Luke 18:1-43
18:1 This and the following 7 verses are teaching through metaphor. Humans should always pray and never get discouraged because they feel like God either can't hear or won't here. We've learned in our previous lessons that it's God's great joy to listen to His children and give them whatever they need and whatever is good for them, Luke 12:22. God hears everything we say to Him and He delivers to us what we ask for in the time and manner that is best for us. He's omniscient, He knows what to give us and when because He can understand so much more than we can. It's important that you have a faithful communication with God, so many people beg or demand things from God but they really don't even know Him... they spend no time with Him. Returning to the metaphor...
18:2 This is a judge who isn't faithful to God (meaning that he does not emulate the qualities God teaches: kindness, justice, compassion. Also, this man has no respect for his fellow humans -- he does not care what happens to them or that they are treated fairly.
18:3 This woman approaches him for help from someone who is disturbing her in some way.
18:4-5 The man does not care about her or her problem however, he eventually helps her because he does not want her to keep coming back and annoying him with the issue.
18:6 This man, who was unkind and selfish, answered the plea of a woman he did not care about, a woman who annoyed him. God wants you to realize that even this terrible man answered the plea of something needing his help. He didn't want to help but he did... Yet, we have a God who WANTS to help, who cares about us and loves us and people get discouraged in prayer. Remember the first verse of this chapter.
18:7 God is with us through every difficulty and adversary and He never gets annoyed or bored. He hears His children who love Him, study His word and implement it into their lives and how they interact with others -- it's His great pleasure to answer our prayers.
18:8 Without delay, God sets in motion the answering of our prayers. The key is to be in direct communication with God, to have a relationship with Him. Sadly, even though He loves us so much, upon returning to Earth... He's going to find that many people have no faith.
18:2 This is a judge who isn't faithful to God (meaning that he does not emulate the qualities God teaches: kindness, justice, compassion. Also, this man has no respect for his fellow humans -- he does not care what happens to them or that they are treated fairly.
18:3 This woman approaches him for help from someone who is disturbing her in some way.
18:4-5 The man does not care about her or her problem however, he eventually helps her because he does not want her to keep coming back and annoying him with the issue.
18:6 This man, who was unkind and selfish, answered the plea of a woman he did not care about, a woman who annoyed him. God wants you to realize that even this terrible man answered the plea of something needing his help. He didn't want to help but he did... Yet, we have a God who WANTS to help, who cares about us and loves us and people get discouraged in prayer. Remember the first verse of this chapter.
18:7 God is with us through every difficulty and adversary and He never gets annoyed or bored. He hears His children who love Him, study His word and implement it into their lives and how they interact with others -- it's His great pleasure to answer our prayers.
18:8 Without delay, God sets in motion the answering of our prayers. The key is to be in direct communication with God, to have a relationship with Him. Sadly, even though He loves us so much, upon returning to Earth... He's going to find that many people have no faith.
18:9 The following 5 verses are specifically tailored to the arrogant.
18:10 Two people went to pray to God: a man who claimed to be devout and had a high position in the church and a man who was a tax collector (at the time this was a corrupt business and not a reputable job).
18:11-12 The man with the high position in the church filled his prayer with arrogance -- he was too prideful to realize the equality of all humans. He donated to the church, he called himself holy, but he contradicted all of that by praising himself and looking down on others. You can't say one thing and do another. Have the common sense this man lacked.
18:13 The second man did not claim to be anything but a person who needed to be better -- and God loves humility, it's His language.
18:14 Jesus is teaching us to understand that the humble are celebrated by God and the arrogant are made humble by God's disappointment in them for being so cruel.
You cannot judge any person... just because someone goes to church, says the right things, looks the part, does not mean they are kind or faithful. Look for humility in the people you encounter and be humble yourself.
18:10 Two people went to pray to God: a man who claimed to be devout and had a high position in the church and a man who was a tax collector (at the time this was a corrupt business and not a reputable job).
18:11-12 The man with the high position in the church filled his prayer with arrogance -- he was too prideful to realize the equality of all humans. He donated to the church, he called himself holy, but he contradicted all of that by praising himself and looking down on others. You can't say one thing and do another. Have the common sense this man lacked.
18:13 The second man did not claim to be anything but a person who needed to be better -- and God loves humility, it's His language.
18:14 Jesus is teaching us to understand that the humble are celebrated by God and the arrogant are made humble by God's disappointment in them for being so cruel.
You cannot judge any person... just because someone goes to church, says the right things, looks the part, does not mean they are kind or faithful. Look for humility in the people you encounter and be humble yourself.
18:15-16 All people are equal with God -- this was a society were only men were respected. Jesus taught them (and us) that without any discrimination, all people are loved by God and are to be treated with love and respect and justice.
18:17 A very young child is innocent, naturally inquisitive and openhearted. God wants us to remain this way and to never disregard a child simple because they appear small, weak or unimportant. The way into God's house is behave kindly and without objective.
18:18-19 This man wants to know how to join God in heaven after live on earth. He calls Jesus "Good Teacher" and Jesus takes this opportunity to humbled Himself (just as he taught us above). Jesus wants us to know that the True, Eternal Goodness is from God and to always remember that.
18:20 Jesus reminds the man of the commandments (written in Exodus 20).
18:21 The man says that he has following all of those instructions since he was a child. He's asking for more, what more can I do?
18:17 A very young child is innocent, naturally inquisitive and openhearted. God wants us to remain this way and to never disregard a child simple because they appear small, weak or unimportant. The way into God's house is behave kindly and without objective.
18:18-19 This man wants to know how to join God in heaven after live on earth. He calls Jesus "Good Teacher" and Jesus takes this opportunity to humbled Himself (just as he taught us above). Jesus wants us to know that the True, Eternal Goodness is from God and to always remember that.
18:20 Jesus reminds the man of the commandments (written in Exodus 20).
18:21 The man says that he has following all of those instructions since he was a child. He's asking for more, what more can I do?
18:22 The ultimate child of God devotes their entire life and everything they have to following Jesus as a teacher, to bringing the word of God to the world. This does not mean forcing scripture on anybody! It means to offer all of your time, effort and compassion to everyone who needs it. To give up wealth if you have it in order to help others with it. Wealth in time, wealth in ability, wealth in money... there are many "wealth(s)" that we all have.
18:23 This man in particular had a lot of wealth-wealth. He was rich. The man did not want to give up his wealth. There are levels of faith and each is specific to each individual... Jesus wants us to understand that the most faithful children of God are completely devoted to Him and bringing compassion to the rest of His children. This man could not get over his love of money to reach that point.
18:24-25 In these times, cities were bordered by walls and at night, the walls were secured so that no one could pass. However, there was a small passageway called a "needle" that would permit the entrance of one man and none of his positions. It was a safety procedure. However this lesson also works metaphorically: you cannot squeeze into heaven will all of your possessions from earth, they don't mean anything there. It's difficult for God to watch His children... watch their fellow humans suffer when they have the means to help. It's difficult for a rich man to get into heaven because those riches are gifts that should be used to help others.
18:26 This person is baffled because the world is (still) full of so many people who choose money over charity. Who is left to be saved?
18:26 This person is baffled because the world is (still) full of so many people who choose money over charity. Who is left to be saved?
18:27 Jesus lets us know that there are people who exist (and have existed) who have developed their relationship with God and have over come their love and connection to money. It seems impossible to us but God works with His children who work with Him and together they accomplish beautiful, selfless things.
18:28 Peter gives himself and the disciples as an example, they left their old lives because they heard the word of God and absorbed it, loved it and wanted to spend their entire lives bringing it to others. There are still people like that.
18:29-30 Jesus assures us that God always takes care of His children who devote themselves to others. We should help others because our heart and souls want to, love to but we can also keep in mind that we lose nothing when we are with God. God replenishes all of the love and opportunity we give to others.
18:31-33 Jesus foretells his crucifixion. Indeed everything He predicts happens to Him exactly as He predicted it.
18:34 They did not yet understand that Jesus was talking about. They did not want to lose Jesus and the idea of Him being gone was impossible to them. They did not yet have a grasp on the life that comes after earth. They did not understand God's plan with Jesus -- that He would allow His death on earth in order to bring a beautiful message to the world.
18:34 They did not yet understand that Jesus was talking about. They did not want to lose Jesus and the idea of Him being gone was impossible to them. They did not yet have a grasp on the life that comes after earth. They did not understand God's plan with Jesus -- that He would allow His death on earth in order to bring a beautiful message to the world.
18:35-37 An impoverished man witnesses the passing of Jesus -- which we can imagine was impressive. Multitudes of people following Him, including His many disciples-in-training. The man learns that it's Jesus passing.
18:38 The man reveals that he had read the Bible, as it foretold the coming of Jesus -- this man, hearing that Jesus has arrived, immediately shows his faith.
18:39 People tried to shush him, this poor man meant nothing to them. They felt that because he appeared so lowly, he should not bother Jesus - wrong! The main continued to show his faith and call for Jesus (whose mother is a descendant of David, a faithful man of God).
18:40-41 Jesus stops for this man (and with him, the multitude had to stop). Jesus (and God) always goes out of His way to see and listen to and heal a faithful child of God.
18:42 Your faith has made you well. This man trusted God and had faith that God could heal Him -- our faith makes us well because it allows us to realize that God can and will do anything for us that contributes to our betterment. Our faith teaches us wisdom, perception, compassion... it heals us from the inside out.
18:43 He was healed and he expressed his love and gratitude toward God. Moreover, he followed Jesus, he devoted the new life he was given to learning and spreading God's generous and loving word.
18:38 The man reveals that he had read the Bible, as it foretold the coming of Jesus -- this man, hearing that Jesus has arrived, immediately shows his faith.
18:39 People tried to shush him, this poor man meant nothing to them. They felt that because he appeared so lowly, he should not bother Jesus - wrong! The main continued to show his faith and call for Jesus (whose mother is a descendant of David, a faithful man of God).
18:40-41 Jesus stops for this man (and with him, the multitude had to stop). Jesus (and God) always goes out of His way to see and listen to and heal a faithful child of God.
18:42 Your faith has made you well. This man trusted God and had faith that God could heal Him -- our faith makes us well because it allows us to realize that God can and will do anything for us that contributes to our betterment. Our faith teaches us wisdom, perception, compassion... it heals us from the inside out.
18:43 He was healed and he expressed his love and gratitude toward God. Moreover, he followed Jesus, he devoted the new life he was given to learning and spreading God's generous and loving word.
