Luke 21:8

Luke 21:8 says, And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them.  Jesus warned the people even while He was still here on earth that there would be those who falsely claimed to be Christ who would come, and that they would claim that judgment day was near.  Jesus warned the disciples to not follow these people.  We occasionally have heard of someone who claimed the be Jesus Christ who had returned, and even more often have heard of those who claim that His return is imminent, but we are still to not believe them.  Verse nine adds, But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.  This sounds like the world today, and Jesus said these things must come to pass, but this does not mean that the end is coming soon.  Verse ten states, Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:  We are definitely hearing about this today, and it is only going to get worse.  Verse eleven adds, And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.  We know about the earthquakes, famines and pestulances, and I am not sure what the great signs from heaven are.  Verse twelve declares, But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.  There has definitely been a lot of this going on during the years since Jesus died and rose again and it is definitely going on in parts of the world today.  Verse thirteen adds, And it shall turn to you for a testimony.  The world is looking to us as followers of Christ to share our testimony of Him today, and this is what He expects to do.  Verse fourteen continues, Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:  Jesus tells us to not have decided beforehand what we are going to say if we are persecuted.  This might seem like it would be something good to do, but Jesus tells us not to.  Verse fifteen declares, For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.  Jesus tells us to rely on Him for what to say and that if we do, the world cannot deny or resist what we say.  We are never to rely own our own knowledge and strength, but on God's knowledge and strength to empower us in these situations.  Verse sixteen adds, And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.  Families are often divided when it comes to Jesus Christ, especially in parts of the world, and family members are not only turned over to authorities for their faith in Jesus Christ, but in some instances, the family members even participate in putting them to death.  Verse seventeen continues, And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake.  This is very far removed from the concept that God wants me to be happy so He will give me what I desire.  We are told that we will have just the opposite occur.  Verse eighteen says, But there shall not an hair of your head perish.  I don't believe that we are going to be physically unharmed when we stand for Jesus in the face of adversity, but that from a spiritual standpoint we will always be safely in the arms of God.  Verse nineteen adds, In your patience possess ye your souls.  When we patiently stand faithful in our relationship to Jesus Christ, we will keep our soul safe forever. 

Luke 21:1

Luke 21:1 says, And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.  Jesus looked up and saw some rich men putting their gifts into the treasury.  Evidently, they were doing it so that they would be noticed, and some rich people today want to be noticed when they are giving to the church.  Verse two adds, And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.  There was also a poor widow who gave her small donation, and Jesus noticed her also, even if most of the people may not have.  We tend to notice when rich people give something more than we do when poor people do.  We may even write off the donations of poor people as being insignificant.  God does not look at the amount of the gift, but at the attitude of the giver.  Verse three states, And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:  Jesus said 5he poor widow had given more than all the rich men combined had.  Too often, when it comes to giving to the church, we say show me the money, and give recognition to those giving the largest amount.  Verse four adds, For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.  As stated already, Jesus didn't look at the amount given but at the attitude of the giver.  Those who are poorer may often give a greater percentage of what they have than those who are better off.  Verse five says, And as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts, he said,  Some people were talking about how richly the temple was adorned.  There are still people today who take a lot of pride in church buildings, sometimes spending an inordinate amount on its upkeep while being less concerned about the people around them who may be in need.  Verse six adds, As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.  Jesus told them that the day was coming when not even one stone of the temple would be left on top of the other.  There is also coming a day when not one stone of all the beautiful church buildings of today will be left on top of another.  Like the temple then, they are but temporary structures.  Verse seven continues, And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass?  The people then asked Jesus when this would happen and what the sign would be that it was about to come to pass.  Many people today are trying to figure out when the second coming of Jesus Christ will happen.  This should not be our focus.  We should be focusing on being faithful to Jesus Christ at all times if we are His followers. 

Luke 20:39

Luke 20:39 says, Then certain of the scribes answering said, Master, thou hast well said.  One of the scribes told Jesus that He had answered the question about marriage in heaven well.  He evidently thought he knew as much or more than Jesus.  Jesus did not need anyone to endorse what He said then, nor does He today.  Still, if the scribe was sincere, at least he acknowledged the truth of what Jesus said.  Verse forty adds, And after that they durst not ask him any question at all.  After failing to get Jesus to say something wrong about marriage after a person died, the scribes and Pharisees quit asking Him any questions.  People will eventually always come to understand that God's word cannot be disputed.  Verse forty-one states, And he said unto them, How say they that Christ is David’s son?  Jesus asked the scribes and Pharisees a question of His own.  Jesus asked them if the Christ was to be David's son.  This was a well known principle of the Jewish people.  We should still acknowledge this today as followers of Christ.  Verse forty-two adds, And David himself saith in the book of Psalms, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand,  Jesus then said that in the book of Psalms that David referred to the coming Christ, or Messiah, as His Lord, and not his son.  His LORD told David to sit at His right hand, but David was still in a position of service to his LORD, which is all we will ever be as Christians.  Verse forty-three continues, Till I make thine enemies thy footstool.  David said that God, and not he himself, was going to make his enemies his footstool.  Victory over our enemies in the world today will come by the power of God, and not by our own power.  Verse forty-four asks, David therefore calleth him Lord, how is he then his son?  Jesus said if David called the coming Messiah his LORD, then how did people then call Him David's son.  Of course, Jesus being David's son was physical, and Him being David's LORD was spiritual, and this is something we must acknowledge today.  Verse forty-five adds, Then in the audience of all the people he said unto his disciples,  Verse forty-six continues, Beware of the scribes, which desire to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the markets, and the highest seats in the synagogues, and the chief rooms at feasts;  Jesus said so that all the people could hear that they should beware of the scribes, who liked to be idolalized by other people.  We should also beware of those religious leaders today who like to do things so that they will be noticed and adored, if not idolalized, by other people.  Verse forty-seven concludes, Which devour widows’ houses, and for a shew make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation.  Jesus said the scribes took widows houses and then made a show of their long prayers.  God will hold us accountable for how we treat others, no matter how long we make a show of our prayers.  Jesus said they would receive a greater damnation because of their hypocrisy.  There is no room in Christianity for hypocrisy. 

Luke 20:27

Luke 20:27 says, Then came to him certain of the Sadducees, which deny that there is any resurrection; and they asked him,  Certain Sadducees, who denied there is any resurrection from the dead, came to Jesus in an attempt to get Him to say something that they could use against Him.  They were not there seeking to understand why they were wrong.  Some people today who have wrong ideas about life after death still attempt to disprove that there is everlasting life through faith in Jesus Christ alone.  Verse twenty-eight adds, Saying, Master, Moses wrote unto us, If any man’s brother die, having a wife, and he die without children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.  The Sadducees used the scripture, Moses's teaching about a brother marrying his sisters widow if the brother died without a child to attempt to get Jesus to say something that they could us against Him.  Not everyone who quotes scripture does so to glorify God.  Verse twenty-nine states, There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children.  The Sadducees gave an example of seven brothers, the first of which married and died without a child.  Verse thirty adds, And the second took her to wife, and he died childless.  Verse thirty-one continues, And the third took her; and in like manner the seven also: and they left no children, and died.  In their example, all six of the remaining brothers in order married the woman and died without her having a child.  This is a very unlikely scenario, but it would be possible, but the Sadducees were not really worried about the actual possibility, but only about getting Jesus to say something they could use against Him.  We hear people today attempt to do the same thing by questioning why God does act in a certain way in a particular situation.  Verse thirty-two concludes, Last of all the woman died also.  The Sadducees concluded that eventually the woman died as a widow.  Verse thirty-three asks, Therefore in the resurrection whose wife of them is she? for seven had her to wife.  The Sadducees, who didn't believe in the resurrection of the dead, asked Jesus whose wife she would be in the resurrection, since she had been married to all seven brothers.  They really weren't looking for answer that would help them come to a true understanding of the resurrection of the dead, just a many people today question the Bible and God Himself not for a better understanding but to discredit Him instead.  Verse thirty-four declares, And Jesus answering said unto them, The children of this world marry, and are given in marriage:  Verse thirty-five adds, But they which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage:  Jesus told the Sadducees that people are married in this world alone, and that those who attain everlasting life through faith in Jesus Christ are not married in heaven. Verse thirty-six continues, Neither can they die any more: for they are equal unto the angels; and are the children of God, being the children of the resurrection.  Jesus said that once we die and are resurrected we will never die again as followers of Christ.  He said we will be equal to the angels, but He did not say that we would be angels, but as children of the resurrection we would be children of God.  This is and always will be the important fact about the resurrection from the dead for Christians.  We cannot know everything that heaven will be, but we can be certain that we will be the children of God if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.  Verse thirty-seven continues, Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.  Jesus said that Moses acknowledged the truth of the resurrection when he called God the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, which He could not be if there were no resurrection from the dead and everlasting life.  Verse thirty-eight concludes, For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.  Since God is not there God of the dead but of the living, then there must be everlasting life.  This was not what the Sadducees were wanting to hear, but it was God's truth.  Even if people don't want to hear it today, God's truth will always be the only truth there is.

Luke 20:20

Luke 20:20 says, And they watched him, and sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might take hold of his words, that so they might deliver him unto the power and authority of the governor.  The scribes and Pharisees sent spies to watch Jesus, listening for anything that He might say that they could take to the governor to accuse Him of.  The religious leaders would rather turn to the governmental authorities who held them in captivity than to submit to the authority of Jesus.  These were the leaders of God's chosen people.  We need to pray that we as people who call ourselves followers of Christ never become the same way today.  Verse twenty-one adds, And they asked him, saying, Master, we know that thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither acceptest thou the person of any, but teachest the way of God truly:  These spies, who were really only looking for something to charge Jesus with to the authorities, asked Him about His teaching that a person should only follow the way of God, which they flatter Him by saying He taught correctly.  They seemed to think that they were the ones who decided whether what Jesus taught was right or not.  We need to make sure that we don't reach the point where we think that what we believe determines whether it is what God says is true or not.  Verse twenty-two continues, Is it lawful for us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?  These spies then asked Jesus if it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar.  It seems that people have always thought that the best way to discredit someone is by questioning monetary beliefs, especially those that relate to the government and taxes.  Verse twenty-three states, But he perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye me?  Jesus knew what they were trying to do, and asked why they tempted God.  We will never fool God with false motives.  Verse twenty-four adds, Shew me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? They answered and said, Caesar’s.  Jesus told them to show Him a penny and asked whose image was on it, and they said Caesar’s.  We as Christians have never been told by God to attempt to avoid paying taxes.  Verse twenty-five continues, And he said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.  Jesus said that they were to give to Caesar the things that were his, and to God the things that were God's.   Sometimes, those who profess to be Christians don't want to do either, but want to keep everything for their own personal use.  This is not what God's word teaches us.  Verse twenty-six concludes, And they could not take hold of his words before the people: and they marvelled at his answer, and held their peace.  These spies could not find a reason to accuse Jesus, especially before all those who were following Him, and they marvelled at His answer and held their peace.  They did not accept His answer as the authority on the subject, but simply marvelled at His answer because it kept them from being able to accuse Jesus of anything before Caesar.  People today may marvel at the word of God, not because they believe it, but simply because they can find no reason to discredit it.

Luke 20:9

Luke 20;9 says, Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.  Jesus once more taught the people with a parable, this time about a man who planted a vineyard and let it out to a husbandmen before going to a far country for a long time.  God is the One Who planted the vineyard, His laws, and the nation of Isreal were the ones He entrusted it to. Verse ten adds, And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty.  At the time of the harvest, the owner sent a servant to receive the fruit of the vineyard that was due him, and they beat the servant and sent him way empty handed.  God sent His prophets to the people of Isreal throughout history to call them to an accounting, and they were often beaten and sent away empty of any acknowledgment of the peoples debt to God.  Verse eleven continues, And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.  The owner then sent another servant, and the people treated him even worse than the first.  Verse twelve concludes, And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out.  The owner was patient with them, and sent a third servant, who was then wounded and cast out.  As already stated, God sent many prophets to the people of Israel, and they were often abused by the people of Israel, who were supposed to be God's people.  Verse thirteen states, Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.  The owner of the vineyard then decided to send his beloved Son, whom he said the people would reverence when they saw him.  Jesus, the beloved Son of God had been sent to the people of Israel at that time, and the heavenly Father felt that they would certainly accept and honor Him.  Verse fourteen adds, But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.  Instead, when the husbandmen saw the son, they decided to kill Him and keep all the inheritance themselves.  The people of Isreal, especially the religious leaders, did not want to giveup their authority.   Verse fifteen adds, So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?  Jesus said the husbandmen casr the son out and killed him.  This is what people do when they reject Jesus Christ today.  Jesus then asked them what the owner would do to the husbandmen.  Everyone needs to ask what God will do to them if they do not accept His Son, Jesus Christ, as their personal Savior and Lord.  Verse sixteen continues, He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid.  Jesus told those around Him, the people of Israel, that if the husbandmen killed the owners son that he would destroy them and give the vineyard to others.  They replied God forbid, which would indicate that they knew that Jesus was referring to them.  After the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God did send His message of salvation to the Gentiles, and that us.  Verse seventeen declares, And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner? Jesus asked what it meant when God's word said that the cornerstone would be rejected.  This is the question that we must ultimately ask ourself.  What does it mean if we reject the cornerstone, Jesus Christ, as our Savior and Lord.  Verse eighteen adds, Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.  If we fall on the cornerstone, we will be broken of all our self pride, but if we reject Jesus, the cornerstone will destroy us.  Verse nineteen continues, And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought to lay hands on him; and they feared the people: for they perceived that he had spoken this parable against them.  The chief priests and scribes attempted to seize Jesus, because they realized He was talking about them.  Those who will not accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord are still attempting to destroy Him today. 

Luke 20:1

Luke 20:1 says, And it came to pass, that on one of those days, as he taught the people in the temple, and preached the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes came upon him with the elders,  Once again when Jesus was preaching and teaching in the temple, the scribes and chief priests with the elders and they confronted Him.  These would have been most of the religious leaders.  Verse two adds, And spake unto him, saying, Tell us, by what authority doest thou these things? or who is he that gave thee this authority?  These religious leaders wanted to know whose authority Jesus was teaching under, since they had not authorized Him to do so.  There may be religious leaders today who question someone who is preaching and teaching about Jesus who gives them the authority, but they should just listen and make sure that what they are preaching and teaching is the truth of God.  We can become so caught up in religious authority that we begin to leave God out of who is authorized to preach and teach if we aren't careful.  Verse three states, And he answered and said unto them, I will also ask you one thing; and answer me:  Jesus said He would ask them one thing and they could answer Him.  Though we are not Jesus, if we are doing what He has called us to do, I believe He will give us the answer.  Verse four adds, The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?  Since John the Baptist had been followed by many, Jesus asked these religious leaders by whose authority he had baptized people, by the authority of heaven or by the authority of men.  Our authority to teach and preach, even if endorsed by religious institutions, must come from God.  Verse five says, And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then believed ye him not?  These religious leaders where in a quandary.  They attempted to figure out the answer that would be the best to support their authority on their own without asking God about it.  If we find ourselves in such a situation as Christians, or even as Christian leaders, our first step should be to pray about it.  These religious leaders said that if they said that John the Baptist's authority was from God, then they would have to answer the question of why they didn't believe him.  Verse six adds, But and if we say, Of men; all the people will stone us: for they be persuaded that John was a prophet.  These religious leaders then said if they said that John the Baptist's only baptized by the authority of man and not God that they would be stoned, because too many people believed that John the Baptist was a prophet.  Religious leaders might not be stoned today, or even removed from their position, if they attempt to stop someone who is preaching and teaching without their authorization. but they will still have to answer to God as to why they did so.  Verse seven continues, And they answered, that they could not tell whence it was.  These religious leaders, those who were supposed to be closest to God and be His representatives said they could not say under whose authority John the Baptist baptized.  It would be sad indeed if religious leaders today can not say whether someone is acting under the authority of God when they preach and teach the gospel, and even worse if they attempt to stop them simply because they did not authorize them to do so.  Verse eight declares, And Jesus said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.  Jesus said if they couldn't say Whose authority John the Baptist acted under, then He wouldn't answer their question about Whose authority He was preaching and teaching under.  If they could not recognize and acknowledge that John the Baptist was acting under the authority of God, would they recognize and acknowledge that Jesus was.  If we are acting under God's calling and authority today as we preach and teach, we really don't have to have the authority of anyone to do so, even religious institutions.