Author

TerryLema

The Heart of the Matter (Luke 19)

by TerryLema

We have come to the heart of the matter in Luke 19. Jesus is passing through Jericho when a man named Zacchaeus hears about it. Zacchaeus is described as a chief tax collector and rich. He is also short in stature, so in order to get Jesus’ attention he climbs a sycamore tree.

When Jesus spots Zacchaeus in the tree, He invites Himself into Zacchaeus’ house. It is there in Zacchaeus’ house that we hear Jesus speak the heart of the matter. It is the theme of Luke’s Gospel, and it is the glory of our hearts.  “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.” [vs 10 HCSB]

Jesus uses His favorite title…Son of Man. It is a title found in Daniel 7:13-14. Daniel saw “One like a Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven [shekinah glory]. He was given authority to rule and glory, and a kingdom, so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away and His Kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.” [HCSB]

The Glorious Son of Man came to us with a glorious purpose, “to seek and to save the lost.”  Me. You. Us.

For me the most wonderful word in that verse is “seek.” It is zeteo, and it means “I seek, search for, desire, require.”

The Glorious Son of Man seeks, searches for, desires, requires the lost. It is not that we “find Jesus,” it is that “Jesus finds us.” We are the lost.

I remember being lost once as a child, probably around 7 or 8 years old. I went with a classmate after school thinking I could find my way home after that visit. I could not. I wandered the streets until finally a man found me and took me home to my family. Lost is a feeling I remember quite clearly.

I also remember being spiritually lost, wandering through life with no real awareness of where I was, until Jesus, in August 1973 found me and brought me home.  The Glorious Son of Man sought me, saved me, because He loved me.

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“I’m not like other people ….” (Luke 18)

by TerryLema

The riches found in Luke 18! In that beautiful chapter we find the Parable of the Persistent Widow, which re-emphasizes the need to be persistent in prayer. Jesus also welcomes the children who are brought to Him and reminds us that we are to be like little children in welcoming the kingdom of God.

Then there are two interactions. The first with the Rich Young Ruler and the second with a blind man who loudly asks Jesus to restore His sight.

If you have read the chapter, you know I skipped over the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector [vs 9-14].

Jesus speaks of two men who went into the temple complex to pray. The first, a Pharisee, reminds God that “I’m not like other people—greedy, unrighteous, adulterers or even like this tax collector.” 

The second man is that tax collector. His reaction to God is completely different. “God, turn Your wrath from me—a sinner!” 

Jesus tells His listeners that the tax collector went home justified rather than the Pharisee “because everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Oh, precious LORD, how often we are more like that Pharisee than we are the tax collector! We look at others who do not hold our viewpoint on so many things and we say, “I’m glad I’m not like other people …!”  And, yet, with that attitude we are.

I will probably offend many when I say this, but there are far too many Pharisees in the church today. God is calling us to remember the pit from which we have been dug … and to pray for those who do not know Christ Jesus as Savior and LORD.

Psalm 40:1-3: I waited patiently for the LORD, and He turned to me and heard my cry for help. He brought me up from a desolate pit, out of the muddy clay, and set my feet on a rock, making my steps secure. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD. [HCSB]

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Humility: Foundation of Faith (Luke 17)

by TerryLema

There is a wonderful event in the life of Jesus related in Luke 17. It involved ten lepers who were healed by Jesus and sent off to the priests to affirm their cleansing. One, a Samaritan, came back and fell at Jesus’ feet offering praise and glory to God. I love that story, but it is not the one I want to focus on this morning.

The one that has always been especially precious to me – and especially challenging – is found earlier in the chapter. Jesus’ disciples asked Him to “Increase our faith.” Jesus tells them they just need faith like a mustard seed. [vs 5-6]

Ah, if Jesus had just left it there, but He did not. He goes on to tell them about the duty that is attached to the faith. He uses an example of a slave who has spent the day toiling in the fields who then comes home and needs to make dinner for the master.  He ends with a description of this slave that seems almost cruel. “In the same way, when you have done all that you were commanded, you should say, ‘We are good-for-nothing [unworthy] slaves; we’ve only done our duty.’” [vs 10 HCSB]

When we approach this Scripture, we need to understand the norms of that society. Jesus describes here something that would have been a common practice and obvious to His listeners. It is totally foreign to us since this world’s idea of success is not servanthood but to lord it over others.

Jesus is not demeaning servants, instead He is giving the ideal of servanthood, and attaching duty to faith.  The true bondservant of Christ Jesus has no reason for pride. In its place there must be a true sense of duty that is rooted in humility.  Humility is the foundation of faith.

As we seek the LORD, our desire is to serve Him and do His work. That duty and accompanying faith provides us the power we need to thrive as we serve Him and others in His name.  Jesus reminds us that we are not to feel proud of our faith or of our good works. They are, after all, what is expected of those who desire to be disciples of Christ.

LORD Jesus, thank you for the opportunity to serve You and others in Your name! Amen.

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Money (Luke 16)

by TerryLema

Jesus sure did talk a lot about money! That often seems to be a part of “Jesus” the world ignores today. How many times pastors have been chastised because they spoke about money in their messages!

People who do not like to hear messages about money have probably never read Luke 16. It begins with the Parable of the Dishonest Manager and ends with the Rich Man and Lazarus. In the middle Jesus gives a small discourse on Kingdom Values to the Pharisees who were listening. He is prompted by the Pharisees love of – you guessed it – money.

“The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and scoffing at Him. And He told them ‘You are the ones who justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly admired by people is revolting in God’s sight.’” [vs 14-15]

There are four words in Jesus’ warning to the Pharisees that should bring all of us up short. “God knows your hearts.”

When the Pharisees heard that, they should have remembered 1 Samuel 16 when God sent Samuel to the house of Jesse to anoint a new king after God rejected the current one, Saul.

When Samuel tried to anoint Jesse’s oldest son Eliab, God stopped him. “Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the LORD sees the heart.” [vs 7 HCSB]

In essence Jesus was telling the Pharisees that they were being rejected as Eliab was because God knew what was in their hearts. What made them “highly admired” by people was “revolting in God’s sight.”

No wonder they hated Jesus so much that they were willing to bond with their enemies to try to find a way to silence Him forever.

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The Found (Luke 15)

by TerryLema

Ah, Chapter 15 of the Gospel of Luke. What a wonderful chapter. Jesus tells three parables in this chapter. My bible titles them “The Parable of the Lost Sheep,” “The Parable of the Lost Coin,” and “The Parable of the Lost Son.” (Although that one should be “The Parable of the Lost Sons” since both were lost.)

I, however, like to think of these parables as the parables of the “Found.” The sheep, the coin and the son may have been lost initially but they end up “found” and what can be more glorious than that?

The poor sheep that wandered off and found himself all alone is wonderfully found by the shepherd and brought into the flock.  Then not only is the sheep happy, but the shepherd calls everyone together and rejoices “because I have found my lost sheep!” [vs 6]

The woman who lost her coin (because coins can’t wander off on their own) also rejoices with her friends and neighbors “because I have found the silver coin I lost!” [vs 9]

What joy there was for the son who rebelliously chose to leave the Father’s House but then returns to find the Father not only watching for him, but ready to forgive him for his rebellion and throw a feast to celebrate his return.

 “But the father told his slaves, ‘Quick! Bring out the best robe and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet.  Then bring the fattened calf and slaughter it, and let’s celebrate with a feast, because this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ So they began to celebrate.” [vs 22-24]

Jesus also reminds His listeners that “there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over 99 righteous people who don’t need repentance.” [vs 7, 10]

I am one of the “found.” What joy abounds in my heart to know that there was joy in heaven in August of 1973 when I became one of those sinners who repented!

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A Cost

by TerryLema

“Now great crowds were traveling with Him. So He turned and said to them: ‘If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his own father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, and even his own life—he cannot be My disciple.  Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.’” [vs 25-27 HCSB]

After Jesus told the crowds who were following Him this hard statement, He told them that people who build towers and kings who go to war count the cost ahead of time to determine if they will have enough to be victorious.

There is a cost to following Jesus. Those who were following Him needed to determine if they were willing to pay that cost.  “In the same way, therefore, every one of you who does not say good-bye to (renounce or leave) all his possessions cannot be My disciple.” [vs 33 HCSB]

Those are tough words – to be willing to “hate” and willing to “renounce or leave.”  Now Jesus does not mean we are to actively “hate” our families … He means we are to love Him and be devoted to following Him so much that it looks like we “hate” everything else by comparison.

Still, we must consider the cost of loving Him that much and being willing to say good-bye to all our possessions if that is what it costs to be His disciples.

In light of what it cost our LORD Christ Jesus to come to save us – leaving the riches, incomprehensible glory, wealth, love, and joy of the Trinity from all eternity – our cost is nothing in comparison.

Thank you, LORD, for loving us so much! Amen

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His Adversaries Were Humiliated

by TerryLema

In the middle of Chapter 13 of the Gospel of Luke, he relates an event that took place in a synagogue on the Sabbath. There Jesus encountered a woman who had been disabled for 18 years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. Our Lord got her attention, laid His hands on her and instantly she was restored.

[vss 10-13]

Her reaction was to begin to praise and glorify God.

The reaction of the synagogue leader different. He was outraged because Jesus had healed this woman on the Sabbath. He was more concerned about rules than he was people.

Jesus’ response was to call him a “hypocrite” and remind him that he freed his animals in order to feed and water them on the Sabbath. Should not this woman who had been bound for 18 years also be freed? [vss 15-16]

This confrontation with the religious leaders did two things. First, “When He had said these things, all His adversaries were humiliated” and second, “the whole crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things He was doing”.

Humiliated adversaries fight back and, of course, that is what they did. The Gospel writers are clear that they banded together – even with their enemies – to find any way to make Jesus disappear.

The crowds, however, for a time, rejoiced over all the thing that Jesus was doing. That would change after Jesus’ arrest, but for now, He enjoyed a season of acceptance among the common people.

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Little Birds (Luke 12)

by TerryLema

Wow, Luke 12 is one tough chapter. It deals with religious hypocrisy, fear and anxiety, greed, rewards and punishment, division, and remaining ready!

At the beginning of the chapter Jesus warns against religious hypocrisy and then immediately reminds his listeners that worldly rulers can only kill the body so if they are going to fear anyone, fear God because he has authority to “throw people into hell after death.” [vss 1-5]

Then Jesus finishes off that admonition with the most precious promise to those who do fear God. “Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight. Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows!” [vss 6-7 HCSB]

I am reminded of that last sentence every day. “Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows!”

 We have a bird feeder in our backyard. It is a wide platform on the top of the fence that Bob keeps filled with seed. In the summer just a few little birds and doves come by for a snack. We live amid agricultural land so in summer there is a lot of feed around. But in winter, when the ground freezes, the fields have been plowed and made ready for spring, and when snow arrives, that bird feeder is full of little birds.

Those little birds camp out in our cedar trees next to the feeder and they fly from tree to food and back again multiple times. Sometimes a small hawk will visit because it too is looking for food.

When I see those little birds, I remember how insignificant they are in the grand scheme of things, yet God remembers each one of them.  When I think about my life, I remember how insignificant I am in the grand scheme of this world, yet God … knows me and He even loves me!

“I am worth more than many sparrows!”

 Thank you, Precious LORD!

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Keep at It! (Luke 11)

by TerryLema

One day the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. He gave them what we call “The Lord’s Prayer.” He also gave them a teaching on persistent prayer.  Part of that is a verse most of us have memorized. I like the way the Holman Christian Standard translates it.

“So I say to you, keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” [Luke 11:9-10 HCSB]

Whenever I read that exhortation to be persistent in our prayers, it takes me back to Moses in Exodus 33. The previous chapter in Exodus relates how the people had engaged in idolatry using a golden calf. That angered God who then invited Moses to intercede for them. Which, he did, of course. However, God told Moses to take the people to the Promised Land, and while He would provide an angel to lead them, He would not go with them.

Chapter 33 is Moses’ persistent prayer. He asks, he seeks, and he knocks. And each time Moses does, God responds.

Moses Asks: “Now if I have indeed found favor in Your sight, please teach me Your ways, and I will know You and find favor in Your sight. Now consider that this nation is Your people.” God Responds: “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

 Moses Seeks: “If Your presence does not go don’t make us go up from here. How will it be known that I and Your people have found favor in Your sight unless You go with us?” God Responds: “I will do this very thing you have asked, for you have found favor in My sight, and I know you by name.”

Moses Knocks: “Please, let me see Your glory.” God Responds: “I will cause all My goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim the name Yahweh before you. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.”

Persistent Prayer. Amen

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The Good Samaritan (Luke 10)

by TerryLema

A few chapters before this one, Jesus told us to “Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” [6:27]

Now as Jesus is approached by a Pharisee with a question, Jesus provides an example of what He meant by loving our enemies.

The Pharisee wanted to know what he must do to inherit eternal life.  That is the same question the Rich Young Ruler asked Jesus. Both men thought they had it all together, they were doing what the rabbis always taught as the way to eternal life “Obey the statutes of God and avoid all sin.”

While both asked the same question, Jesus’ response was tailored to each man’s situation. The Rich Young Ruler was told to give away all his wealth. Jesus first responds to this Pharisee’s question with a question. “What is written in the law?” [vs 26]

The man answers that the law commands to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” [10:27 HCSB]

Jesus agrees and tells the man “Do this and you will live.”  [vs 28]

But … and here is the thing that we often do likewise … the Pharisee wanted the details. “Who is my neighbor?” [vs 29]

Jesus tells him, through the parable of The Good Samaritan, that his enemy is his neighbor. A Samaritan was hated by the Jews. He was considered a member of a mongrel race. There is no way a Pharisee would have stopped to help a Samaritan, but in Jesus’ parable, it is the Samaritan who stops to show mercy. The Samaritan loved his enemy.

The Pharisee has to admit that is what happened, and Jesus tells him to “Go and do the same.” [vs 37]

Wrapped up in the great command to love God with everything we have, and to love our neighbors as ourselves, is the deep truth that our enemies are included.

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