Luke 20-7.6.21
SCRIPTURE
Luke 20:45-46
“While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his disciples, “Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.
OBSERVATION-What does it say?
Jesus was calling out the Pharisees! In Luke 14: 7-11, He did a similar thing when He was at a Pharisee’s house. He basically said that it was better to take the form of a servant (take the lowest seat at the table) and be moved up by God, than it was to take the highest seat and be asked to move down.
UNDERSTANDING-What does it mean?
God is attracted to humility.
“So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” -Matthew 20:16
“Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.” -Proverbs 27:2
“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you.” -James 4:10
Therefore Scripture says, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” -James 4:6
LIFE APPLICATION
Humility is a very attractive trait. Be a humble servant and exalt others above yourselves.
In this world, success is defined as being #1. However, the Lord is not impressed with that. In God’s economy, to be like Jesus, we must seek to serve and exalt others above ourselves. As a result, God will exalt us.
Who in our lives do we need to serve, support and exalt/honor above ourselves?
-Michelle Gaddi
Luke 19-7.5.21
SCRIPTURE
Luke 19:8
“Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!””
OBSERVATION-What does it say?
Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector in his region, and he became very rich doing what he did. He heard Jesus was in town and fought through the crowds to try to see him. But since Zacchaeus wasn’t particularly a tall fellow, he had to climb up a tree to try to get a glimpse of Jesus. Then as Jesus was walking by, he looked up in the tree, called Zacchaeus by name, told him to come down from there, and said that he is going to his house that day. Zacchaeus was excited to be able to have Jesus come to his house. He knew being a tax collector, he wasn’t particularly liked by anyone. So having anyone come over to his house, especially Jesus, was a HUGE deal! As Zacchaeus stood before Jesus, he admits he has cheated people on their taxes to get rich. He vows to Jesus that he will rectify his wrongdoings by giving half his money to the poor, and also give back the people he scammed in their taxes, 4 times their money back. Jesus was impressed with this response. He saw that Zacchaeus was truly sorry for the wrong things he has done. He saw that Zacchaeus really wanted to change for the better. He saw Zacchaeus willingly open up his house to him. And because of all that, Jesus tells Zacchaeus that salvation has come to his home that day.
UNDERSTANDING-What does it mean?
True salvation comes from Jesus.
Zacchaeus knew he was a sinner. He knew that all the money he had accumulated would not be able to save him from his sins. Zacchaeus needed a savior. Zacchaeus needed Jesus. So what did Zacchaeus do? He fought through crowds. He fought through obstacles. He did everything he could to see Jesus. It turns out, Jesus was looking for him all along. Jesus gave Zacchaeus an invitation that day. In which Zacchaeus accepted. Zacchaeus confessed his sins to Jesus. He made a vow to change his ways and turn away from his wickedness. Zacchaeus not only let Jesus come to his home that day, he let Jesus into his heart. For this, Jesus said, Zacchaeus has found salvation. Zacchaeus found his Lord and Savior in Jesus Christ.
“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends.”-Revelation 3:20
LIFE APPLICATION
How will you respond when Jesus comes knocking at your door?
Will you respond like Zacchaeus, with excitement, and joyfully invite Jesus inside? Or will you treat Jesus like some traveling salesman, keeping ever so quiet and still, looking through the peephole of your door, waiting for him to leave you and your family alone? I hope and pray that we treat Jesus the way Zacchaeus did. Zacchaeus could have easily made an excuse that his house/heart was unfit for someone like Jesus to come in and visit. But Jesus didn’t care. Jesus was willing to look past all the dirt and mess in Zacchaeus’ life and still meet with him. I think Zacchaeus knew this. That’s why he felt so honored, excited, and blessed that someone like Jesus was still willing to visit him, while everyone else despised him and wanted nothing to do with him. Zacchaeus was going to make the best of this opportunity. He knew he found someone who loved him no matter what. Zacchaeus was so grateful by this visit from Jesus, that he decided to live his life the way Jesus calls us to… by loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and loving others the way we love ourselves. Zacchaeus life was forever changed. He wasn’t an outsider that was despised anymore. Instead, he was called to a higher purpose, to help others in need. He was called and loved by God.
-Moses Gaddi
Psalm 126-7.2.21
Scripture- Psalm 126:5-6 Those who sow with tears, will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.
Observation- Psalm 126 is most likely associated with the return from exile to Babylon and the hardships that followed. Verses 1-3 express the joy experienced through God’s blessing, while verses 4-6 might be an expression of the need for restoration of the whole nation of Israel. Exile is one of many recurring themes we find throughout the Bible. Exile is the separation, or banishment, from one’s home or native country. At the very beginning, we see Adam and Eve experiencing exile from the garden. The prophets foretold the exile to Babylon. Then, Jesus addressed our true exile, which is our separation from God because of our sin.
We are born into a world of sin and are incapable of finding fulfillment in it. When we accept Christ as our savior, we become adopted into God’s family. Therefore, we are no longer citizens of the world and it’s sin, but we are citizens of heaven and the kingdom of Israel (Philippians 3:20-21). Consequently, we now live as exiles in the world, separated from our true kingdom. As we live in this exile, we are taught to share with others the goodness of the kingdom of heaven, so that others may experience the same joy of redemption. We sow in tears, but at the resurrection we will reap with joy.
For more on the Biblical theme of exile: https://bibleproject.com/learn/exile/
Understanding- I was 23 years old when I went through the police academy. It was a complete life changing experience. I can imagine, it is much like going through military basic training. It was a five month intensive learning experience, where absolutely all of my time and energy went into becoming a police officer. Because of the trust put in police for the protection of constitutional rights, police officers must live to a much higher standard of living than other professions. In areas in my life where I thought I was “good enough”, I learned that I needed to be better and make greater sacrifices. In learning how to accept my new role in society, I had to let go of parts of who I was. To be honest, I cried a lot over those five months. I constantly felt as though I would not make it through and that I didn’t have the strength.
There are times still that I cry and feel like I don’t have the strength to make it to the end. I fear that I will disqualify myself from God’s grace and his love. I feel separated from my home and from Him. I try to share God's love, but somehow don’t feel like I am living in it. I know it’s because I am living in a world where I don’t belong, but sometimes it is hard to see past that. This life, much like my academy experience, is being used by God to mold me and complete me into who He intends me to be. As Paul told the Corinthians, “For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known” (1 Cor 13:9-12).
Life Application- Jesus help me to know the joy of your salvation. Help me to hope in the things to come, and the hope of my completion in your presence. Help me to not grow weary in doing good to those around me. Even though we see in part, we know the fullness is coming. And even though we are separated from you now, we know we will not live in exile forever. For we sow while weeping, but we will have joy at the harvest.