Luke 20 “Is It Lawful to Pay Taxes?”

“Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” (v.22)

Once again the chief priests and scribes were looking to discredit Jesus. This time, they were trying to catch Him saying something against Roman law that they might turn Him over to the governor. Thus the question, “Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?”

The crafty spies who; were sent by the priests, pretended to be righteous, and hoping to seize Christ on His words, marveled at His answer: “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” (v.25)

Many issues in our society today have become twisted to man’s desires through; political agendas, party politics, and what is viewed today as politically correct thinking. However, for us as Christians it is simple, man’s law should never supersede God’s law. Therefore, as Christ said, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

The Truth
“Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” (Psalm 119:11)

Luke 19 “Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem”

“As He drew near, He saw the city (Jerusalem) and wept over it.” (v.41)

Our text tells us as Jesus drew near to the city of Jerusalem "He wept.” Why? because the people did not know the scriptures well enough to understand the reason for His first coming (v.41-44), and those who did (scribes, chief priests Pharisees) sought to kill Him out of fear and jealousy.

The prophet Zechariah had described the 1st coming of Jesus over 500 years before it occurred writing, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey" (Zechariah 9:9).

Zechariah correctly refered to Jesus as, "having salvation." Therefore, when Jesus did enter Jerusalem riding on a donkey, as prophesied, the people cried, "Hosanna!" or, literally, "Save now!" (Matthew 21:9). Why? because they were hoping Jesus had come to save them from the Roman government and establish His kingdom on earth imediately. Not to die on the cross for the sins of the world.

Therefore, when He was eventually killed, the Jews denied His claim as the Messiah, and are still blindly looking for their deliver today. They missed it (His first coming). This is what moved Jesus to tears, "because they did not know the time of their visition” (v.44). I believe He still weeps today when someone rejects His moment of visitation to them. Why? because His second coming will be much different, and when that happens, He will no longer be the one weeping.

The Truth: "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up." (2 Peter 3:10)

Luke 18 “Be Merciful To Me”

“But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’” (v.13)

May we all check our attitudes at the door of humility, that we may be exalted by the LORD and not abased (v.14). May we all bow before the LORD in repentance, beating our chests, saying “be merciful to me, a sinner” and not thinking of ourselves more highly than we ought” (vv.12-13).

As pride always comes before a fall, so a haughty spirit comes before stumbling. The moment we think we're good, we're not. The moment we think, we've got it all together, we don't. Better to come to God in humility and brokenness to receive His righteousness, than to come to Him as a filthy rag in your own (righteousness).

The Truth
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

Luke 17 "Wow to Those Who Stumble His"

Jesus said to his disciples: "Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come.  It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. So watch yourselves." (v.1-3)

It appears that Jesus was directing this warning at the religious leaders who taught their converts their own hypocritical ways. Human nature being what it is, there will always be occasions that can cause us to stumble. However, Jesus makes it plain that it is a serious thing to cause a fellow believer to stumble or to tempt them to sin.

The Apostle Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 8 to be sensitive to others, as our actions may inadvertently cause a weaker brother to stumble when we are taking our own liberty. He warns us to beware lest someone see our liberty and it becomes a stumbling block to them.

Therefore, we should lovingly watch over each other, learn to understand each other's weaknesses and do all that we can to keep one another from stumbling into sin.

 The Truth
“Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!” (Matthew 18:7)

Luke 16 "The Afterlife"

Luke 16 “The After Life”

“So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.” (vv.22-23)

This parable of “Lazarus and the Rich Man” is a shockingly clear picture of life after death in Old Testament times. Before the time of Jesus’ death and resurrection those who died beliving in God were comforted, while those who did not believe in God were tormented.  After His resurrection all believers are, as Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:8, “absent from the body and . . . present with the Lord.” Jesus wanted those listening to His parable to understand the serious consequences of living life apart from God.

The rich man and the poor man (Lazarus) lived very different lives on earth, and even when they died, they no doubt received very different types of burials. But neither man was able to escape death, because that great equalizer is no respecter of persons. It doesn’t matter whether you are rich or poor, young or old, black or white, American, European, Asian, or African—death comes to all. It will happen to you and it will happen to me.

However, for those who have trusted in and surrendered to Jesus Christ, there is a wonder-filled promise of being instantly present with the Lord after our death. The only questions are, in what do you place your trust? And, would you bet your eternal life on it?

The Truth:  When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. Before Him will be gathered all the nations, and He will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And He will place the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” Then He will say to those on His left, “Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. . . .  And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” (Matthew 25:31-46)

Luke 15 “Angels Rejoice”

“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’ Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” (vv.8-10)

Here in chapter 15, Jesus is demonstrating to the Pharisees (through three different parables) that it was not only right for Him to seek the lost, but their restoration pleased God. Seeking the lost, and restoring them to God was not only a major theme throughout the book of Luke, but of His (Jesus) ministry as well. What a contrast to the Pharisees' attitude of completely avoiding sinners, and caring little to nothing about their spiritual resotation.

In the parable here in our text about "finding a lost coin," the women when the coin was finally found, was naturally happy. In the same way, God is happy when sinners repent, in contrast to the religious leaders who complained when the tax collectors and sinners drew near to Jesus to hear Him. We don’t often think of God as rejoicing, but this passage tells us that He does, "there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Elsewhere we read, "As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you (Isaiah 62:5). The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17).

May our hearts be aligned with our Lord’s in compassion and love for those who need Jesus. May we see that, “the harvest is truly plentiful” and never grow weary of sharing the good news, so that angles in heaven may rejoice.

The Truth: “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)

Luke 14 “Take A Back Seat”

"When a person invites you to a wedding, don't sit in the most important seat. The person may have invited someone more important than you. And if you are sitting in the most important seat, then the person that invited you will come to you and say, 'Give this man your seat!' Then you will begin to move down to the last place. And you will be very embarrassed. Therefore, when a person invites you, go sit in the seat that is not important. Then the person that invited you will come to you and say, 'Friend, move up here to this better place!' What an honor this will be for you in front of all the other guests! (vv.8-10)

Jesus wants us to give up on our self-promoting ways. He calls us to be humble and then let God do the exalting. We shouldn't be surprised when the apostle Paul held Jesus up as the perfect example of humility—didn't cling to position, emptied himself of self-promotion, was obedient to God the Father even unto death, and God exalted Him at the proper time (Phil. 2:5-11).

Pride is destructive, selfish, and poisonous to Christian service and maturity. Let's humble ourselves before God and trust that He will lift us up.

The Truth: "For whoever exalts himself will be abased, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 14:11)

Luke 13 “To What is the Kingdom of God Like?

“It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.” (v.19)

This simile, "As small as a grain of mustard seed" was well known in the Jewish world, and was a proverb among the people in those days. It was a common sight to see a mustard plant (raised from one of these minute grains) grow to the height of a fruit tree, putting forth branches on which birds build their nests.

It was with sorrowful irony that Jesus compared the kingdom of God in those days to this small grain. But, at that time, it was composed of Jesus and his few wavering followers. It seemed impossible that this little movement could ever stir the world, let alone still exist today.

However, it grew outwardly into a great tree in which we now see; the spread of the Gospel world wide and the growth of grace in the hearts of millions of believers everywhere. Yet the fulness of the gentiles has yet to come to harvest. Therefore, the tree continues to grow.

Will this growth ever stop?  No, as Isaiah wrote, “Of the greatness of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this” (Isaiah 9:7). 

This tiny “seed” will never stop growing and when the King of this Kingdom comes to rule in power on earth, it will apparently continue to grow.

The Truth: “I will plant it (His Kingdom) on the mountain heights of Israel so that it will bear branches; it will yield fruit and become a majestic cedar. Birds of every kind will nest under it, taking shelter in the shade of its branches.” (Ezekiel 17:23)