence in the interest of the kingdom and for the good of others. The previous parables would indicate that Jesus was thinking of ‘the lost’ (Luke 15) and ‘the marginalized and outcasts’ who were unable to return favors (14:13-24, 21). Jesus here encourages his disciples, including us, to use wealth in the interest of the kingdom of God. When we invest our resources in people for their good and for God’s glory we are acting ‘shrewdly’ and will receive eternal benefits. (16:8-9)

So the story concludes with appeals to be faithful and trustworthy stewards. What do we learn about being faithful with little things, with other people’s things and with true riches? The master commended the manager for his shrewdness in using his position to influence the debtors to show him favor because he had reduced their debts. Jesus wants us to use our position and our possessions to make friends for ourselves so that we may be received into eternal dwellings and eternal rewards. (Luke 16:8–9) Those unfaithful with little will be unfaithful with much. Those untrustworthy with money cannot be trusted with true riches. Also those who cannot be trustworthy with other people’s things cannot be trusted with their own property. (Luke 16:10–12)

Jesus makes it clear that we cannot serve two masters. You will love and be devoted to one and hate or despise the other or in other. We can only have one ultimate master and we cannot serve both ‘God and Money’. This was not popular talk among the Pharisees because we are told by the narrator (Luke) that the Pharisees’ loved money. So we leave the story with the Pharisees sneering at Jesus and the episode began with the Pharisees grumbling about Jesus associating with ‘tax-collectors and sinners’ (15:1-2). Jesus concludes by confronting these religious leaders for seeking to ‘justify themselves’ in the eyes of men. However, he assures them that God see right through them and knows their hearts and motives are not right. What they valued was looking good in the eyes of people, but the Jesus this was detestable before God!  (16:13-15)

 

The TWO Lost Sons!

LUKE 15:11-32 

Jesus disciples had recognized him as God’s Messiah and so Jesus set his face towards Jerusalem where he would fulfill God’s purpose through his death and resurrection. So Jesus determined to go to Jerusalem and on the way he is imparting his ‘kingdom vision’ to his disciples who would carry on his ‘mission’ after his departure (Luke 9:31, 51). Jesus had gathered a ‘new twelve’ around himself, but there was also a growing opposition among the ‘religious leaders’. Jesus’ claimed authority to forgive sins, he disregarded their 'Sabbath interpretations’ and he associated with ‘tax-collectors and sinners’. These became part of a growing division between Jesus and the ‘religious authorities of his day’.

Remember that in Luke 15 "tax collectors and sinners” are gathering to hear Jesus, while the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were muttering, “this man welcomes sinners and eats with them (15:1-2).” So Jesus tells a parable of a shepherd who searches for his one lost sheep and gathers his friends to celebrate when he finds it. This is followed by a parable of a woman who loses one of her ten coins. She searches her house and when she finds the lost coin she gathers her friends to celebrate. Both stories conclude with comments about heaven rejoicing over 'repentant sinner’ (15:3-10). Again, among his original audience we find these ‘scribes and Pharisees’ who are actually angry that ‘sinners’ were drawing near to hear Jesus.

So Jesus tells a story of a man with two sons (15:11-32). The younger son asks for his share of the estate. Evidently, he was more interested in his father’s wealth than being with his father and enjoying fellowship with his father. Surprisingly, the father divides the estate between his sons. The younger son gathers all his things and leaves for a distant country. There he wastes his wealth on wild living and a famine strikes that land. He takes the lowly and ‘unclean’ work of feeding pigs and even longs to eat the pods the pigs were eating. He decides to return to his father. His plan is to acknowledge his sin against heaven and against his father and he hopes to become like one of his father’s workers.

While he was still a long way off his father sees him with eyes of compassion and runs to his wayward son and embraces him. Having received his father’s kiss, the son confesses his sin and says how he is not worthy to be called the father’s son. The father has the best robe put on his son, a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. They kill the fatten calf and the Father throws a big party to celebrate the return of his lost son. The father had given his disrespectful son what he wanted and he had left his father and wasted his wealth. Yet, when that son returned his father had been waiting and watching for his lost son. The father runs and embraces his son and will hear nothing of being a ‘hired worker’ and reinstates his son and celebrates his return.

The older son returns from the field and hears singing and dancing. When he finds out that his father had killed the fattened calf to celebrate his brother’s return the older son becomes angry and refused to celebration. The father comes out and pleads with the older brother to come in and join the celebration. But the older brother claims to have slaved for his father for years and to have never disobeyed his father’s orders. He had ‘slaved for his father’ and ‘never disobeyed his father’s orders’, but hadn’t received even a young goat to celebrate with his friends. On the other hand, the ‘wayward and wasteful’ son was receiving a feast with a ‘fattened calf’ and the older son was anger and refused to come in (15:25-30).

The Father says that the older son was always with him and that everything he had belonged to the older son, but they had to celebrate because the brother was dead and was now alive, he was lost and was now found. The older brother sees himself as ‘faithful’ as if that put the father in debt to the older son. But, the older son lacks genuine loving devotion with his father. For him working with his father was 'slavery' and 'obeying orders’.

In reality, both sons were void of any real love and devotion to their father. They didn’t want relationship with the father. What they wanted was the father’s estate. They just had two different methods of getting what they wanted. The younger said, ‘give me my share and I’m out of here’. The older son said, ‘I’ve been your slave and have obeyed your orders so you owe me what I want’. The younger son came to his senses, returned to his father and saw himself as unworthy and undeserving. So the question is will the older son see the errors of his ways? Will the older son repent of his ‘works righteousness’ and his ‘demanding spirit’?

The bottom-line for Jesus’ original audience was will the ‘scribes and Pharisees’ repent and celebrate that the ‘sinners’ are coming to Jesus. For us today, we can easily seek to be, as Tim Keller says, seeking to be our own ‘Lord and Savior’. We can do this by running away from God and doing our own thing, or we can do it by being ‘very religious’ and doing good things for the wrong reasons. The later method leads to a ‘self-righteousness’ that can become very self-deceptive. We can be good in an attempt to put God in our debt. We can seek God’s favor without having to repent and without any real loving relationship with God Himself.  

Uncompromising Commitment!

Luke 14:25-35

So large crowds are following Jesus. Jesus turns to them and tells the crowd that to be his disciple they have to hate father, mother, spouse, children, brothers and sisters and life itself. He adds that unless a person will carry their cross and follow Jesus they cannot be his disciple. How can Jesus say we have to hate our close relatives and our own lives to be his disciple? Elsewhere Jesus tells us to love God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind, and to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. He even calls us to love our enemies (Luke 6:27, 10:27).  Clearly we are to love others as ourselves, but even more so we are to love God with all that we have and with all that are within us. Jesus also says that to serve two masters is to hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other (Luke 16:13). Evidently, Jesus is calling his disciples to follow him with the same level of devotion reserved for God Himself. Jesus is calling his disciples to love him as they love God and he will have no rivals. Matthew helps us to bring this all together? Matthew says that ‘whoever loves father or mother more than Jesus is not worthy of Jesus, and whoever loves son or daughter more than Jesus is not worthy of Jesus (Matthew 10:37).

This total allegiance to which Jesus is calling his disciples requires that we ‘count the cost’ of following him. After all we don’t want to water down our commitment so that we become poor examples, rather than a positive witness. So Jesus gives two scenarios in which potential followers are to sit and evaluate the cost of entering into a serious venture. In the first scenario you sit down and determine if you have the resources to build a tower. If the foundation is laid but the job is not completed due to a lack of funds, then those seeing the unfinished structure will mock and ridicule you (14:28-30). In the second scenario a king about to go to war sits to consider whether he is able to oppose the one coming against him with twice the number of troops. If not, he’ll send a delegation and ask for terms of peace. This followed by Jesus exhorts to his audience that they must give up everything to be Jesus’ disciple (14:31-33).

Again, we find Jesus calling followings to the highest level of commitment. All other relationships by comparison are like hate by contrast to the loyalty Jesus requires. He even calls us to be willing to die for him (14:26-27). Discipleship means allegiance to Jesus above all other claims. Disciples must be prepared to deny themselves and count the cost to avoid being like the foolish builder who runs out of funds or the army commander fails to evaluate the strength of the army opposing him. This section ends with words about salt being good, but when it loses its saltiness it isn’t even good enough for the soil or the manure pile. To start only to abandon the cause in tough times is like salt which has lost its taste and cannot be made useful again.

Why would anyone seeking followers for new movement make such extreme demands upon potential followers? Do you want to follow Jesus? You’ll have to put Jesus above family, give up your possessions, and pick up the implement of our own execution and follow Jesus! While Jesus is not denying the importance of family, he is saying that everything else must be put at risk for the sake of the kingdom. Followers of Jesus may be called to give up everything for the cause in order to overcome the opposition. The two pictures, the tower and the battle, both paint vivid pictures of the commitment needed.

Note that Israel was to be salt of the earth. They were to be the people through whom God’s world was to be kept wholesome and life was to be desirable and tasty. First century Israel was given this all-or-nothing challenge to either be the ‘salt of the earth’ or face their own ruin in devastating battle (A.D.70). This was true of first century Israel, but it is also a call to all the ‘followers of Jesus’ from any age to give Jesus our total allegiance. Our relationship with Jesus must be foremost and this is why the story ends with Jesus’ exhortation that if we don’t renounce all that we have we cannot be his disciple. (Luke 14:33)

'The Feast and the Full House'

Luke 14:1–24 

Jesus went for a Sabbath meal at the home of a leading Pharisee. The guests were watching Jesus, and right before Jesus was a man whose body was swollen.

Why would this prominent Pharisee invite Jesus to his house for meal on the Sabbath? Was he a sincere seeking or was this a set up? Jesus was being carefully watched and he found himself before a man whose body or limbs were abnormally swollen. Jesus knows that everyone is watching him and remember that a synagogue ruler had recently become indignant when Jesus healed a woman on the Sabbath (13:14). Jesus asks the scribes and Pharisees if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath, but they say nothing. So Jesus heals the man, sends him on his way and then says, “Which of you, if your child or animal fell into a well, wouldn’t pull him out immediately, whether or not it was the Sabbath?”  Again they have nothing to say. (14:1-6)

Next we find Jesus assessing the situation at the dinner table. The guests are taking the places of honor at the table. Jesus tells them a story in which they are not to take the places of honor at the table or the host may give their seat to someone more important; which would be culturally humiliating. Instead, one should take the least desirable seat. Then the host may say, ‘Friend, take a better seat’ and you’ll be honored.  The Jesus quotes a prominent concept found throughout scripture, ‘the humble will be exalted and the exalted will be humbled’ (Ezekiel 21:26, James 4:10, 1 Peter 5:6).

Jesus is not concerned about dinner etiquette. Nor is Jesus presenting a more wise way to gain respect at a social function. This is not an alternative way to get recognition. Jesus is concerned about the Kingdom of God. He is denouncing an attitude of superiority. He is opposed to thinking of oneself as better or superior to others and the desire to be exalted in the eyes of others. For Jesus those who exalt themselves will be humbled and humble will be exalted; this is taught throughout scripture. (14:7-11)

Then Jesus addresses the one hosting the meal. Jesus tells him not to invite his friends, family and rich neighbors to dinner because they will simply return the favor. Instead Jesus says to invite the poor, the disabled and the disadvantaged who cannot return the favor.  They cannot return the favor, so the reward will come at the ‘resurrection of the righteous’. (14:12-14) This would have been as foreign back then, as it seems to us today. For Jesus, the ‘Kingdom of God’ is not about trying to obligate others and to get invited to parties or being seated in prominent seats. Such behavior is merely exchange and as a lifestyle it’s an empty pursuit.  Jesus’ point is that inviting those who can never repay reflects God’s other-centered love. No matter what our status, we are to identify with the disabled and disadvantaged because we are no better than them. Even if we have good health and economically privilege we are all spiritually impoverish. God’s people must know and demonstrate that all people are in need of the ‘grace of God’. Of course this takes faith; if we do this we will only be repaid—at the resurrection of dead!  

Then a guest said, “Blessed are those who will eat at the feast in God’s kingdom!” So Jesus tells a story of a man who invites many guests to dinner party. He sends his servant to the invited guests, saying, ‘Come, all is ready.’ But those invited make excuses. The first has bought property and needs to see it. Another has bought five teams of oxen, and needs to check them out. Still another has just been married and can’t come. The master is outraged and tells the servant to go gather the disadvantaged and the disabled. The servant says that this has been done and there was still room. The master tells the servant to go out compel them to come because the master wants his house full and says that those invited will not get even a taste of his banquet. In the parable those originally invited rudely snub the invitation to a splendid party, but the host is determined to have guests at his table. With the original guests disqualifying themselves, others are invited and coxed in to taking their places. (14:15-14)

Remember that Jesus has been going around Galilee summoning people to God’s great supper. Israel had been invited and they were waiting for the coming kingdom. And yet, most of them refused Jesus’ kingdom. However, others were delighted to be included. The poor, the disadvantaged, the disabled have responded to Jesus and have been celebrating with Jesus. The invited guests were the Jews, but most of them turned away when the time had come. The majority of the nation turned down Jesus’ invitation, so he gathered the poor, the outcasts, the misfits, the disadvantaged and he disabled. God’s messengers are sent out into all kinds of places in order to round up the unexpected people to join in the party—people with every possible cultural, social, ethnic and ethical background.  If people wanted to be included in Jesus’ movement, this is the sort of thing they were joining.

Since those invited were distracted and didn’t make the kingdom a priority. The host turns to the city streets and the back roads to bring in the disadvantaged, the marginalized and the disabled. The insiders are out and the outsider and outcasts are in. This is the challenge that comes to us today. Christians today are called to celebrate God’s kingdom in ways that the people at the bottom economically and socially find the invitation to be good news. The party guests are expected to become like the party host and invite the outsiders and outcasts and to compel them to come in!

 

 

The Door and the City (Luke 13:22-35)

Jesus is teaching in the towns and villages as he heads to Jerusalem. When someone asks Jesus if only a few people would be saved, Jesus tells them, "make every effort to enter through the narrow door". So Jesus essentially tells them not to worry about that, but to make every effort to enter through the narrow door. They are to make every effort to enter because the owner at some point will get up and close the door. Then some of his hearers stand knocking and pleading only to hear the owner say, "I don’t know you or where you’re from”. They say they ate and drank with the owner, and that he had taught in our streets. However, the owner says, ‘I don’t know you… away from me, you evildoers!’ (13:22-27)

So Jesus is determined to reach Jerusalem (13:22, 13:33). On his way he is on a teaching through the towns and villages. Someone asks if only a few people will be saved (13:23). Jesus answers saying essentially, ‘Don’t worry about how many will be included, rather make every effort to be included because one has to enter through a narrow door and at the last day many will be unable to enter (13:24–30). They claim to have shared table fellowship with him and to have heard his teachings. However, this was superficial at best because the owner will say, "away from me, I never knew you". There is no relationship there, no real knowledge and he refers to them as evildoers. Few in Jesus’ day would end up following the ‘suffering servant’ as Messiah. However, we have to realize that in the end a vast multitude gather which no one can measure gather around the Lord (Revelation 7:9-10).

Jesus goes on to say that there will be ‘weeping and gnashing of teeth’ when they see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob with all the prophets in the kingdom of God and they are left outside. These superficial acquaintances with Jesus end up excluded from the kingdom and yet people come from east, west, north and south to take their seats at the feast in the kingdom of God. Some who are first will be last and some who are last will be first. This reversal in Luke’s gospel likely means that those last to hear about Jesus are entering first and those invited first, well may not enter at all. The insiders enter last if at all, but the Jewish outcasts, the Samaritans and even Gentiles are entering before those who were originally invited. For example, the ‘devout’ Pharisees knew of a coming Messiah, but they didn’t follow Jesus, the Messiah God actually sent. (13:28-30)

These Pharisees come and tell Jesus to leave because Herod wanted him dead. Evidently, Jesus is still in Herod’s domain and they want Jesus to leave their area. However, Jesus tells them to go back and tell Herod that he would continue to drive out demons and heal people until he reaches his goal.  Jesus is not afraid of Herod or of death, but God’s plan is for Jesus to fulfill God’s purpose in Jerusalem; his exodus! (Luke 9:31, 13:31-33)

Some Pharisees warn Jesus to flee from Herod, but Jesus responds with disdain by calling Herod ‘that fox’ (13:31-32). Herod wants to kill Jesus, but Jesus knows that it is God’s plan for him to fulfill God’s kingdom purpose by his death in Jerusalem. This will be according to God’s will and not that of Herod. Jesus is committed to God’s will, but his heartaches for Jerusalem. He cries out, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing” (13:33-34). Jesus’ tears depict for us his lovely desire to gather Jerusalem’s children, is motherly care which he describes ‘as a hen gathering her chicks under her wings.’

Jesus weeps for Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and who stoned to death those sent to her. Jesus has longed to gather Jerusalem’s children as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings. Has been willing all along to gather them, but Jesus says that they were not willing. Jesus came to ‘his own’ but they received him not' and yet those who did receive him, he gave the right to be children of God (John 1:11–12). God sent the Anointed Davidic Messianic King, but they refused him and therefore their house would be left to them desolate. The story ends with Jesus’ claim that they would not see him again until they say, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” (13:34-35)

Jesus’ warning here may seem a bit unreasonable. It may seem unfair to us for the householder to shut the door on some people and to protest that he never knew them. Yet, as Jesus goes about his mission, he has been holding open the gate of the kingdom and urging people to enter it. The door isn’t wide and one day the door will be shut, so the message it to be responded to because the door will not be open indefinitely. There will come a time when the door shuts and and then it will be too late. Jesus is the final messenger and if he is refused, there will be no further opportunity. If one fails to respond to Jesus’ call, and thinks because they once shared a meal with Jesus or heard his teaching, then they will be badly mistaken. It is dangerous to linger around the gates to the kingdom of God, only to discover that by not responding one ends up excluded.

Jesus uses the picture of a hen gathering her chicks under her wings to protect them. In a fire a hen will gather and shelter her chicks under her wings at the expense of their own life. After a fire a scorched hen can be found with live chicks sheltered under her wings. She gives her life to save her own. It is a vivid image of what Jesus longed to do for Jerusalem. This picture of the hen and her chicks is the strongest statement so far in Luke of what Jesus death would accomplish. Another threat to the hen and its chicks is the predator, particularly in this case the fox. Herod, the puppet of Rome, is a treat to the people and no king of the Jews. The Pharisees may have been secretly hoping to get rid of Jesus, wanting him out of their territory. But Jesus has a destiny to fulfill, so he will continue his work and bring it to completion according to plan in Jerusalem (9:22, 44; 12:50).

Jesus’ destiny, then, is to go to Jerusalem and die, risking the threats of the fox, and adopting the role of the mother hen who dies to save her little ones. But Jerusalem has a long history of rebelling against God, refusing the way of peace. Would Jerusalem avoid it own pending destruction or would they welcome Jesus as God’s Messiah? The story was an urgent summons to repent and to embrace Messiah Jesus. Jerusalem would reject Jesus, God's king and our savior. Jesus gives himself in our place and on our behalf, and we must enter through this narrow door. While this door remains open we are to do what Jerusalem failed to do. We are to turn in trust to Jesus who conquers sin and death by becoming the 'suffering servant' in the cross in Jerusalem on our behalf.

 

'Repentance, Restoration and Expansion' Luke 13:1-21

Some among the crowd told Jesus how Pilate, the Roman governor, had his soldiers slaughter some Galileans and mix their blood with the temple sacrifices. Jesus challenged the idea that these Galileans were ‘worse sinners’ than all the others because of how they suffered. For Jesus the severity of their suffering was not necessarily related to their severity of their sins. Jesus exhorted his hearers that they were also in need of repentance or they would likewise perish. Jesus mentions eighteen people who were killed when a tower in Jerusalem fell on them and said they were not ‘more guilty’ than others in Jerusalem. According to Jesus everyone is in need of and is responsible to repent! When we see others suffering, we are not to judge them to elevate ourselves. Human suffering is a ‘wake up’ call for all of us to repent for we know what we actually deserve. (13:1-5)

According to Jesus tragedies with human causes (Galileans massacred by Pilate—13:1) and tragedies with natural causes (the fallen tower—13:4) cannot be directly linked the sin of sufferers. Those experiencing tragedies are not necessarily worse than those who are free from them. When we see people suffering it should evoke compassion and instill within us an attitude of repentance. The suffering of others is no reason to judge them or to think of ourselves as better than others. We ought to live a life of ongoing repentance knowing that God in Christ does not treat us as our sins deserve (Psalm 103:1-12).  

Jesus tells a parable of a man with a fig tree in his vineyard. He has patiently looked for fruit on this fig tree for three years, but has found none. Now the owner concludes that because the tree is wasting good soil it should be cut down. The caretaker asks for another year to dig around the tree and fertilize it. If after another the tree bears fruit great, but if not then it is to be cut down. (13:6-9)

A fig tree should mature after three years, and yet after three years the tree is still barren (13:6–9). The owner wants it cut down, but the caretaker asks for another year to fertilize that it might bear fruit. Consequently, it is God’s prerogative to exercise patience. He expects that we bear the fruit and the absence of temporal judgment is a sign of God’s patience and is not necessarily a sign of his approval. God’s patience and kindness ought to lead us to repentance and we are to bear the fruit of repentance as well (Romans 2:4, Lk 3:8).

Next we find Jesus teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath when a woman with a severely curved back enters. She is so bent over that she can’t even stand up straight. He disabling condition was being caused by a spirit that had been oppressing her for eighteen years. Jesus sees her all hunched over and unable to look up or into another person’s face. When Jesus sees her, he calls her forward in front of everyone. Jesus announces that she is set free from her infirmity and he places his hands on her. Immediately she straightens up and gives praise to God! (13:10-13)

Jesus heals the woman of her severely curved back and delivers her from the spirit that had afflicted her for eighteen long years. She is standing upright praising God, but this angers the synagogue leader. He rebukes the crowd for coming to be healed on the Sabbath and not on a work day. Jesus rebukes this as hypocrisy, for they untie their farm animals and lead them to water on the Sabbath. If an animal can be refreshed on the Sabbath, why would it be wrong to restore a daughter of Abraham on the Sabbath? The woman has been bound by Satan for eighteen years and restoring her health on the Sabbath is God honoring. This humiliates Jesus’ opponents, the crowd elated with the wondrous things Jesus was doing. (13:14-17)

Picture this woman with her severely curved back shuffling into synagogue to hear a sermon. The preacher, Jesus, calls her forward and addresses her saying, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity”. Jesus touches her and immediately she straighten up and praises God (13:10-13). The synagogue leader is indignant that this has occurred on the Sabbath (13:14). Jesus exposes their hypocrisy since they untie their animals and lead them to water on the Sabbath (13:15). This is a daughter of Abraham (13:16) bound for eighteen years and the Sabbath was about entering God’s rest (Hebrews 4:9-11). The Sabbath day, and particularly the Jubilee Sabbath, was about restoration and liberation? Wouldn’t it have been entirely appropriate that a daughter of Abraham to be transformed on the Sabbath day? In their zeal for ceremonial holiness these leaders had turned Sabbath-keeping into a burden void of real compassion. Jesus wouldn’t stand for it, and boldly stood against it.  

Then Luke records two short parables about the kingdom.  The kingdom of God can be compared to a mustard seed that a man plants which becomes a tree and birds land in its branches. It is also like yeast that a woman mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough. In both examples the kingdom starts of small and imperceptible, almost undetected. In each case the seemingly insignificant beginning has a recognizable longer term result. The seed becomes a tree that birds perch and the yeast is worked into the dough and causes the whole dough to rise.  

The two parables are closely connected. The mustard seed is a small seed (Mark 4:31) and yeast is only a tiny proportion that is added to the dough. Yet, the seed developed into a tree in which birds take refuge (See Nebuchadnezzar’s dream tree; Daniel 4). The tiny portion of yeast causes the dough to double or triple in size (13:19, 21). These examples demonstrate how God’s kingdom works (13:18, 20). Jesus’ kingdom has a small and humble beginning, with only a few committed disciples. However, in time by God’s grace and power this small group spreads throughout the whole world.

 

Why Worry, Be Watchful! LK 12:22-48

This passage follows the story of the ‘rich fool’ who stored up for himself, but wasn’t rich towards God. Jesus encourages his disciples to be ‘rich towards God’ and not to worry about their lives. Ravens don’t sow or reap and they don’t store up in barns and yet God provides for them. God cares much more for us and besides worrying can’t turn back the clock even one hour. So why worry? Wild flowers don’t labor or spin and the grass of the field is better dressed than Israel’s King Solomon . God does this even though today the field is dressed in beauty and tomorrow it is burned up in the fire. We don’t need to worry about what we eat or wear. Unbelievers chase after these things, but disciples are to seek first the kingdom of God. (12:22-31)

Jesus assures the disciples that God’s cares for them and will provide for them (See also 12:4–12). They need not worry about life for the Father knows what they need, so they should seek first the kingdom and God will provide (12:30-31). Jesus warns against obsessing over the things of this world and being fixed on our narrow self-interest at the expense of others. God and his kingdom matter most. Jesus says that the Father was pleased to give them the kingdom.  

Jesus challenges them, and us as well, to sell our possessions and give to the poor. He wants them not to store up in barns like the ‘rich fool’, but to store up treasure in heaven. They are to seek first the kingdom and part of that is to be “dressed to serve”. They are to keep their lamps burning like the servant waiting for their master’s return from a wedding banquet. When their master returns, they hear the knock and immediately open the door when he knocks because they are watching and waiting. It will be go well for those servants who are ready for their master’s return. Then, of all things, the master himself will dress himself to serve and he will have his watchful servants recline at the master’s table and he will wait on them. The servants should be busy serving even if their master comes in the middle of the night. Jesus reinforces this by saying that if the home-owner knew the hour the thief would come; his house wouldn’t have been broken into. (12:32-38)

Jesus illustrates the attitude he wants his disciples to have as they wait for his return. We are to be like the servant who was dressed to serve with lamps burning.  Even if the master comes late into the night he finds them ready and he will reward them accordingly (12:35–38). Jesus says that we ought to be like the homeowner who stays alert because he doesn’t know when thieves may strike (12:39). In like manner, we must be alert for the Son of Man will come at an unexpected hour (12:40).

Then Peter wants to know if the Lord is telling this parable to them, or to everyone. Jesus responds by asking, “Who is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge to feed his servants at the proper time? The ready and busy servant will be rewarded at the master’s return. Then there is this sobering warning about a servant who says, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and then beats the other servants, and eats, drinks and gets drunk. The master will come unexpectedly and cut this one to pieces and assign him a place with unbelievers. Then Jesus lays down the principle that if you know God’s will and you don’t do it than you will suffer much. By comparison, if you don’t know God’s will and you do what is deserving punishment then you will suffer less. Those given much will be held responsible for applying what they know and much will be expected of those who have been given much. (12:41-48)

Jesus tells of a master who goes away and appoints a servant to run his household (12:41-42). The servant who looks after the master’s possessions is well rewarded (12:43–44), while the servant who exploits the other servants and neglects his duties is cut into pieces and assigned a place with the unbelievers (12:45-46). This isn’t literal since the servant is assigned a position ‘with the unbelievers’ after being ‘cut to pieces’. Jesus is clearly warning that his disciples are to serve people and not take advantage of them. In addition, those who know a lot will be have a lot expected of them. Those who neglect what they know will be punished more severely than those who know less (12:47–48). The passage warns all disciples, but Pastors, teachers, leaders and all those in authority will be held particularly responsible to apply what they know for the good of others. We must constantly ask ourselves if we are busy building up God’s people. God forbid that we store up for ourselves by taking advantage of people. We need not worry, so let us seek King Jesus, serve his people and watch for his return. 

Rich towards God!

 Luke 12:1–21

As thousands gathered they were trampling over one another; and Jesus warned his disciples against the leaven of the Pharisees which was hypocrisy. He had rebuked the Pharisees for their external ritual cleansing that left the heart untouched. They performed their ceremonies, loved prominent seats and recognition, but they neglected the love and justice of God (11:42-44). But Jesus tells his disciples that everything covered over, hidden or whispered in private would be made known and proclaimed from the housetops. They were to fear God from whom they could be eternally separated, and they need not fear men who can only kill the body. (12:1-5)  

Jesus had already said that some of his apostles would be persecuted and even killed (11:49), but here he assures his disciples that God values them. In fact, God even knows how many hairs were on their heads, and God even cares for sparrows and they were more valuable than many sparrows.  Those confessing the Son of Man before men, Jesus would acknowledge before the angels of God. Those who deny the Son of Man, he would deny before the angels of God. Those speaking against the Son of Man could be forgiven, but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit would not be forgiven. Jesus warned his disciples that they would be brought before synagogues, before rulers and authorities; but they need not be afraid because the Holy Spirit would teach them what to say. (12:6-11)  

Many of Jesus' hearers, like us today, would have been anxious and worried that the little they had would not be enough for tomorrow. They may feared that the few garments, the couple of farm animals or the small farm plot was simply not enough. One family disaster, some additional tragedy or serious ailment, a natural disaster or more national crisis and their hope would be gone. Yet, worrying and worrying about our worries is self-destructive. Moreover, in the light of Jesus’ comments and this short parable, it is contrary to trusting Jesus’ message of God’s kingdom.

Someone from the crowd asked Jesus to tell his brother to divide the inheritance with him. Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or mediator between you?” Then Jesus warned them to be on their guard against greed; and exhorted them that a person’s life does not consist in the things they possess. Then Jesus told a parable about a certain rich man whose land yielded an abundant crop. The man didn’t have room to store up all that he had harvested. Then he decided to tear down his existing barns and big bigger better barns where he could store up his surplus. Then he would have enough for many years. Then the man could say that he had plenty for many years and he could take life easy and could eat, drink and be merry! (12:13-19)

The man was prepared to take life easy, but he wasn’t prepared to give account for his life to God. That very night his life would be demanded of him by God. He would have appeared to the onlooker like he really had it made, and yet according to God he was a fool. What made him a fool? Storing up for self was foolish, because others would enjoy what he had stored up for himself. He hadn't given himself and his possessions to God and now God was taking his life away from him. He had failed to bless those in need with what he had and now God would distribute what he had to others. The story concludes with Jesus saying that this is how it would be for those storing up for themselves; but who are not rich towards God!  (12:20-21)

A man in the crowd urged Jesus to help him get his share of his family's part of Israel's 'Holy Land'. Jesus’ kingdom mission, however, was bigger than the aspirations of many which was to take back control of their ‘Promised Land’ from the Romans. The Land was promised by God to Abraham and so possession of the Land was a vital Jewish symbol and in like manner Jewish families clung to their own inheritance for religious and economic reasons.

Jesus’ kingdom message wasn’t about God defending or restoring Israel’s Land. Jesus was bringing a God’s kingdom of grace and life for people from every race and every land: to the whole world (Rom.4:13). Some theologians have said that Israel was trying to position themselves in the way that this man in the story wanted the security of having enough many possessions. In response God would say, ‘You fool!’ Life in the kingdom is about all who are made in God’s image, learning to trust God and being determined to be a blessing to others. Israel called God ‘Father’—while the distant gods of the Gentiles needed to be appeased or manipulated. If your God is 'Our Father' then we don't need to try to get on his good side so that we can get what we want. What we can do through Christ is to trust our Father God and commit to blessing others.  

The whole Luke Acts narrative presents this radical ethic of using what we have for the benefit of others. The kingdom is opposed to storing up things for the benefit of self without any reference to God or to others. Jesus’ story illustrates the folly of greedily hording up for self. When our lives are demanded of us, whatever we’ve stored up in this life will only go to others. We can do it willingly now for the good of others and as a witness to our generous heavenly Father and his beloved Son Jesus. Our things will go to the benefit to others when our lives in this world are over. When we die, then where will our inheritance go?  Jesus, here, brings the priorities of God’s kingdom to bear on our own selfish intentions and upon our increasingly anxious world. God promised to bless Abraham and his descendants in order to bless all the peoples of the world (Gen.12:1-3). Now through Jesus’ perfect life and sin atoning death we become the blessed children of God with the ethic of becoming a blessing to others.

 

 

 

'Clean and Full of Light'

 Luke 11:29–37

As the crowds increased, Jesus denounced the attitude of those of that generation. They were not like those Jesus commended who hear God’s word and obey it (Luke 8:21, 11:28). Instead of trusting Jesus’ word; they sought additional signs. They imply that they would believe if Jesus did what they said. Yet, this isn’t trust at all and Jesus responded by saying that they would only receive the sign of Jonah. The Ninevites heard the preaching of Jonah and they repented, so the Son of Man would also preach his gospel and they were to believe. Jesus said that the Ninevites would rise at the judgment and condemn that generation because they heard the preaching of the greater than Jonah, but they failed to repent. The contemporaries of Jesus had heard Jesus’ preaching and instead of repenting they demanded a sign. (11:29-31)

Jesus also said that the Queen of Sheba would rise and condemn that generation because she traveled from a far country to listen to the wisdom of Israel’s King Solomon. However, a far greater and wiser king than Solomon was standing before them. The Queen of Sheba heard about Solomon and she traveled from afar to see him. On the other hand, God sent the greater prophet and God’s anointed King Jesus directly to them, but they didn’t believe and they demanded a sign. (11:32)

Remember that Jesus is on journey to Jerusalem to fulfill God’s purposes by dying on a cross and rising again. Jesus rebukes that ‘wicked generation’ that demanded a sign; their only sign would be the sign of Jonah. The greater than Jonah had preached that they should repent and to follow him, but they demanded a sign. Jesus is the greater than King Solomon whom God sent to them and they ended up rejecting him. Jesus is the light that brings hope, but to turn your back on the light means darkness and brings judgment. Both the Queen of Sheba and the men of Ninevah would rise at the resurrection at the last day and condemn that generation.

Jesus then develops the metaphor of lamp as a further warning to his hearers. He tells them that you don’t light a lamp and hide where you can’t see the light. When you light a lamp you put it on a stand so those entering the room will be able to see by the light. The word of God through Jesus is the light, and putting the lamp on a stand for all to see is like putting the word into practice (11:28, 33). Jesus goes on saying that person’s eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are opened in faith, then the whole body will be filled with the light of Jesus. But, if you look with a critical or skeptical eye towards Jesus then your body is like a dark cellar. Jesus exhorted them to chase out the darkness and walk in the light by keeping their eyes and hearts open to Jesus and his gospel of the kingdom. (11:33-36)

After this Jesus was invited for dinner at the house of a Pharisee. When he reclined at the table without first washing, his host was surprised. Then Jesus rebukes the Pharisees saying that they clean the outside of the cup, but inside they’re full of ‘greed and wickedness’.  He calls them fools and when on rebuking them for giving God a tenth of their garden herbs while neglecting the love and justice of God. They love the best seats in the synagogues and the special greetings in the marketplaces, but according to Jesus they were like unmarked graves that people walk over without even knowing. (11:37-44)

Jesus directly challenges his host, rebuking the Pharisaical emphasis outward piety to the neglect of true inward devotion to God. The odd phrase about giving ‘alms those things that are inside’ could mean something like ‘give what is inside over to God for his use’ and you’ll be clean (11:41). Jesus is saying that they need to give to God the thoughts and intentions of their hearts if they want to be clean before God. This isn’t about handwashing; ultimately it’s about having our hearts cleansed by the substitutionary life, death and resurrection of Jesus. The question remains for us today; is the light of Jesus shining in our hearts and if so are we shining his light into the darkness of our world?

Then an expert in the law was insulted by what Jesus said. But Jesus continues on by saying that they load people down with burdens they can’t carry themselves and they over others no help either. Even worse, they build tombs for the prophets that their ancestors killed. For Jesus this only indicts them as being accomplices to what their ancestors did. God would send them prophets and apostles some of whom they would kill and others they would persecute. (11:37-49) Moreover, Jesus said they would be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets.  All the prophets and all of scripture point to Jesus and they reject the prophets by rejecting Jesus, the one to whom the prophets testify (Luke 24:27, 44, John 5:39-40).  According to Jesus the so-called experts in the law had taken away the key to knowledge, they fail to enter and they hinder those entering. (11:45-52)

The first-century Jewish leaders tried to keep the Mosaic Law in order to move God to intervene and liberate Israel. The experts in the law sought to determine just how their law was to be applied in every area of life. Their interpretations became the standard and they judged others by their own standard. The Pharisees saw themselves as the guardians of Israel’s moral and religious life and sought to pressure people to obey their teachings. Yet, these ‘religious leaders’ loaded heavy burdens on people, but did nothing to help them. Jesus announced various ‘woes’ on them for imposing a kind of self-righteous law observance that left hearts unchanged. Jesus disapproved of their practices and they objected to Jesus because if Jesus was right then their way of ‘being the people of God’ was a mistake.

Then after this not so subtle exchange, Jesus went outside where the Pharisees and the teachers of the law bombarded Jesus with questions. But, surely they were not open to learn from Jesus, they were only hoping to catch Jesus in what he might say (11:53-54). They were not there to learn, but only to find fault with Jesus. So we’ve seen that as Jesus journeys towards his death and resurrection he warns cities, battles demons, and in this passage he confronts those opposing him and his kingdom message. In Jerusalem, Jesus’ life would come to a final conflict in which he would appear to be totally defeated by the forces that opposed him. However, in reality he was offering up his obedient life on behalf of his people and in taking our place we can through faith in him, be made by grace ‘clean’ and pleasing to God.  

"If by the Finger of God" Luke 11:14-28

Jesus delivers a man from a demon that had robbed him of his ability to speak and left him feeling isolated. Jesus drives the demon out so that the man was able to openly speak. Now he could audibly express himself about all he had experienced and was holding inside. That this formerly mute man was enabled to speak overwhelmed the crowd with amazement (11:14). Yet, some in the crowd opposed Jesus. Some claimed that the miracle was a ‘demonic deception’ and others tried to pressure Jesus into showing a sign from heaven. They wanted evidence that the miracle was from God, but spectacular sign could they agree was actually from heaven (11:15-16). He had opened blind eyes, enabled the deaf to hear, the mute to speak, the sick were healed and he had even restored life to the dead.  

The evil spirits obeyed Jesus, but those opposing Jesus claimed he was in league with the ‘Prince of Demons’ (‘Beelzebul’; ‘Lord of Flies’ became a name for the ‘satan’). They sought to discredit Jesus by claiming that the devil was at work through Jesus. Yet, as Jesus said, if the devil opposed his own troops then the devil was already a defeated foe. Also, if their own Jewish exorcists were not being empowered by ‘the satan’ then why accuse Jesus of this? But, Jesus made it clear that if he was liberating captives ‘by the finger of God’, then the ‘Kingdom of God’ was being manifested through him. The phrase the ‘finger of God’ looks back to the mighty works God did through Moses. When Pharaoh’s magicians couldn’t duplicate Moses’ work, they acknowledged that it was the ‘finger of God’ (Exodus 8:19). In his own saying, Jesus presents himself as the ‘stronger man’ who was tying up the demonic strong man and was robbing his possessions by liberating those captive to demonic power.

His opponents were biased and Jesus knew they were just putting a negative spin on the miracle. Clearly they were out to undermine Jesus’ ability to restore life and health and to justify their own inability to heal. Why not delight in the restoration of this man who had been unable to speak? They claimed that Jesus was setting captives free only as a way of deceiving people. Evidently, Jesus was casting out demons and enabling the mute to speak in order to corrupt Israel’s faith and lead people away from God or so they implied. They were obviously desperate and were reaching for whatever they could in order to discredit Jesus’ growing influence.    

Jesus made it clear that a country at war with itself was ruined and a house divided would collapse. If satan was working against himself, then his ability to oppose God’s life-giving purposes was over.  However, if Jesus was liberating captives and restoring people to community by the ‘finger of God’ than Jesus was ushering in God’s kingdom! This was true in the case of Moses and those opposing Jesus were like Jannes and Jambres the Egyptians sorcerers who opposed Moses. When they failed to reproduce Moses’ work, they admitted that it was the work of the ‘finger of God’ (Exodus 8:19). Like Moses, Jesus was bringing about a new and even more grand Exodus and God’s kingdom was being manifested. Those opposing Jesus were opposing God and making matters worse for themselves (Exodus 8:19, 2 Tim.3:8, 11:17-20, 11:24-25).

The real explanation for all this was that Jesus was empowered by God and he was stronger than the demonic strong man. The devil was the fully armed strong man holding captives under the influence of his oppressive grip.  But before their very eyes the stronger Jesus was dismantling the devil’s strongholds, plundering his possessions and liberating people by the power of God. Jesus went on to make it clear to his disciples that there can be no neutral ground in this spiritual war. One has to choose to gather on the side of the gracious work of God at work through Jesus or one ends up trying to undermine and discredit Jesus’ work (11:21-23).

The liberating God of the Exodus was working in an extraordinary way through Jesus. Jesus had set his face towards Jerusalem to fulfill his 'Exodus' (departure) and establish God’s reign (Exodus 9:31). Jesus tells the story of an evil spirit that was driven out, but was unable to find a new home so it returns to its former abode. It’s now sweep clean so the spirit takes seven other wicked spirits and they take that place over again. If those delivered fail to realign themselves with Jesus and his kingdom they will end up under an even more powerful enslaving influence. This seems to take on corporation application since Luke (See also Matthew 12:43-45) goes on to talk about ‘this wicked generation (Luke 11:29-32)’. It appears that both Luke and Matthew are applying this saying to the Jewish nation as a whole. Jesus’ exorcisms heal many individuals, but Jesus has a wider aim in bringing about God’s eternal kingdom, for Israel and for the world. Unless Israel is ‘cleansed’ with Jesus enthroned as Lord and God dwelling among them by his Spirit, then they’ll be subject to even greater evil.

While Jesus was saying this a woman calls out, “Blessed is the mother who gave you birth and nursed you!” There is. However, an even greater privilege available to all persons. All who hear God’s Word and commit to apply it existentially in their own lives are blessed of God!”  What a privilege to be the mother of such a son and surely Mary was blessed. Yet, Jesus quickly turns the saying around into both an encouragement and a warning (See also 8:21). While there is only one Mary, blessed rather are all who hear the word of God and who respond to it with obedience.  The word of God is at work through Jesus which requires our hearing and our obedience. (11:27-28)