Day 81: Luke 5:12-28

“And when he saw their faith, he said, ‘Man, your sins are forgiven you.’” - Luke 5:20 ESV

What good is your faith for the benefit of someone else? We can't believe on behalf of someone else, can we? No, we can't, but there is so much that we can do for another who hasn't yet trusted Jesus.

Think about our reading for today. These men would not let a crowd keep them from getting their friend to Jesus. Not only were they creative, but it would have taken great strength to get this paralyzed man on top of the house and then to be lowered down.

To Jesus, their faith was visible. Faith will always find its expression in what we can see (check out James 2:18). Faith is personal, but it isn't private.

These men put their friend in the best possible place for Jesus to change his life. This has the potential to change the way we pray for others. Below are some ways that might help us today as we seek to help those we love to experience the powerful healing of Jesus:

1) Get creative: No one will be reached the same way. We have to look for custom-fit, creative ways to reach those who need a life change.

2) Expect it not to be easy: Evangelism is a marathon and not a sprint. Lock in long-term. Show them you aren't going anywhere.

3) Exemplify faith: Don't be a fraud. Authentically follow Jesus yourself. Show them what it looks like to follow Jesus every day.

Jesus can see your faith. So can others. God can use your faith to make an eternal difference.

"Apparently nothing was said, but the action was a mute appeal. It showed their faith and that is important (for other examples of faith availing for others cf. 7:9f.; 1 Cor. 7:14)." - Morris, L. (1988). Luke: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 3, p. 137)

Day 80: Luke 4:31-44, 5:1-11

“But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.'” - Luke‬ ‭5:8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

When Jesus decides to do something incredible in our lives, we at first think there has been some kind of mistake. Why would God decide that we are worthy enough to use? We know what we have thought and done. We also know that He is well acquainted with those mistakes.

Instead of affirming our uselessness, Jesus steps in and calls us into the work He is doing. We are not only chosen to receive God’s grace (via the salvation of our souls) but we are also called to be agents of this worldwide rescue plan.

I love what Jesus does in verse 10. He confronts Peter’s fear and invites him into something beyond fishing for fish. People would now be the catch of the day.

Could you lead many to Jesus as Peter did? If you feel inadequate or unworthy, it seems that you are finding yourself in excellent company with all those who were called by God in the Bible.

Let’s get to fishing.

John Calvin's comments on this verse are a fantastic way to close: "Hence we see, that it is natural to all men to tremble at the presence of God. And this is of advantage to us, in order to humble any foolish confidence or pride that may be in us, provided it is immediately followed by soothing consolation. And so Christ relieves the mind of Peter by a mild and friendly reply, saying to him, Fear not. Thus, Christ sinks his own people in the grave, that he may afterwards raise them to life."

Day 79: Luke 4:1-30

“And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.” - Luke 4:13 ESV

Have you sat down to think about when it is that temptations, for you, are the heaviest and hardest to resist? The Devil had come at Jesus with these three temptations when he was both isolated and physically drained of nourishment (Luke implies there were other tests during the forty days as well).

Many of us wonder if dodging the punches of temptation will ever end.

Leon Morris reminds us as he writes, "Throughout these temptations no special resource is open to Jesus. He met temptation in the same way as we must, by using Scripture, and he won the victory," and, "There is no freedom from temptation in this life. There was not for Jesus and there is not for us." - Morris, L. (1988). Luke: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 3, p. 122)

So, we can be assured that, in this life, we can expect the Devil (and our own evil desires, see James 1:13) to try and bait us into ruining our lives of faithfulness to Jesus and those we love. In this instance with Jesus, the Devil even used a well-known Hebrew song (Psalm 91:11-12) to try and deceive him.

When are you at your weakest to resist? When are you at your strongest? When we are isolated and unhealthy (physically or emotionally), it is clear that we will be at our weakest. Yet, when we are surrounded by faithful Jesus-followers, taking time to make healthy decisions, and memorizing Scripture, we will be at our strongest.

What Scriptures are you memorizing right now to equip yourself in this fight? Let me share one with you that has been extremely helpful to me over the past two years (as an example):

“Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.” - Romans 13:13-14 NLT

Day 78: Luke 3:23-38

“Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli…” - Luke 3:23 ESV

Luke is the only gospel writer to record at what age Jesus started his earthly ministry. This was the age the Levites began to serve (Numbers 4:47), and it was held as the time when a man became fully mature in Jewish culture. Most young adults want their ideal job and salary by the time they're 30. I wonder how much different our culture would be if we had the same understanding.

If you are a genealogy nerd (like me), you'll notice that Luke's record of Jesus' line differs in places from Matthew's. Why? There are four possibilities, but the most probable is that Matthew records Joseph's legal line, and Luke records his actual line through Mary's descent. It was very uncommon to do what Luke did in the first century, but he was the only biblical writer that was non-Jewish, so we have come to expect him to do things differently.

Still bored as you chew through mind-numbingly boring genealogies in the Bible? The following quote from Eugene Peterson is a great way to end today's post:

"Lists of names continue to turn up in various forms and for a variety of purposes throughout the Hebrew Bible. One scholar, a specialist in this genre, counts ‘about 25 genealogies.’ And when Matthew and Luke sit down to write their account of Jesus, they both use the idiom of genealogy that was introduced in Moses. Some complain about the long lists of names that they encounter in their reading of Scripture, and impatiently treat them as deadfalls in the forest impeding their passage. But if I found my name in the list, would I be offended or bored?" (Taken from The Jesus Way)

Jesus knows and cares about your name as well. Aren't you thankful it is written in the Book of Life?

"And all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain." - Revelation 13:8 ESV

Day 77: Luke 3:1-22

“Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.” - Luke 3:8 ESV

John the Baptist definitely didn't hold back when it came to his message to the crowds who started flocking to him for baptism at the Jordan. It takes a bold individual to call a group of people snakes. Oddly enough, the crowd seems to be pretty responsive and ready for John's message. Not only that, they want some clarification. It is almost as though they're saying, "Ok, so what does bearing fruit in repentance look like in my specific context?"

Of all the answers John could have given, he goes for these:

1) To the crowd: Give away your extra clothes and food.

2) To the tax collectors: Collect no more than you're supposed to collect.

3) To the soldiers: Don't use extortion for gain. Be content with your salary.

Very simply, we see that John's immediate response to their requests for clarification was rooted in generosity and integrity. When we think about our own lives and times when we've struggled with sin, we may be able to identify with this.

John doesn't tell the Roman employees to quit their jobs for the ungodly Empire. Instead, he calls them to higher accountability within the Beast.

May we all ask the Holy Spirit to increase our levels of generosity and integrity today!

"This advice is simple and practical. No difficult counsels of perfection are recommended, no useless penance. The great confessor simply presses home to his penitents the duty of unselfishness, the beauty of quiet generosity in the sight of God. The whole teaching of this eminent man of God was thoroughly practical." - Spence-Jones, H. D. M., ed. (1909). St. Luke (Vol. 1, pp. 66–67)

SIDE NOTE:
This section in Luke with this practical advice of repentance is unique to his gospel (Matthew, Mark, and John don't include it). We know that he thoroughly researched what he wrote. This means that the more people he interviewed, the more he discovered that John the Baptist was pushing people toward generosity and integrity. This hits deep.

Day 76: Luke 2:36-52

“And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him...And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.” - Luke 2:40, 52 ESV

It is wild to think about Jesus making his way through normal human development. Did Mary keep a growth chart of her firstborn as he grew from 3'11" to 4'5" and so on?

These two verses tell us that Jesus wasn't only growing physically. He was actually developing in every sense of the word. Twice Luke tells us that wisdom and favor were at work within his life.

What was it about these two words that made them worth repeating? The word Luke used for wisdom is sophia, and it is defined by Louw-Nida as "a knowledge which makes possible skillful activity or performance."

In Proverbs 3:19, we see that "By wisdom, the LORD founded the earth." Wisdom is what made Jesus so capable, and James tells us it only comes from above (James 3:17).

The word used for favor is charis and is used 154 times in the New Testament. It also appears as grace or gift. It wasn't just with His Father that Jesus had favor; He also had it with those He came into contact with as He grew and developed into the man who would die for our sins.

The application is obvious for our lives today. We would do well to drop to our knees right now and beg God for wisdom and favor. There is no way we'll be able to accomplish all God intends for us to do without these two. If Jesus needed them as He developed, so will we as we grow in the grace (charis) and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18).

Day 75: Luke 2:1-35

“Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.” - Luke 2:25

Jesus has now been born, which was announced by the house musicians of heaven (angels) to the lowly shepherds. Jesus' parents were God-fearing people, which is evidenced by them having him circumcised (on the 8th day), going through the time of purification, and then coming into the temple to offer the sacrifice for their firstborn son.

After this, they encountered two elderly people (Simeon and Anna) who were extremely faithful to God, and this was shown by their sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. When we increase in age and don't stop spending time listening to (and speaking with) God, there is nothing sweeter.

Our younger generation of Christians today desperately needs the older. Now, it isn't about doing things the exact same way as we did 50 years ago as a church (methodologically). It is more about helping us to become who Jesus wants us to be. It is about a broader perspective. It is to start seeing that our faith in Jesus isn't something that will go out of style. It will always be relevant to each generation that is open to seeking our Savior.

If we refuse the mentorship of older Christians, we are lowering the ceiling on our potential. The aged open up our minds to a God that is much bigger than we at first imagine.

As author Craig Groeschel's 80-year-old mentor once told him, "You young people think too small."

This is yet another reason for the importance of our involvement in the local church.

Day 74: Luke 1:57-80

“And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, ‘Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people.’” - Luke 1:67-68 ESV

"Whereas Mary’s song resembled the Psalms, Zechariah’s praise was rather like the prophets in content. His son would be a prophet of the Most High and would go before the Lord to prepare the way for Him. The salvation He brings will rescue those who live in darkness. Luke’s history of redemption is beginning to unfold." - Foster, L. (1986). Luke: Unlocking the Scriptures for You (p. 29)

Can you imagine not being able to speak for nine months, especially while your wife is pregnant? This was Zechariah's experience. I wonder what would have been the first thing to come out of one of our mouths after this time? For Zechariah, the Holy Spirit had been filling him to the brim with a rich prophecy about his son and the greater work that God was up to that would go beyond John. I mean, this guy was already prophesying that visitation and redemption and salvation had already taken place. He claimed that the entirety of time had led up to this one moment, and he was so glad that his family could play a small part.

Jesus would later confirm the claims of this proud papa when he said, "...among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist." (Matthew 11:11)

Do you pray for your lineage like this? Do you pray that your descendants will carry on a strong faith in Jesus? Do you pray for a faith that will move the impregnable mountains of time and space in our culture?

Our Christian life isn't just about us finishing well. It is also about ensuring that future generations will bring light to those sitting in darkness so that Jesus' name will continue to be called on long after we are gone.

Day 73: Luke 1:26-56

“But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be.” - Luke 1:29

I believe it is no mistake that Gabriel is the angel that delivers all of these early messages about Jesus' birth. His name means "God is my strength." For this teenage girl, legally engaged to Joseph, she was going to need all of the strength God could give to make it through the next nine months of unprecedented gestation.

Have you ever had God ask you to do something after a time in prayer or a time in his word and then sat there for a moment to consider how in the world it was actually going to play out? Yeah, Mary is experiencing that to the utmost. She's taking what Gabriel has said and trying to fit it into the underdeveloped frontal lobe of her brain (which will develop at 25ish). Even for those of us who are over 25, this is too much to process.

It is best for us not to shirk any prompting the Holy Spirit places in us.

Look for ways this week to be obedient to what God has asked you to do, and keep verse 37 in mind as you do: "For nothing will be impossible with God."

"Mary’s submission is a very lovely thing. ‘Whatever God says, I accept.’ Mary had learned to forget the world’s commonest prayer—‘Your will be changed’—and to pray the world’s greatest prayer—‘Your will be done.’" - Barclay, W. (2001). The Gospel of Luke (p. 16)

Day 72: Luke 1:1-25

“And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. But they had no child…” - Luke 1:6-7 ESV

King Solomon said it like this: "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." (Proverbs 13:12)

Delay is something that is almost always followed by disappointment. When things move slowly, we can also feel forgotten. Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous, holding meticulously to the 613 commandments found in Torah (Genesis-Deuteronomy). Though not perfect, they stood out among a fraudulent generation of religious leaders (which we will see as we progress through Luke). Yet, the one thing they had prayed for over and over was not being answered. It had to do with their physical legacy. There would be no child to carry on their legacy of faith and devotion to Yahweh. This was everything to the Jewish people.

Leon Morris gives us a new angle on this as he writes, "The mention of their age is probably to make it clear that they could expect no change in the situation. Zechariah may have been very old, for there was no retiring age for priests (as there was for Levites)."

They had sung, yet not experienced, the following song their whole lives: "So the next generation might know them— even the children not yet born— and they in turn will teach their own children." - Psalm 78:6 NLT

What is the first thing Gabriel says to Zechariah? "Do not be afraid...for your prayer has been heard." Of course, God had heard their prayers each and every time, but now the answer had come.

Have you been disappointed by a delay from God? Do you feel like God isn't listening to your prayers? You are in the company of the righteous like Zechariah and Elizabeth.

What would they say to you today if they could? Maybe something like this: "I know you want to quit, and you feel like God has forgotten you, but keep on praying. Don't be afraid. There is so much we don't understand, but God knows what he is doing."

Closing with a quote from the Apostle Paul seems to be on point here: "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." - Galatians 6:9 ESV