{"id":11583,"date":"2020-09-25T20:00:36","date_gmt":"2020-09-26T03:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/luke_11_27-36-copy\/"},"modified":"2020-09-25T21:54:01","modified_gmt":"2020-09-26T04:54:01","slug":"luke_11_37-54","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/luke_11_37-54\/","title":{"rendered":"The Kind of Person Jesus Goes After"},"content":{"rendered":"

Luke 11:37-54\u00a0Click here for Bible Verses<\/a><\/p>\n

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Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is Luke 11:37-54.\u00a0\u00a0Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n

Luke 11:37-41 (NIV)\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>
\n37\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table.
\n38\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first wash before the meal, was surprised.
\n39\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.
\n40\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also?
\n41\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0But give what is inside [the dish] to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 37-41:\u00a0\u00a0Although washing hands before a meal is a good sanitary practice, Scripture did not require Jews to wash their hands before eating.\u00a0\u00a0So when Jesus went to a Pharisee\u2019s house for a meal and did not wash his hands before eating, he was not sinning against God.\u00a0\u00a0However, the Pharisees, who focused a great deal on hand washing and made it a part of their religious practice, took great offence.\u00a0\u00a0Jesus replies by pointing out that the Pharisees emphasize having a clean outward appearance while ignoring the dirty greed and wickedness that were caked to the inside of their hearts (v39).\u00a0\u00a0Jesus tells the Pharisees that they were foolish for focusing on people\u2019s outward appearances while ignoring their inner life (\u201cDid not the one who made the outside make the inside also?\u201d \u2013 v40).\u00a0\u00a0Jesus tells the Pharisees that if they really wanted to be clean, they should focus on giving away their possessions to the poor as a way to combat the greed and wickedness that was polluting their hearts (\u201cgive what is inside the dish to the poor, and everything will be clean for you\u201d \u2013 v41).<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0\u00a0Beware focusing on how you look in front of others more than the condition of your heart before God.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Luke 11:42 (NIV)<\/em><\/strong>
\n42\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 42:\u00a0\u00a0What does \u201cWoe to you\u201d mean? \u201cWoe\u201d is an emotional way of condemning someone.\u00a0\u00a0When you say \u201cWoe\u201d to someone, you are condemning that person and judging them.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0In this case, the Pharisees were meticulous at tithing (giving the first 10% of) their crops, but were missing the love and justice God wanted from their lives.\u00a0\u00a0The Pharisees\u2019 was a cold and calculated legalism that was devoid of heart or humility.\u00a0\u00a0Jesus says they should have done both: they should tithe\u00a0and<\/em>\u00a0live lives of love and justice.<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0\u00a0Don\u2019t focus only on one aspect of worship while ignoring other aspects of worshiping God.\u00a0Be a well-rounded follower of God.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>For example, at Thrive, AEIOU stands for God\u2019s 5 big purposes for our lives: A is to worship God (worship), E is to grow more like Jesus (discipleship), I is to serve Jesus (ministry), O is to lead others to Jesus (evangelism), and U is to love our spiritual family (fellowship).\u00a0\u00a0As a follower of Jesus, you might be naturally inclined toward one or two of these 5 big purposes (e.g. you love to spend time with your church family in fellowship) but be less inclined toward others (e.g. you hesitate to share Jesus with those who don\u2019t know him).\u00a0\u00a0We want to be well developed in all 5 of God\u2019s purposes for our lives and not be aeIoU or AeiOu but AEIOU.<\/p>\n

Luke 11:43 (NIV)<\/em><\/strong>
\n43\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 43: Don\u2019t live for the praise of people and turn yourself into an idol to be worshiped.\u00a0\u00a0Instead, live to please God.<\/p>\n

Luke 11:44 (NIV)<\/em><\/strong>
\n44\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it.”<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 44:\u00a0\u00a0In putting so much stock in their own efforts to be good, moral and religious, the Pharisees missed the grace and mercy of God.\u00a0\u00a0They had become so dead to God that Jesus compares them to \u201cunmarked graves\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0Jesus is suggesting that whoever gets near the Pharisees\u2019 teachings are flirting with death.<\/p>\n

Luke 11:45-46 (NIV)<\/em><\/strong>
\n45\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.”
\n46\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 45-46:\u00a0\u00a0After condemning the Pharisees, Jesus goes after the experts in the law.\u00a0\u00a0He points out that these experts in the law were only placing great burdens on the people and doing nothing to help them with such burdens.\u00a0\u00a0Notice that here Jesus comes down hard and heavy against those who place their hope in their own goodness, effort and performance (like the Pharisees and experts of the law) whereas elsewhere Jesus is soft, compassionate and gracious toward those who know they have messed up and recognize their need for a Saviour.<\/p>\n

What can we learn from this?\u00a0The spirit of religion is all about doing more and placing ever increasing burdens upon its followers.\u00a0\u00a0The spirit of religion says, \u201cTry harder.\u00a0\u00a0Do more.\u00a0\u00a0Work harder.\u00a0\u00a0Maybe you can please God with your efforts and earn your salvation.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0Religion is a burden-imposing system that gives the person no peace.\u00a0\u00a0In contrast, Jesus came to give us a relationship with God instead of a religion.\u00a0\u00a0Jesus came to set us free from life\u2019s biggest burdens.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>By dying on the cross for our sins, Jesus removed the burden of sin and shame from our lives.\u00a0\u00a0By rising again, Jesus removed the sting of death from our lives.\u00a0\u00a0False religions place an endless number of burdens on people.\u00a0\u00a0Jesus sets people free.<\/p>\n

Luke 11:47-48 (NIV)<\/em><\/strong>
\n47\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your forefathers who killed them.
\n48\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0So you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 47-48:\u00a0\u00a0By building tombs for Old Testament prophets, the Pharisees outwardly seemed to honour them.\u00a0\u00a0At the same time the Pharisees failed to recognize, or repent from, the fact that it was their own fathers who killed and persecuted these prophets.<\/p>\n

Luke 11:49-51 (NIV)<\/em><\/strong>
\n49\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.’
\n50\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world,
\n51\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 49-51:\u00a0\u00a0Why would \u201cthis generation\u201d (v50) of Pharisees be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets who ever lived, even if those prophets died long before this generation was born?\u00a0\u00a0It\u2019s because this generation was soon going to kill the greatest prophet of all, Jesus Christ, the one whom all God\u2019s prophets since the beginning had been talking about, pointing to and waiting upon.\u00a0\u00a0By rejecting and killing Jesus, they were in effect rejecting and persecuting all of God\u2019s prophets who came before them.\u00a0\u00a0So even though the Pharisees had built tombs to give outward honour to these Old Testament prophets, Jesus points out that their actions were hypocritical.<\/p>\n

Luke 11:52 (NIV)<\/em><\/strong>
\n52\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0“Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.”<\/em><\/p>\n

On verse 52:\u00a0\u00a0Jesus accuses the experts in the law of being deceived and leading others astray, away from God.\u00a0\u00a0What can we learn from this?\u00a0\u00a0God cares so much about whether we are leading the people in our care toward Him or away from Him.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Luke 11:53-54 (NIV)<\/em><\/strong>
\n53\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0When Jesus left there, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions,
\n54\u00a0<\/sup>\u00a0waiting to catch him in something he might say.<\/em><\/p>\n

On verses 53-54:\u00a0\u00a0If the Pharisees and teachers of the law had soft hearts, they would eventually repent in response to Jesus\u2019 harsh words.\u00a0\u00a0However, the Pharisees\u2019 hearts were hardened and thus rather than humbling themselves and repenting, they looked for more ways to attack and trap Jesus.\u00a0\u00a0May we respond to Jesus\u2019 discipline with humility and repentance, rather than pride and defensiveness.<\/p>\n

Heavenly Father, please forgive me for times when like a Pharisee I have focused more on how I look in front of others than on how my heart looks before You, for times when I focus on only one aspect of worshiping You while forgetting other important parts to it, when I\u2019ve fallen for the spirit of religion and place my hope in my own effort, morality and performance instead of Your mercy and grace.\u00a0\u00a0Whenever You discipline me, please help me to respond with humility and a teachable heart.\u00a0\u00a0In Jesus\u2019 name, AMEN!<\/em><\/p>\n

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<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/section><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hi GAMErs,<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s passage is Luke 11:37-54.\u00a0\u00a0Let\u2019s go!<\/p>\n

Luke 11:37-41 (NIV)\u00a0
\n37\u00a0\u00a0When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table.\u00a0
\n38\u00a0\u00a0But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first wash before the meal, was surprised.\u00a0
\n39\u00a0\u00a0Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.\u00a0
\n40\u00a0\u00a0You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also?\u00a0
\n41\u00a0\u00a0But give what is inside [the dish] to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.<\/p>\n

On verses 37-41:\u00a0\u00a0Although washing hands before a meal is a good sanitary practice, Scripture did not require Jews to wash their hands before eating.\u00a0\u00a0So when Jesus went to a Pharisee\u2019s house for a meal and did not wash his hands before eating, he was not sinning against God.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11585,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-11583","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gametime-sharing"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11583","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11583"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11583\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11584,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11583\/revisions\/11584"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11585"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11583"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11583"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ocbf.ca\/2019\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11583"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}