Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem for his rendezvous with the cross. As he approached Jericho, a blind beggar cried out for mercy (Luke 18:35-43). Because of the man’s faith, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Light of the world, gave him his sight.
From Bethlehem to Emmaus: The Gospel of Luke (Page 3)
Jesus had set his face toward Jerusalem (Luke 9:51) and was resolved to traverse that path to the bitter end. He explained to the Twelve disciples multiple times that a rendezvous with death awaited him in that city. In the sermon text for this Lord’s Day (Luke 18:31-34), Jesus explained this once again, but this…
Luke 18 contains a series of stories and events placed together to drive home the point that the self-reliance of Jesus’ opponents was misguided. Only those who come to Jesus with a sense of their own helplessness and need can enter the kingdom. The sermon text (Luke 18:18-30) records Jesus’ encounter with a man who…
I. People instinctively assign value based on perceived worthiness. 15 II. But Jesus values the weak and the helpless. 16 III. The kingdom belongs to those who come to Him as weak and helpless. 17
Luke chapter 18 began with a parable that taught the disciples to pray for the coming kingdom (Luke 1-8). The sermon text for this Lord’s Day adds a second parable about prayer. This parable explains what God requires of those who enter the kingdom. We must humble ourselves before him and seek his mercy.
At the end of Luke 17, Jesus described his future return as a fulfillment of the hope of his followers and as a day of dreadful judgment poured out on those who oppose him. The text for this Lord’s Day (Luke 18:1-8) continues the theme of the Lord’s return. In it, Jesus tells a parable…
In the sermon text for this Lord’s Day, Pharisees asked Jesus about the coming kingdom. Jesus’ reply was surprising: the kingdom is among you because the king stands before you. He went on to explain to the disciples that before the kingdom is established, he must suffer and die. But he assured them that he…
In the sermon text for this Lord’s Day, Jesus mercifully heals ten lepers. Only one of them returns to thank Jesus for his life-changing mercy. Ironically, the one who gives thanks is an outsider, a pagan. The Scriptures use leprosy as a vivid, living object lesson that illustrates the ravages of sin. The climax of…
In Luke 17:7-10, Jesus continued giving instructions to his followers that contrast with the attitudes and actions of the Pharisees. This time, the topic is their role as servants of God. Jesus reminds them that the LORD is their owner and master. Anything work that the servant does is mere duty and can never obligate…
In Luke 17:1-4 (last week’s text), Jesus gave the disciples difficult instruction regarding forgiveness. Their response (Luke 17:5-6) was a plea for greater faith. Jesus taught them that God can do great things in the lives of those who have faith—even a little faith.