Search The Scriptures — Study 21 — Luke 8: 22-39

Study 21 of "Search The Scriptures” Is:  

Luke 8:22-39

   1.     Verses 22-25. ‘Where is your faith’? In what way was their faith defective? What did they learn from the incident?

   2.     Verses 26-39. Compare the man’s condition before and after he met Jesus. What evidence can you find of the reality of the change? What may we learn from this about Jesus’s power to save?

   3.     Verses 35-39. What caused the different reactions to Jesus of the cured man and his fellow-countrymen? Why did Jesus grant the request of those who wanted to be rid of Him, and refuse that of the man He had saved?

I have copied the Bible verses concerning this study, for your convenience.

Jesus Calms the Storm

22 One day Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.” So they got into a boat and set out. 23 As they sailed, he fell asleep. A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.

24 The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”

He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm. 25 “Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples.

In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”

Jesus Restores a Demon-Possessed Man

26 They sailed to the region of the Gerasenes,[a] which is across the lake from Galilee. 27 When Jesus stepped ashore, he was met by a demon-possessed man from the town. For a long time this man had not worn clothes or lived in a house, but had lived in the tombs. 28 When he saw Jesus, he cried out and fell at his feet, shouting at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me,Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I beg you, don’t torture me!” 29 For Jesus had commanded the impure spirit to come out of the man. Many times it had seized him, and though he was chained hand and foot and kept under guard, he had broken his chains and had been driven by the demon into solitary places.

30 Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

“Legion,” he replied, because many demons had gone into him. 31 And they begged Jesus repeatedly not to order them to go into the Abyss.

32 A large herd of pigs was feeding there on the hillside. The demons begged Jesus to let them go into the pigs, and he gave them permission. 33 When the demons came out of the man, they went into the pigs, and the herd rushed down the steep bank into the lake and was drowned.

34 When those tending the pigs saw what had happened, they ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, 35 and the people went out to see what had happened. When they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone out, sitting at Jesus’ feet, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. 36 Those who had seen it told the people how the demon-possessed man had been cured. 37 Then all the people of the region of the Gerasenes asked Jesus to leave them, because they were overcome with fear. So he got into the boat and left.

38 The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.

COURTESY OF BIBLE GATEWAY 

LESSON 20 

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Let's All Be Diligent Together Guys!

“For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified”. 1 Corinthians 2:2

As I was reading Matthew 13 today I got gripped by the truth that it contains. It reminded me of the importance of the ministry that God called me to.  And guys, I know sometimes I can be annoying because I sound like the prophet of doom. I keep pounding on you to live out “true Christianity”. But, know that it is out of love for my Master and love for you to continue the journey in the same way you started it out with Him. I would like nothing more than meet all of you in Heaven and share in His glory.  I wish sometimes I could dress things up to make you feel good. I wish sometimes I could be less deep than I am and write about fluff. But, it is not about you or me, isn't?  It is not about our feelings, ego and what we want, but, about Christ crucified. It is about the God of our salvation, who sacrificed it all for a relationship with us.

I know how easy it is for us to be taken by all the fluff, the glitter, the emotions, the eloquence and everything else that surrounds us these days. I know because I was there too. But, one look at Matthew 13:24-25 tells us that we have to be extremely careful. One look at verse 29-30 tells us how the Church is filled with false Christians. Denying that we are surrounded by them would be pure foolishness. It is not our job to be looking throughout the Church to find who is righteous and who is not, because most of the time we will be wrong in our assessment. As God showed me, there are people who sadly do not even know they are the ‘bad seed’. This is because the enemy is so crafty. What I am saying is that we have to be diligent and live this life in a way, where our lives are taken up with God and His purpose alone.  We are to know nothing but Christ crucified. If that makes me the bearer of bad news, then, I do not mind at all. I have learned to be patient with human being enough to endure my ministry.  Nothing is more honorable to live out a life where we can truly say in unison with Paul, “For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). Once this is your life, everything else will fall into place because the Spirit of God is in charge and He will see to it.

I love you all!

Search The Scriptures — Study 20 — Luke 8:4-21

Study 20 of "Search The Scriptures” Is:  

Luke 8:4-21

1.     Verses 4-15. What sorts of people do the four kinds of soil represent? What experience have you of the truth of this parable in yourself and in others?

2.     Verses 16-21. What do these verses teach of (a) the responsibilities and (b) the privileges’ of Jesus’ followers?

3.     Why did Jesus now adopt the method of teaching by parables (verses 9, 10)? Do verses 4 and 18 provide a clue?

I have copied the Bible verses concerning this study, for your convenience.

 Luke 8:4-21

 

4 While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: 5 “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. 6 Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.”

When he said this, he called out, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”

9 His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10 He said, “The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that,

“‘though seeing, they may not see;
    though hearing, they may not understand.’[a]

11 “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.13 Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

A Lamp on a Stand

16 “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.17 For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open. 18 Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”

Jesus’ Mother and Brothers

19 Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. 20 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”

21 He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”

COURTESY OF BIBLE GATEWAY

LESSON 19

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The Higher Life Demystified

This morning I woke up with prayers in my mouth. I tend to do that a lot. Often times I find that between the times my eyes open to realize it is time to get out of bed, I am already praying. When that happens, it’s like I know what I am doing, yet I am not quite awake yet. I don’t understand what that means or how I have learned to do that, unless the Spirit of God explains it to me.

The prayer in my mouth was a routine one. I was asking God to help me go through this dreadful day that I have ahead of me, to strengthen me and keep me willing to be willing to do His will in spite of the difficulties that I am going through.  My eyes opened and I started sitting up. Suddenly the Spirit said “Be joyful, there is nothing to dread, count it a blessing that you know what the higher life means!”  Before the Spirit of God finished saying those words, He flooded my heart with joy. In the meantime, I am joyfully thinking “oh! We are back on the same subject again!” The Spirit did not even pay attention to my thought process and kept on showing me the beauty of this life we call the higher life. It was as if He opened all the windows in the house, but it was the house where my spirit is interacting with Him. Suddenly things were bright, shiny and inviting, in my soul.   

The first window He opened was like the windows of sanctification. So, I said the higher life is the sanctified life? Then He said, granted human being calls it the higher life, but it's the life where a Christian walk with me. Before He finished the sentence He opened another window and showed me that it was also holiness. He opened another window and showed me, it is about living a righteous life. I was still looking at Him perplexed. Often times, I am with the Holy Spirit and instead of saying something, I think of it, all the while I am thinking that my thoughts are mine. The funny thing is, He is always aware of my thinking. So, He knew I was saying in my mind “WHAT DO I MAKE OF THAT”? Then He kind of slowed down to give me an example. He said “what you guys call the higher life is anything that starts with living out MY WORD”. He continued, “for instance, if you compare the Pharisees with the disciples who were following me, even though the disciples were not living a full life in the Spirit yet, well, they were living a higher life”

Then He went on showing me in my own Bible, Luke 14:25-35. He continued…”it’s anyone allowing those words (v. 25-35) to become a reality in their lives. Anyone living fully committed to build on this foundation that was laid. Anyone who renounces this life to live their full identity in me. It is anyone who is not living this life halfway. It is anyone who is teachable…(spiritually speaking)”  This went on and on but I do not want to make this post too long so I will stop.

Suffice to say, I decided to put these things in my book, which is about our walk in the Spirit and for some reasons God does not want me to publish it yet. But, the Spirit of God stopped me from what I was about to do and told me that I needed to share this today and now. So, here it is.  

It turns out, for us Christians, what we call the higher life is just “living out the Christian life and the impartation of the finished life that God has already worked within”.

Even though I do not want to make this post too long, I will share this last bit He taught me. The ‘higher life’ can be as high as we want it while we live on this earth because Enoch lived out the higher life to the fullest. I have to stop because I could go on and on and on…

Think about it!  Enoch was not a Christian, but simply a man who walked with God! Can you see why our intelligence and wisdom cannot even begin to comprehend God’s word unless we walk in the Spirit?

Search The Scriptures — Study 19 —Luke 7:36-8:3

Study 19 of "Search The Scriptures” Is:

Luke 7:36-8:3

     1.     Compare the Pharisees’ attitude to Jesus with that of the woman. How did Jesus answer his criticisms of verse 39? How did the parable of verses 41, 42 apply to him?

     2.     What made the woman acts as she did? Cf. 8:2, 3. Have you a similar incentive? How can it be expressed?

Note. 7:47. ‘For’ here indicates the evidence rather than the cause of her forgiveness

I have copied the Bible verses concerning this study, for your convenience.

Luke 7:36-8:3

Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman

36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”

40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii,[a] and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet,but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

The Parable of the Sower

8 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him,2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

COURTESY OF BIBLE GATEWAY

LESSON 18

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Search The Scriptures — Study 18 — Luke 7:18-35

Study 18 of "Search The Scriptures” Is:  

Luke 7:18-35

1.     Verses 18-23. What exactly was the doubt in John’s mind? Do you find a clue to this perplexity in 3:16, 17? What is the significance of Jesus’s reply? Cf. Is. 35:5, 6; 61:1.

2.     Verses 24-35. How had the Jews gone wrong in their reaction to John’s preaching? What had they failed to see? What does Jesus’s estimate of John teach us concerning the greatness of our privilege? Cf. 10:23, 24.

Note: Verses 26-28. John, the last and greatest of the prophets of the old covenant, marks the beginning of a new and better era ‘the Kingdom of God’

I have copied the Bible verses concerning this study, for your convenience.

Luke 7:18-35

Jesus and John the Baptist

18 John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, 19 he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”

20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”

21 At that very time Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy[a] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.23 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”

24 After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written:

“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,
    who will prepare your way before you.’[b]

28 I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”

29 (All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus’ words, acknowledged that God’s way was right, because they had been baptized by John. 30 But the Pharisees and the experts in the law rejected God’s purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptized by John.)

31 Jesus went on to say, “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? 32 They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other:

“‘We played the pipe for you,
    and you did not dance;
we sang a dirge,
    and you did not cry.’

33 For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ 34 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’35 But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”

COURTESY OF BIBLE GATEWAY

LESSON 17

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