S – “He looked up and saw the rich dropping their offerings into the temple treasury. ² He also saw a poor widow dropping in two tiny coins.^{, 3} “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all of them. ⁴ For all these people have put in gifts out of their surplus, but she out of her poverty has put in all she had to live on.” 

Luke 21:1–4 CSB

O – The widow gave out her poverty.  While others gave out of their surplus, she gave out of her lack.  There is an element of faith in that step that is astounding.  It is counterintuitive and brave. In doing so, she fulfills another scripture in 2 Cor. 8:12 -For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have.  She is giving according to what she has.  God wants us to give this way and not in comparison to others.  If every person does their part, their generosity will be enough to meet the needs and vision of others.

A – I want to continue to grow in my generosity.  I want to be led by the Holy Spirit to give according to what I have and when He deems it.

R – Lord, help me to do this.

S – One day as he was teaching the people in the temple and proclaiming the good news, the chief priests and the scribes, with the elders, came ² and said to him, “Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Who is it who gave you this authority?”

Luke 20:1–2 CSB

O – Two simple questions with a lot of weight behind them:

The first question dealt with the kind of authority Jesus was using. Was He a prophet, a priest, or a king? No doubt the words doing these things referred to His cleansing the temple. The second question dealt with who was backing Him. Did Jesus believe that He was acting on His own or was He acting for some group?

Jesus responded with a question. He asked them about the authority behind John’s baptism. So Jesus therefore refused to tell … by what authority He had cleansed the temple. The implication was that He was doing His work with the same authority—God in heaven—by which John the Baptist baptized

 John A. Martin, “Luke,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, 

A – What authority or role do I walk in my daily actions?  Who do I represent in those actions?  I want to answer both with God as the center.  Just like I am still my father’s son today, I am God’s child in all that I do.  I don’t take that off to do a certain task.  I need to do my very best in my relationship with Him, Kristin, my family, as a leader to the GFC staff and to our church.

R – Lord, help me to do this today.

S – Some of the Pharisees from the crowd told him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 

⁴⁰ He answered, “I tell you, if they were to keep silent, the stones would cry out.” 

Luke 19:39–40 CSB

O -Jesus shifts from the early ministry of “tell no one” to allow the others to praise Him.  An important step in allowing people to publically witness His fulfillment of prophecy.  Great lesson for believers to honor Him as God in human form.  

A – Great reminder of our need to acknowledge God’s place in our life.  Honor is a big deal.  I need to make sure my honor for God lines up with Him.  Also, a great reminder to worship outside of church.

R – Lord, help me to do this today.

S  – Now he told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not give up

 Luke 18:1 CSB

O – We need to pray and not give up.  Simple principle – tough application.

A – I was struck that Jesus wanted to tell his disciples to pray and not give up.  The two work together. My journey with Christ is more of a marathon than a sprint.  Yet, I wonder why he doesn’t answer some prayers faster.  I have learned his timing is better than mine.  Hindsight has proven numerous times to reveal God’s will and purpose.

Also, surrendering the situation to God is not giving up. Surrender is an active state of yielding your will to God’s.  Giving up is quitting.  As long as you are not quitting, you are growing.

R – Lord, help me to do this.

S – ³ Be on your guard. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. ⁴ And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and comes back to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.” 

Luke 17:3–4 CSB

O – Forgiveness is a common theme in Christianity and one that is truly essential to a healthy walk with God.  Ironically, “rebuking” someone gets overlooked.  The Greek word is ĕpitimaō, meaning “to tax upon, censure or admonish; forbid (straitly) charge.  We need to call out the sin to the person in truth and love.  And we should do this by diminishing the sin or its results.

A -Failure to be honest, trying to give the “outward show” of nothing wrong when there is something wrong, isn’t God’s way.  Speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). Real love speaks out to illustrate the sin so it can be dealt with by the person.  I have said, “One of the greatest ways you can show love to someone is by being honest with them.” 

These are painful conversations where you have to check your own heart as well.  If you are pulling punches, not good.  If you are enjoying the other person’s pain, not good.  Keep your eyes on the truth and the sin.  Stay humble.

R – Lord, help me to do this today.

S – Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much.

Luke 16:10 CSB

O – “Faithful” pistŏs, trustworthy; — believe (-ing, -r), sure, true.  Taking the definition of true and applying it will give us a strong foundation.   As we progress through each day, this is a good plumb line to keep us centered.  A commitment to truth in all things.  To do this, we need to know the truth – God’s word and what we believe.   Then, we must have the conviction to act on those beliefs. Finally, we must trust those actions to yield results.  Whether we see them or not.  

A – This applies to everything.  Relationships, situations, inner development – character and integrity, leadership. Start by establishing truth and convictions.  Pray for the courage to do this.  Take a step forward today.

R – Lord, help me to do this today.

S – All the tax collectors and sinners were approaching to listen to him. ² And the Pharisees and scribes were complaining, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them

Luke 15:1–2 CSB

O – The three stories in Luke 15 (Lost sheep, coin, prodigal son) are all told in response to these two verses.  The tax collectors (Jews despised because they worked for the Romans) and sinners (anyone who hadn’t repented.). The tax collectors could easily be picked out the sinners might look like someone you and I know. The key to setting up this whole chapter is the lack of heart the religious leaders had for other people.  They looked down on them and created distance.  “Welcomes” means to endure, admit, and give hospitality to.  Jesus did all that because his compassion for them allowed him to have a relationship with them so they could hopefully know God.

A – I must continue to put myself in situations with people outside the church.  It is easy for me as a pastor to be defined only by church relationships.  I must find ways to build relationships outside the church.

R – Lord, help me to do this.

S – ¹¹ For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” 

 Luke 14:11 CSB

O – Some keywords jump out of this verse.  “Exalt” is from the Greek word hupsŏō, hoop-sŏ´-o which means to elevate (lit. or fig.):— exalt, lift up. “Humbles” in Greek means “tapĕinŏō,” tap-i-nŏ; to depress; fig. to humiliate (in condition or heart):— abase, bring low, humble (self).   

    Being a Christian is counterintuitive.  Most people want significance.  They want to know to be known and know they make a difference.  To do this, one must distinguish themselves by elevating “above” the crowd.  Jesus gives practical advice by telling where to sit to demonstrate humility.  But in the definition,  I like the paraphrase (in condition or heart).  Humbling one’s heart means thinking less of myself and valuing others more.  It takes the elevation of my heart (myself) and puts me on the same level as everyone else.  It does not think I am not good enough or unworthy.  That is a lie of the enemy.

A – There is a battle in my mind for a healthy approach to life and others.  I must be confident in all the Lord has put in me and the situations that I face each day.  I must be humble to realize that God values everyone and so should I.

R – Lord, help me to do this.

S – As he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath, ¹¹ a woman was there who had been disabled by a spirit^, for over eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. ¹² When Jesus saw her, he called out to her, “Woman, you are free of your disability.” ¹³ Then he laid his hands on her, and instantly she was restored and began to glorify God. 

Luke 13:10–13 CSB

O – A couple of observations:

• The woman does not have a name.
• Her condition was caused by an outside force.
• Eighteen years – long enough to become her identity
• Bent over – lack of social interaction, all you see is feet – no faces; similar to being “unclean”
• Jesus saw her – how? He was looking for her.
• Jesus declared her freedom before 
• Jesus healed her
• She glorified God

A – I want to see people like Jesus sees people.  To do this, I need to be looking like he was looking

R – Lord help me to do this.

S – ¹⁰ Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 

Luke 12:10 CSB

O – Commentary: The point of verses 8–10 is that disciples must make a choice. To acknowledge denotes the fact that the disciples recognized Him as the Messiah and therefore they had access to the way of salvation. Those who did not acknowledge Him were denying themselves the way of salvation. Jesus carried the logic one step further, noting that one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. In Matthew 12:32 Jesus linked this activity with the Pharisees who were rejecting the work of Jesus. Apparently the Pharisees were being convicted by the Holy Spirit that Jesus was indeed the Messiah, but were rejecting His witness. They could never be forgiven because they were rejecting God’s only means of salvation

 John A. Martin, “Luke,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. 

A lot out there on this topic.  I encourage further research.

A – I need to continue to choose who Jesus is and the role of the Holy Spirit in my life.  I choose Jesus as my Savior.  I daily invite the Holy Spirit to lead me through each day.

R – Lord, help me to do this.