Luke 12:57–59

Luke 12:57-59 

English Standard Version 

  If you know you owe a debt, and you have a choice to pay the full debt, or to settle for a fraction of it, which will you choose?

  What if you cannot pay the full debt?  Then you'd likely be very, very eager to settle for a small balance, hoping to find relief and mercy from the one to whom you owe the debt.  Any wiggle room in the balance would be met with great rejoicing.

  Jesus is urging us not to waste our time.  An offer is on the table -- God is extending grace to us.  If we reject it, the debt must be paid in full.  In the meantime, Jesus has come to extend grace and mercy to those of us who cannot pay.

  May we be filled with gratitude at the grace extended to us, and may we not miss the chance to welcome such grace into our hearts.

Luke 12:54–56

Luke 12:54-56 

English Standard Version 

  I may be able to tell you the lineup of the 1990 Cincinnati Reds.  I remember how it felt in the stadium when Adam Dunn hit a walk-off grand slam in 2006 against the Cleveland Indians.  I can tell you when and where I was when Jeremy Hill fumbled in a playoff game for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2016.  There's countless more instance and details I know.  In the long run... these don't have much eternal value.

  Jesus is pointing out to his listeners that they know the weather very well.  But are they paying attention to the Kingdom of God?  Here is the Messiah, and they're missing the signs because they're paying attention to the wrong things.

  What are we paying attention to?  Do we read Scripture with a sense of urgency?  Are we looking around to seeing what Jesus might be doing here and now?  Is faith first on our minds and hearts?

Historic Churches and the Gospel

Luke 12:49–53

Luke 12:49-53 

English Standard Version 

  We opted not to put these verses on the back of the t-shirts advertising the church.  I doubt they will use these as memory verses for the kids, either.  I don't know of a single Vacation Bible School organized around this section of Luke's Gospel.

  And yet, it is the reality.  I don't believe that Jesus seeks to create division, but he acknowledges that it will come.  If we choose to put Christ first in our lives, then other things will come second, and that will cause divisions.  Some will reject Christ, others will simply reject the values of those who follow Christ.  The world is opposed to Christ, and so those who choose to follow him above all else will naturally face opposition.  

  This means we will need courage to continue to follow Christ, even when it means there is opposition in our lives.  May we cling to the one thing that stands forever, and pray for Holy Spirit wisdom to know how best to deal with the divisions we face.