Reflective Bible Study Gospel Adventure

Permission Over Restriction: Luke 14:1-6

Published February 15, 2023 in Written Journal Entries

Focus Passage: Luke 14:1-6 (GW)

¹On a day of rest—a holy day Jesus went to eat at the home of a prominent Pharisee. The guests were watching Jesus very closely.

²A man whose body was swollen with fluid was there. ³Jesus reacted by asking the Pharisees and the experts in Moses’ Teachings, “Is it right to heal on the day of rest—a holy day, or not?” ⁴But they didn’t say a thing.

So Jesus took hold of the man, healed him, and sent him away. ⁵Jesus asked them, “If your son or your ox falls into a well on a day of rest—a holy day, wouldn’t you pull him out immediately?” ⁶They couldn’t argue with him about this.

Read Luke 14:1-6 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

Today’s journal entry touches on a running theme throughout the four gospels – Jesus healing people. Now, normally this wouldn’t have concerned the Pharisees all that much, because by this time, they probably classified Him as a doctor, but what really irritates them is when this profession interfered with the Sabbath – the day of rest God instructed them to remember centuries before on Mount Sinai.

In this passage, the big idea I want to bring out is that Jesus is not interested in “do nots” regarding the Sabbath, but instead with “dos”.

It would seem as though Jesus, who was a guest in this Pharisee’s home, did not want to overstep His host’s welcome, but at the same time, Jesus knew their thoughts. He asks them the question that they have been wrestling with for some time: “Is it right to heal on the day of rest—a holy day [the Sabbath] or not?” (v. 3)

They likely really wanted to say that it was not okay, but they wouldn’t have been able to back the answer up with the writings of Moses and the prophets, so they remained silent. Jesus, responding to their silence, simply heals the man, as though it isn’t a big deal.

Once the man has left, Jesus asks them a parallel question, “If your son or your ox falls into a well on a day of rest—a holy day, wouldn’t you pull him out immediately?” (v. 5)

The brilliance of this question is not that it silences them, but it is so clearly acceptable and relevant that they could not disagree.

In this short event, we see Jesus focusing us on helping others (and giving glory to God) over getting caught up in the details of what is right or wrong on the Sabbath day of worship.

This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!

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Answers to Prayer: Luke 18:1-8

Published February 14, 2023 in Written Journal Entries

Focus Passage: Luke 18:1-8 (NCV)

¹Then Jesus used this story to teach his followers that they should always pray and never lose hope. ²“In a certain town there was a judge who did not respect God or care about people. ³In that same town there was a widow who kept coming to this judge, saying, ‘Give me my rights against my enemy.’ ⁴For a while the judge refused to help her. But afterwards, he thought to himself, ‘Even though I don’t respect God or care about people, ⁵I will see that she gets her rights. Otherwise she will continue to bother me until I am worn out.’”

⁶The Lord said, “Listen to what the unfair judge said. ⁷God will always give what is right to his people who cry to him night and day, and he will not be slow to answer them. ⁸I tell you, God will help his people quickly. But when the Son of Man comes again, will he find those on earth who believe in him?”

Read Luke 18:1-8 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

In Jesus’ illustration in our passage for this post, we might get the wrong idea if we are not paying attention. The parable of the persistent widow is shared in the context of prayer and asking God for help, and if it were not for how Luke frames the opening of this parable, we might misunderstand the reason Jesus shared this parable.

The passage opens by saying, “Jesus used this story to teach his followers that they should always pray and never lose hope.” (v. 1)

This teaches us that prayer itself is beneficial for the one praying, even if an answer is not received immediately. In our lives, and especially with prayer, we should never lose hope.

However, before we think that God will take the role of the stubborn, indifferent judge, Jesus shares how God is different by saying, “God will always give what is right to his people who cry to him night and day, and he will not be slow to answer them.” (v. 7)

Jesus said that God will always give “what is right” to His people, and this phrase got me thinking about the sort of answers we receive from God since this means that not all prayers/requests will be answered the way we asked them.

The first possible answer we can receive is a “Yes”. In this response, God answers quickly and gives us the thing we asked for. It is really the answer we always want to receive, but there are other possible responses as well.

The second possible answer we can receive is a “No”. By responding this way, God is telling us that our request is not “right for us”, or simply not best for us in the big picture. God has a different perspective, and He uses His “eternity perspective” when looking at answering our personal prayers. However, a “No” answer might not really be a “No”.

The third possible answer we can receive is a “Not yet”. God understands what we need and what we are asking, but the timing isn’t quite right. Perhaps we need to grow more, or perhaps things outside of our awareness need to change before the timing is right to answer this request. Like a “No” response, a “Not yet” comes because God is looking from His “eternity perspective” and this is a much better perspective to frame answering our prayers. However, before thinking there are only three types of responses, there is a fourth, and in some ways, it might be the most common response God gives.

The fourth possible answer we can receive is a “No, but here is something better”. This says that God acknowledges our prayer, but instead of answering it in the way we prayed it, He answers it using His infinite knowledge and perspective. While we might not always agree with His idea of what is “better”, when we are given the chance to look back on this response from Heaven’s perspective, we will almost certainly agree with God’s chosen response.

All these possible responses are given, because, “God will always give what is right to his people who cry to him night and day, and he will not be slow to answer them.” (v.7)

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Flashback Episode — Salt, Light, and the Law: Matthew 5:13-20

Published February 13, 2023 in Audio Journal Entries

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As we continue looking at Jesus’ famous Sermon on the Mount, we come to a set of three messages that progressively get more challenging. While we are more familiar with the first two messages in this set, the third one is very powerful and very challenging, especially in the New Testament Christian era as it has tried to separate itself from its Jewish roots.

Let’s continue reading Jesus’ message and be reminded of these three messages. Our passage is from Matthew, chapter 13, and we will read from the New International Version. Starting in verse 13, Jesus continues His sermon saying:

¹³“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

¹⁴“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Let’s pause reading here briefly, because we have just finished the first two messages. Most people stop reading here and they separate the next message from these first two. However, I believe these ideas are connected if for no other reason that that Jesus shared them in this sequence.

In building up the sequence of messages, Jesus first tells us that we are to be salt in the earth. Salt in moderation seasons a dish nicely, and salt in abundance preserves what it is with. There is a middle area where there is too much salt for seasoning, but not enough for preservation, but I don’t think Jesus is emphasizing salt in this great of a detail. Instead, Jesus is first challenging us to affect the world around us, even if this effect is subtle and not clearly seen. If we stop affecting the world around us, then we will cease to be useful for what God has called us into the world for.

Next, Jesus describes His people as a light of the world. This is more challenging because while salt can be hidden and effective, light ceases to be useful if it is hidden. This means that the more we share and represent God, the greater our light will be and the more visible God may choose to make us. Jesus describes our light as our good deeds, but not us doing good seeking glory for ourselves. Jesus challenges us to “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (v. 16)

Immediately following this, Jesus moves into the third message, which is perhaps the most challenging. Continuing in verse 17, Jesus tells the crowd:

¹⁷“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. ¹⁸For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. ¹⁹Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Some people might say that when Jesus died on the cross and when He was resurrected, this marked the completion referenced in this third message. They view the phrase that everything is accomplished means that everything needed for salvation through Jesus is accomplished, and because of this, now the Law is no longer relevant.

However, Jesus challenges this idea in at least three ways. First Jesus directly says that He did not “to abolish the Law or the Prophets”. Abolishing in this context means doing away with. Jesus didn’t come to do away with the Law. Instead, Jesus tells us He came to fulfill the law. Fulfilling is different. In a strange twist, Jesus came to live 100% obedient to the law because He knew we couldn’t. Just because Jesus lived 100% obedient to the law doesn’t mean that the law isn’t valid. This would be like saying that because my neighbor obeyed the speed limit on the road near our homes means that I can now break it.

Obeying a law does not abolish it.

The second way Jesus challenges this idea is by giving a time for when the law will be modified. Jesus tells those present “until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law”. When Jesus continues by saying until everything is accomplished, the context is that everything will be accomplished when heaven and earth disappear. This makes the Law and the Prophets just as relevant today as they were prior to the cross.

The third challenge to this idea is when Jesus emphasizes that the highest positions in the kingdom of heaven will go to those who practice and teach the commands of the Law and the Prophets. There will be those who are welcomed into the kingdom who have not done this, but that is because entrance into God’s kingdom isn’t about what we have done or what we can do. It’s about what has been done for us.

A bonus fourth challenge comes in Jesus’ final statement on this point. Jesus tells those present “unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” The Pharisees and the teachers of the law appeared to be the most righteous people in society at that time. While there was hypocrisy rampant in that spiritual culture, the bar was set even higher than a Pharisee who lived what he preached. Jesus sets the bar for entrance into God’s kingdom in an impossible to get position. This is the power of the Law. The Law stops us from gaining entrance into God’s kingdom, and it is what protects God’s future kingdom from the presence of sin.

Everything in this third challenge regarding Jesus fulfilling God’s law amplifies the relevance of the Law for Christians, and nothing Jesus says here suggests that the Law is any less relevant than it was prior to His arrival on earth. Instead, Jesus’ arrival marked the entrance of God making a way for us to experience God’s kingdom when we failed to live up to God’s standard.

Does Jesus’ death and resurrection make God’s standard no longer relevant? Some might think so, but others believe that this act validates God’s justice while also revealing His love.

All three of these messages challenge us as believers and Christians to be witnesses for Jesus. We are to be salt, we are to be light, and we are to be obedient champions of God’s law, holding up the law while also sharing that the law is the reason Jesus came to this planet!

As we come to the end of another podcast episode, here are the challenges I will leave you with:

As I always challenge you to do, intentionally seek God first and place Him first in your life. Understand that Jesus came to earth not because God sent Him here to die, but because Jesus came to show us how much God loves us when we deserved death. Jesus did not deserve death, and nothing in Jesus’ life warranted facing the cross. Jesus chose this path to show us how much God loves us and just how valuable we are in His eyes!

Also, as I regularly challenge you to do, intentionally pray and study the Bible for yourself to learn and grow each and every day. Choose to spend time praying and studying to grow personally closer to God and to fall in love with Him like He has fallen in love with you. Discover in the pages of the Bible, a God who gives up everything for you and me!

And as I end every set of challenges by saying in one way or another, never stop short of, back away from, chicken out of, or give up on where God wants to lead you to in your life with Him!

Flashback Episode: Year in Matthew – Episode 7: In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus shares three separate ideas that progressively get more challenging for His followers, and in these three messages, we are challenged with how we live our lives and where we have placed our focus.

Raising the Standard: Matthew 5:13-37

Published February 10, 2023 in Written Journal Entries

Focus Passage: Matthew 5:13-37 (NIV)

¹³“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

²¹“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ ²²But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

²³“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, ²⁴leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

²⁵“Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. ²⁶Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

²⁷“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ²⁸But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. ²⁹If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. ³⁰And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

³¹“It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ ³²But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

³³“Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ ³⁴But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; ³⁵or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. ³⁶And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. ³⁷All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.

Read Matthew 5:13-37 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

Some people looking at Christianity today might think that the followers of Christ believe that, since Jesus came and died, they no longer need to worry about their actions and/or lifestyle. After all, this sin-filled lifestyle has been “covered by His blood” – which is a pretty disturbing picture if you stop to think about it – and we have been forgiven, once and for all.

While most of these statements are technically true, in this passage, which is tucked within Jesus’ famous mountain top sermon, Jesus does not lower the Jewish law’s standard – He actually raises it to unreachable heights.

Jesus starts by saying in verse 20, “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law [the most “righteous people of their day”], you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven”, and the bar Jesus set only goes up from there.

Being angry with someone is enough to bring judgment and calling others names is enough to lead towards a hot-fiery location (v. 22). These standards simply raise the bar on the relatively clear-cut command to not murder someone. Jesus has taken a very visible and easy to obey commandment and given it a heart-depth that make it much more difficult to keep.

Jesus then shares in verse 23 that our worship towards God can be affected by our relationships with others, and that we are to be in right relationships with one another in order to be ready to offer gifts to God. I’m not sure about you, but this raised bar is very challenging for me. Perhaps I still need to mature in more areas of my life, or maybe the point of this command is just one other almost unreachable place.

In verses 27 and 28, Jesus raises the bar on the adultery-focused commandment. Not only does He take the physical act that the original commandment forbids, He adds a heart level to it that again raises the standard even higher.

Most of this passage is focused on helping us realize that our thoughts are just as important as our actions. While thoughts do not equal actions, our thoughts reveal our focus, and when our focus is on sin, it is only a matter of time before we will act in a sinful way.

I don’t believe that having a thought enter our mind counts as sinning, but the instant we realize its presence and allow it to stay is when the thought moves into the area that Jesus’ heart-commandments are calling us to avoid.

In this passage, Jesus tells us that heart, mind, and thought sins are real sins too, and while Jesus raises the standard on sin, He tells us that His life and death make a way for us to receive a life we don’t deserve, because Jesus faced the death He didn’t deserve.

Jesus tells us in this passage that our thoughts are important because they lead to actions, and our actions are important because they show others what God is like. Our lives are to be like salt and light, elements that improve the environments they are in, and Jesus wants us to live lives that give glory to our Father in Heaven.

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