Luke 17:26-33 “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day no one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. 32 Remember Lot’s wife! 33 Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.”
 
PEOPLE have little regard for Jesus’ judgment description here. How do I know? Look to the world, and you will see great indifference and arrogant opposition to God’s laws and his ways to a living relationship with him. Sadly, there is little to no desire, even in many churches, to know our Creator’s warnings and his promises.
    What, then, is Jesus warning and promising here? His message remains constant: 1) Know everyone has sinned and is unworthy to be with the Father. 2) Know the way to God’s eternal heaven. 3) Be prepared for God’s judgment of your soul.
    He delivers his warning here with a reminder of the most severe act of God’s judgment in human history. Surprisingly, the story of Noah, the ark and God’s destruction of all life in the world is one of the first stories children hear. Our 2-year-old grandson, for example, knows all about the ark and the animals, the rainbow and the good man Noah. One day I hope he will understand how the story declares sin’s deadly cost. And then I pray he will learn of God’s extraordinary grace to save him as God saved Noah and his family.
    This is why we have Noah’s and Lot’s stories (See Genesis 6-9 and 19, respectively). Jesus pointed to God’s judgment in Noah’s and Lot’s times to declare sin is deadly. As then, God’s judgment will once again come swiftly. It will be sure and deadly to those who are unprepared. Yes, know we are all born in need of salvation. Romans 3:10-11 As it is written, “There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.”  Believe God’s promise of salvation. “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” (Romans 10:13)
    Call to Jesus. And you will be prepared for God’s sudden, sure judgment. “For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2) Pray for those who are unprepared. Tell them the gospel truth. Warn others as Jesus has warned you. Teach them of sin. Teach them of the Savior. Help them, too, to be ready.
 
Prayer: Lord God, thank you for your warnings, your teachings and your salvation. I pray the people of your church and of your world will regard your Word with great intent and desire to know and live for you. Amen.

Luke 17:26-33 “Just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man. 27 People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all. 28 “It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all. 30 It will be just like this on the day the Son of Man is revealed. 31 On that day no one who is on the roof of his house, with his goods inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. 32 Remember Lot’s wife! 33 Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.”
 
PEOPLE have little regard for Jesus’ judgment description here. Sadly, there is little to no desire, even in many churches, to be interested in and to know what our Creator says to us. 
    What is Jesus saying here? His message remains constant: Live into God’s Word. Be prepared for God’s judgment. Know the way to God’s eternal heaven.
    He delivers his message with the most severe act of God’s judgment in human history. Surprisingly, the story of Noah, the ark and God’s destruction of all life in the world is one of the first stories children hear. Our 2-year-old grandson, for example, knows all about the ark and the animals, the rainbow and the good man Noah. One day I hope he will understand how the story declares sin’s deadly cost. And then I pray he will learn of God’s extraordinary grace to save him as God saved Noah and his family.
    This is why we have Noah’s and Lot’s stories (See Genesis 6-9 and 19). God could have written the Bible to point only to the good people did. But who was good? There was no one in history and there is none now. God affirms this in Romans 3:10-11 As it is written, “There is no one righteous, not even one; 11 there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God.”  Jesus pointed to God’s judgment in Noah’s and Lot’s times to warn us God’s judgment will come swiftly. It will be sure and deadly to those who are unprepared.
    Prepare your soul for the great and dreadful day of the Lord “for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2) Pray for those who are unprepared. Help them, too, to be ready.
 
Prayer: Lord God, thank you for your warnings, your teachings and your salvation. I pray the people of your church and of your world will regard your Word with great intent and desire to know and live for you. Amen.

Luke 17:20-21 Once, having been asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The kingdom of God does not come with your careful observation, 21 nor will people say, ‘Here it is.’ or ‘There it is.’ because the kingdom of God is within you.”
 
FOR centuries before Jesus’ incarnation, the Jews’ hope was that God would establish his eternal throne on the earth. The prophets had declared a king would come on David’s throne. One of those prophecies is found in Isaiah 9:7 Of the increase 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.
    What glorious hope this gave to the Jews, who believed. But in the 800 years from Isaiah to Jesus, the Jews’ history had been about exile, resettlement and foreign occupation. They longed for a glimmer of light to know they could believe the prophets’ words. Then Jesus came to declare the kingdom come. He even said in Luke 9:27 “I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.” 
    The Pharisees’ question, then, is very legitimate. Just as you and I want to know when someone will deliver on a promise, the Jews wanted to know, “When?”.
    Jesus’ answer essentially said, “It is here. In me the kingdom has begun. In you the kingdom is and will be” The day Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River is the kingdom’s Inauguration Day on earth. The Spirit anointed Jesus to preach the good news. Jesus then went into the land for three years, declaring the kingdom truths, demonstrating kingdom power and exercising kingdom grace.
    The kingdom of love and forgiveness began to ebb its way from the Source into his world. The Son taught. The Twelve were discipled. The cross was confronted. Death was destroyed. The King rose to his heavenly throne. The Spirit ignited the kingdom power into the apostles. The apostles went into Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth. In the course of time the kingdom has come right to your door and into your heart.
    For now, the kingdom of God is your salvation as your heart is renewed in Christ. Kingdom life is living in the power of the Holy Spirit within you. One day, the Kingdom of God will be fully, physically and spiritually established on the earth. In that day the prophets’ words and the Son’s promises will fully come to pass.
    In the meantime, know you live in a glorious time of history. Be the kingdom in your daily life. Expect the kingdom for your eternal life.
 
Prayer. Our Father in Heaven, may your kingdom come fully to earth soon. Amen.
 
 

Luke 17:11-19 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him – and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”
 
IN our previous lesson, Jesus taught that kingdom servants did not need thanks or praise for their work. Their opportunities to serve God should be enough to satisfy their hearts. Was Jesus, then, disobeying his own teaching when he said, “Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Was Jesus feeling neglected because only one healed man recognized him for his miraculous work?
    But note. Jesus didn’t say, “Why did no one come to thank me?” But he did say, “Was no one found to return and to give praise to God?” Hear the difference. Jesus’ work on earth was not about himself – even as the Son of God. His work was about demonstrating the Father’s love, compassion, judgment, salvation, forgiveness and mercy to the world. Jesus came to glorify God.
    Our Lord affirmed this the night before the cross in a conversation with his disciples. John 14:8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” 9 Jesus answered: “Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work.”  The Healer healed to bring praise to the Father. On this occasion, the Son of God is disappointed and saddened that only one saw his Father’s healing goodness.
    How has God healed you? Are you saved into eternity? He has healed your soul. Are you new in the way you think? He has healed your mind. Are you new in the way you love others? He has healed your heart. Are you new physically in some way?
    Are you then praising God for these miracles?
 
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for the extraordinary work you have done in my life. I bow down and worship you in faith, praising your name to all I meet. Amen.

Luke 17:7-10 “Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? 8 Would he not rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? 9 Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”
 
MANY Christians I know when thanked for serving God are humble to respond, “It is the Lord’s work. I am grateful I get to do this with him.”
    Such is Jesus’ point in this parable. Servants were expected to do their master’s bidding. No “Thank you.” was needed for a servant’s sense of well-being or acceptance. Service was their work. Dutiful humility was to be their mindset.
    Yes, it is appropriate to thank someone in the church who has prayed with you, taught you, cared for you or listened to you. Affirmation is a blessing to those who labor in God’s kingdom fields. But such words are to be offered to God’s servants with the understanding the servant comes from the Master. He has appointed them to serve. They have obediently said, “Yes, Lord.” And you have received their work. Jesus’ point is that our thankfulness must be ultimately directed to the Lord for his attention to you through such disciples.
    Strive to live, then, in that mindset Paul writes in Colossians 3:12-17 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
    These are extraordinary words to live out in our faith. Jesus taught these principles. Paul was anointed to expand them. You are miraculously called to live into these words.  Humbly, lovingly, gratefully, live for Jesus in the name of Jesus. As you respond to his call, remember with joy, “We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.”  Your Master has done his duty to the cross. The Spirit has chosen you to serve the Father’s eternal household.
 
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for calling and directing me to serve you. I pray I do so in Jesus’ servant way. Amen.

Luke 17:5-7 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.”
 
IF the disciples were responding to Jesus’ rebuke and forgiveness lessons in the previous verses, perhaps, as one commentator says, they should have said, “Increase our love!” After all, the more we love God and others, the more easily we will do God’s love.
    Surely, though, their plea for faith is a good disciple’s plea for all of us. Faith in God’s Word can be defined as Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. What blessed assurance we have when we surely believe God’s Word is useful – it is real to fulfill God’s will on earth and active for our lives! This seems to be the disciples’ desire. They want to trust Jesus’ teachings are effective for all aspects of transforming lost souls into the eternal Kingdom of God.
    “Increase our faith!” is a faithful prayer. Such words indicate they are submitting more to their Maser’s discipling. The students are daily witnessing Jesus’ impact on all those who faithfully receive his teaching. They want to be as Jesus to be a difference in Israel.
    I pray our minds are growing in the same way. When we are confident Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6), we will trust what we have learned is useful for our lives and useful for all others. How many times have you held back from sharing Scripture or encouraging people with your personal experiences with Jesus? What stopped you? Was your faith too small to believe, “God’s Word is useful for this person.” Perhaps you should have quietly prayed, “Lord, increase my faith.”
    Faith in God is letting go of our restrictive thoughts to trust his expansive authority over each life. Faith is knowing God acts for one’s good according to his purpose. Faith is understanding our Lord wants to see and hear your trust in him. Faith is the confidence to patiently and lovingly speak of the Lord and await his response.
    One day, the disciples would be full of faith. They would go into the world, completely trusting God’s Word was useful for the salvation of the world. As a result, the “mulberry tree” was uprooted and planted in the sea. In other words, the church begun with 12 men in the Spirit’s authority, supernaturally grew as the apostles faithfully proclaimed God’s useful Word to the world. It continues to do the same today. Each church begun is God’s response to faithful witnesses declaring his Word. 
    Will you be one of those witnesses?
 
Prayer: Increase my faith, Lord, to know that your Word is useful for the salvation of lost souls. Amen.  

Luke 17:3-4 “So watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4 If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”
 
JESUS frames discipleship with many difficult tasks, doesn’t he? For example, he commands you to be humble (Luke 14:11), to invite strangers into your home (Luke 14:13) and to even hate your own life (Luke 14:26). Here the Lord directs you to do two very difficult things for a “brother” – one in the church – who sins: 1) Rebuke him. 2) Forgive the repentant. Based on what I hear in the church, though, these two commands are far from our comfort zone! How do we be a rebuking, forgiving disciple?
    First, let’s get past “rebuke him”. To rebuke or correct another who is obviously sinning has become very “anti-Jesus” in our churches and in our culture. How often we hear, “You aren’t to judge people; just love them as Jesus did.” Okay. I’ll do that. I won’t judge anyone, and I’ll try to love them as Jesus. Oh, wait. Jesus loved people so much he rebuked their sin.
    And that is key here. Motivated with love, Jesus rebuked. He loved us so much he told us what is wrong and what is right. This is the disciple’s way. Speak with love and a desire to forgive. Be willing to correct someone, so they may see their errors and be restored to God’s righteousness. Then receive one’s repentance as your Lord has received yours.
    Do you see how it works? This is Jesus’ “love others as yourself” in action. Yes, the social loving way is to say, “Whatever you feel is right.” Rebuke in Jesus’ church today has become, “We don’t want to offend anyone.” But this unfaithful response to Jesus, in fact, offends Jesus! The gospel of salvation only becomes good news when you 1) know your sins 2) repent 3) receive forgiveness.          
    This is God’s plan. This is God’s will done on earth. This is the way Jesus taught and lived. As his disciples, we must do the same. Begin as you consider your own life. Pray the Lord reveals and rebukes your sin. Repent and be forgiven. Then pray you love others to help them know of their sin. Pray purposefully for the unrepentant to hear the gospel and confess, “I have sinned. Forgive me, Jesus. I need a Savior.” Pray the Holy Spirit will renew your mind and others into God’s will. (See Romans 10 to know how a disciple’s renewed mind forms you to live in God’s will.)
    Yes, we know that love is a primary discipleship command. John 13:35 “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Live the love. Then know we are to love one another so much you lovingly rebuke sin and joyfully forgive repentant hearts.
 
Prayer: Thank you, Lord, for the many times your Word and your disciples have rebuked my sins. I pray for a repentant heart to turn more and more into your truth. Amen.
 

Luke 17:1-2 Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. 2 It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.”
 
JESUS is preaching some fearful words, isn’t he? He has just finished describing Hell’s horrors. Now he strikes more fear into our hearts as he wants us to ask ourselves, “Do I cause people to sin? Have I? Will he forgive me?”
    This type of response is an appropriate fear of the Lord. We must know his justice to embrace his promises. Each time God’s Word confronts us, our first response must be to consider, “How will I live into these words?” Constantly we must assess, “Is there anything I say or do that causes others, especially ‘little ones’ to sin?”
    Sometimes we do so without thinking. Could it be your anger aroused a child to hateful emotions, too? Maybe your judgmental attitude formed your children to the same mindset. Perhaps your negligence to teach your children God’s Word has kept them from knowing the gospel – have you told the gospel to your children? Whatever you discover, Jesus dramatically delivers the message that God’s judgement is severe in this matter. Confess your errors, and stop them. Change your ways to show Jesus’ ways to your family. (Read Deuteronomy 6:4-9. God’s call to faithful family leadership.)
    Each time we read the Bible we must stop to consider the words the Lord has given to us. Bible reading times must be learning times. Pay attention to what the Lord says. In what context were these words written? How do we respond to them?
    Jesus taught and preached to change mankind’s hearts and minds with the favor of God’s truth. Often, he spoke the hard truth into our hard hearts, so we would know to repent and be renewed. Rejoice that the Lord has so loved you. Worship him to walk away from sin and into Jesus’ salvation. Help others to do the same.
 
Prayer: Open my mind, Holy Spirit, to the Bible’s truths. Give me wisdom to examine my life, so I will show others who you are. Amen. 

Luke 16:19-31 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’ 25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here, and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’ 27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment. 29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’ 30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ 31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”
 
In Luke 14:35 and five other gospel teachings, Jesus concludes his lesson with, “He who has ears let him hear.” Are you hearing Jesus’ picture of hell? Do you hear, “where he was in torment”, “I am in agony in this fire”, “between us and you a great chasm has been fixed” and “they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.”
    The rich man was not in hell because he was rich on earth. He was in eternal agony because he had neglected the law and the Prophets, fulfilled in Jesus. He had justified himself. He refused to use his wealth for kingdom purposes such as helping the beggar Lazarus. Likely, too, he sneered at the poor and God’s commands. Surely he stored up as much as he could for his future.
    The rich man is the symbol of everything Jesus teaches us not to be. Hell is the reason Jesus came to open our ears to hear his truth, his mercy, his forgiveness and his love. Eternal torment over the great chasm is the reason Jesus died separated from the Father. Jesus’ death and resurrection causes the cross to become the bridge over the chasm. Jesus is the Living Water to quench your agonizing thirst.
    The next time you think, “Hell isn’t so bad.” Consider this parable. It is a sobering, fearful picture. This is Jesus’ urgent call to action. Listen. Hear. Repent. Speak confession. Proclaim good news. Pray that no soul you know will live in this conscious, eternal torture.
 
Prayer: Open the ears of my beloved ones who do not hear you, Lord. Amen.

Luke 16:16-17 “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it. 17 It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.”
 
WHAT is the meaning of Jesus’ words, “Everyone is forcing his way into (the kingdom of God)?” Do you think this is true, given the percentage of people in church versus the number who do not attend? Very few churches are crowded “at the gates” on Sunday morning. In that context, Jesus’ words would not be accurate. But let’s remember his word is true and understand his teaching.
    Have you ever tried to get into a movie or some event without paying for a ticket? Perhaps you thought you had a better way to see the performance as you disobeyed the rules. If you were discovered, though, you were forced out.  
    The Pharisees thought they could enter the kingdom through their own “force” as they were zealous for the law, even to the point they disobeyed the law’s true purpose and meaning. Surely, God wants zealous rule followers in his kingdom! Others came to Jesus for physical healing, surging and pressing against him. But they did not seek spiritual health. Others sought to force their way as they tried to form God’s commands to their preferences. The parable of the rich man who rejected Jesus’ way to “sell everything you have and give to the poor.” (Luke 18:22) Perhaps some, too, thought that entering the kingdom would turn their lives to ease and plenty.
    These ways into the kingdom are mankind’s forceful ways. We want to get into the Kingdom of God, refusing to “pay the ticket” of repentance, confession, sacrifice, love, mercy, compassion and sacrifice. 
    Through Jesus’ way, we know the way is costly to our own lives. We may have to leave our home and family. There is a cross or two or three to bear on our discipleship journey. Battles are fought against the foes who seek to destroy God’s Word on earth. Indeed, kingdom living is no easy, self-defined matter. We cannot force entrance in our own way but must go in Jesus’ way.
    This is why so few are in church and even fewer commit to sacrificially follow Christ.
 
Prayer: I pray, Lord, I understand the way to you, and I am willing to walk on your path only. In Jesus’ name, amen.