Category: Luke

Read Luke 20:20-26

Do you ever feel a little sorry for the religious leaders in our story? We’ve been watching their growing frustration with Jesus. Today they resort to sending “spies” to try and trap Jesus. Perhaps if Jesus saw common looking “honest” folks asking the hard questions he would slip up. Never underestimate God and how he will use a situation.

Jesus didn’t miss a beat here. He was not fooled by the trick question. In fact, his response was perfect. Even the spies had to agree, I’m sure, that it was a masterful answer. As we are in the midst of tax season as I write this, Jesus’ response resonates even more. We pay tax to the country of our citizenship, which is not our country of residence.  Continue reading “Luke 20:20-26 – What Does it Cost?”

Read Luke 20:9-19

You may recall this parable was in Mark, one of the other books of the Bible we’ve walked through. I love it when Scripture confirms itself. There are a few differences, but there would be anytime different storytellers tell the same story. What is significant here is the religious leader’s response. They didn’t want to lose their authority with the people if they did to Jesus what they really wanted. That time would come soon enough. For now, they were people pleasers.

Jesus is brilliant in how he uses stories to call out the leaders. I’m not sure the people catch on, but the leaders sure see themselves in the story. So if they can see themselves as the wicked farmers, don’t they realize they are behaving badly? It’s all part of their delusion, I suppose. So how does this speak to us today? Continue reading “Luke 20:9-19 – Cornerstone”

Read Luke 20:1-8

I admit it. I giggled a little when I read today’s passage. I loved Jesus’ response, or non-response! I loved his attitude, didn’t you? Now, I feel a little bad about it — these men were religious leaders demanding respect, and I giggled. I’m totally in Jesus’ camp here, and it makes me angry when they try to corner Jesus.

Jesus doesn’t let them take the upper hand. He is always in control. That is exactly what we learn and teach in our marketing business.  Always ask questions, because the person asking the questions is the one in charge. Jesus does just that and models it beautifully. He knew the perfect question to ask. Continue reading “Luke 20:1-8 – What Authority Rules You?”

Read Luke 19:41-48

We have been following Jesus’ steps through the book of Luke as he has been focused on his ultimate destiny in Jerusalem. In today’s reading, he arrives. But before he gets there, he sees Jerusalem off in the distance. You know that feeling when you’ve been traveling for a long distance and then you see it – your destination ahead. A bit of relief, some joy, realization that you are almost there!

As kids, my brother and I played a little game when we were going to visit our grandparents. We would look for the town’s water tower in the distance. Each time, it was such a cool moment when it finally came into view. I take that memory and think of Jesus coming up on Jerusalem. But for Jesus, this was bittersweet. Jerusalem, the holy city, the royal city, was the place where he would suffer and be killed. Let that sink in for just a moment. Continue reading “Luke 19:41-48 – A Different Side of Jesus”