 Luke 13 –24 Questions and Answers |
| Q. What did Pilate do that horrifed the Israelites? | A. Luke 13:1 = He murdered Galileans at the Temple as they were offering sacrifices. |
| Q. What did Jesus advise the disciples? |
A. Luke 13:2–5 = 1) To take into account the horror of being murdered and to realize all who do not repent will perish likewise 2) That their deeds at the Temple had no power to save them 3) Only repentance saves. |
| Q. What is the meaning of the parable of the barren fig tree? | A. 13:6–9 = Fruit always means "benefits." The fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, etc. These qualities in us benefit others. We are the trees. People should benefit other people. The Israelites held the secrets of Heaven and were commissioned to be separate, holy and beneficial to the world. God is the first Teacher who trained doctors, artists, engineers, etc. This knowledge went out to the world via the Israelites. God's attributes, His love also went out via the Israelites. But by the time Jesus came, the world was no longer benefiting from the Israelites. So Jesus told them of God's disappointment with them and gave them another chance to repent. Jesus was Himself the fertilizer on the Israelites, benefiting others and setting an example to follow. If the Israelites were lost before, Jesus set them straight now! |
| Q. Were there many synagogues in Jesus' time? | A. Luke 13:10 = Yes. |
| Q. Did godly Israelites run them? | A. Luke 13:14 = Not necessarily. They were legalistic and patronizing, even with Jesus. |
| Q. What is true about not working on the Sabbath? |
A. Luke 13:15 = 1) Everybody does some sort of work on the Sabbath 2) Doing something good is not work! |
| Q. Why do people choose God? (Mustard Seed) | A. Luke 13:18–19 = Because His people bless the world. It is the Kingdom of God! |
| Q. Why do people choose God? (Yeast in Bread) | A. Luke 13:20–21 = The Kingdom of God teaches them wherever they are in life. |
| Q. How should we live as believers? |
A. Luke 13:22–27 = 1) We should work hard for the Kingdom of God 2) We should know that all who seek after God are not all saved. Some pretend and want God only on their own terms. |
| Q. How so? | A. Luke 13:22–27 = By doing good works they think they save themselves, while ignoring God's commandments. |
| Q. People work religiously and for nothing? | A. Luke 13:22–27 = Yes. |
| Q. That doesn't seem fair! Explain? | A. Luke 13:22–27 = People are creative and use that creativity to "play house." They think, "Jesus, your way is nice, but my way is more satisfying for me. I hope you don't mind!" |
| Q. What is Jesus' way? | A. The Cross. |
| Q. So when people play house, what are they really doing? Isn't it harmless? | A. Luke 13:27 = No. It is evil! To decide that I can reach God apart from His Word is ridiculous and evil. Jesus came to save the only way we can be saved. His blood was not spilt for nothing! These folks feel it has! That is evil! |
| Q. What will happen to fake believers? | A. Luke 13:28–30 = They will see real believers in the Kingdom of God, but they will be thrown out! |
| Q. What else will fakes witness? | A. Luke 13:29 = People coming from all over the world to take their places in the Kingdom of God. |
| Q. What will amaze them about these believers? |
A. Luke 13:30 = People they thought belonged to God will be despised at that time. People they despised before will be greatly honored. Note: Who really knows who belongs to God? It looks like only Jesus really knows. Just be sure that you answer to God and His Word. The devil is a liar. Jesus is still onthe throne! The devil is on a single mission: To knock us off track as subtly as he can. He will use our weakness in unconfessed sin and fuel it with lies so that you will rise up against your brother and shame God's Kingdom on earth. |
| Q. What are common chinks in the Christian's armor? |
A. 1) Lack of purpose 2) Judgmental spirit influencing me since my childhood 3) Lack of a consistent prayer life 4) Wounded inner child 5) Lack of knowledge 6) Lack of knowledge of God's Word out of my own neglect 7) Superiority complex distancing me from God 8) Superiority complex causing dissention in the ranks 9) Discontent 10) Self–pity. |
| Q. Why did Jesus reveal to the disciples the truth about genuine believers and fakes? |
A. Jewish leaders oppressed them and Jesus did not want them to think their behavior was a God thing. Sometimes there is terrible 'christian' behavior in the world. When I am approached by someone about the awful behavior of so–and–so, I always say what I think about the behavior. If it was shameful, I say it. But long ago, I was taught to preserve the unity of the church! How? By letting a child of God get trampled on and even joining in on the bludgeoning? Not likely! I determine to stand by God and His Word and apply WWJD: 1) I will hurt with my brother 2) I will pray for his healing 3) I will repent on behalf of those who hurt him. |
| Q. What can doing this possibly do? |
A. 1) It protects the Body of Christ with truth 2) It validates that person's dilemma. Note: Ignoring those we intentionally or unintentionally hurt is breaking the second most important commandment that Jesus spoke of in the Sermon on the Mount: That I am to love my brother as myself. When I hurt another believer, it hurts him more than anything else because he expects to be loved. Alas, nobody's perfect. Just go to your brother and make it right—before you appear in church where he can see you worship God unconscionably and unrepentant. That is a nauseating sight for anybody to behold! |
| Q. In light of knowing now that fakes surround us and God allows this to happen for His own purposes, how should I deal with them? | A. Luke 13:31–32 = Don't stop your ministry! Even if threatened harm! Just make sure you aren't under attack because you break god's commandments yourself and the attacks are really a discipline to teach you to obey. After clearing your own conscience, bless your enemy and continue with your mission. This should be an instantaneous action! |
| Q. But now my confidence is low! | A. Luke 13:32 = God will restore confidence. Just go forward! |
| Q. Is it okay to stand up to my enemies? |
A. Luke 13:32–53 = Yes. Stand up for your ministry and tell your enemy (personally or by message) that you will not be affected by his attacks and are going forward. Note: Notice this confrontation contains no backbiting or accusation. Jesus took no offense. He simply stated His purpose and it would be finished. Remember, to take offense is sin! |
| Q. Why was Jesus killed in Jerusalem? | A. Luke 13:33 = All prophets are killed in God's territory. If they were killed ouside of it, death would go unnoticed. Also, most persecutions and wrongful deaths occur within God's territory, by God's own people. |
| Q. Why? | A. Luke 13:34–35 = Oftentimes, God's people refuse to accept the truth about themselves. |
| Q. Which is? |
A. Luke 13:34–35 = 1) God saves people His way 2) All men are equal 3) And should be treated as equals. |
| Q. Why kill the prophets? | A. Luke 13:35 = Sinful men rage against the truth prophets bring them. |
| Q. Which is? |
A. Luke 13:34–35 = 1) They need to repent 2) So God can gather them to Himself 3) And take care of them fully 4) Or else He will leave them to themselves 5) Until they decide to repent 6) And comprehend the blessing of the cross 7) And bless God for it! |
| Q. What did the Pharisees all agree on? | A. Luke 14:1–2 = They agree on their own addition to the Law of Moses, in which they declare that absolutely no deed will be done on the Sabbath. |
| Q. How did Jesus deal with them when an occasion occurred to heal on the Sabbath? |
A. Luke 14:3 = Jesus asked them what the Law said about the issue. Note: Give no room to any writings that contradict God's Word. Always bring up God's Word as the final authority for dealing with any dispute. |
| Q. What do people do when you show them their biblical error? |
A. Luke 14:4, 6 = Refuse to answer. Note: When it comes to doing good anytime, no one can argue the validity of it. Restraining oneself from doing good at any time is sin. (To him who knows the right thing to do and doesn't do it, to him it is sin.) All those caught up in false religion tire eventually of taking care of the poor. And they are dumbfounded by the believer's consistency in his care of the poor, for he does it by the power of God's heart for the poor. The vulnerable part of the unbelieving heart that can be reached is through witnessing a believer's unfailing kindness to the poor around him. |
| Q. What is Jesus' perspective on ambition? | A. Luke 14:7–9 = However important you think your ministry is in the Kingdom of God on earth, never presume to be closer to God for it. Take a backseat; let God decide your place in Heaven. He seats us there. We don't! |
| Q. Does this apply in all of life? |
A. Luke 14:7–9 = Yes. It is proper etiquette too! 1) The wedding planner makes the seating chart for the reception 2) You don't know how people really see you, so let them be the judge of you. 3) If you scramble for position in church, chances are you'll get a reputation for being competitive, even before they know you well. Let your new leaders place you as they will—in their time. Note: Once upon a time, my family moved to a new city and changed churches. I was so anxious to keep my music going! After completing their newcomers series and was prayed over for it, I approached the pastor's wife, who was in charge of music at the time. (I just couldn't wait to offer my services!) Her response was unexpected. She nearly climbed down my throat for asking! Accusations flew. "You can't just come in here and take over!" She proceeded to give me a list of good reasons why I didn't qualify to serve in their church. All her reasons were unfounded. But the point was that there is an unspoken, man–made rule in this church that I inadvertently ignored: Nobody in this church serves until asked! And I have not been asked to serve since. This rule–making is unhealthy and a warning to all who should find themselves on fire for God in a place where human additions to God's Word wait to quench that fire. God's will is for His people to serve, according to their spiritual, God–given gifts and talents. Churches like this on dowse God's fire because they are more interested in the things of men (like money, which is false power) than trusting God to orchestrate His purposes. Jesus is the Head of the church. Let Him be! Yield! God, please orchestrate Your plan in Your church! Push me violently out of Your way and let me rejoice in Your perfect will! |
| Q. So Jesus wants us to wait on Him for our place in the church body? | A. Luke 14:10 = Yes. Let others decide where you fit best; they see better than you do! |
| Q. Who does God want me to celebrate with? | A. Luke 14:12–14 = People who cannot reciprocate. |
| Q. Who do people normally celebrate with? | A. Luke 14:12 = Friends, brothers in Christ, relatives and rich neighbors. |
| Q. Why? | A. Luke 14:12 = It is an investment in my well–off friends and family; I will most likely be invited to their celebrations as well, and that's what I want. |
| Q. And that is pretty self–centered a motivation, isn't it? | A. Luke 14:12 = Yes. |
| Q. But if I invite lowly folks, what comes out of it? | A. Luke 14:13–14 = God rewards me later at the resurrection of the godly! |
| Q. Who make up the lowly? |
A. Luke 14:13 = 1) Poor folks 2) Crippled folks 3) Lame folks 4) Blind folks Note 1: If you want real gratitude for your efforts in your celebrations, nothing can match the gratitude of lowly folks, whether mentioned or not. They will never forget your kindness and see the Kingdom of God in you too. This is true evangelism! Note 2: Being involved in church ministry that feeds the poor, clothes or houses them, does not replace everyday kindness to the por outside of church ministry. Needy folks make the very best party guests, are extremely vulnerable to the kindness of others and make up the best of what we call human. For whatever reason, Heaven has humbled them and the simplicity of life that is theirs will bless yours like no other. Lowly folks are as genuine as people can be! |
| Q. Jesus has prepared a great feast and the personal invitations to it are sent out. Are the guests excited about attending God's feast? | A. Luke 14:18 = No. It's almost as if they could care less about God. |
| Q. How do they respond to the inviters? | A. Luke 14:18 = They turn the invitation down. |
| Q. How? | A. Luke 14:18 = Making lame excuses as to why what they are busy with is more important than God's feast. |
| Q. What excuses do they use? |
A. Luke 14:18 = 1) Business is hopping right now and the workload is high (can't you see I'm working right now?) 2) I'm still on my honeymoon! |
| Q. What is the point? | A. Luke 14:24 = God's business is above all other activity, whether with man or tending to his property. People put thei cares above God and forfeit their salvation in the process. |
| Q. Do people really deceive themselves into thinking what they do on earth is more important than what God is doing all over? |
A. Luke 14:24 = Yes. Note: I know a man who is gentle and kind, but who lives for his work. All the consequences of putting work before God is blatantly obvious to all but him. Tragedy follows him, yet he marches forward, the suffering servant who has devoted himself piously to false priorities and will, if God doesn't intervene, refuse God's invitation to the Great Feast. So I think, "Why would he choose work over God?" The fact is, we are not all that complicated. The answer if found here: "If you seek Me [God], you will find Me." Seeking is a lifelong quest filled with rewards and always brings more of God in one's life. When God is real in your life, 1) The Scriptures come alive 2) What God is and wants for you is at the forefront of your existence 3) His excitement about the Great Feast is yours 4) You rush to the banquet table to be with God The opposite is also true. When God is not real in your life 1) You don't get squat ouut of the Scriptures you convinced yourself you don't have much time for 2) You are ignorant about who God is and what He wants for you, and God has little or no place in your existence 3) There is no reason to be excited about the Great Feast 4) So you don't care to go to the Great Feast or be with God. A man who thinks he knows God apart from the Scriptures is a fool. He will naturally put God at his level and apply human, faulty attributes to God, believing that: 1) God is too busy running the universe to bother with people's mundane problems 2) What matters is being busy, just like God 3) My creations are pretty much like God's 4) Thanks to Jesus for coming to earth as a man, so He can be counted on man's level, by my own standards 5) Look at my goodness! How does it compare with yours, God? Pretty awesome, eh? 6) If God were me, how would He design this building? I like to compare creativity with others. Se the problem? God is not holy to this man. Yet God is above all. His Word teaches all about Him. First and foremost, God IS. Do you live like you know it? Will you drop everything for Him? When people come to you for counsel, do you steer them right? Do you mentor darkness to them instead of light? What you do speaks of what you believe. If you fail this test, you need to live up to God's Word and tell your deceitful heart the way it is to act: 1) Treat God is first 2) Remind myself that God's Word is true 3) That I will not see myself as God's equal 4) I will humble myself and seek after God daily 5) I will obey Him 6) The fruit of my life speaks truth about what I believe. |
| Q. What do I need to do to honestly follow after God all my life? |
A. Luke 14:25 = 1) Love God above myself and others 2) Carry my own cross and follow Him daily. |
| Q. What does it mean to carry my own cross and follow Him? | A. Luke 14:28 = Before beginning, count the cost. Are you willing to pay the price? Or are you willing to follow thus far and no more? There are plenty of believers out there with good foundations. But they gave their all at the beginning only. Part of the price is accepting scorn from your family because they now see you as a fool. This scorn can follow for a lifetime, unless God intervenes and they are saved. |
| Q. So I should be ready to serve to influence and "flavor" this world with a life sold out to Jesus? | A. Luke 14:34–35 = Yes. But I must remember why I gave up everything for Jesus or I may become useless to God's purposes. |
| Q. What should I remember? |
A. Luke 14:23 = That I gave up everything for Jesus. Note: When trials come, the devil moves in to tempt. He did it to Jesus as an example to us of the devil's nasty and subtle schemes. An example from my life is in our choice to homeschool our kids, which is still a scorned choice, though it has resulted in a wondrous thing: solid kids, who stand out for Jesus, so that even other Christians label them as "antisocial" when temptation and trial are near them and they choose right. But then I remember why we chose to homeschool. As a mother, I gave up a rich social life amongst believers, who left the education of their precious children to mostly non–believing teachers in a non–believing system. I did this so that I could teach them God's ways, according to Deuteronomy. In that book of the bible, parents are instructed to teach their children. As soon as believers decide to forfeit that commission to others, they disobey God. The world "certifies" teachers to quell our fears, apprehensions and seared consciences. Next, mothers leave children to go to work elsewhere. I would rather my tax dollars go to keeping moms home than anything else! Women abandon households they are entrusted with by God because they are bored. Their consciences are seared yet a second major time. Our women aren't volunteering at church. They are busy and tired from serving their bosses. So their churches open up evening ministries so they make up for a church social life, exhausted as ever. Children are left day and night to fend for themselves. Who is teaching them how to be human? Who is waking their spirits? The most successful countries, the US and abroad, are on their third generation of lost souls. They deserve the beating they are getting from their children. My children grew up with lost–soul kids, as all are affected by these widely committed sins of parents. My children feel they are born out of their time! Like it or not, they have been parenting lost souls since they were toddlers. Since two generation above them are also lost, they parent them too! The world needs parents who are willing to nurture our lost generations. Homeschooling has provided a solution to this terrible dilemma mothers find themselves in. The good news is that with whatever career choices our homeschooled generations take, they have been equipped with the tools to help fix what is broken. Thank God for His great mercy! Though homsechooled kids are welcome in all colleges, now they get to attend quality, certified colleges started by homeschoolers, to train in legal fields and whatnot, along with others who will also be nurturing parents to our lost generations. |
| Q. How do homeschool kids parent lost soul adults? |
A. Homeschooled kids certainly don't go looking for them! A lost soul adult is very lonely. If he is a believer, he is also ashamed of his life. He suffers in silence until a homeschool child emerges. Perhaps he is watching his small grandson and discovers that your child is the perfect playmate for him. They begin to play together. The adult also seeks the safety of a confidante who doesn't know his peers and proceeds to dump on the child. The child feels awkward, but because he has been nurtured, he listens to a barage of things, some of which he should never hear at his age. The adult craves more and more time with the nurturing child. Soon, the homeschooling parent hears how "special" his child is, and requests for more time is asked of him. The homeschooling mother thinks the children are playing well together! Then, surprise, guess who wants to adopt her child? Coveting begins. The sin is real. The lost soul adult suddenly is convinced that you don't know your child's potential and tells you that you are holding him back! What a phenomenal fantasy the adult lost soul has created! Instead of realizing his lack, he rationalizes that his new inner filling of his own vapidness (nurturing) is in fact a reflection of the needs of the child. That's what psychology calls projection. His own needs are exposed and he labels them all as belonging to the nurturing child, to the confusion of the surprised homeschool parent. Suddenly, the child is the victim who needs to be rescued by the adult lost soul! Sin wants its way. This is not an isolated case for my children. It has happened many times across three states over a period of 25 years. My children have been sought out by people who need nurture in order to finish maturing into adulthood. It is a part of their existence and ministry and they are always baffled by new instances of it. Unless one really isolates his family in this world, it will happen. Isolation is not the answer. We are to be a part of the world, medicine for sick people, salt and light. But we need to be aware of the needs of today and not be unwilling to finish the nurture our children are exposed to. |
| Q. Will adult lost souls eventually let go their attachment to a nurturing child? | A. No. Having brought his own undealt with problems to the surface, he finds the need to keep them surfaced. He tries to work his problems out through the child. |
| Q. So he has discovered his need? |
A. Yes. He needs a good counselor. As stated earlier, a counselor needs to be completely pure in heart. All his hurts should be dealt with before qualifying himself as a counselor for others. "Before removing the speck from your brother's eye, get rid of the log in your own eye, so that you may see clearly..." The homeschool mother may be sufficient! Jesus knows we all have a self–created masterpiece of sin we have nurtured since conception. He invites us to deal with it, rid ourselves of it, and then volunteer to help others—or else shut up until we do! Even an adult lost soul is granted mercy with the provision of a nurturing child. How gentle God can be! |
| Q. What are you saying, in a nutshell? |
A. Luke 14:27–35 = Count the cost of discipleship. You must prepare in order to do the work of the Kingdom. That means learning how to manage your psyche and God's Kingdom correctly. Otherwise, your ministry won't last. You must be prepared for what God will bring you and your family. Be prepared for anything! If you have healthy minds and nurturing family members, you will definitely be nurturing others! Trust Him for the variety of people and ways God brings them into your life. |
| Q. How should I treat people who would otherwise repel me? | A. Luke 15:1–7 = As special and loved by God; worthy of even sharing a meal with. |
| Q. Why? |
A. Luke 15:1–7 = This is how we convince them to reconcile with God. Note: Beingt a witness beats out taling your head off about Jesus. Even with disciples, hands–on testimony is better; it is mentoring. |
| Q. What is a lost sheep to Jesus? |
A. Luke 15:8 = As valuable to God as believers. Note: God doesn't love me more or less thay any other. We are valuable because He made us. |
| Q. What is the lesson of the prodigal son? |
A. Luke 15:11–14 = 1) v.13 = You cannot stop your children from sinning 2) v.14 = Parents are not obligated to pull thier prodigals' butts out of the fire 3) v.15–16 = Necessity is the mother of invention. The prodigal will work at any job if it means food 4) v.17 = Negative circumstances are good for bringing you backto reality; returning to common sense. 5) v.17–18 = Negative circumstances show your follishness, which gives you a reason to repent 6) v.18–19 = Which leads to humility and repentance and letting go of control of your life 7) v.20 = God anticipates our return 8) v.20 = God never says, "I told you so." 9) v.21 = An apology is very sweet when it happens 10) v.22 = God only wants to restore us 11) v.23 = And celebrate our return to Him 12) v.32 = God yas a special place in His heart for prodigals, especially when they return to Him. Note: Prodigals return with a portfolio of rich lessons that only they can use to minister to others. There is noother way to learn God's ways than through sinning and repenting. |
| Q. I regularly give to the poor and have an excess of money stored up for a rainy day. How else can I use money for God? | A. Luke 16:1–9 = Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. |
| Q. Why? | A. Luke 16:9 = My generosity stores up a reward in Heaven. |
| Q. How important is it that I keep my promises? | A. Luke 16:10 = If I don't keep little promises, I won't keep big ones either. |
| Q. What is integrity? |
A. Luke 16:10 = 1) Keeping promises 2) Never cheating 3) Truth in handling money 4) Serving only God; never loving money. |
| Q. What is one characteristic of a Pharisee? | A. Luke 16:14 = He dearly loved his money. |
| Q. What is the problem with loving money? |
A. Luke 16:15 = People who love money want to look good in public. They care little that they are known to be sinful. Note: Pharisees glamorized, accessorized and flaunted their religion in public. |
| Q. Why? | A. Luke 16:15 = Human nature loves it. It is human nature to love what is an abomination to God. |
| Q. How else does money influence us? | A. Luke 16:19–31 = It makes us ignore the poor. |
| Q. What are ways of behaving toward one another that are sinful? |
A. Luke 17:1–4 = Tempting my brother to sin. Note: When I don't acknowledge my own sin (because of sin's rewards to me), I will be duped by Hell into condoning the same sin in a brother. I should be of a mind to enthusiastically show him the better path and teach him to say no to sin. |
| Q. How should I respond to someone who sins against me? | A. Luke 17:4 = Forgive (and bless). Even if he keeps sinning the same way, I should always bless friend and enemy alike. |
| Q. How do I learn to be faithful? |
A. Luke 17:5–10 = 1) Acknowledge the power God has granted you as a believer to move mountains 2) Be faithful in your regular duties 3) Put God first in everything, 24/7 4) Expect no thanks because you are just doing your duty 5) Acknowledge that doing your duty does not make you worthy of praise; it's just part of being a believer/servant. |
| Q. What is sweeter than the joy of being physically healed? | A. Luke 17:11–19 = Being saved as well. |
| Q. Did the Kingdom of God come to earth with visible signs? | A. Luke 17:20–21 = No. It came with Jesus. |
| Q. In order to do what God says is right, I have given up a lot at this point. Is this normal? |
A. Luke 17:33 = Yes. This world grinds against God's ways. But God always makes restitution for obedience! Note: What a weird time we live in! People who worry about money, struggle to attain it, yet have less than people who don't worry about money. With believers, they know God is Provider, or else they are supposed to know this. Not worrying extends life. |
| Q. What is one sign that the end of the world is near? | A. Luke 17:34–37 = One night, God's people will be taken—and the disappearance will be witnessed by those who are left behind. |
| Q. When should we pray? | A. Luke 18:1 = Constantly! |
| Q. What is a godless man like? | A. Luke 18:2 = He has great contempt for everyone, but will give justice just to shut up a beggar. |
| Q. Will God give us justice? |
A. Luke 18:7 = Yes. But God will do it out of His love for us. Note: Grasping in blind faith that God will give us justice is what God wants us to do! |
| Q. What is the problem with being too self–confident? |
A. Luke 18:9 = We scorn everyone else. Note: Now thee's a book! God is our confidence. Have no confidence in the flesh! It is a filthy rag and ruled poorly by a deceptive heart. How do you feel about everyone around you? Do you love them unconditionally as Jesus asks you to? If not, you have been caught up in self–confidence. |
| Q. What are the two types of God–followers? | A. Luke 18:11–14 = See the chart below: |
|
Pharisee (Pretender who feels superior to his brother) He represents Pride |
Sinner (Believer who knows he's sin) He represents Humility |
| 1) Is a loner in the fellowship, praying alone | 1) Distances himself from God in sorrow for his sins |
| 2) Congratulates himself for his goodness | 2) Asks God for mercy |
| 3) Lists his good deeds before God | 3) Admits he's just a sinner |
| 4) Is rejected by God | 4)Is justified by God |
| 5) Will be humbled by God | 5) Is honored by God |
| 6) Is proud publicly | 6) Is humble publicly |
| 7) Expresses his deceitful, proud emotions in public | 7) Expresses his deceitful tendency toward pride and asks God to forgive him for giving in to it. |
| 8) Everyone humbles themselves before this false holy man | 8) Everyone knows he's not perfect either |
| 9) If he ever was accused, he would react in false righteous indignation | 9) When he is accused, he goes before God and asks him to rescue him |
| 10) Thinks he is safe in life because of his position | 10) Knows he is vulnerable without God on earth. |
| 11) Judges his worshipful brothers as fools | A. 11) Is too busy judging himself to notice anyone else sinning |
| 12) Compares his goodness based on whoever is watching nearby. | 12) Knows there is no good in him |
| 13) Thinks he doesn't sin, yet even in his prayer to God, he sins at least 12 times in one sentence! | 13) Knows he can't help to continally sin. |
| 14) Brags about himself and the works he deems makes him righteous | 14) No bragging; he knows that only God makes him righteous |
| 15) Brags about tithing | 15) Doesn't mention money set aside for God at all. His giving is done in secret. |
| Note: We all practice hypocricy, probably on a daily basis. Better to tear your clothes in shame than to prove how easy it is to be one. |
| Q. How should we treat children? |
A. Luke 18:15 = We bring them to Jesus so He can touch them and bless them. Note: Take the time to teach your children about God. If you have, but they run from Him for some reason, remember that you did your part and He has blessed them and will bring them back eventually. |
| Q. What is a clue that a church is unhealthy? |
A. Luke 18:15 = The leaders push the children away instead of seeing their worth. Note: Stay in the same church as your teens and other children. If their youth program is not good, change churches altogether. Kids can't handle too much freedom, and they don't want it, believer it or not. Youth churches tend to minister to kids with unbeliving parents. These are not healthy churches. Even if the child comes to know Christ and as a result, his parents do too, where do the parents fit in here? The parents will naturally want to take their child out and find a full–service church. The child may protest change! Can you see the conflict rising? Families should worship together. Too many youth pastors have no adult relationships and are naturally drawn to kids who will look up to them. All pastors need adult fellowship. The lack of it is a sure sign of undealt with dishonor of his parents, which he will surely pass onto the youth! Consciously or not, it will happen. All Christian leades and counselors need to do the work of dealing with past issues so that they will not screen their teaching and counsel through their own issues! This means reconciling with parents, so far as it is up to them. Finding a way to enjoy their company, and being thankful to God for them. |
| Q. What is this process going to do for me? | A. It will help you have a pure heart and stay blameless before God. |
| Q. Youth pastors can naturally help steer youth away from parents, which is God's channel for working with mankind? | A. Yes! It can be very confusing for kids to have adults teach them to steer away from their parents. They will honor either parents or pastor, but not both. Therefore, the youth pastor must always demonstrate by example, teach God's Word on the one thing God has asked of them, to honor their parents. |
| Q. What benefit to the pastor does this way of leading bring? | A. Are you kidding? Each child has his own issues from conception to the present time. Only his parents know his ways and will be honest with him about himself. God will show even non–believing parents how to deal with their children. A youth pastor has many children he does not know well and therefore cannot subsequently help with their issues. He should accept and understand his limitations. |
| Q. Do leaders have the power to hinder children from obtaining a relationship with God? | A. Luke 18:16 = Yes. Children will blindly do as they are told. They trust. |
| Q. Even if their parents are there? | A. Luke 18:16 = Yes. Parents and other adults tend to obey leaders, even if they know they are wrong about something. |
| Q. Who is in God's Kingdom? | A. Luke 18:16 = People who are basically like children. |
| Q. What are children like? | A. Luke 18:17 = They have simple faith that God loves them. |
| Q. What is faith? |
A. Hebrews 11:1 = 1) The confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. 2) The evidence of things we cannot yet see. Note: Read and learn the entire chapter of Hebrews 11. 3) To believe there is a God and that He rewards those who seek Him (v.6) Note: Children completely trust adults. Make yourself vulnerable to God's teachings in His Word; like a child relies completely on their adult, know you don't have enough information to run your world either, and neither worry yourself nor let the world's instability cause you to sin. My grandson is two years old at the time of this writing. He happily bounces around, cares not that he may get hurt. He simply lives a vulnerable life. When he is trying to tell me something, he is very serious about his subject. No matter what it is, I will do everything I can to try to comprehend what he is telling me. What joy he exults in when I figure it out! We have a Heavenly Father who instantly knows our most dear concerns. We should be constantly rejoicing that God understands and receives our requests, and know that He answers appropriately with the atentiveness of a perfect Father. Therefore, refuse to worry. When you begin to worry, say a sharp NO! to Hell, and praise God for all His blessings. When you learn God's Word, you will have ample blessings to refer to from history as well. Remember that praise comes first by reading and knowing God through His loving actions as demonstrated and documented in the Bible, where we see His kindness toward us and receives us again and again, in unbound mercy. Praise wells up inside us as a result of receiving these revelations in His Word. Isn't it great that children never have to be reminded that God is so awesome? |
| Q. Who is good? | A. Luke 18:18–19 = Only God is truly good. |
| Q. Is that the point of the parable of the Pharisee and Sinner? | A. Luke 18:18–19 = Yes! We will not be good until in Heaven because we will not be separated from sin until then. |
| Q. Did Jesus bring a new teaching of salvation? |
A. Luke 18:18–20 = No. Jesus referred to the Ten Commandments and then referred to our weakness in our loving to sin. Note: It's wearying to keep most commandments. We love the sin in our lives, and nurture them; this is what keeps us from maturing. Jesus wants us to deal with those things. He knows how they keep us from living a peaceful life. |
| Q. What is a big deterrent to spiritual maturity? | A. Luke 18:22 = Love of material wealth. |
| Q. How do I analyze myself and my attitude about money? | A. Luke 18:22 = Ask yourself this: If you didn't have money ever again, would you be happy or sad? Or would it matter at all since your life is so blended completely with God? Be neither happy or sad about money. Serve God. Rise above this decaying money–based system and begin to really live in God's presence. Now you can mature spiritually! |
| Q. So if I examine what makes me happy or sad, it is a good gauge of my spiritual maturity? | A. Luke 18:22 = Yes. |
| Q. So being physically poor is a good goal? | A. Luke 18:22 = No. We are, as believers, truly rich, as salvation makes us rich, but complete comprehension of wealth is only attained in Heaven. |
| Q. So this human wealth is not real? | A. Luke 18:22 = No it isn't. Nothing that we devote ourselves to on this earth is truly real and lasting except for our Kingdom work. Don't count on money! It is so weak that it is passing away with the rest of the world! |
| Q. Why do rich folks choose money over God? | A. Luke 18:24–25 = Things in this life are tangible. I can touch money and feel its solidness and the priveleges it brings me. When I'm surrounded by overwhelming evidence of wealth, the only way to see God's wealth is to give my money away. |
| Q. So we must all trust that God knows best about the issue of money and leave it at that? | A. Luke 18:22 = Yes. |
| Q. What is the point of this teaching in Luke 18? | A. Luke 18:26–27 = Jesus showed us the many ways we sin; how off our understanding of right behavior is, and that the things we desire most are ludicrous and evil. All our ideas on getting close to God are worthless. None of them can save us. Only God can save us. We are saved by His choice only, and not by word or deed, and even blocked from salvation by wealth. |
| Q. Can you summorize Luke 18? |
A. Yes. 1) v.8 = We lack faith to save ourselves 2) v.10 = Knowing we are evil is a pleasing attitude to God 3) v.14 = We fool ourselves into thinking we can save ourselves by religious rites 4) v.17 = Only children know what faith is 5) v.19 = Only God is truly good 6) v.21 = Adherence to commandments does not save 7) v.22 = God knows our hideen idols 8) v.22 = To follow Jesus, all the hidden things must go. Jesus reveals them to us. 9) v.20–25 = Obedience and money are not evidence of being right with God 10) v.26 = We cannot save ourselves 11) v.27 = Only God makes salvation possible 12) v.31–33 = And this is God's plan. Jesus would die to save us. 13) v.34 = No one would understand why Jesus died until He rose again. 14) v.35–43 = God's abundant mercy stepped in to save us right where we are. We can ask Him to save us, appealing to His mercy. Note: Mercy; grace. I admit it. "God, I am evil; please save me anyway!" "Rescue me from my stupidity in getting myself into this mess. Have mercy on me!" It is so good to be an intercessor. Calling down God's mercy and grace to cover every need, every illness, every hurting person. God calls this faith, knowing that I ask as a hopeless sinner and God is loving to be asked, consuming our prayers, which rise up to Heaven and fill up blows that then are mixed with grace and mercy, tipped over and transformed into answers. (cf. Revelation 2). Waht better place to be than in prayer always? |
| Q. What can we learn from Jesus' prediction of His death? | A. Luke 18:31–33 = See the lessons below: |
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1) Obeying God can lead to our own death at the hands of others 2) It is necessary to obey God for His will to be done on earth. 3) There are no shortcuts 4) People may not understand; even your friends can misunderstand God's purpose in your life. 5) When you share what God is doing, be sure to tell folks of the good purpose for it! 6) Stay focused on God's purpose. He may not give you the details of the plan He is working out in you 7) Your purpose will never conflict or contradict with God's Word. It will, however, fulfill His Word. 8) God may hide His purpose for you from your most trustworthy friends. Note: Are you a good bible teacher? Counselor? Confidante? Prayer warrior? Evangelist? Do your minstry wherever you are, even if your church doesn't see your calling, and trust God. Stay biblical and take no offense because the leadership doesn't activate your gifts in church. Taking offense is sin! When God talks about taking offense, the subject is always in a context of showing offense to be a sinful response to anything. Consider some biblical characters who took offense: |
| 1) Jonah refused to go to Nineveh. The people offended him as they were once great persecutors of the Israelites in the past. God showed Jonah his error. He disobeyed God in his offense. |
| 2) The Pharisees and sinner parable — The Pharisee was offended and disgusted with everyone who didn't behave as he did. The sinner was found righteous (he didn't even take offense with the Phariseee's words!). |
| 3) The Jewish leaders and teachers took offense at Jesus' teachings. Jesus corrected them, without taking offense with their words. |
| 4) Peter was offended that Jesus was to die. He protested and Jesus told Satan to get behind Him. Jesus didn't neither took offense at Peter nor Satan. |
| 5) Elisha was offended by a threat given him by a cruel leader. God corrected him. Taking offense led Elisha to run away and cry, pitying himself. |
| 6) Nebuchadnezzar was offended that Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego would not bow down to his statue. God corrected him. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did not take offense with Nebuchadnezzar. |
| 7) Paul perscuted believers, offended by Jesus, who slammed him on his face later, correcting him after his death and resurrection. |
| 8) Saul was offended that his kingdom would be taken from him because of his pride, and went after David for 20 years in his anger. |
| 9) The two Marys who found the tomb empty took offense at the Roman soldiers, whom they judged took Jesus' body. The angels corrected them, not taking offense with their unbelief. |
| 10) Peter took offense at Jesus' foreseeing of Peter's denying Him 3 times. The offense led to arguing adamantly with Jesus. Jesus didn't take offense at Peter in return. |
| 11) David repeatedly took offense at Saul's hunting him down. The offense led him to A) accuse God at not being there for him and B) believe his life was wasted. |
| 12) Moses was offended that the guard was whipping a countryman/slave. The offense led to murder. |
| 13) Paul and Timothy had a falling out and one of them left offended. |
| 14) The disciples argued about who would be greater. They took offense at not being highly thought of by the others. |
| 15) Offense kept the Pharisees from examining the facts of Jesus' claims. |
| 16) John the Baptist was offended at being asked by Jesus to baptize Him. His offense led him to feel unworthy and refuse to obey Him. |
| 17) Religious rites are created by religion–makers out of being offended by dirt and insisting that what God required was insufficient. |
| 18) Cain was offended that God didn't accept his sacrifice. The offense led to murder. |
| 19) Eli was offended by Hannah's fervent prayers. He was offended by her behavior and accused her of being drunk. |
| 20) Abraham was offended by the behaviors of foreigners, so in their land, he lied about his wife's identity. Offense led to worry, which led to lying. |
| 21) Rachel was offended by Hagar's behavior and it led to her kicking Hagar out of her household. |
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22) Jacob/Israel was offended by Laban's giving of his eldest daughter, Leah, deceitfully in marriage. A) Jacob/Israel refused to love Leah because of his offense. B) Jacob/Israel kept his affectionate eyes on Rachel only throughout his life (the offense led to wrong focus.) C) When Rachel could finally bear children, Leah's children resented Rachel's children and there was always anguish from their father's withholding his love from Leah's children, as he did with their mother. |
| 23) The Egyptians were offended that the Israelites' numbers multiplied, which led to the ludicrous, fearful conclusion that they would conquer them one day. The offense led to the killing of the Israeli firstborn males. |
| 24) Pharoah was offended by God's counsel to let His people go. He thought he could beat God and took God's command as a challenge. Each time God won, he took offense. That offense led to the slaying of Egypt's firstborns and the destruction of his army. |
| 25) The Isralites took offense at the manna, which they were bored eating. The offense led to their wanting to be slaves again, just for the food. |
| 26) The people were offended that God didn't show Himself and carried their idols with them for generations to come. |
| 27) The Israelites grew offended that Moses spent so much time on Mount Sinai, that they decided to make a huge idol. Their offense led to feelings of self–suffiency and creative but evil problem solving apart from God, not to mention terrible heresy! |
| 28)The Israelites took offense at God in every way possible and became too full of themselves to rely on God for taking of the Promise Land God's way. Only their children would enter in. |
| 29) Moses twisteded God's instructions in the handling of his staff in demonstrating the power of God to the Israelites. Offended by the people's behavior, he proved himself too disobedient to lead in taking the Promise Land God's way. |
| 30) King Saul took offense at the prophet being late to bless the army before battle and took that role as priest on himself, offering the sacrifices in his place. Saul's offense led to taking matters into his own hands. |
| 31) Christians were persecuted for the offense of being chosen by God. |
| 32) Habakkuk was offended by the people's continued sins. His offense was with God's timing. |
| 33) Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes, which says all is vanity and disolutionment. God gave Solomon the world, His wisdom and riches. Yet Solomon in the end was offended by it. Why? He used riches to build all his life. He instructed the leaders of the world in God's wisdom. Not one successful world power is not affected today by Solomon's wisdom. Contentment, he discovered, comes from living a quiet life with God. Solomon was offended by the world's inability to bring contentment to him. |
| 34) Many wannabe kings were offended at not being chosen as king, and murdered to get that title. Their offense led to murder and a shortened life. |
| 35) Paul took offense at all the accustions rumored about him and spent some time in the epistles defending himself. |
| 36) Jesus' family became offended with Jesus' behavior at one time or another. |
| 37) Our offenses toward our parents are carried out through every relationship thereafter, until we repent. |
| 38) The only reason we stay alive is because God doesn't take offense with anything we do. |
| 39) We are to have the mind of Christ, who never took offense. |
| 40) Stephen was stoned as an innocent man because of the offense the people took with the Good News that he preached. Even the unbelievers knew he was innocent! |
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41) All the rest of the apostles were killed for their testimony. These killings began with one offense. Note: Today's legal definition of offense is to break the law. God's true definition of offense is not against the one who breaks the law, but the reaction of the one the offense affected in some way. Usually, offenses are reactions to words, friendly or unfriendly, or even inadvertently unfriendly. Inadvertently unfriendly offenses happen frequently in the human race. God said to not take offense. Taking offense is a choice! Offense is sin. "I was so offended!" is equal to "I sinned in response!" |
| Q. What do I do if I react by taking offense? | A. Repent! Forgive! Bless! Being offended is so natural to us! WE are saved and don't need to react or harbor offenses ever again. Do you know better now? |
| Q. How did the blind man demonstrate faith? |
A. Luke 18:35–43 = 1) He didn't hesitate when opportunity arose to receive healing 2) He used what he had to call on the Master, which was a projecting voice. 3) He knew that his healing did not rely on his goodness, therefore, he asked for mercy. 4) He recognized Jesus as rightful king. |
| Q. Who does Jesus want in His Kingdom? |
A. Luke 19:8–10 = 1) One who demonstrates his salvation by repentance and new life 2) One who knows he is lost. Note: Who can know if he is lost? One whom God calls out of darkness into His marvelous light! When God calls, one realizes "Hey, it's dark in here!" |
| Q. Was Jesus clear about His kingship not beginning right away on earth? | A. Luke 19:11 = Yes. He clarified it in a parable. |
| Q. What does the parable say about Jesus? |
A. Luke 19:12–24 = 1) Jesus came to be crowned king and hen go back to the Father 2) While Jesus was here, He assigned people to invest His silver after He was gone. 3) Some of His people refused to even acknowledge Him as King. They hated Him. 4) Even so, Jesus calls them accountable for the silver He gave them. |
| Q. Why? |
A. Because Jesus is King! and they were commanded to invest the silver. Note: Jesus because people hate Jesus doesn't give us an excuse to not minister in God's Kingdom. They make it harder, but our faithfulness must remain. Obey God. Use your talents and gifts at every opportunity. Consider unfaithful people to be a test of your character. Remember that God tests all His children to see if they'll still serve in spite of all kinds of obstacles. Even the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil stood, not in a dark corner, but in the very center of the garden, to test Adam and Eve's obedience. Praise God when faced with temptation or obstacles. Make every one a victory. |
| Q. If I don't use my gifts, what am I? |
A. Luke 19:22 = Wicked. Note: Not to want to do something for God, large or small, demonstrates a lack of love for Him. God will always give opportunity to use your gifts. Pray earnestly that He would use you. He may even grat you new gifts to use! |
| Q. Will the Israelites be accountable to God for rejecting Jesus? |
A. Luke 19:26–27 = Yes. Note: God has put blinders on the Isralites who continually reject Him and to this day it is so. He did it so that the Gentiles would have a chance at salvation. Gentiles carry on the original divine plan, for the most part. But Israelites that get saved are awesome believers! Especially those who grew up going to Hebrew schools as children. They are solid in the Old Testament teachings and enter into salvation that way. |
| Q. How should I serve God? | A. Luke 19:26 = I should use well what I am given, as far as gifts and talents are concerned. |
| Q. And if I don't? |
A. Luke 19:26 = What I am given will be taken away. Note: What do we have? The Word of God. If we learn it and meditate on it and apply it to everyday life, it will be increased to us. But if we don't use it, we won't have it anymore —not even the desire for it will exist in us! |
| Q. According to Luke 19:26, who are the unfaithful? | A. Luke 19:26 = Those who are entrusted with God's Kingdom, but don't promote it are called the unfaithful. |
| Q. Are the unfaithful different than those of the next verse called enemies? | A. Luke 19:27 = Yes. God's enemies are those who hate Him and go to great lengths to reject HIm. |
| Q. What is the fate of the unfaithful? | A. Luke 19:27 = Execution that Jesus will witness. |
| Q. Who first declared publicly that Jesus was King? | A. Luke 19:38 = His followers: Mobs of them! |
| Q. Is that all it took to be declared king? | A. Yes. Jesus' lineage was established. Even David's son, Solomon, was declared king by public declaration. |
| Q. How momentous was Jesus' entry into Jerusalem as King? | A. Luke 19:40 = If the people hadn't declared Him King, the rocks along the road would! |
| Q. Did Jesus love Jerusalem? | A. Luke 19:41–42 = Very much. |
| Q. What did Jesus wish for about Jerusalem? | A. Luke 19:42 = That its people would have found the way of peace before it was too late. |
| Q. What happened as a result of their not having found peace? | A. Luke 19:42 = Peace was hidden from them by God. |
| Q. What resulted after that? | A. Luke 19:43–44 = Jerusalem would fall as Jesus predicted. |
| Q. What opportunity did God offer the Israelites? |
A. Luke 19:42 = The way of peace was shown them. They rejected it. Note: To accept Jesus as King is the way of peace. |
| Q. How off–track were religious leaders in Jesus' time? | A. Luke 19:45 = They were selling goods inside the Temple, and even cheated people too! |
| Q. What was the purpose of the Temple? |
A. Luke 19:46 = It was a place of prayer. Note 1: Prayer is the most essential thing we can do. Imagine shopping as replacing prayer! Note 2: The next time you have spare time, instead of shopping, pray! |
| Q. How did Jesus use the Temple? |
A. Luke 19:47 = He taught the Scriptures in it every day. Note: I love this! Before anything else, you need to know God. You cannot worship a god you don't know! Otherwise, what would you praise Him for? |
| Q. Did the teachers and leaders welcome Jesus? | A. Luke 19:47 = No. They planned to murder Him for teaching in the Temple. |
| Q. Did the Israelites welcome Jesus as teacher? | A. Luke 19:48 = Oh, yes! They hung on Jesus' every word! |
| Q. How do phony believers try to trap believers? | A. Luke 20:2–6 = They set believers up with trick questions. |
| Q. Why did these leaders and teachers of the Israelites want to kill Jesus? | A. Luke 20:14 = With Jesus out of the way, they could enjoy their own man–made religion. |
| Q. What did they not consider in this terrible plan? | A. Luke 20:15–16 = God is still in His Heaven and will retaliate, and he would simply give His Kingdom to others. |
| Q. Did the Israelites conceive that murder could happen to Jesus? | A. Luke 20:17 = No. They thought it was a terrible thing to even suggest it might happen. |
| Q. Was Jesus prophesied to be rejected by those Israelites? |
A. Luke 20:17–18 = Yes. In Psalm 118:22. By Jesus' rejection, He became the conerstone. Note: A cornerstone of a brick house is the first stone on which the others are laid. Take it out and the house falls down. The entire relationship between God and the Israelites was based on Messiah, the cornerstone, to come. It always was! |
| Q. So all of life and the things contained in the universe God made, past, present and future, are based in Jesus, Messiah, the Cornerstone of everything? | A. Luke 20:18 = Yes. |
| Q. If people reject Jesus, what happens? |
A. Luke 20:18 = There is no hope for them. Two things occur: 1) They stumble ofer Jesus, or else 2) Jesus falls on them and they are crushed. |
| Q. Did the religious leaders and teachers understand what Jesus said? | A. Luke 20:19 = Yes. They knew they had been warned not to reject Jesus. |
| Q. Did they listen at all? | A. Luke 20:20 = No. They planned to trap Jesus with words. |
| Q. Did they succeed? Why or why not? | A. Luke 20:21–23 = No. Jesus saw through that trickery! |
| Q. What belongs to God? |
A. Luke 20:25 = Everything that belongs to God. Note: I love this answer, which amazes even the askers (v.26). What belongs to God? Everything. That was a universal knowledge at the time. |
| Q. How can I remember what the religious sect, the Sadducees, believed? | A. They didn't believe in the resurrection after death. That is why they were so sad, you see! |
| Q. Is there resurrection after death? | A. Luke 20:38 = Yes! God is the God of the living, not of the dead. |
| Q. Was that a good answer to some religious leaders? |
A. Luke 20:39 = Yes. Note: It's nice to know that some Israelite leaders and teachers were saved as a result of Jesus' life and teaching! |
| Q. What punishment is coming that is greater than others? | A. Luke 20:46–47 = Those punishments set aside for popular, dressy, false teachers. |
| Q. How do I recognize a false teacher? |
A. Luke 20:46 = 1) They parade around in flowing robes and their followers bow down to them in the marketplaces 2) They love taking seats of honor in churches and synagogues and at banquets 3) While they cheat widows out of their property 4) They cover up who they really are. How? 5) They make long prayers in public. Note: See how the devil twists God's ways? He even uses prayers to hide evil. Always, look at the fruit of a person to see who he really is. |
| Q. This false teacher here is totally aware of his wicked deeds, isn't he? |
A. Luke 20:47 = Yes. It is because he knows better that his punishment is greater. Note: Learn a valuable lesson here! The nemesis of Christlikeness is a twisted representation of Him. People know God is good and the devil is bad. Rare is the person who willingly follows Satan. Since Satan's plan is to draw people away from God, he would have to plan a strategy to make them stray, unknowingly, into his territory. His strategy benefits only him, while corrupting people. He gets to pretend to be God, while he drags ignorant people his way. It's all he can do to keep hidden, pretending to be God while desiring to rule openly as his ugly, evil self. |
| Q. So how do I know if what I'm being taught in the Word is true? | A. Psalm 119:15 = "I will study Your commandments and reflect on Your ways." Know God's Word for yourself. Reflect on them and doublecheck what you are being taught. God expects us to be responsible for what we hear. |
| Q. Can anyone study God's Word? | A. Yes. Study with the intent to know God better. Consider how Satan's nature is only to destroy. When God tells us to discipline our kids, He never means to beat (destroy) them to a pulp. But how would I know that if I didn't know more than, "Spare the rod, spoil the child"? The Bible also says not to provoke my children to wrath; not to wound their spirits; and to train him up in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it. So I put all those facts together and I see that I train, guide, discipline, careful not to break. If your kids are a confused, angry mess when they're fully grown, they've been provoked to wrath. Consider the fruit before deciding whether or not you were obedient as a parent to God's Word. God never hurts us to destruction. He has only thousands of good thoughts for us. All His thoughts result in our growth; our needed lessons, and never confusion or wrath. God's discipline saves our souls from death. "You shall beat him withthe rod and save his sould from Sheol." Do you know what a rod looks like? It's about 18 inches long. Do you know the length of one beating? One or two swats, on the fleshy part of the buttock. That's it! Prerequisites to corporal punishment is carried out on a one on one offense basis, when teaching, loving, hugging acts applied first to the incident hasn't brought repentance. Hey, that sounds a lot like the way God is with us! When punishment is over, resume one on one time, teaching, loving and hugging again. The Bible is filled with God's examples of right disciplining. We learn excellent parenting from our Maker. God is mindful that we are weak. Are you mindful that your child is weak? Without God, we are lost without a Shepherd. Are you aware that your child is lost without you? If you punish too severely, your child will run and be lost. What fruit do you bear as a parent? How are your grown children doing today? Swallow your pride and change into a godlike parent. Make it right between you. Determine to encourage, help and support right now. Pray for your kids always. No one on earth cares about them as much as you do. |
| Q. What does God think of rich folks who tithe? | A. Luke 21:1–4 = God knows that rich folks give only a tiny part of their surplus (which is not sacrificial giving). |
| Q. What did Jesus think of the widow who gave a little? | A. Luke 21:1–4 = She gave a lot. |
| Q. What's the point? | A. Rich folks need to give until it makes them sacrifice. What do you give up in order to give well to God? Is your lifestyle significantly humbled because of your giving to God? |
| Q. What did God have planned for the Temple in Zion after Jesus completed His work and the Holy Spirit was sent as our Helper? |
A. Luke 21:5–6 = Complete destruction of the Temple would come. Note 1: The Temple went down as prophesied in 60 A.D. The Old Covenant was finished with Jesus' death. Judaism survives by Israelites who would not accept their King. They continued the expiried Old Covenant in local and remote synagogues around the globe. Note 2: v.7 = The disciples still had no idea the significance of the Temple being destroyed. There is a reason God plans major events a certain way. The Temple was God's way of driving His point home to the Israelites, who were too stubborn to accept Jesus. God was not in that Temple anymore. He did not protect it as He could have, as there was no reason to. The purpose of the Temple was for housing God as David wanted. God told David it wasn't necessary. Like the original tent Temple, it was there for carrying out God's Word. Temple sacrifices. But there would be no more blood sacrificing after Jesus' blood was spilt. When a new covenant is made, the old is automatically void (see Hebrews). "Thank you, Jesus, for simplifying our lives. You gave us the Holy Spirit who helps us to obey You. All sins are paid for, past, present and future. Thanks for the mission you gave us in Matthew 28:19–20." God simplified our salvation at the right time. |
| Q. What new trouble would mankind get into with traditional religion changed by New Covenant? |
A. Luke 21:8 = Ripping off of the New Covenant. False messiahs would fool those who rejected Jesus. Note: Satan always lies by ripping off the truth. Not one false religion is original. |
| Q. What other events did Jesus prophesy about? |
A. Luke 21:9 = 1) Great persecution 2) Evangelism to world leaders while serving in prison 3) The Holy Spirit giving us words to fellow inmates Great betrayal by friends and family 5) Murdered saints 6) Standing firm 7) Wars and insurrections, but the end of times wouldn't immediately follow those things 8) Natural disasters 9) Epidemics in many countries 10) Terrifying things 11) Great miraculous signs in the heavens |
| Q. Did Jesus give details about Jerusalem's destruction? | A. Luke 21:20–24 = Yes. |
| Q. What did Jesus call the fall of Jerusalem to come? | A. Luke 21:22 = The Days of God's Vengeance. |
| Q. What other events did Jesus speak of? |
A. Luke 21:25 = 1) Strange events in the skies: in the sun, moon and stars 2) Weirdness in the roaring seas and strange tides 3) People will see the earth and skies breaking up and wonder when the end will be. |
| Q. So strange, natural phenomenons precede Jesus' return? | A. Luke 21:27 = Yes. |
| Q. Should I fear this? | A. Luke 21:28 = No! Stand straight and look up, for our salvation is near! |
| Q. Man has divided history since Jesus' time on earth into different eras and ages. Does Jesus do this too? | A. Luke 21:32 = No. We are still in Jesus' generation. When all the aforementioned events take place, this generation will pass. |
| Q. What is the final event of this generation? | A. Luke 21:33 = Heaven and earth will disappear. |
| Q. Will anything be left? |
A. Luke 21:33 = Yes. God's Word will be left. Note 1: I recently heard someone say that worship is greater than knowing God's Word. He said many people know a lot about God's Word, but don't obey God's Word. In other words, it doesn't change these people. He said worship was the most important thing we have. I disagree. Jesus is the Word. He is the most important One we have. Worship is response to knowing all about His awesome Person through reading His Word. We cannot worship properly unless we know to whom our worship goes. Empty praise is futile! Note 2: Here are some Scriptures to ponder: "In the beginning, the Word already existed. He (the Word) was with God, and He was God. He was in the beginning with God. He created everything there is. Nothing exists that He didn't make. Life itself was in Him (the Word), and this life gives light to everyone. The light shines through the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. Note 3: Meditate on these verses. And we'll be studying John soon. Aren't you excited about this teaching? I am! |
| Q. What is "careless ease"? |
A. Luke 21:34 = How about surfing the internet and looking up stuff? A little bit of ease is good every day. But use your ease time wisely! Note: When I write fiction, I formulate, then write, then stop and formulate again, until the book is finished. Formulating time is heavy thinking time. Work! Too much writing and formulating leads to writers' block. I know when that happens it's time to play. All things need moderation; work and play in balance. Jesus asks us to maintain a balance of both. |
| Q. And drunkenness is what? | A. Luke 21:34 = Careless easwe! A lifestyle of the brain turned inside out and non–productive. There is no one on earth who has that kind of time to waste, even once! |
| Q. What other behavior wastes our time? |
A. Luke 21:34 = Being filled with the worries of this life. Note: More balance! Work and play in balance. Too much work, which includes worry, is out of balance. |
| Q. What does Jesus call a man out of balance? |
A. Luke 21:35 = As being caught in a trap. Note: A trap deems you out of control; you cannot get out. This behavior is curious to me. I know someone who hangs tight to control, but he really has a deathgrip on the core of his trap. There is such a loss of freedom when one cannot believe that God is Provider! |
| Q. Will there ever be a time when we are going to be trapped? |
A. Luke 21:35 = Yes. When the Kingdom of Heaven comes with horrors and we all will stand before Jesus! Note: I look forward to that day. I also am overwhelmed withthe thought of being set to stand before Jesus. I want to meet Him. He will see me for who I am. Am I facing who I am now? What does Jesus see when He looks at me? The thought of Him brings me such joy and indescribable hope. I hope you are filled with the same hope, conviction and love that bursts at the seems within me through knowing Jesus through His Word a little better every day. |
| Q. What happens when I commit to knowing God? | A. Luke 21:–36 = I want to keep a constant watch, as Jesus asks me to. I want to obey His Word. |
| Q. What is a good prayer? |
A. Luke 21:36 = Asking God that I would escape the horrors to come and go directly to stand before Jesus. Note: We can actually escape the horrors to come! |
| Q. What was Jesus' final time in Jerusalem like from the time He entered it as King? |
A. Luke 21:37–38 = 1) Jesus taught every day in the Temple 2) He spent every night on the Mount of Olives |
| Q. Did people come to hear Jesus speak? | A. Luke 21:38 = Yes. Crowds gathered early each morning to hear Him. |
| Q. How did Jesus' death come about? |
A. Luke 22:2 = 1) With murder in the hearts of the leading priests and teachers of religious law 2) Which led to plotting His murder 3) And weighing the cost; they were unwilling to die for what they believed and feared being killed by rioters who would surely protest. |
| Q. Who spied on this group of religious fakes? | A. Luke 22:3 = Satan. He waited until they were all ripe and moved in. |
| Q. How did Satan begin helping them to kill Jesus? |
A. Luke 22:3 = By entering Judas Iscariot. Note: Always be alert, be strong in the Word and, therefore, strong in the Lord. Worship God at all times and you will never be duped by Hell! |
| Q. What is a betrayer like? |
A. Luke 22:3 = He might be one in our inner circle of friends, caught off–guard. Note: Ouch! Why do friends betray us? Because they are weakened by unconfessed sin. Betrayal is their issue, not yours as betrayed victim. I know this is hard to hear, but listen up anyway! The devil wants to render you powerless for God's purposes. He also knows that we need one another. We open up and are vulnerable to friends. If the devil is successful in tormenting one of your friends, your friend is ripe to become a betrayer. At one time or another, we all get attacked, while subtle, undealt–with sin causes trouble at core level. That means we are all vulnerable to acting as our brothers' betrayer! Always confess, always remember who your enemy is. The reality is that all people are friends. Those who do not act as friends, we are still to treat as we want to be treated — as friends. So bless your betrayers! They struggle with the devil and with sin! |
| Q. Who else betrays? |
A. Luke 22:2 = Church leaders who don't acknowledge the whole of God's Word. Note: Do you realize that church leaders neglect God's Word as often as their backslidden flock? You can never permanently be filled with God's Word. All of us need daily filling, dailing hearing from God. A council of important religious leaders can forget that murder is direct and blatant disobedience to God! |
| Q. So Satan possessed Judas Iscariot? What was Judas' weakness and unconfessed sin? |
A. Luke 22:5 = Love of money. Note: Just like Satan, who was a commerce leader in Heaven before his great fall. Money blinds! It is the only thing Jesus said was a master besides Himself. God wants to bless us, but why would He bless us with a cruel master? 1) We ask for it 2) He knows that we are better off poor. We fellowship more with God just because we rely on Him for our provision. 3) We spend money stupidly 4) We hog it 5) We control people with it 6) We are frivolous with it 7) We overspend it 8) We don't deny ourselves of too much of it 9) We judge those who don't have it 10) We declare God's favor on us because of it 12) We plan every penny of it 13) We obsess over it 14) We count it 15) We want to be buried with it 16) We spend a lifetime gathering it 17) We hold it hostage from our kids 18) We deny our children their inheritance of it 19) We measure the amount of it as a barometer of God's love for us 20) We resent those who have it 2) The tithe of it measures us in church or spirituality, our place and position, regardless of our talents or gifts 23) We measure our goodness by it 26) We boast of our giving of it, however slight or much 27) It is passing away 28) It renders us useless to seeing God as Provider of it 30) The natural inheritance of land is now sold with it 32) It makes inflation 33) The lack of it brings starvation and death 34) God's Kingdom is advanced without it 35) We can't be content with enough of it. 36) Spreading the Godspel is based on it in our churches NOte 2: I hate money. Enough said. |
| Q. How can we be Christians without lots of money? |
A. I've already mentioned some ways: 1) Know that we hear God better for lack of it 2) We truly recognize God as Provider 3) Worship is free 4) We share what little we have with the poor 5) Don't mind having an Acts 2 church, meeting in homes and sharing 6) The poor aren't ashamed to come to our humble churches 7) We are not serving the wrong master— always! 8) We can concentrate on Kingdom work, hearing God's directions better 9) Our families aren't together because of anticipating its inheritance 10) We don't measure God's love at all — a terrible power play of rich folks 11) Talents and gifts blossom freely 12) We're not stressed from high–pressure careers 13) We have compassion for poor nations because we can relate 14) Missions are local 15) We boast in Christ and not in the tithe 16) God's Kingdom is advanced without it 17) It takes one bible to transform many 22) Third Word countries have churches that grow rapidly without money 23) Blessed are the feet of those who take the gospel to the world 24) Walk outside your front door; there's your mission! 25) Open your mouth and tell people of your Lord, which is the Good News. |
| Q. Does plotting evil always raise conscience levels? |
A. Luke 22:5 = No. Delight is raised when plotting evil. That's the sin nature! Note: Don't base your actions by the level of joy and exitement that comes with a plan. The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked. Who can know it? Base your actions on what Jesus would do. Know God and you'll know best what to do. For instance, Jesus would never throw a fellow believer in jail. Jesus told us to settle conflicts outside of court whenever possible. Never delight in your brother's tragedy. God judged Israel in the Old Testament for delighting in seeing their enemies die. That is evil! Conflict betweeen believers is the tragedy. Repent for your part in it and make peace with your brother before going to church again to worship God. |
| Q. If I don't? | A. Luke 22:3–5 = Then you are just a pawn in the devil's present scheme to destroy your brother. |
| Q. How does a betrayer betray? | A. Luke 22:6 = He looks for an opportunity to betray when no witnesses are around, actually stalking his victim like a lion. |
| Q. Who helps him betray a brother? |
A. Luke 22:3 = Satan. Note: If you think your brother needs a sharp rebuke, ask yourself if you would give it to him in front of witnesses. If not, you are probably in error. God always says to confront privately first (one on one). Then if he won't listen, bring two or three witnesses. Then if he still doesn't listen, bring him before the church. Let the church do major discipline, which is putting him outside of the inner circle of believers. This is major stuff. Many people are involved and have come together to counsel him in genuine love and concern. Yet rarely does this happen today. Tread carefully around God's chosen ones. God is most concerned about how we treat one another. Our testimony as one body of Christ is proof to the world that God loves mankind. |
| Q. What is the significance of the Passover supper? | A. Luke 22:19–20 = The bread signifies Jesus' body broken for all of mankind. The wine is the token of God's New Covenant of Love to save us. (The Old Covenant of the Law was replaced completely by this New Covanant). Jesus' blood sealed the New Covenant between God and mankind. |
| Q. Who betrays? |
A. Luke 22:21 = Close friends. Note: You can never tell who might betray. We all have betrayed at one time or another. 1) We tire of complicated relationships within families and outside them. 2) A friendship turns into one party being a leech. 3) One gets tired of being the only one to call on his friend. 4) One party cannot simply let your opinion differ than his own. 5) One party has sin issues that emerge around his friend because he is reaping some childhood bitter vow (see Cleansing Stream notes). 6) The relationship was not based in unconditional love 7) Cultural differences make it impossible to communicate clearly. |
| Q. Why do friends betray? |
A. Luke 22:22 = It is ordained to occur by God. Note: Don't let betrayal sink down into your innermost parts! Remember, it is a test of your faith, initiated by God. Will you trust God to deliver you, or will you lash out and hurt the church's testimony? Think of the bigger picture and make the choice that requires humility. You will be rewarded with spiritual growth and maturity as a result! |
| Q. If it is God's will for me to be betrayed, what is it for my betrayer? |
A. Luke 22:22 = Terrible! Note: Don't be the one to betray! All betrayal is evil. Bless at all times instead! |
| Q. How trustworthy was Judas Iscariot? | A. Luke 22:23 = The disciples had no clue that he was any more or less evil than the rest. |
| Q. None of them could guess the truth about Judas Iscariot? | A. None! |
| Q. Why did the disciples argue amongst themselves about their high positions in Heaven? | A. Luke 22:25 = They thought greatness was measured, just like it is in the world, by the accomplishments of one's life. |
| Q. What is true of the hierarchy of the church? |
A. Luke 22:26 = 1) Greatest of us take lower ranks 2) Lowest of us take highest ranks 3) Leaders are like servants as Jesus was 4) All remain true to Jesus 5) All remain true to each other in times of trial. |
| Q. Would the apostles become great in the Kingdom? | A. Luke 22:30 = Yes. They will sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. |
| Q. Does Satan have to ask God's permission to torment believers? | A. Luke 22:31–32 = Yes. And we should always be in prayer, covering each other in case Satan singles one of us out. |
| Q. What should we pray? |
A. Luke 22:31–32 = That our faith would not fail. Note: Faith is the key to withstanding trial. Keep your eyes up! |
| Q. Can our faith be totally intact in trial and we sin anyway? | A. Luke 22:32 = Yes. But we should repent and turn back to Jesus with a proper perspective. |
| Q. What are trials and tribulations for? | A. Luke 22:32 = They strengthen us so that we are able to build up our brethren. |
| Q. Should we do that after a trial? | A. Luke 22:32 = Yes! It is commanded. We are especially strong after trial. Nothing clears the perspective like trouble! |
| Q. When do trials come? | A. Luke 22:33 = When we think we are at our strongest, closest relationship with God. Certain of our devotion, God runs our resolve through fire. |
| Q. Did the disciples with Jesus have weapons? |
A. Luke 22:38 = Yes. They had two swords. Note: Be prepared! God protects us, but we should also learn how to protect ourselves. |
| Q. What is a good prayer? | A. Luke 22:40 = That I would not be overcome by temptation. |
| Q. And if I am? | A. Luke 22:43 = Pray that God would send an angel to strengthen me. |
| Q. What results? |
A. Luke 22:44 = More fervent prayer! Note: WE re so lacking in praying fervently! Think of how you spend your alone time. Here are some ways I can think of: 1) Forming opinions 2) Thinking how hopeless a situation is 3) Nursing hurts 4) Worrying about the impact of something careless I said 5) Thinking about tomorrow 6) Calculating the family or business budget 7) Worrying about my kids |
| Q. Now think of a prayer that could be uttered on behalf of each one of the listed topics. |
A. 1) I don't care what I think; I only care what God thinks! Help me, Jesus, to care what You think only! 2) I give you this situation, Father. Bless it. Pour Your grace and mercy on it. 3) I forgive, I bless my enemies 4) Cover my words with Grace, my Father. May they be received in love. 5) Help me to live only for today, my Father, who always provides for me. 6) Thank you, Father, for providing all my needs 7) I give the fate of my children into your hands, Father. |
| Q. What is it like to be in agony of spirit as Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane? | A. Luke 22:44 = To pray so hard for something, you feel the impact of the prayer. When some big event is happening, a big change in the heavens is about to happen. We pray and the impact hits us with physical pain. |
| Q. Why did the disciples fall asleep in the garden? | A. Luke 22:45 = They were exhausted from grief. |
| Q. What would have helped them to stay awake? |
A. Luke 22:43 = Asking God to send an angel to strengthen them! Note: God's Word makes us so much wiser! Just looke at these points: 1) The example of life and relationship Jesus had with the Father 2) The example of life and relationship Jesus had with people is so correct in every page of the Bible Jesus was filled with behaviors for us to mimic 4) Jesus' attitudes are ours to copy 5) We learn how to be a peacemaker by Jesus' example 6) The importance of knowing God through His Word is made plain 7) A proper perspective is learned through Jesus' life 8) We can go on and on! |
| Q. Why should we all pray as much as possible? |
A. Luke 22:46 = Temptation overpowers us in the absence of prayer. Note: That's a clear exchange of activities! We choose prayer over our weakness. See the chart below: |
|
Presence of Prayer |
Absence of Prayer |
|
|
|
| 1) We bless our enemies | 1) We party with our enemies |
| 2) We pray salvation for friends and family | 2) We fall further away from God |
| 3) The Kingdom comes | 3) The Kingdom is not furthered |
| 4) People are covered by prayer | 4) People are not covered by prayer |
| 5) Attitudes are perfected | 5) Selfish attitudes rule |
| 6) The tongue is stopped from evil | 6) The tongue is loosed on people |
| 7) The enemy is bound | 7) The enemy stays loose |
| 8) Love grows | 8) Maturity stops |
| 9) I have a servant's heart | 9) I have a wicked heart |
| 10) I am in fellowship with God | 10) I am estranged from God |
| 11) I have a right view of God | 11) I have a twisted view of God |
| 12) I know what humility is | 12) I am self–reliant |
| 13) I am accepting of all men | 13) I am judgmental of all men |
| 14) I am hungry for the Word of God | 15) I am exhausted at the thought of reading God's Word |
| 16) I maintain a clean testimony | 15) I have a shameful testimony |
| Note: A prayerful life makes you different by default. Wouldn't you rather have the presence of God and prayer in your life and merit the rewards of Column A above? |
| Q. What happened after Jesus found the disciples sleeping and not prayed up? |
|
A. Luke 22:46–50 = 1) They were caught off guard by their enemies 2) They were full of questions for Jesus on what to do 3) One reacted out of impulse, cutting off the ear of one of the high priest's servants. So basically when we are not prayed up, we are: 1)Caught off guard when the enemy attacks 2) Don't know what to do 3) Make rash decisions. These are three of our basic carnal reactions to trouble. We can all relate to these! The three right things that happen when one is prayed up are: 1) We are on guard, ready for the enemy 2) Our ears are open to receive instruction. God will instruct according to His Word, and we know it is His voice because He never contradicts Himself and we are in the Word, and recognize the instruction as being biblical 3) We make wise decisions. |
| Who was in the mob at the Garden of Gethsemane? |
A. Luke 22:52 = 1) Leading priests 2) Captains of the Temple guard 3) Other leaders. |
| Q. What did Jesus call the time of His arrest? | A. Luke 22:53 = The time when the power of darkness reigned. It was its moment to shine. |
| Q. So Jesus' arrest was ordained to happen just then? | A. Luke 22:53 = Yes. |
| Q. What happened right after Peter denied Jesus as predicted? |
A. Luke 22:61 = Jesus looked at him. Note: Don't ever be discouraged about your innate weakness to fail God. The heart is willing, but Jesus came because He knew we would love to serve Him, but are unable to in our own strength. Jesus wasn't disgusted with Peter; He was pure in heart, wanting Peter to know it was okay. This is what all of Jesus coming, living and dying for us was all about. So get up, brush yourself off and begin new each day. Aren't you glad that Peter did? |
| Q. Why was Jesus treated so harshly? |
A. Luke 22:63–65 = They were Roman guards, completely ignorant of the significance of who they abused. Note: The Israelites had the Romans do to Jesus what the Law told them never to do, especially to an Israelite brother. It is awful to see Christians sue their brethren. They bring in the godless, secular world to do their dirty work for them in order to exact money. As much as it is in your power to do so, do not sue your brother. Take all arguments to God. Accept loss as it comes, love your brother. Law suits are nothing more than an attempt to seize control of an argument and win. Turn the other cheek, let your brother have your coat and give him a second one, and you will be behaving like Jesus did. |
| Q. When the council of Isralites met the next morning after Jesus' arrest, did they want to know the truth about Him? After all, they questioned Him directly about His being Messiah. |
A. Luke 22:66–67 = No. They were already unbelieving. Note: Who beats someone up before the trial? Only those who have already sentenced him. |
| Q. How did the Israelite leaders squirm out of hearing the truth? |
A. Luke 22:67–68 = By avoiding answering the right questions while cofusing only on their opinions> Note: Now that's human nature at its most deceiving! |
| Q. How did Jesus respond to their questions of His being Messiah? | A. Luke 22:69 = Quoting the Scripture, Psalm 110:1 = He was due to go back to the Father until the Father made Jesus' enemies a footstool for His feet. |
| Q. How did they respond? |
A. Luke 22:70 = 1) Shouting at Him which showed their hard hearts 2) With another question: Are You the Son of God? |
| Q. Did Jesus admit He was God's Son? | A. Luke 22:70–71 = Yes. But they rejected Him. |
| Q. Who took Jesus to the Romans after this interrogation? | A. Luke 23:1 = The entire council. All had blood on their hands! |
| Q. What lies did they make up to provoke Rome to arrest Jesus? |
A. Luke 23:2 = That Jesus was leading the people to ruin by 1) Telling them not to pay their taxes 2) Accusing Jesus of claiming to be Messiah, a king. Note: Clever! The Jewish leaders and priests portrayed Jesus a threat to Rome, as a king whose purpose was to take Israel back from them, and then saying that Jesus provoked rebellion in the people by telling them not to pay their taxes. But how sad! The spiritual leaders of Israel truly did not want Jesus as their king. But Jesus did Jerusalem only good. No sickness went unhealed; they saw Jesus turn their country into a place of health, happiness and joy in God, teaching them His Word and declaring His love for them. Yet they reduced Him to being merely a political activist bent on the same purpose and lust for power that Rome drove Rome to conquer one nation after the other. |
| Q. How did Pilate respond to these accusations presented to him? | A. Luke 23:3 = By asking Jesus if He was king of the Jews. |
| Q. Did Jesus tell him as much? | A. Luke 22:3 = Yes. |
| Q. How did Pilate respond? |
A. Luke 23:4 = He accepted Jesus! He declared Jesus innocent. Note: The known world accepted the good works Jesus was known for performing. A king who healed His people and loved them, having a reputation of miracle working and wise teaching, bringing peace and encouraging people to pay their taxes, just as He did? Pilate knew all about Jesus. He knew that, truly, Jesus was no threat! |
| Q. How did the Jewish council respond to Pilate's verdict? | A. Luke 23:5 = With bigger lies. They were desperate to get rid of Jesus. |
| Q. Why did Pilate give Jesus over to King Herod? | A. Luke 23:6–7 = Jesus was a Galilean, under Herod's jurisdiction. And the council wouldn't accept Pilate's judgment as final. |
| Q. What was Herod like? | A. Luke 23:8 = He had heard of Jesus and was excited to meet Him. Herod wanted to see Jesus perform a miracle firsthand. |
| Q. How did Jesus respond to Herod? | A. Luke 23:9 = Jesus refused to answer his many questions. |
| Q. What was happening at the same time? | A. Luke 23:10 = The council shouted accusations at Jesus during Herod's questioning. |
| Q. How did Herod respond to Jesus' silence? |
A. Luke 23:11 = 1) Mocking and ridiculing Him 2) Putting a royal robe on Jesus 3) Sending Jesus back to Pilate. |
| Q. What made Pilate and Herod friends after a liftetime of being enemies? |
A. Luke 23:12–17 = Their association in Jesus' trial. Note: What they had in common was a refusal to condemn Jesus officially. |
| Q. Did Pilate try to defend Jesus before the Jewish council? | A. Luke 23:20–22 = Yes. |
| Q. How badly was Jesus hated by the Israelites? | A. Luke 23:25 = The Israelites would rather have a murderer and political radical released in Jesus' stead. |
| Q. Who arrested Jesus then? |
A. Luke 23:25 = The Israelites did. Pilate gave Jesus to them to do as they wished. Note: All the complications of being ruled by a non–believing nation are now set aside. The Israelites get to judge in the place of Herod and Pilate. |
| Q. How did Jesus respond to the woman who wept for Him? | A. Luke 23:27–30 = He told her not to cry. And He pointed her to the events to come where those tears would flow because of her coming affliction. |
| Q. What did Jesus think of His arrest and judgment? | A. Luke 23:34 = He asked God to forgive them all for doing this. |
| Q. Why? |
A. Luke 23:34 = He knew they had no idea what they were doing. Note: They behaved according to what was needed to asure His death. That was a good thing! Sin was paid for, all was to change, even the calendar! Followers would be like Jesus. 2000 years have passed and God's name lives on in them. |
| Q. What was different about the Romans' behavior? | A. Luke 23:35–38 = They didn't lie about Jesus. They asked Him to be Himself, save Himself, to be the Messiah now. It was a truthful line of questioning. Why wouldn't He save Himself if He could? |
| Q. Who was the first man to understand what Jesus was dying for? |
A. Luke 23:40 = One of the criminals on the cross next to Jesus. He declared Jesus' innocence in an evil judgment by His own people 2) He declared himself as deserving to die for his own wicked deeds 3) He asked Jesus to remember him when He came into His Kingdom 4) He feared God. |
| Q. And Jesus confirmed His being right about Him? |
A. Luke 23:43 = Absolutely! Jesus declared the criminal to be with Him today in paradise. Note: This is salvation: 1) Fear God 2) Acknowledge that you deserve death 3) Declare Jesus' works as those to get you to Heaven 4) Ask Him for entry into Heaven. The criminal who loved Jesus had no idea that Jesus died to pay for all sin. No one did yet! Jesus was pure, a Lamb, set aside for others' sins. The Good News is not hard to understand, even for the ignorant! |
| Q. What time was it when Jesus talked with the criminal on the cross? | A. Luke 23:44 = Noon. |
| Q. What also happened at noon? | A. Luke 23:44 = Darkness fell across the whole land. |
| Q. How long did it last? | A. Luke 23:44 = Three hours; until 3:00pm. |
| Q. What happened at 3:00pm? | A. Luke 23:45 = The veil in the Temple was torn apart (from top to bottom). |
| Q. Did this happen while Jesus was still alive? | A. Luke 23:46 = Yes. |
| Q. Who was with Jesus when He died? |
A. Luke 23:47–49 = 1) The captain of the Roman soldiers handling the execution 2) The crowd who came to see the crucifixion. |
| Q. Where were Jesus' friends? | A. Luke 23:49 = They stood at a distance, watching. |
| Q. How did the captain and the crowd take the sudden darkness? | A. Luke 27:47–48 = With great sorrow for Jesus' death. They saw it as proof of His claim to be Messiah, and as proof of His innocence. |
| Q. Did the entire high council agree about killing Jesus? | A. Luke 23:50–51 = No. Joseph of Arimathea did not agree with the decision to kill Jesus. |
| Q. What was Joseph like? | A. Luke 23:51 = He waited for the Kingdom of God to come as spoken of in the prophecies. He was devout. |
| Q. How did Joseph respond to Jesus' death and the darkness that followed? | A. Luke 23:52 =He went to Pilate to ask for Jesus' body to bury Him in his own tomb. |
| Q. What day did Jesus die? |
A. Luke 23:54 = Late afternoon on Passover Friday. Note: Sabbath goes from Friday sundown to Saturday 6:00pm. No work, only rest, was allowed during Sabbath. All day Friday, all the food for Sabbath was prepared, all work finished, to make it possible to rest during Sabbath (v.56). |
| Q. Was Jesus' body anointed by the two women? | A. Luke 24:1–3 = No. They prepared anointing stuffs for Him, but Jesus' rose from the dead before it could be used. |
| Q. Who went to the tomb? |
A. Luke 24:10 = 1) Mary Magdalene 2) Joanna 3) Jesus' mother, Mary 4) Several others 5) Peter went later. |
| Q. Why didn't the two Jesus followers recognize Jesus when He joined them on the road? | A. Luke 24:16 = God kept them from recognizing Him. |
| Q. What is foolishness? | A. Luke 24:25 = Finding prophecy hard to believe when it comes true. |
| Q. What did Jesus point out to these two followers? |
A. Luke 24:26 = Messiah would suffer before entering His time of glory. Note: Did you know that Jesus is living in His time of glory right now? |
| Q. Did Jesus teach after He rose from the dead? | A. Luke 24:27 = Yes. He taught the two men about what the Scriptures reveal about Messiah. |
| Q. Did they ever know they were with Jesus? |
A. Luke 24:31 = Yes. Jesus disappeared when God revealed it to them. Note: Do you ever realie that God was just teaching you something just as He finishes? When I wake up in the morning, depending on my alertness, I recognize God's voice and then He immediately stops the lesson. God speaks to us in our dreams. Ask Him to teach you too!Be alert after asking Him to, then wake up to His voice. He speaks as a Father does to his child. |
| Q. How will I know what I hear is from Jesus? | A. Luke 24:32 = You asked and He answered! Jesus teaches great things, never contrary to His Word. If you can't put your finger on the lesson, don't worry. He wrote it on your heart and in His Word. |
| Q. How didJesus confess to them that it was Him? |
A. Luke 24:33–34 = He also appeared to Peter, and then to the rest. Note: When God moves, He moves in more than just your life. Others around you are hearing from Him too. Let God confirm Himself to you throughout the day. Lessons are clear, but God always confirms them to us in daily occurences and in teaching the very same lesson to someone else you know. |
| Q. When Jesus appeared before the entire group of followers, why were they scared? |
A. Luke 24:45 =Jesus didn't open their minds to understand the Scriptures until after He revealed Himself to them, reason with them, and speak many Scriptures that were prophesied and fulfilled now. Note: Jesus reveals Himself by a specific pattern that we need to follow when talking to someone about the Good News: 1) We plant the seed 2) W reason with the unbeliever,asking questions 3) We read the Scriptures to him. 4) We let God open the eyes of his understanding. This is the work of every believer! |
| Q. How did these followers know to go to Jerusalem to wait for the Hoy Spirit to fill them? | A. Luke 24:49 = Jesus instructed them to do this. |
| Q. Where did Jesus ascend into Heaven? | A. Luke 24:50–51 = From Bethany. |
| Q. What did the disciples do after Jesus ascended from the earth? |
A. Luke 24:52–53 = 1) They worshiped Jesus 2) They returned to Jerusalem, filled with joy 3) They spent all their time in the Temple, praising God. |
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