Luke 18:9

Luke 18:9 says, And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  Jesus next spoke in a another parable, this one about a self-righteous man who despised others, because he felt morally superior to them.  There are still some people today who profess to be Christians who feel the same way.  Verse ten adds, Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.  Jesus said a Pharisee and a publican went up to the temple to pray.  This would be a good thing to do, just as going to the church to pray is a good thing today.  Verse eleven states, The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.  Verse twelve adds, I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.  Jesus said the Pharisee the Pharisee prayed with himself, telling how he was better than other men.  He was filled with self-righteousness and was speaking to himself instead of to God.  We need to make sure that we avoid having that same self-righteous attitude today when we pray.  Verse thirteen says, And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.  Jesus said that the publican when he prayed addressed his prayer to God in humility and wouldn't even look up as he professed his sins as asked for God to have mercy on him.  We need to never forget that when we pray to God that we are still sinners in need of His mercy.  We should never pray simply to express our moral superiority to others.   Verse fourteen continues, I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.  Jesus said the publican, and not the Pharisee, went down to his house justified before God.  He also warned us about exalting ourselves instead of exalting God.  Verse fifteen states, And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.  People brought infants to Jesus, and the disciples rebuked them.  There is no better place for us to bring our infants than to Jesus, and this includes when we gather together to worship Him.  Verse sixteen adds, But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.  Jesus called the disciples to Himself and told them not to prevent the little children from coming to Him, for of such was the kingdom of God.  We must come to God with a childlike faith, especially when we come to Jesus for salvation.  Verse seventeen continues, Verily I say unto ye, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.  As just stated, Jesus said unless we come to Him with a childlike faith we will not enter into the kingdom of God.  We must come to Jesus acknowledging our own weakness and inability to help ourselves find salvation on our own.

Luke 18:1

Luke 18:1 says, And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;  Jesus once more taught with a parable, this time to teach that as His followers we should always pray and not faint.  Verse two adds, Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man:  The parable was about a judge who didn't fear God or have any regard for people.  There seem to be some of these type judges today, especially those who do not believe in God.  Verse three continues, And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.  A widow in the city where the judge presided came to him and asked him to avenge her against her adversary.  We are not told what made the person her adversary.  With the judge being as he was, it really wouldn't have mattered most likely.  We may come to God with grievances that the world knows nothing about.  Verse four states, And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man;  At first, the judge wouldn't take any action on the widow's request, acknowledging that there was no one he feared, not even God.  Verse five adds, Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.  The judge then decided to avenge the widow so that she would not continue to come to him and weary him.  We still are not told if the widow had a valid complaint or not, but only that she was persistent in bringing it to the judge.  The parable was about persistence, but if we are coming to God with requests, it needs to be something that is valid and in keeping with His word and will.  God will never grant us anything that is not in accordance with His word and will, no matter how persistently we may ask.  Verse six declares, And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.  Jesus told them to hear what the unjust judge said about persistence being rewarded. Verse seven adds, And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?  Jesus asked if God would not avenge His elect, even if it did not happen immediately.  Verse eight adds, I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?  Jesus said that God would speedily avenge His people, but also asked when He returns in judgment if He would find any faithful people.  We may think that there are very few people faithful to God today, and even if that is true, God because of His long suffering is continuing to give people a chance to come to Him.  I don't believe that this parable means that if we ask God for something we want that is not in His will long enough that He will give it to us, but that we are to come to Him persistently in prayer in accordance with His will and by the leadershipof the HolySpirit, and to know that He will always hear us.  

Luke 17:30

Luke 17:30 says, Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.  Jesus said that just as life went on as normal before God sent His judgment on people in the past, the same would be true when the Son of Man was revealed and the people who did not believe in Him would try to destroy those who did.  Verse thirty-one adds, In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back.  Jesus said that people were not to be concerned about their possessions in that day.  Those who put their faith in Christ when He was revealed would be separated from those who didn't.   Verse thirty-two states, Remember Lot’s wife.  The disciples were reminded of Lot’s wife, who looked back in disobedience to God's warning and was turned into a pillow of salt.  Even as we await the return of Jesus Christ, we do not need to be looking back on the things of this world feeling like we have lost something by following Him.  Verse thirty-three adds, Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.  This to me says that if we are still trying to save our life by our own ability that we will lose it, but if we have lost our life to our own abilities by faith in Jesus Christ that we will save it by that faith.  Verse thirty-four states, I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left.  Jesus said that two men would be sleeping, and one would be taken and the other left.  This does not mean that fifty percent of the people are saved though, only that God will claim those that are His and the others will be left behind.  Verse thirty-five adds, Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.  Once more one would be taken and the other left.  Verse thirty-six continues, Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.  Once again, there wasxa division between the two, just as there will be a division between believers and non-believers when Christ returns.   Verse thirty-seven states, And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.  The disciples asked where twhis would happen, and Jesus said where the body is that there would be a gathering of eagles.  Wherever those who believe in Jesus Christ are gathered, there He will be also.  It is not just one particular location, such as Israel then, but around the world where people are gathered together by faith in Jesus that this will happen.  

Luke 17:20

Luke 17:20 says, And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:  The Pharisees demanded that Jesus tell them when the kingdom of God would come.  People have been trying to figure that out ever since Jesus's death, burial and resurrection.  Jesus answered that the kingdom of God didn't come by looking, and we can be certain that is still true.   Verse twenty-one adds, Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.  Jesus said that they should not say that the kingdom of God was here or there, but that the kingdom of God was within.  Once we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit lives within us, and we are already a part of the kingdom of God.  Verse twenty-two states, And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it.  Jesus told the disciples to not always expect the success they had when He was with them physically.  We may start with great success as Christians, but there will be days when we can see nothing but problems and failures.  Even then, we are not to give up, because the Holy Spirit is still with us.  Verse twenty-three adds, And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them.  Jesus warned the disciples that some would say He was in a certain place and others at another.  He then warned them to not listen to them.  We need to be careful that we are not following someone today that claims to have a special insight into Jesus and what He wants of His followers.  Verse twenty-four continues, For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.  Jesus said that just as the lightning lights up the sky, so will the Son of Man when His day comes.  We don't need to be concerned about Christ's return.  No one will be able to miss it when it happens.  Verse twenty-five says, But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation.  Jesus then said that before the world could see the day of the Lord, He must first suffer many things and be rejected by that generation. He has been rejected by some of the people of every generation since.  Verse twenty-six adds, And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.  Jesus said that just as in the days of Noah when people ignored his warnings, so would it be in the days of the Son of Man.  He was rejected by most when He was on the earth and has been rejected by many of every generation since then.  Some Christians say that today it is like the days of Noah, but so has every generation since Jesus's crucifixion been.  Verse twenty-seven continues, They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.  Jesus said that life went on as normal in the days of Noah until Noah went into the ark and the flood came and then it was too late.  Until Jesus returns, life will go on as normal, and then it will be too late for those who have not accepted Him as Savior and Lord, just as it was too late when the doors of the ark were sealed and the flood came.  Verse twenty-eight states, Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;  Jesus then compared the coming of the Son of Man in victory to the days of Lot, when life went on as normal in spite of all the sin that existed around them and that they participated in.  Verse twenty-nine adds, But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.  Jesus reminded those around Him about what happened to the people of Sodom when Lot left Sodom.  Fire and brimstone rained down from heaven on them.  This is the fate that awaits everyone when Jesus Christ returns in victory if they have not accepted Him as their personal Savior and Lord.

Luke 17:11

Luke  17:11 says, And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.  While on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus passed through Samaria and Galilee.  Jews mostly would not travel through Samaria, but Jesus did not allow this fact to stop Him from doing so.  We cannot allow who people are to keep us from reaching out to them with the gospel.  Verse twelve adds, And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:  On His way, Jesus saw ten lepers standing far-off, which they were required by law to do.  Verse thirteen continues, And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.  Though they were prohibited by law from getting close to Him, they cried out to Jesus, calling Him Master and asking Him to have mercy on them.  This is what we must do in order to be saved.  Verse fourteen states, And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.  Jesus did not go to them and physically touch them.  He did not even tell them that they were healed.  He simply told them to go and show themselves to the priest, who could acknowledge that they were cured of leprosy.  As they went, they were healed.  If we want the blessings of God today, we must first come to Him by faith in Jesus Christ, and then go where and when He sends us.  Verse fifteen adds, And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,  After they were healed, one of the ten turned back and with a loud voice glorified God.  Ten were healed,  but only one came back praising God.  After we receive salvation from God  and anytime that He does something for us after that, we need to loudly praise Him.  Verse sixteen concludes, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.  The man who returned fell at the feet of Jesus and gave Him thanks, and he was a Samaritan.  The Samaritans were people that the Jews didn't want to have anything to do with, but this didn't matter to Jesus.  We don't know if the other nine were Samaritans or Jews, since they never returned to thank Jesus.  We should never allow how the world may feel about certain people to keep us from reaching out to them with the gospel of Christ.  We also should never neglect giving God the praise when He does something miraculous for us.  Verse ten asks, And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?  Jesus asked if there were not ten who were cleansed and where the other nine were.  After we claim to be saved, Jesus should never have to ask where we are spiritually.  Verse eighteen adds, There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.  From this statement, the indication would be that the other nine were Jews, since Jesus said that the only one to return was a stranger.  We can never take God for granted because of who we are or where we were born.   Until we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and Lord we will always be a stranger to God, even if He has done something good for us.  Verse nineteen continues, And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.  Just as Jesus told the leper, once we have been made whole by putting our faith in Him, we are to go on our way, giving Him the praise and witnessing for Him.

Luke 17:1

Luke 17:1 says, Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!  Jesus said that offenses were coming against the disciples, but He also said woe unto those who committed them.  As followers of Christ, we need to follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit, and if we do, we will not be guilty of doing this.  Verse two adds, It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.  Jesus said a person would be better off drowned than offending one of God's people, those who had put their faith in the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  As we look at the world today, there are a lot of people who would be better off drowned in God's eyes, but that doesn't mean that we are to drown them.  We are still to reach out with the love of God even if they offend us, or even try to harm us.  Verse three states, Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.  Jesus tells us if our brother trespasses against us, we are to rebuke him for what he did, and if he repents, we are to forgive him.  We are not to just ignore the situation, but we are to deal with it looking for restoration to our brothers and sisters if they do something wrong to us.  Verse four adds, And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.  Jesus basically said if those who trespass against us do so over and over, then repent and ask forgiveness, we are to forgive them.  Yet, too often we are of a three strikes and you are out mentality.  After forgiving someone twice, especially in the same-day, we too often say that we no longer believe they are sorry and we are no longer willing to forgive them.  Verse five says, And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.  The apostles asked Jesus to increase their faith.  We may sometimes ask the same thing of God.  Verse six adds, And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey.  Jesus said it was not really a matter of increasing their faith, but of exercising it no matter if you feel that your faith is very small.  If we are not willing to act when we feel that our faith is small, we will probably always feel that it is too small to act.  Verse seven asks, But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat?  Jesus asked which of them if they had a servant who had been out working in the field all day would start to serve that servant when he came in.  We are servants of Christ as Christians, and we should never expect Him to be our servant instead.  Verse eight adds, And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?  Jesus said the lord of that servant would expect him to serve his meal first instead, then the servant could eat and drink.  The fact that the servant had been doing what he had supposed to do all day did not change his status when he came in from the fields.  He was still there to meet the needs of His lord.  No matter how hard we may be working for God, we cannot expect to change our status as His servants, but we can also expect our needs to be met.  Verse nine continues, Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not.  Jesus asked if the disciples thought that the lord of the servant would thank him for simply doing his duty.  We cannot expect God to reward us or even praise us for doing what He has called us to do, but too often Christians seem to expect to be praised and rewarded for simply doing what God has called them to do.  Verse ten concludes, So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.  Jesus said that instead of expecting a reward, that when we do what is required of us by God that we should still feel like we are unprofitable servants.  We are to do all for the glory of God, and there does not come a time when we sit back and expect God to wait on us.

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.