Luke 16:19

Luke 16:19 says, There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:  Jesus said was a rich man who was finely clothed and who ate fine food and had more than enough of it.  There are people, even Christians today who have more than they really need, and yet they use it all for themselves,  Verse twenty adds, And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,  Jesus then contrasted the rich man with Lazarus, a beggar full of sores laying at the gate.  There are plenty of people today who are in need, but too often they are either ignored or looked down on.  Verse twenty-one continues, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.  Lazarus ate from the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table while dogs licked his sores.  The dogs may have had more compassion on Lazarus than the rich man did, because at least they acknowledged him and may have brought him some relief.  Today, people in need are too often ignored.   Verse twenty-two states, And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;  One may have been rich and the other a beggar,  but both faced the same ultimate end.  They died, and Lazarus was carried by the angels to heaven while the rich man was buried.  One thing we can be certain of is that we will all die if Jesus Christ does not return first.  Verse twenty-three adds, And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  Though the last verse said the rich man was buried, his soul, like all souls, lived on, but he was in hell.  These are our two choices.  The rich man looked up and saw Abraham and Lazarus in heaven.  He may not have acknowledged Lazarus before, but he did now.  Their status had reversed.  One day, everyone will be judged by their relationship to Jesus Christ and not by their earthly riches.  Verse twenty-four continues, And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.  The rich man now called Abraham father, and asked that Lazarus be permitted to just dip his finger in water and touch it to his tongue.  This is the torment that awaits those who reject Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.  Of course, I don't believe that Abraham was the one who had the power to grant the rich man’s wish, even had he wanted to.  We must make our prayers to God alone.  Verse twenty-five declares, But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.  Abraham called on the rich man to remember how different Lazarus and he had been in this lifetime.  Those who reject Jesus Christ will have a lifetime to remember how they had allowed the riches of this world to be more important than a relationship with Him.  Verse twenty-six adds, And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.  Abraham said there was no way to pass from heaven to hell or from hell to heaven.  Once we die, our everlasting fate is sealed.  Verse twenty-seven says, Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:  The rich man then asked that Lazarus be allowed to go to his father's house and witness there.  If a person realizes in hell the need to accept Jesus Christ to avoid being there, they cannot help others avoid that fate.  Verse twenty-eight adds, For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.  The rich man had five brothers who evidently lived as he had, concerned only with themselves and the riches of this world.  Those in hell may suddenly have concern for their families being able to avoid ending up there themselves, but it will be too late to do anything about it.  Verse twenty-nine states, Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.  Abraham told the rich man that his brothers would have to listen to Moses and the prophets, who proclaimed God's law and the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Himself.  Verse thirty adds, And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.  The rich man said that if someone who had been dead went to his brothers, they would listen.  Verse thirty-one continues, And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.  Abraham said if they would not hear Moses and the prophets that they would not hear One Who had risen from the dead, which Jesus would do.  We can only come to God by putting our faith in Jesus Christ, but we should also live by what God's word teaches us.  There is really only one question that matters in life, and that is whether we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. 

Luke 16:9

Luke 16:9 says, And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.  I believe that this means that we are to use the things of this world wisely and to help others so that God may be glorified.  This will be noted in our everlasting habitation. Verse ten adds, He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much.  God expects us to be faithful in the smallest things, and if we are, this will lead us to be faithful when we are blessed with much, and the opposite is also true.  Verse eleven continues, If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?  Jesus asked the people then and we today if we cannot be faithful to God with the unrighteous things of this world, how can we expect God to trust us with His true riches.  We may sometimes believe that once we pay our tithes that everything else is ours to use however we see fit, but we are still to use it all for God's glory and to advance His kingdom.  Verse twelve states, And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?  Jesus said if we cannot be faithful with what belongs to another, then who would give us something of our own to be trusted with.  God expects us to be honest in our dealings with others so that He will know that He can trust us to use the things that He blesses us with wisely.  I believe this applies even to the work that we do for others.  We are to work diligently for them, and not look for reasons why we shouldn't.  Verse thirteen adds, No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.  Jesus tells us that we as followers of Christ cannot serve two masters.  We cannot serve mammon or the things of this world and serve God at the same time.  If the riches of this world are more important to us than God is, then they and not God become our master.  Verse fourteen declares, And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.  When the Pharisees, who coveted the things of the world heard Jesus, they derided Him.  Some people today profess that as Christians we can covet the things of this world and God will bless us with them, but I don't believe that is what the Bible teaches us.  Verse fifteen adds, And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.  Jesus told the Pharisee that He knew what was in their hearts, and that they would try to justify themselves before men by seeking things that were highly esteemed among men, even though they were an abomination in God.  We cannot attempt to use earthly riches themself as a sign of God's blessings on us.  Verse sixteen continues, The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.  Jesus said that the law and prophets had been th guiding forces of the people of Isreal, God's chosen people, until John the Baptist came, and then he pointed them to Jesus, who would be the fulfillment of all that the law and prophets had pointed to.  We live in God's kingdom and should tell the world about it once we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse seventeen says, And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.  Jesus also said that it would be easier for the heavens and the earth to pass away then for the smallest part of God's law to pass away.  Though we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone, we still need to obey God's law.  Verse eighteen adds, Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband committeth adultery.  Jesus then gave the example of a man divorcing his wife, I believe without Biblical grounds, and marrying another being guilty of adultery.  Even if by the grace of God and our faith in Jesus Christ we can be forgiven for this, it is still wrong under God's law and we should not do it.

Luke 16:1

Luke 16:1 says, And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man, which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had wasted his goods.  Jesus told His disciples about a rich man who had accused his steward of wasting his goods.  When we are entrusted with things from God, we need to use them wisely so that He will never accuse us of wasting them, but one day we will be held accountable.  Verse two adds, And he called him, and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for thou mayest be no longer steward.  The man told the steward that he was to give an accounting, and that he would no longer be a steward.  If we fail to use the things of God wisely, He may no longer entrust us with anything to use.  Verse three states, Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed.  The steward said he didn't know what he would do, because he couldn't dig and was ashamed to beg.  Matthew Henry says it was more that he was unwilling to dig and he wasn't humble enough to beg, even though he had a greater reason foe shame because he had been cheating his master.  If we have been being blessed by God and He quits blessing us because we have been squandering what He blessed us with, what would we do, especially if self pride and an unwillingness to work got in the way.  Verse four adds, I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.  The steward had a plan to indebt those who he had been a steward over to him.  Though this might be good for the steward, he was further cheating his master.  I don't believe this is our best plan.  We should humble ourselves before God, accept responsibility, and ask for His forgiveness.  Verse five continues, So he called every one of his lord’s debtors unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord?  His plan included all those who were debtor's to his master.  We are all debtor's to God, and no one else can really reduce that debt, except Jesus Christ.  Verse six says, And he said, An hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty.  The first man said a hundred measures of oil when askedwhat he owed, and the steward told him to write down fifty instead.  The man had to be willing to go along with the steward's plan.  What we need to realize is that we cannot get away with cheating God, so we should never go along with a plan that would cause us to try to do so.  Verse seven adds, Then said he to another, And how much owest thou? And he said, An hundred measures of wheat. And he said unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore.  The next man said he owed the master a hundred measures of wheat, and he was told to put down eighty.  They were both still cheating their master.  Verse eight continues, And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.  The master commended his former steward for being wise in working for a way to provide for himself.  He then said that the people of this world in their generation, or life, are wiser in the eyes of the world than are the children of light.  We may find that those who do not put their faith in God but use their own cunning and understanding to attain the riches of this world are more successful in this lifetime than those who follow Jesus Christ.  This will only last for this lifetime though.

Luke 15:21

Luke 15:21 says, And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.  When the father got to the son, the son confessed his sin. When the heavenly Father comes to us today, either calling us to salvation or calling us back to Him after we have strayed away, all we can do is confess our sins and ask for His forgiveness. Verse twenty-two adds, But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:  The son felt unworthy, but his father put great value on Him, just as our heavenly Father puts great value on us, even though we are unworty.  Verse twenty-three continues, And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:  After telling his servants to get his son dressed properly, the father then told them to get things ready for a celebration, and we are told that the angels celebrate in heaven when a sinner comes to the heavenly Father through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ.  Verse twenty-four concludes, For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.  The father said his son who had been dead to him was alive again, and he had been lost but now was found.  That describes us perfectly today until we come to God by faith, or until we return to Him if we have strayed away.  Verse twenty-five states, Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.  When the elder son, who had not left to go his own way, came home from the field where he had been working, he heard music and dancing.  If we have been faithfully working for God and return home to hear a celebration going on, we might be curious why we didn't know what the celebration was about.  Verse twenty-six adds, And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.  He called the servants to ask what was going on, but a better course of action would have been to go to his father and ask.  That is also our best course of action with our heavenly Father if we have questions about anything.  Verse twenty-seven continues, And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.  The servant told him that his brother had come home and his father had prepared a feast in celebration.  This should have been good news to the older brother, just as it should be good news to us today when a sinner comes home to God.  Verse twenty-eight says, And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.  Instead of being happy for his brothers safe return, he was angry.  Sometimes, it seems that Christians are more upset than being in the mood to celebrate when a sinner comes home, especialif they somehow feel that the one being that the celebration is for is unworthy.  Verse twenty-nine adds, And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:  The elder son did go to his father to complain, saying he had been mistreated.  If we are basing salvation on our worthiness instead of on God's abounding grace, we may feel the same way, but salvation and even restoration to God is not based on our works or worthiness.  Verse thirty continues, But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.  The older son then gave the reason he felt that the younger son did not deserve a celebration held in his honor.  Sometimes, we can almost feel the same way, more deserving of salvation and forgiveness than someone we feel is a greater sinner.  Verse thirty-one states, And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.  The father told his oldest son that he had always been with him, and all that he had was the older son's.  As long as we remain true to God, all that He has is ours when we need it.  Someone else coming to salvation does not decrease what God has blessed us with.  Verse thirty-two adds, It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.  The father said the celebration was warranted, because the son and brother who had been dead and lost to them had come home.  We really aren't told how the older brother responded, but we can only hope that he began to celebrate with them, and this is what we should do anytime someone who is separated from God for whatever reason comes home to Him.

Luke 15:11

Luke 15:11 says, And he said, A certain man had two sons: Jesus started with one in a hundred, then one in ten, and now it was one in two.  Verse twelve adds, And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.  The younger of the two sons went to his father and demanded his inheritance, which he really wasn't entitled to it until his father died.  Sometimes, people go to God making demands, but we are really not entitled to anything that God doesn't want to give us.  Verse thirteen continues,  And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living.  If God does bless us materially, we need to make sure we aren't like the young man and move away from Him and waste it all on riotous living.  Verse fourteen states, And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want. After the younger son wasted all his money, there was a famine in the land.  If we are away from our heavenly Father, we can expect a spiritual famine.  Verse fifteen adds, And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.  The young man was reduced to hiring himself out to feed swine, which would have been very very demeaning for a man who had once considered himself wealthy.  Verse sixteen continues, And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.  The young man was hungry enough to eat the husks that the swine at, and anyone who may have claimed to be his friend when he had money was no longer there to help him.  When we move a long way from God, we are totally on our own.  There is no one, friend or former friend, who can help us even if they would.  Verse seventeen says, And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!  The young man finally came to his senses and realized that he would be better off as a servant in his father's house than he was where he currently was.  If we come to our senses, we will realize that we are better off as servants of God than we are as the richest person in the world, much less as the poorest.  Verse eighteen adds, I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,  The young man decided to put pride aside and return to his father's house.  If we are a Christian and have strayed away from God, hopefully we will came back to Him.  If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior and become a child of God, the hopefully you will come to your senses and come to Him.  Verse nineteen continues, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.  The young man felt that he was no longer worthy to be called a son and would request to just be a servant in his fatherr's house.  We likewise are not worthy to be children of God, but He gives us that right.  Still, we are better off simply as servants of God than being the most powerful person in the world without Him.  Verse twenty declares, And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.  When the young man returned to his father, his father saw him a long way off, had compassion on him, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him.  He freely and gladly welcomed his son back, and God will always have compassion on us and welcome us back if we have strayed away.  Of course, He also has compassion on us to welcome us to come to Him the first time by accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. 

Luke 15:1

Luke 15:1 says. Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him.  The publicans and sinners began to draw near to Jesus to hear Him, and we are all sinners when we first come to Jesus.  Verse two adds, And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.  The scribes and Pharisees began to murmur that Jesus received and ate with sinners.  Sometimes, Christians today can be guilty of murmuring amongst themselves if someone that they feel to be too much of a sinner comes to church to hear about Jesus.  Verse three states, And he spake this parable unto them, saying,  Jesus did not address the murmuring of the scribes and Pharisees directly, but told them a parable instead.  Even if God does not address our murmuring about others directly,  His word already tells us what He expects of us.  Verse four adds, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?  The parable asked which of them who had a hundred sheep and lost one would not leave the ninety-nine who were safe and go and look for the lost one.  At some point, we have all been that lost sheep.  Verse five continues, And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.  Jesus then said that when the man found the lost sheep, he would pick it up on his shoulder and return it to the fold.  He wouldn't just locate it and leave it to get back on its own, and we cannot find salvation on our own, but must allow our faith in Jesus to get us safely home to His fold.  Verse six concludes, And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.  Jesus said when the man returned with his lost sheep, he would call his friends and neighbors together to rejoice with him because he had found it.  He was not rejoicing over the ninety-nine that were safe, but over the one that was lost and had been found.  That does not mean that the ninety-nine were unimportant, but they were already safe.  We need to rejoice more over a sinner who comes to Jesus for salvation than we do over those who are already followers of Christ.  Verse seven declares, I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.  Jesus said that there would be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who is saved than over ninety-nine who are already saved, and as just stated, it should be the same for Christians here in this old sinful world.  Verse eight adds, Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?  Jesus then told the parable of the woman losing one of ten pieces of silver and asking if she would not do all that she could to find it.  Jesus will do all that He can to find the one who is lost.  Verse nine continues, And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.  As with the lost sheep, the woman would call her friends and neighbours together to celebrate with her when she found the lost coin.  The sheep was one of a hundred and the coun was one of ten, but the rejoicing was the same.   Verse ten concludes, Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.  Once more, Jesus tells us that there is joy in the presence of the angels in heaven over one sinner that is saved.  We as followers of Christ need to rejoice anytime a sinner is saved.

Luke 14:25

Luke 14:25 says, And there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,  Verse twenty-six adds, If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.  I don't believe that Jesus meant that they or we are to literally hate our family, but that we are to put our love for Him above them.  We cannot let anyone or anything be more important than Jesus and successfully follow Him.  Verse twenty-seven continues,, And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.  Jesus said we are to bear our cross and come after Him if we are to be His disciple.  The cross is something we willingly take up and not something we cannot avoid if we so choose.  Verse twenty-eight asks, For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?  Jesus asked them a question about building a tower without first considering the cost of building it.  We should not consider following Jesus Christ with considering what it may cost us in this world, but people too often ask what they will gain materially from following Him.  Verse twenty-nine adds, Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him,   Jesus said that a man starting to build a tower without considering the cost and getting the foundation laid and running out of money would be laughed at, and so will those who profess to follow Jesus who never consider the cost and quit following Him when they decide it cost more than they are willing to give.  Verses thirty continues, Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.  Jesus said people would laugh at the man saying he could not finish what he had started.  If we count the cost of following Jesus, we should never find ourselves unable to continue building on the foundation of that faith.  Verse thirty-one asks, Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand?  Jesus then asked about a king going to war without considering whether he could beat a larger army.  We will always be up against a larger group who do not believe in Jesus Christ as the only way to salvation, and we need to be aware of that.  Still, we cannot allow this to stop us from following Him.  Verse thirty-two adds, Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace.  Jesus said we should not attempt to make peace with the world because we are outnumbered as Christians.  We will always be outnumbered and at war with the world, but we must continue to fight against the sin in this world through our faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse thirty-three declares, So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.  If we are to be a disciple of Christ, we must forsake everything that comes between Him and us.  Verse thirty-four adds, Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned? Verse thirty-five continues, It is neither fit for the land, nor yet for the dunghill; but men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.  Like salt that has lost its savor is worthless, so are those who profess to be Christians but have allowed the things of this world to keep them from following Jesus Christ at all costs.  We must always put Him first in our life, no matter what it may cost us in this world.