Category: Uncategorized

Lord, someone asked him, are only a few people going to be saved?

Luke 13:23

This is one of the better questions asked of Jesus during His earthly ministry. It at least shows some understanding of His teaching. He had said several things that would indicate that fewer would be saved then was popularly thought.

Heavenly Father, thank You for salvation! It is not something to take for granted, but should be cherished. You are amazing, good, and gracious to even make it a possibility. We praise You for this and all the works of Your hand! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

He went through one town and village after another, teaching and making his way to Jerusalem.

Luke 13:22

Jesus knew exactly what He was doing, and where He was headed. Jerusalem was the place to be for His mission to be complete.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Jesus. He is the One You have used to give everyone hope. In Christ alone we may have life. I praise You for Him! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

It’s like leaven that a woman took and mixed into fifty pounds of flour until all of it was leavened.

Luke 13:21

The life that we may live in Christ is this attractive. When Christians will live purely in the power of Christ, only by His strength, growth is natural. We may not always understand the mysteries of growth, but we will see the evidences of life.

Heavenly Father, thank You for caring about our lives more than we do ourselves. When we turn to You each day for our ‘daily bread’ we find You already in the kitchen baking. How can we praise You in the right way, our understanding is so limited? Thank You for showing us in Your Word Your Great Glory and Power, and Your Authority and Rule. You are the God of All! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Again he said, ‘What can I compare the kingdom of God to?’

Luke 13:20

Jesus wishes for us to understand the plans of the Father. He wants for us to see the beauty of the will of the Godhead. He desires that we will make it our study all the days of our life.

Heavenly Father, Your ways are perfect! You have made the plans for all that You have purposed and it is all wonderful! Thank You for working in our lives. We can never praise You enough! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

It’s like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the sky nested in its branches.

Luke 13:19

Though there are those who do not like it because of their hatred for Christ, His church has grown exponentially. Even today, over two thousand years later, there are many millions who claimed membership to the universal Body of Christ. And, when it comes to taking a message of peace to the world, it is only the church that has had success in the endeavor.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your church! Thank You for Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ! Your power, Your glory, and Your love are evident to all the world. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

He said, therefore, ‘What is the kingdom of God like, and what can I compare it to?’

Luke 13:18

Jesus said a lot during His earthly ministry to define the church. His teaching provides the foundation of early church teaching. The disciples, and then later early church leaders, built off of what Jesus had to say about the kingdom. He helps us to understand His expectations for His church, and for children of God. The church is a living organism that grows and brings blessing to the entire world. That is what it is meant to be.

Heavenly Father, thank You so much for Your love! You are, the great God of all. You are glorious beyond all imagination, and Your children are joyful for knowing You. Father, how can we ever praise you enough? I love you Lord! Your glory is overwhelming. Your goodness is amazing. Your power is absolute. Your wisdom is beyond all understanding. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

When he had said these things, all his adversaries were humiliated, but the whole crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things he was doing.

Luke 13:17

So many times during the ministry of Christ His detractors were left speechless. This is why the Jewish elite had Him crucified. He had brought them to humiliation over and over again.

Heavenly Father, thank You for life in Christ! We easily forget the benefits of living in Christ because of this dark world. But, it is such a blessing to have Your Holy Spirit in our hearts at work! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

Satan has bound this woman, a daughter of Abraham, for eighteen years—shouldn’t she be untied from this bondage on the Sabbath day?

Luke 13:16

You can hear the silence in the room when Jesus said this. How could anyone argue with this? What a wonderful Sabbath! This event surely brought glory to the LORD.

Heavenly Father, thank You for delivering us from the power of darkness. We can be released from the horrible influence of the old serpent by the power of Your Christ. Thank You! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

But the Lord answered him and said, ‘Hypocrites! Doesn’t each one of you untie his ox or donkey from the feeding trough on the Sabbath and lead it to water?’

Luke 13:15

Hypocrisy has always been a big problem. Even recently, with the application of covid standards, we saw all kinds of hypocrisy. Sometimes things were considered necessary, while other things were considered not necessary. And yet the standards were not applied consistently. It seems there was one standard for the general public, and another for political elites. Humans are full of sin and naturally hypocritical if we do not have the light of God living within us.

In this situation Jesus is highlighting the fact that the Jews realized feeding their animals on the Sabbath was necessary. It was not an infraction of their worship of God to care for basic needs. The Sabbath laws were intended to keep people from doing unneeded work, and in that way they would honor the Lord on that day. But instead, by their traditions, they had changed God’s law in such a way that the hurting could not seek help on the Sabbath day.

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your perfect way, and Your perfect standards. In spite of the fact that sin is abhorrent to You, You have made a way for even what we might consider the ugliest of sinners to be saved to the uttermost through Jesus Christ. Your plan for this world is the best plan, and will lead to the most Glory for You. But what we often miss, is that it is the best plan for us, and will lead to what is best for our lives. In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.

But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, responded by telling the crowd, “There are six days when work should be done; therefore come on those days and be healed and not on the Sabbath day.”

Luke 13:14

The leader of the synagogue was more than willing to tow the party line. He is literally telling his listeners to go home and tell anyone sick not to come on the Sabbath. He does not speak to Jesus directly at all.

Heavenly Father, thank You so much for healing us! Thank You for giving us Your truth and Your mercy. You are glorious! You Are Holy! You love Your creatures. Thank You for Your power, and Your wisdom! In the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ I pray and praise You, Amen.