Archive for month: September, 2020

Hi GAMErs,                     

Today’s passage is Luke 10:17-29.  Let’s go!

Luke 10:17-20 (NIV) 
17  The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 
18  He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 
19  I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy ; nothing will harm you. 
20  However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

On verses 17-20:  The 72 that Jesus sent out return from their mission trips and report of how demons submitted to them in Jesus’ name (v17).  In response Jesus says, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (v18).  What does Jesus mean?  I think there are at least two possible meanings here.  One possible meaning is that Jesus is rejoicing with his 72 students over how the kingdom of God was triumphing over the kingdom of Satan.  

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 10:1-16.  Let’s go!

Luke 10:1 (NIV) 
1  After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.

On verse 1:  Why did Jesus send out his followers on this mission two by two?  It’s because Jesus understood the importance of team, having someone who shares your goals and mission to work with so that there can be mutual comfort, encouragement, accountability and support.  Similarly, when it comes to the mission God has for you, you weren’t made to do it alone.  You need teammates. 

Luke 10:2 (NIV) 
2  He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.

On verse 2:  In Jesus’ eyes, the mission field is full of opportunities and full of people who are needing Jesus (“the harvest is plentiful”).  What is lacking is not people to bless or opportunities to lead people to Jesus, but people willing to be used and to get in on those opportunities (“the workers are few”).  So let’s be praying for God to send people who are willing to go and take advantage of those opportunities.  Let’s also be praying that we would be those people who go too.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 9:51-62.  Let’s go!

Luke 9:51-56 (NIV) 

51  As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. 
52  And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; 
53  but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. 
54  When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” 
55  But Jesus turned and rebuked them, 
56  and they went to another village.

On verses 51-56:  Why did the Samaritan village reject Jesus because Jesus was heading for Jerusalem?  It’s because culturally Jews and Samaritans did not associate with one another and considered one another enemies.  The Samaritans rejected Jesus based on the fact that Jesus and his disciples were Jews heading to the Jewish city of Jerusalem.  Fueled by anger and pride, two of Jesus’ closest disciples, James and John, offer to call fire down from heaven to destroy the Samaritan village that didn’t welcome them.  No wonder Jesus gave James and John the nicknames “sons of thunder” (Mark 3:17).  However, Jesus rebukes them for this suggestion and they move on.

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Luke 9:37-50.  Let’s go!

Luke 9:37-45 (NIV) 

37  The next day, when they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. 
38  A man in the crowd called out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 
39  A spirit seizes him and he suddenly screams; it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and is destroying him. 
40  I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not.”
41  “O unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son here.”
42  Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, healed the boy and gave him back to his father…….

On verses 37-45:  There are a number of important lessons we can learn from these verses.  I look forward to sharing them with you at a Thrive service today.