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Reading the Gospels in 2026: (6/2) Luke 22:66 – 23:23:25

Jun2

A 5-day per week study.

June 2 – Reading Luke 22:66 – 23:25

 

Read and believe in Jesus.

“I find no fault in this Man.”  Luke

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The Gospel according to Luke 

Review – Jesus is arrested and taken away. Peter, following into the courtyard, denies his Lord three times.  Jesus looks at him, and he remembers, running out and weeping bitterly. Jesus is mocked and blasphemed.

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Vss. 15:66-71.

At Caiaphas’ house, Jesus was questioned and abused (see Matthew’s account). Witnesses were called, but none could agree. When morning came, the “official” trial began with the full 70-member Sanhedrin meeting. They’d already decided to put Jesus to death; this was simply the formal charge.

Caiaphas: “IF you are the Christ, tell us.”

Jesus: “If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I ask you, you will not answer.  But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”

The whole council: “Are you the Son of God, then?

Jesus: “You said it.”

The whole council: “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from His own lips.”

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(There was at least one member who voted ‘nay,’ Joseph of Arimathea. It’s possible the ‘secret believer,’ Nicodemus, also did not vote ‘yes.’ But they had all they needed in this illegal trial.)

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Vss. 23:1-5.

Settled in their own minds and law, they also needed to ensure the death penalty.  The Council took Jesus to the Roman governor, Pilate, for this.

The Council: “We found this man misleading our nation…”

The Council: “…and forbidding us to give tribute to Caesar…”

The Council: “…and saying that He himself is Christ, a king.”

Pilate: Are you the King of the Jews?”

Jesus: “You said it.”

Speaking to the chief priests and the crowd, Pilate declared, “I find no guilt in this man.”

The Council: “He stirs up the people…”

The Council: “…teaching throughout all Judea…”

The Council: “…from Galilee even to this place!”

Pilate: “Galilee?”

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Vss. 23:6-12.

When Pilate heard that, he asked if Jesus was a Galilean. And when he heard that Jesus belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod… who himself was in Jerusalem at the time.

When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see Him, because he had heard about Him, and he was hoping to see some miracle done by Him.

Herod questioned Him at some length, but Jesus made no answer.

The chief priests and scribes stood by, vehemently accusing Him.

But no deal. Jesus remained silent.

Miffed, Herod, with his soldiers, treated Jesus with contempt and mocked Him. Then, arraying Him in splendid clothing, he sent Jesus back to Pilate.

(“And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.”)

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Vss. 15:13-17.

Pilate then called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people (the Sanhedrin and a growing crowd).

“You brought me this Man as one who was misleading the people. And after examining Him before you, behold, I did not find this Man guilty of any of your charges against Him. Neither did Herod, for he sent Him back to us.

“Look, nothing deserving death has been done by Him.  I will therefore punish and release Him.”

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Vss. 15:18-25.

But they all cried out together, “Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas.”

(Now Barabbas was a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city, and for murder.)

Pilate tried to release Jesus instead.

The crowd: “Crucify, crucify Him!”

Pilate: “WHY? What evil has He done?  I have found in Him NO GUILT DESERVING DEATH. I will therefore punish and release Him.”

The manic crowd chanted: “CRUCIFY! CRUCIFY! CRUCIFY!”

So, Pilate granted their demand. He released Barabbas and delivered Jesus over to their will.

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(Ultimately, this was God’s will and plan (see Acts 2:23). The true Lamb of God was killed for the sins of the people.  Jesus, indeed, had ‘no guilt deserving death.’  But he carried our sin to the cross and was killed in our place.

2 Corinthians 5:21: “For our sake God made Jesus to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him, we might become the righteousness of God.”)

 

Reading the Gospels in 2026: (6/1) Luke 22:54-65

Jun1

A 5-day per week study.

June 1 – Reading Luke 22:54-65

 

Read and believe in Jesus.

“And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.”  Luke 22:60

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The Gospel according to Luke 

Review – Judas led a virtual army of Jews and Romans with clubs and swords to arrest Jesus.  Their intent was to convict Him of a capital crime.  Judas’s intent in kissing Jesus was to earn 30 silver pieces.  Jesus was calm, but Peter was not. He drew his sword and sliced off an ear of the nearest man.  Jesus stopped that and healed the man.

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Vss. 22:54-60.

They (probably part of the Sanhedrin’s guard under the high priest) seized Jesus and led Him away (out of Gethsemane, into Jerusalem), to the high priest’s house.

Annas was the “official” high priest that year, although his recently deposed father-in-law, Caiaphas, held the real power. They took Jesus first to Annas’ house. It may have been that Annas’ and Caiaphas’ houses shared the same courtyard.

Peter (and John) followed Jesus at a distance.  John, being known in the household, went in first, then got Peter into the courtyard (see John 18:15-16).  He sat down with some others by the fire. The servant girl who questioned Peter first was probably the doorkeeper to Annas’s house and the one who let him into the courtyard.

“This man also was with Him,” she accused, after looking at Peter closely when he sat down in the light.

“Woman! I do not know Him!”

Later, someone else saw Peter and said, “You also are one of them!”

“Man, I am NOT!” said Peter vehemently.

An hour later, another person insisted, “Certainly this man also was with Him, for he too is a Galilean.”

“Man, I do not know what you are talking about!”

 

And immediately, WHILE he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.

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Vss. 22:61-52

And at that minute, Jesus was being led over to Caiaphas’ house. He turned and looked at Peter. (This was a fixed, intent look.)

“And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how He had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.’”

And the devastated disciple went out and wept bitterly.

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Vss. 22:63-65.

After this, the abuse begins with Jesus. The men holding Him blindfolded him and punched Him again and again.

“Prophesy!  Who struck you?”

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(Imagine being blindfolded, not knowing where the next strike would come from. A fist to the stomach, a blow to an ear, a kick to the groin…)

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“And they said many other things against Him, blaspheming Him.

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“Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death…” Philippians 2:6-8 

Reading the Gospels in 2026: (5/22) Luke 21:1-19.

May22

A 5-day per week study.

Read and believe in Jesus.

“…you will be brought before kings and governors for My name’s sake. This will be your opportunity to bear witness.”  Luke 21:12b-13

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The Gospel according to Luke 

Review – While Jesus taught at the Temple, the Sadducees, Pharisees, and others tried to trick Him with their questions. But His answers stumped them, and when He asked THEM a question, they silently went away,

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Vss. 21:1-4.

At the end of chapter 20, Jesus warned the people to beware of the ways of the scribes (Pharisees), because, among other ridiculous things, they “..devour widows’ houses..” This was a practice in which pious religious leaders would visit newly widowed and vulnerable women and persuade them to give all their inherited possessions to the “religious community.” It would be a “donation to God,” and “what their husbands would have wanted.” This usually left the new widows bankrupt, and the temple coffers bulging. Jesus hated the practice of “devouring widows’ houses.”

Now, it seems that when Jesus lifted His eyes, there, in front of them, was just such a desperately poor widow. (Righteous anger for her must have burned in Him for what those scribes had done. But for the woman, herself, noting but love and tenderness and admiration.

As this widow dropped two tiny copper coins into the temple offering box (ALL that she had, says Mark 12:42), Jesus commended her. “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them (the rich). For they all contributed out of their ABUNDANCE, but she out of her POVERTY, put in all she had to live on.”

(This makes me feel convicted. When I drop 10% or even 20% into the offering box, I often feel so “righteous.” But I would be giving out of “my abundance.” LORD, help me to be generous (even till it hurts) with all You’ve given me!”)

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Vss. 21:5-6.

While Jesus continued to sit in the temple courtyard, watching the people with His disciples, He heard a comment about how beautiful the temple was and how it was adorned with noble stones and decorations (donations from the wealthy). And although this temple was not as grand as Solomon’s, Herod had done a pretty amazing job at renovating the old one. It was almost gaudy-beautiful.

Still, Jesus knew its future was less than 40 years….

“As for these things that you see, the days will come when there will not be left here one stone upon another that will ot be thrown down.”

Shocking words. It would be like someone saying this about the U.S. Capitol Building or the White House. Unimaginable. Still, the God of the universe knew everything from eternity past to eternity future, and Jesus spoke the truth.

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Vss. 21:7-19.

Horrified, the disciples and people around Jesus wanted to know WHEN this would happen and WHAT the warning signs of imminent destruction would be.

Jesus listed a few “signs of the times,” mingling the horrors of 40 A.D. and Titus’ destruction of Jerusalem, with the signs of the Great Tribulation, still future to us.

  1. Many would come, claiming to be the Messiah.
  2. They would hear of wars and tumults.
  3. Nations fighting nations would be common.
  4. Earthquakes would be everywhere.
  5. Famines and plagues (viruses) would come.
  6. Terrible signs in the sky would appear.
  7. Severe persecution would come.
  8. Family betrayals unto death would be common.
  9. Martyrdom.

Then Jesus says some amazing words that speak to a believer’s ETERNAL SECURITY even in the face of martyrdom.

“But not a hair of your head will PERISH. By your endurance, you will GAIN your lives.

John 10:28-29 makes this even clearer. “I (Jesus) give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.”

True believers are double-protected, in the hands of Christ underneath, and the hands of God Almighty above. Completely covered and protected FOR ETERNITY, though we may suffer loss and death in the horrific times to come (as many Jews did in 40 A.D.).

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(I use the 2010 MacArthur Study Bible, English Standard Version, for my studies.)

Reading the Gospels in 2026: (5/13) Luke 18:15-34

May13

May 13 – Reading Luke 18:15-34

A five-days per week study.

NOTE: In the last several months, WORDPRESS has changed the formatting process of its posts several times. It’s hard to keep up, and it takes me some time even to get TO the Bible study each day. Please pardon the later posting times.

Read and believe in Jesus.

“What must I DO to inherit eternal life?”  Luke 18:18

The Gospel according to Luke 

Review – Jesus used two parables to teach about prayer. The first urges us to be PERSISTENT in prayer (the widow and the unrighteous judge). The second one taught us about our ATTITUDE when we pray (the Pharisee and the Tax Collector).

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Vss. 18:15-17.

The right way and the wrong way to “come to Jesus.”

Moms began bringing their babies and little children to Jesus so He could touch them and “bless” them.  It was a sweet, gentle picture, and Jesus loved it.  He took them eagerly into his arms, smiled at their wiggly joy, stubby finger pokes, and tugs on his beard.  Even toddlers did not seem a bit afraid of this teacher. In fact, they came to Him with arms raised, seeking His embrace and acceptance.

“Hey, get those sticky babies away from the Master,” said Jesus’ disciples, herding the moms and little ones off to a “safe” distance.

“No. ALLOW the children to come to me!  Do not hinder them!  The kingdom of God is made up of such trusting ones!” was Jesus’ rebuke.  

“Whoever does not ‘receive’ the kingdom of God like a child shall NOT enter it.”

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This is how Jesus pictured conversion. Faith is a simple, helpless, trusting dependence of those who have no resources of their own. They come with no accomplishments to commend themselves. 

(Unlike the next fellow.)

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Vss. 18:19-23.

The right way and the wrong way to “come to Jesus.”

As the children left, a man of substance approached.  He’s called the rich, young ruler, and as such, he had it all: wealth, youth, and power.  What could he possibly need?  He is the kind of important person the disciples gladly escorted to Jesus’ side.

“Good Teacher, what must “I” do to inherit eternal life?”  Was he expecting Jesus to say, “Nothing. You’re good.”

But no, Jesus asked a question in return, causing the man to adjust his thoughts and his bold manner.  “Why do you call Me good?”  Jesus asked him. “No one is good except God alone.”

Was this synagogue ‘ruler’ saying he believed Jesus was … God?  If so, he needed an attitude adjustment.

After a minute or two, Jesus said, “You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery; Do not murder; Do not steal; Do not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother.’”

(These were the six commands dealing with person-to-person.)

Relieved, the young man straightened and said, “All these I have kept from my youth.”

When Jesus heard this, He identified the rich man’s problem.  He loved his wealth and possessions MORE than God (the first four commandments concerned person-to-God relationships).  His riches had become idols to him, a god, even.

I think Jesus said these words tenderly, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

(Wealth is not evil, except when it replaces God in your life.)

When the rich young ruler heard this, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.

Seeing his sadness as the man walked away, Jesus said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God. Yep, it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

How different from the little, trusting children was this assured man, who thought he had all that was needed to enter Jesus’ kingdom.

(Sincere trusting VS assurance of wealth and a half-righteousness.  A good lesson for you and me today.  What are WE depending on for heaven and eternal life?)

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Vss. 18:26-30.

Now the disciples (and the crowd around Jesus) were totally confused.  Jesus desired little children MORE than wealthy patrons?  Surely a man’s wealth revealed that God was pleased with him.  And, as for the commands, how many of THEM could say they kept ALL of the last six commands?

“Who then can be saved?” they asked Jesus.

“What is IMPOSSIBLE with men is POSSIBLE with God.

Peter (and perhaps the other disciples) thought about their own lives.  “See, WE have left our homes and followed you….”

And Jesus gave them a deeper answer than they expected.

“Truly, I say to you, there is NO ONE who has left house… or wife…or brothers… or parents… or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time. And in the age to come… eternal life.”

(Is that enough, Peter?)

Food for thought. 

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Vss. 18:31-34.

And while they thought about how that all would work out, Jesus overwhelms them – for the third time – with the prediction of His soon-to-be death.

“See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished.  For He will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon.  And after flogging him, they will kill Him.  And on the third day, He will rise.”

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“Hmm…” thought Peter. “I wonder how I will get a new house.  Another wife?”  Wives??”

James and John might have been thinking, “Another set of parents?  What about Zebedee?”

And John, “We will receive… eternal life?”

But Jesus knew that these, His beloved disciples, understood none of what was about to happen. “This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said. “

(They probably would have wanted to whisk Him away and keep Him forever out of Jerusalem.)

But then, what of our salvation?

Reading the Gospels in 2026: (5/8) Luke 17:1-19

May8

A 5-day per week study.

May 8 – Reading Luke 17:1-19

Read and believe in Jesus.

“Lord, increase our faith!” “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed…”  Luke 17:5-6a

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The Gospel according to Luke 

Review: Jesus told the story of the rich man and Lazarus, who both died and had very different fates.  The rich man wanted to warn his brothers about that horrid place, but Father Abraham told him, EVEN IF someone would return from the grave, they would not listen.”  We have such hard hearts!

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Vss. 17:1-5.

“Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come.”

Jesus states a fact: we will all face many temptations every day. Some will come from within ourselves, from our sinful desires, and should be resisted. But many subtle or even gross temptations to sin will come via the ungodly people around us. It’s a given.

However, what Jesus adamantly forbids here is for a believer to tempt someone to sin.  He’d be better off dead!

We say, “I’d never do that!” But think about it. What about those “innocent” fun activities that escalate into sinful indulgence or gross misconduct?

Jesus then turns the picture around from temptations to your reactions.  “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.  If he sins against you seven times a day, and turns to you in repentance, YOU MUST forgive him.”

And what was the disciples’ reaction?  “Lord, increase our faith!” They weren’t sure they could do what Jesus said.

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Vss. 17:6-7.

Jesus reacted by telling them they didn’t need MORE faith. They need to USE their faith, not desire MORE.  What they had already possessed would move trees and mountains elsewhere. No, the faith they had at that moment was sufficient.

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Vss. 17:8-10.

Next comes a curious example that falls crookedly on our modern-day sensibilities. We have people who work for us, but most of us do not own servants and/or slaves.  We pay our workers for their jobs, and don’t really expect them to go over and beyond what they’ve been hired to do (without negotiating).

So, put your imagination back to Jesus’ day, and see what you can learn about “unworthy servants.”  (Meaning US????  Whoa!!!)

“Will any of you (speaking to a broader audience now)  say to your servant who has been plowing or keeping sheep and has come into the house, ‘Come at once and recline at the table?’”

Can’t you almost hear them laughing at such a notion?

“No, you will rather say, ‘Prepare supper for me. Dress properly and serve me while I eat and drink.  After THAT, YOU will eat and drink.’ Does he then thank the servant for doing what was commanded?”

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Wow.  Doesn’t this go against our natural inclinations, especially in the U.S.?  Your hardworking man slaves all day in the heat, and THEN he’s supposed to come in, cook your meal, and serve you BEFORE he can take a bite???  Yes.  And he doesn’t even expect a ‘thank you.’

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So, what was Jesus saying?

The point is that a slave/servant should not expect special reward for doing what his duty in the first place was.

Now recall the standards Jesus set for believers in verses 1-4.

  1. Believers had better not tempt others to sin.
  2. Believers must forgive a repentant brother AS MANY TIMES as he sincerely repents.
  3. Believers should USE the faith they already have rather than ask for more.

The above “duties” are the minimal things that believers are expected to do. No special merit for obedience should be expected.

Whoa.

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Vss. 17:11-19.

(This incident happened sometime later, maybe after He’d raised Mary and Martha’s brother Lazarus from the dead, and He had retreated into the country to avoid the Jerusalem authorities who wanted to kill Him right then.  Luke 19 tells of Jesus’s triumphal entry at Jerusalem and His subsequent death, at His OWN timing.)

Anyway, when Jesus and His disciples entered a village, they were met by TEN LEPERS who stood at a distance calling.

“Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

These men believed Jesus could heal them if only He would.  Jesus saw their faith.

“Go and show yourselves to the priests.” He called to them.

Huh?

A strict law was established for dealing with “healed” lepers.  They had to go to the priest, show them their now clear skin, and do some tests. In a certain time, they’d return, and if they were still healed, the priest would take them through the ceremonial cleansing ritual and then give them a clean bill of health.

These men knew the routine and left, believing Jesus had healed them.

Then, one of the men looked down at his hands and feet and SAW the miracle. Gratitude and worship filled his soul. He turned back, praising God with a loud voice, and fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving Him thanks.

He, among the ten, was a Samaritan.

Jesus was amazed that the Samaritan, among the Jews, had returned to thank and praise God.  A foreigner, and one hated by Jews at that.  HE had been “converted,” I am sure.  Not only a “clean body,” he now had a “clean soul” as well.

Jesus looked at him and said, “Rise and go your way, your FAITH has made you well (“saved you” like the woman with the issue of blood. See Mark 5:34).

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(What a glorious story! “By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, so that no one may boast.? Ephesians 2:8-9.  Others look down on this man with disdain.  A Samaritan, pooh!  But this man received Jesus AND healing: a double miracle.  And he praised and worshiped God.

Wow.  When is the last time I fell to my knees and proclaimed my worship and praise for my Savior and God loudly?)

 

 

 

 

Reading the Gospels in 2026: (4/29) Luke 13:22-35

Apr29

A 5-day per week study.

April 29 – Reading Luke 13:22-35

Read and believe in Jesus.

“Lord, will those who are saved be few?”  Luke 13:23

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The Gospel according to Luke 

Review – Do natural disasters mean God’s judgment? Jesus answers. He then gives three parables – the barren fig tree, the mustard seed and birds, and “good” leaven making soft, raised bread.

Then a woman afflicted for 18 years by a disabling spirit was healed …. on the Sabbath. Ah-oh!

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Vss. 13:22.

Luke reminds us readers that Jesus is still ultimately heading towards Jerusalem and His death.  The fact that he is vague about specific destinations (“through towns and villages”) is probably because Jesus has moved His ministry eastward to the other side of the Jordan River in Perea.  (See Matthew 19:1, Mark 10:1, and John 10:40.)

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Vss. 13:23-30.

Perhaps seeing the dwindling crowds following Jesus in Perea, or because of Jesus’ recent strong teaching about repentance, someone in the people following called out a question.

“Lord, will those who are saved be few?”***

As Jesus continues, we see that it is probable this man was a religious leader and a Jew confident in his place in the Kingdom.  Jesus confirms the man’s question with a roundabout answer.

“Strive to enter through the narrow door. For MANY, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able to.

“Once the master of the house has shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then He will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’

“Then you’ll say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets…’ But He will say, ‘I do not know where you come from.  Get out of here, all you workers of iniquity!!’

(Here’s where it’s confirmed that Jesus was talking to an important Jewish man, who thought that because he “kept” all the rules, he was assured a place in the kingdom.)

“There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but YOU YOURSELVES cast out!  Many (gentiles) will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at the table in the Kingdom of God.

“Behold, some are last (the Gentiles) who will be first, and some are first (the Jews) who will be last.”

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***A reminder: After His resurrection, there were only 500 gathered to see Him in Galilee, and some of them doubted. And in the upper room at Pentecost, there were only 120 believers.  Few indeed from the great thousands who followed Jesus.

(So what does that mean for me?  Am I a true believer? Have I entered through the ‘narrow door’?  Jesus later told His disciples, “No man comes to the Father except by Me.”  Am I trusting fully in Jesus’ righteousness to cover my sin? Am I following and obeying Him as Lord of my life?

2 Peter 1:10 encourages us “to make our calling and election sure.”

Philippians 2:12:  Paul tells believers in Philippi to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”

But gives this encouragement from Philippians 1:6. “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”)

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Vss. 13:31-35.

A Pharisee came to Jesus and said, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.”

Herod ruled Perea as well as Galilee. Perhaps the Pharisee wanted Jesus back in Judea, where THEY had jurisdiction over Him.

(I love Jesus’ answer to this threat [from both Herod and the Pharisees].)

“Go tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course.”

Jesus was following His own time schedule. His “hour” was coming, and Jesus knew exactly the time on the clock and the date on the calendar.  No one could force Him earlier or later.  Especially not King Herod.

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Then, Jesus turns His heart and mind toward Jerusalem, beginning with a proverb of the day,

“’It cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’”

(Most Old Testament prophets were martyred at the hands of the Jewish people, not by foreign enemies. This underscores that the purpose of Jesus’ relentless journey to Jerusalem WAS to die.)

And then Jesus continues,

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it. How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings!  And you WOULD NOT.”

Jesus desired foremost that His people would return to Him. To embrace their promised Messiah. To believe in Him and be saved.  But alas, FEW did. And the Gospel would be taken to the Gentiles after Pentecost.

But, there will be a day when “all Israel will be saved.”

Paul writes this in Romans 11:25-26b, 28-31

“I want you to understand this mystery, brothers,

A partial hardening has come upon Israel,

Until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in.

And in this way, all Israel will be saved.”

“As regards the gospel,

They are enemies of God for your sake.

But as regards election,

They are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.

For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.

 

And from Zechariah 12:10, 13:1

“And I will pour out on the house of David,

And the inhabitants of Jerusalem,

A spirit of grace and pleas for mercy

So that, when they look on me,

On Him whom they have pierced,

They shall mourn for Him….

On that day, there shall be

A fountain opened for the house of David

And the inhabitants of Jerusalem,

To cleanse them from sin and uncleanness.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reading the Gospels in 2026: (4/14) Luke 10:1-24

Apr14

A 5-day per week study.

April 14 – Reading Luke 10:1-24

Read and believe in Jesus.

“”  Luke

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The Gospel according to Luke 10:1-24

Review –

In the last lesson, the disciples didn’t seem all that “spiritual.”  They argued about WHO was the greatest among them.  They tried to stop a person who was casting out demons in Jesus’ name JUST BECAUSE he wasn’t a part of “the Twelve.”  And James and John wanted to call down FIRE FROM HEAVEN on a Samaritan town because they wouldn’t let them stay there overnight.

Then, three men that Jesus called to follow Him turned back because it conflicted with their lifestyles.  What disappointments for Jesus as He steadily walked towards Jerusalem and all that would happen there.

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Vss. 10:1-12.

Jesus appointed 72 others of those who were following Him to go on ahead.  Their mission?  They were to prepare the people of the towns on the way to Jerusalem for Jesus’ visit.  Not for accommodations, but their hearts.

Jesus told them that the harvest in these towns was huge.  People’s hearts were ready to hear “good news.” He also told these missionaries to pray to God for even MORE workers.

Like when Jesus sent out the Twelve, He gave these workers instructions.

  1. They were to go out in pairs. (Two are stronger than a lone witness in any situation.)
  2. They were to carry no extra supplies (be self-sufficient), but to go in faith that God would use the townspeople to feed and house them.
  3. They were to announce their purpose right away. “Peace be to this house.” (They were not promoting a Messiah of insurrection.)
  4. Like their Master, they were to heal and preach that the kingdom of God had come.
  5. And … if the town did NOT receive them (like that Samaritan town in the previous lesson), they were to shake the dust off their feet as they left, as a sign that the kingdom of God had come near them, and they’d refused it.

A town’s refusal to accept His message was not about “them.”  It was a collective refusal of the mercy and grace of God, who had not spared His Only Son but sent Him, as a sacrificial Lamb, to take on the sin of the world and experience the death that was the “earned wages.”

“I tell you it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.”

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Vss. 10:13-16.

Jesus then names three towns in Galilee that had, for the most part, rejected His message. (Yes, they had gladly received His miracles!)

Chorazin (inland), Bethsaida, and Capernaum were all at the northern end of the Sea of Galilee.  And even though Capernaum had been the headquarters of Jesus’ Galilean ministry and had never forced Jesus out or tried to kill Him, their hearts had remained indifferent.

It’s kind of a shock that Jesus said, “If the mighty works done in these cities had been done in Sodom, Tyre, and Sidon, THEY would have repented in sackcloth and ashes.” And the people of these cities – because they had had the very Saviour of the world ministering in them for three years … would be held MORE accountable on the day of judgment.

Whoa.  A warning to my country, America, so privileged, with the Gospel, Bibles, churches, and ministries available on every hand. And still the cares and pleasures of this world seem more important.

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Vss. 10:17-20.

The 72 returned to Jesus WITH JOY. They were so amazed that “even the demons were subject to us in Your name!”

Jesus reminded them that HE had seen Satan fall like lightning from heaven (after his rebellion). Jesus was eminently more powerful than Satan, a mere fallen angel. He gave his followers authority over all the enemy’s power.  Nothing could harm them, apart from God’s will.

“Nevertheless, so not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

YES!  THAT is the important part. That our names have been written in the Lamb’s book of life. The greatest wonder of all is the reality of salvation – the whole point of the Gospel. (Philippians 4:3, Hebrews 12:23, Revelation 21:27).

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Vss. 10:21-24.

Then Jesus turns to His Father in prayer, rejoicing that “The Lord of heaven and earth had hidden these things from the wise and understanding, and had revealed them to ‘little children,’ for this was His gracious will.  All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son … and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.”

Then Jesus turned to the disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see! For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

Yes, Jesus, we are so privileged. We thank You!

Reading the Gospels in 2026: (4/10) Luke 9:21-45

Apr10

A 5-day per week study.

April 10 – Reading Luke 9:21-45

Read and believe in Jesus.

“There are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God.”  Luke 9:27b

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The Gospel according to Luke 9:21-45

Review – In the last study, we saw the Twelve sent out on a short-term mission trip and returned “pumped.”  Meanwhile, Herod is fearful of all that Jesus is doing and wants to see Him.  Jesus feeds the 5000, then asks His disciples who they say that He is.  “The Christ of God!”

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Vss. 20-22.

When Peter answers Jesus’ question about who THEY think He is, Jesus charges them to give NO ONE ELSE this information … at least not right then.  Many important things must happen to Him first, before they will understand, and the world can receive it.

The disciples have now confessed their “faith” in Him as the Messiah.  Jesus begins to prepare them for His death, the whole reason He has come.   This is the first of three times He tells them….

“The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, be killed, and on the third day be raised.”

It goes right over their heads.

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Vss. 23-27.

Then Jesus tells these men something even more cryptic.

  • “If ANYONE would come after me, let him DENY himself, TAKE UP HIS CROSS daily, and FOLLOW Me.
  • “Whoever would SAVE his life, will LOSE it, but whoever LOSES his life for My sake will SAVE it.
  • “What does it PROFIT a man if he gains the whole world and FORFEITS himself?
  • “Whoever is ASHAMED of Me and My words, of him will the Son of Man BE ASHAMED when He comes in glory.”

“The cross” was a horrific, shameful instrument of execution for the vilest of criminals.  It meant guilt, condemnation, judgment, and excruciating suffering. WHY would Jesus tell His followers that they must submit to this self-denial … daily … in order to be His disciples?

Loss = salvation; forfeit and shame = profit.

This also goes right over the disciples’ heads.

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..And then Jesus says, “I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not TASTE DEATH until they SEE the kingdom of God.”

  • Some standing there (Peter, John, and James)
  • Not taste death (it will happen soon, and they will not die when it happens).
  • See the kingdom of God (the transfiguration of Jesus, a glimpse of His former and ultimate glory).

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Vss. 28-36.

This is another experience that the disciples kept silent about until after Jesus was resurrected. (See 2 Peter 1:16-18)

As Jesus was praying, He was endued with glistening, brilliant white light (think a constant strobe spreading out from Him) – His face, form, and clothing.

It was as though He pulled aside the veil of His humanity so these three could glimpse “the glory that He had with the Father before the world existed.” (See John 17:5)

With Him, they saw Moses and Elijah, representing “the Law” and “the Prophets,” which Jesus totally fulfilled.  Curiously, they were discussing His upcoming death (departure or exodus).

The three disciples fell into a deep (coma) of sleep. When they were awakened, Peter burst forth with “the greatest idea he’d ever had!”   “Let’s make three tents here; one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah!!!” 

Have you ever done something like that?  Blurted out something entirely stupid and inappropriate?  He probably would have babbled on if not the cloud of God’s glory hadn’t overshadowed the scene, and the voice of God hadn’t interrupted him.

“This is my Chosen One; LISTEN TO HIM!”

And then it was over, and they were walking silently down from Mt. Tabor’s peak.

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Vss. 37-43.

In the crowd that met Jesus was a desperate man with a totally demon-possessed little boy.

(NOTE: this was his ONLY child.  Alone in the Gospels, Dr. Luke mentions that, and previously that the Nain widow’s dead son was her only child, and that Jairus had only his one daughter.  Doesn’t it remind you of the sacrifice of God, who gave His ONLY Son, Jesus, to be sin for us?)

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For some reason, the disciples were unable to cast out this vicious demon  (though they had done exorcisms many times on their evangelistic tours).

Jesus, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you?

Who was Jesus talking to/about?

His own disciples, who vacillated between great faith and “O, ye of little faith.”

The desperate man describes the horrible things that the demon does to his little son. “It seizes him so that he cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth. It shatters him and will hardly leave him alone.”

(NOTE: Although this may seem like a bad case of epilepsy to modern ears, Dr. Luke clearly identifies it as demon possession.)

As Jesus approached the boy, the demon made one last attempt to kill this only son.  But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and, like the resurrected son Jesus “gave back” to the widow of Nain, Jesus gave this little boy back to his father.

And all were astonished at the MAJESTY of GOD.

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Vss. 43b-45.

As the crowd was all marveling at everything Jesus was doing, He took his disciples aside and said, “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.”

(Were the disciples thinking – with the crowds – that Jesus was about to come into his glory, and be crowned the King and save the nation?? Jesus had to bring reality to their thinking.)

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The sad thing is, “they did not understand. It was concealed from them, so they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask about it.”

WHY?

Because it was God’s sovereign design that they would NOT UNDERSTAND until after Jesus’ resurrection. His death for sinful mankind would then be understandable to them.

 Luke 24:45-48 – “Then He opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations beginning from Jerusalem.  You are witnesses to these things.’” 

 

 

Reading the Gospels in 2026: (4/7) Luke 8:16-39

Apr7

A 5-day per week study.

April 7 – Reading Luke 8:16-39

Read and believe in Jesus.

“”  Luke

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The Gospel according to Luke 8:16-39

Review – In the last study, women follow Jesus and use their resources to support the group. Jesus’ teaching is now in parables as both a judgment and a mercy. The parable of the Sower/Soils puzzles the disciples, but Jesus explains it to them.

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Vss. 19-21.

Jesus is surrounded by crowds, no matter which town or village he goes to.  He is healing and teaching, although now more in veiled parables.

  1. He ended the Parable of the Sower/Soils by describing the “good” soil as “Those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, AND bear fruit with patience.”

While He is teaching, Jesus’ mother (Mary) and his brothers come to him. But they cannot get TO Him because of the crowd. We know from other accounts that Mary is concerned about Him because he doesn’t even take time to eat. (Sounds like a mom, right?)  Perhaps she brought his half-siblings along to maybe physically take him aside to eat.

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Yes, Jesus had brothers and sisters.  These are those who were born AFTER Jesus’ virgin birth.  They had Mary as their mom, but Joseph was their birth father, unlike Jesus.

(NOTE: Both Matthew 13:55-56 and Mark 6:3 give the names of the brothers: James (who became the leader of the Jerusalem church and wrote a book by that name), Joseph, Simon, and Judas (or Jude), who also wrote a book in the New Testament – that shortie right before The Revelation.  Matthew mentions “all” of Jesus’ sisters, so He had at least three, although they are not named.)

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Jesus loved and respected His mother, but since his ministry, and eventually the way to the cross, began, His family had to take a secondary position.  He was now “Messiah,” “Savior,” and “Redeemer.”  Faith, not family, was primary.

  1. Jesus said to those who were telling Him His family was summoning Him, “My mother and my brothers are those who HEAR the word of God and DO it.”
  2. This was the point he made with that Parable. It was also something His brother, James, remembered.  In James’ letter (1:22), the church leader wrote, “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

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Vss. 22-25.

After this, and to get some rest and alone time with His disciples, Jesus suggested, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.”

As soon as they set out, Jesus fell asleep on the bench at the back of the boat.

  • The disciples took turns rowing.
  • The wind freshened, then started to blow in earnest. It whipped up the waves, and they began to wash over the sides of the boat.
  • The disciples bucketed out the water, but they couldn’t do it fast enough, and the water level rose. The boat sank deeper into the Sea.
  • They were in serious danger!
  • One sloshed to the back of the boat, shaking Jesus. “MASTER, MASTER, we are perishing!”
  • Jesus sat up and rebuked the wind and the raging waves.
  • Both ceased, and there was a calm.
  • Silence and awe.
  • Jesus, “Where is your faith?”
  • They whispered among themselves, “Who then is this, that He commands even the winds and water and they obey Him?”

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The disciples were about to meet ANOTHER crazy whirlwind and dangerous, angry storm as soon as they reached the other side of the Lake.  A wild, dangerous demoniac. Jesus’ words would once again bring calm and peace.

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Vss. 26-39.

AS SOON AS they stepped out of the boat, the crazy, naked, menacing, demon-possessed man met them. (Talk about stepping out of the frying pan and into the fire!)

This poor man had been uncontrollable, both by himself and by the men of the town.  They had restrained him, but he broke the shackles and ran around naked in the graveyard, screaming and cutting himself.

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(This is a picture of Satan and what he would love to do to us all.  Praise God that Jesus defeated him, not only in the wilderness temptations, but would do once and for all on the cross.)

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  • The demons in the man slammed him down to the ground before Jesus. (They had no choice.)
  • Jesus commanded the demon(s) to come out.
  • “What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, do not torment me!”
  • “What is your name?” Jesus demanded.
  • “Legion, for we are many,” they said and begged Jesus not to send them into the Abyss.”

(NOTE: The Abyss was the pit, the underworld, the prison of bound demons who disobeyed. 2 Peter 2:4 adds about fallen angels, “God committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment.”)

  • Jesus instead commanded that this “legion” of demons be sent into a large herd of pigs nearby. The swine promptly ran over the cliff and perished in the lake.
  • This, of course, upset the swineherds and the townspeople, and they asked Jesus to “depart from them.” This, even though the former demon-possessed man was now sitting at the feet of Jesus, fully clothed, “in his right mind.”

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(We haven’t heard a peep out of the disciples. Were they standing around, first in fear, then in awe, then in amazement?  Did they ask themselves again, “Who then is this that a legion of demons obey Him?”)

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The released, whole, and sane former slave to Satan begged Jesus that he might go with Him.  But Jesus told the “new disciple” to return to his home and “declare how much God has done for you.”  

Saved, freed, and now a witness and preacher in his own hometown. “And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him.”

Again, one who heard, believed, and became a “doer of the Word.”

 

Reading the Gospels in 2026: (4/6) Luke 8:1-15

Apr6

A 5-day per week study.

April 6 – Reading Luke 8:1-15

Read and believe in Jesus.

“They are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.”  Luke 8:15

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The Gospel according to Luke 8:1-15

Review – While Jesus was at a pompous Simon’s home, a “woman of the city” came and fell at Jesus feet, wetting them with her tears and anointing them with ointment. Simon was disgusted. The woman was forgiven and saved by her faith. Jesus sees hearts.

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Vss, 1-3.

After leaving Simon’s house, Jesus went on through cities and villages proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God.  The TWELVE disciples were with Him, AND ALSO some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities,

Luke – perhaps because he was a physician – often highlighted, or at least provided more detail about, the women Jesus interacted with than the other Gospel writers did. Here, he names three, but there were “many others” who followed Jesus.

  1. There was Mary, called Magdalene (because she was from the lakeside town of Magdala). Jesus cast out seven demons from her. (And no, this does not mean she was a prostitute, not the woman of the city in the previous account in Luke 7.)
  2. Joanna is an interesting and independent woman. Her husband, Chuza, was King Herod’s household manager. They were probably a wealthy couple, but I wonder how she met Jesus. Was she healed of some horrible disease?  (She could have been the one who supplied Luke with the details of Herod’s house in Luke 23:8 and 12.)
  3. And there was Susanna. This gal is mentioned nowhere else in scripture. Perhaps she was someone Luke knew personally.

These women “provided for Jesus and the Twelve out of their own means.”

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Vss. 4-8.

Here is when Jesus’ ministry takes a turn.  Up until now, He has been teaching plainly about the Kingdom of God. (The sermon on the mount, etc.).  NOW, Jesus begins to use parables to teach.

WE kind of like parables. We like to think about and even debate their meanings. We often teach them to children.

**** However, unlike the analogies Jesus used (you are salt of the earth, light of the world, etc.), parables required more explanation.  Jesus used them to “obscure the truth from unbelievers.”  Doing this was both a judgment and a mercy. They “loved the dark and had rejected the light,” and more truth would only add more condemnation.

Even the disciples were not sure what Jesus meant by these stories.  They would often ask Him the meaning in private, and, of course, Jesus would explain it to them.

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This first one is very well known. The Parable of the Sower (or sometimes, the Soils) would have resonated with the local farmers. They knew this happened to the seeds that they cast out in sweeping arcs from the bags.  They knew that not all the seed germinated and produced a crop.

BUT what the seed and the soil stood for, and what those hinderances to a plentiful crop signified in Jesus’ teaching, was beyond them.

  1. Some seed fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it.
  2. Some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.
  3. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it.
  4. Some seed fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.

Jesus ended the parable with, “He who has ears to HEAR, let him hear.”

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Vss. 9-10.

When the disciples asked Him what He meant, Jesus said, “To YOU it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but FOR OTHERS they are in parables … so that seeing they may not see and hearing they may not understand.”

Now this seems hard for us to take in. Doesn’t Jesus want the crowds to know and understand the truths He’s teaching?

Well, yes, but hardened hearts do not WANT to understand. They figuratively put up their hands and turn away from the truth. The religious leaders are prime examples.  Jesus quotes Isaiah 6:9, where God blinds unbelievers.

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Vss. 11-15.

Then He explains the parable to His disciples.

  1. The seed is the Word of God.
  2. The “packed-down” soil along the path that gets seed but does not take it in are those who have heard, but the devil comes and takes it away from their hearts so they may not believe and be saved.
  3. The soil on the rocks also receives seed, and perhaps the seed springs up quickly “with joy” (it sounds good, but they don’t really apply it to their heart). When testing coms, they fall away.
  4. The thorny soil seems to take in the truth, but the “thorns” (cares, riches, pleasures of life) soon choke out the precious Gospel truth, and they do not mature.
  5. The good soil represents those who hear the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

Ah, it seems so clear after Jesus explains it.

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Vss. 16-18.

Jesus says that even though He was now teaching in parables, His message WAS NOT meant to be kept secret for a few elite disciples.

The LIGHT is to be put on a lampstand so it can be seen.   STILL, only those “with eyes to see” will see it.

And then that cryptic message: To the one who HAS, MORE will be given, and from the one who HAS NOT, even what he thinks that he has WILL BE TAKEN AWAY.

(Those who scorn the light of the Gospel NOW, will have all light removed from them in eternity…..)