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Category Archives: Luke

Luke 1:26-38

12 Dec

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”

29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. 37 For the word of God will never fail.”

38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

Luke 1:26-38

Dear God, this is a story I’ve read so many times, but I suppose there’s always something new to be found. Today, what’s occurring to me is that Mary had this great affirmation in the moment that she was completely in your will, favored by you, and be part of your plan for Israel and the world. Not bad for a young, poor woman.

It makes me think about the few times in my life when I felt like I was right in the middle of your will. So many times–almost all of the time–I feel like I’m just guessing, but there have been a few times when I knew I was doing what you wanted me to do, and you were blessing my work. It actually left me afraid of doing something that would get outside of your will. It’s like Peter walking on water. He was doing great until he wasn’t. Oh, how I would like for my “great” moments to last. And when I say “great,” I mean doing exactly what you would have me to do.

Father, I am overwhelmed by the work in front of me. Help me to do it well. I am overwhelmed by the friends who need prayer. The coworker with a sick child. The cousin with a sick daughter. My niece with a significant medical procedure today. My friend who just lost her husband. My other friend who is recovering from surgery. And these are just a few friends from this week. Help them. Help me help them. Comfort. Heal. Love. Forgive. Redeem. Teach.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 12, 2025 in Luke

 

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Luke 1:26-38

08 Dec

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”

29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. 37 For the word of God will never fail.”

38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

Luke 1:26-38

Dear God, I’ve read this story so many times that it’s hard to get a new feel for it, but what stood out to me this morning was the idea that you had Mary on a need-to-know basis, and there was a lot she didn’t need to know. If you had given her a vision for how the next 33 years would play out, she probably would have crumbled in tears. Bethlehem. Egypt. Mocking. Crucifixion. Even the ascension after resurrection. This visit by Gabriel tells her what will happen in the unseen world, but she thinks it’s what’s going to happen in this world. But she doesn’t need to know.

Neither do I. Oh, how it’s so much better that I don’t know what’s next. I can make my plans, but I need to just do my best to serve you in the moment. To put my head down and embrace the path. To worship you, which Mary did. To love others, which Mary did. And then take life as it comes, which Mary did. A sword out pierce her soul (thank you, Simeon [Matthew 2:35]), but she didn’t need to know that right now. And my life will play out in ways that I don’t need to know either. It reminds me of the Garth Brooks song “The Dance.” The chorus: “And now, I’m glad I didn’t know the way it all would end. The way it all would go. Our lives are better left to chance. I could have missed the pain, but I’d have had to miss the dance.”

Father, here I am. I’m here to worship and to embrace the words Mary spoke in response to all of this: “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” Whatever that truth is, I embrace it as your path for the little life you have given me.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 8, 2025 in Luke

 

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Luke 21:34-36

29 Nov

34 “Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, 35 like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. 36 Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.”

Luke 21:34-36

Dear God, if my wife weren’t Catholic I would have no idea that this is the last day of the liturgical year, but now I know that we are about to start over with the beginning of Advent tomorrow. So before I get into worshipping you for your incarnation, life, death, and resurrection for the next month, I want to spend one last day in this liturgical year. I want to think about how my 2025 lines up with being aware and not allowing my heart to be dulled.

The interesting thing about this year is that it saw some of my best successes and, simultaneously, what I perceive to be my biggest failures at work. We (you) really helped us advance the work we provide now through the addition of a critical service and you helped us lay the groundwork for more expansion and impacting people’s lives in the future. And it all kind of fell into my lap. There was no great and amazing work on my part. I prayed. I followed some prompts. I asked you and others for help. And it all came together. I’m still amazed by it.

I also saw strife at a level I’ve never seen it before. I’ve seen coworkers go through very difficult things in their personal lives and then allow that to seep into the workplace. I’ve seen intolerance. I’ve seen resentment. Even as I type these words (and I’ve had this thought before, but I don’t think I’ve really prayed enough about it), it feels like spiritual attack. Attack on my friends and their personal lives. Attack on our unity as a team. Attack. Oh, Jesus, protect us from these attacks. Use our unity to bind us to you and to each other as we experience life. Be glorified in our work and enter the world through us.

Then I have a boy I’ve been mentoring who has had a really difficult year. I can’t enumerate his struggles in such a public forum, but you know what they are. You know his pain, and the pain his family is experiencing. As a mentor, I feel completely inadequate to love him through this. I don’t know what to do or what he needs from me. But I know he could really use a fresh start. Maybe the Christmas season and Advent can be a fresh start for him. Oh, my Jesus, please make it so for him and his entire family. Don’t let this pain be wasted, but draw them all to you.

I have family struggles. Again, I can’t be too public about it here, but you know what they are. You know it better than I do. You know the pain. You know the pain that has been inflicted upon all of us, uninvited, and you know the pain we’ve caused through our actions (and inactions). Oh, Father, let this be a season of healing. Let this be the end to this season of family pain. Show me my role in helping it to end. Holy Spirit, speak to our hearts.

There is pain in our community. Immigrants are hiding and living with anxiety. American Christians are afraid people are coming for their faith and a woke, liberal wave is coming for their children, and non-Christians are afraid that a red, MAGA wave is coming for their freedom. We all distrust each other. And of course we do. We are all grabbing at power at someone else’s expense. That’s not what Jesus did at all, but it’s our temptation to do that now. Fear drives us either to you in humble prayer, accepting whatever fate you might lead us to for the sake of your world, or it drives us into taking matters into our own hands and using whatever earthly power I can muster to provide for myself. For this Advent, help us to remember what Jesus taught us.

Father, I’m going back to the passage that started this all for me this morning: 34 “Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, 35 like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. 36 Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.” Help me to be alert at all times. Help me to be strong enough to deal with the coming horrors the way Jesus did. Give me the strength to correctly stand before you, humble and offering all my love to you and to my neighbors.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 29, 2025 in Luke

 

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Luke 21:29-33

28 Nov

29 Then he gave them this illustration: “Notice the fig tree, or any other tree. 30 When the leaves come out, you know without being told that summer is near. 31 In the same way, when you see all these things taking place, you can know that the Kingdom of God is near. 32 I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things have taken place. 33 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.

Luke 21:29-33

Dear God, yeah, I don’t know what to do with passages like this. As Luke wrote this towards the end of that “generation,” I wonder if he wasn’t warning people that the Kingdom of God is near. Going back to verse 27 where Jesus talks about himself coming on a cloud–returning–feels to me like one of those parts of the Bible that I just kind of look the other way at the prophecy and passively say that they misunderstood what Jesus was saying. There are a lot of the other parts of the prophecy that come true. It’s the second coming that still hasn’t happened 2,000 years later. Or has it, but we just didn’t understand?

Who knows? You do. But that’s it. Just you. And I’m okay to leave that knowledge with you and not try to figure it out for myself. How could I possibly know your mind? And why do I need to know? That knowledge wouldn’t help me to love you more or love my neighbor better. I like knowing that there’s this whole afterlife thing that will bring me into a purer form of relating to you and worshipping you. I like the idea of being unencumbered by my limited mind and body. But I don’t need to know when or how.

Father, my wife and I had a long talk this morning already about some things that frustrate us. Not with each other, but with other aspects of our lives. But we worship you. We love you. We ask that you teach us to pray to you and for others. She’s so much better at praying for others than I am. I need to be better about that. Help me to be better. Help me to pray for others better. As I sit here and type this, I find that I don’t want to pray those words because I am afraid of the commitment it will take for me to really pray for others in a better way. But that seems to be where the Holy Spirit is leading me this morning, so help me, Father, Jesus, and Holy Spirit.

I pray this in the power of Jesus and with the Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 28, 2025 in Luke

 

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Luke 21:1-4

24 Nov

21 While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. 2 Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins.

3 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. 4 For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”

Luke 21:1-4

Dear God, you know that I’ve talked about this passage a lot in the past. Both privately and publicly through sermons and Sunday school lessons, I’ve used this woman as an example of someone who faithfully worshipped you through her selfless sacrifice and was seemingly never materially rewarded for it this side of death. But her reward was surely to be with you for eternity and to be namelessly remembered through the rest of history.

If I’m honest, I can look at my life and see that I still have some pretty good guardrails around how much of my personal comfort I sacrifice for the sake of others. Do I give? Yes. Do I try to give generously? Yes. Do I volunteer time to serve others? Yes. But there are limits. I give in a planned way. Even the spontaneous giving for tragedies like the floods that impacted our area this last summer was done within the parameters of what my wife and I had set aside for such an emergency. I made sure all of my own needs and even my wants were covered first. I wasn’t giving my mortgage money or my food money.

I don’t know. Maybe I’m being too hard on myself. Maybe it’s okay to plan just so long as I am remembering that giving is part of the equation. And my wife and I certainly do give. And we volunteer. So we aren’t lost causes in this area. I suppose it’s just that this widow’s story is a challenge to me that, when I think I’ve given enough and I can stop now, I need to challenge that idea. When I start to get prideful in my nobility, I am humbled by the mere knowledge of her existence in the past and how Jesus loved and appreciated her.

Father, I’m just a nobody, but that’s okay. I’m just a guy that might never get noticed by anyone else, but you notice. Okay. That’s not true. A lot of people in our small town notice me and the work that I do. And sometimes I get prideful in that. I guess what I want to do in your sight is the stuff that no one else sees. I want to work, live, love, volunteer, and give as unto you and not as unto them. I want to worship you in my words, thoughts, and deeds. I want to not miss the opportunities to love that I know I miss every day. I want to give my utmost for your highest. Holy Spirit, help me to be that man today.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 24, 2025 in Luke

 

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Luke 23:35-43

23 Nov

35 The crowd watched and the leaders scoffed. “He saved others,” they said, “let him save himself if he is really God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.” 36 The soldiers mocked him, too, by offering him a drink of sour wine. 37 They called out to him, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 A sign was fastened above him with these words: “This is the King of the Jews.”

39 One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”

40 But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? 41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

43 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Luke 23:35-43

Dear God, when I first read this story this morning, I wanted to understand more about these two men on either side of Jesus. I looked at all four gospels. I was curious to find that Luke is the only one who tells us about this exchange. The others just mention they are there, but they don’t share the conversation between the two men and Jesus. I was wondering about the forgiven criminal and what had he been forgiven of. They? Murder? Treason? Whatever it was, he admitted he deserved crucifixion given the current laws. And when he asked Jesus to remember him when came into his kingdom, why did Jesus forgive him? how much did the criminal understand about who Jesus was? Was it just the man’s faith in who Jesus was that was credited to him as righteousness (see Abraham and Genesis 15:6)? It’s an interesting story filled with humility, mercy, grace, and compassion. It seems obvious on the surface, but as soon as I spend any time thinking about it, it is more complicated than that.

After my mind went down that trail, I read the story again and I got to wondering why the people were so angry at Jesus. I can see the Pharisees and leaders being angry at the trial, but the picture this paints of these people who came out just to watch this is disturbing. It reminds me of people on social media who just love to gripe and slander. We have a Facebook group for our community called “Rants and Raves.” A lot more people rant than they rave on there. That’s what I thought of this morning as I considered people who had nothing better to do right before that Passover than go out and jeer Jesus, presumably for not being who they hoped he was—a revolutionary Messiah.

Father, you’ve disappointed me before, and I’ll be disappointed by you again. But those were my problems, not yours. I had the wrong expectations of you, as did the people in this story. They wanted some power. They wanted some hope in a better future. You wanted something totally different for them. Something better. But they couldn’t see that. And I can’t see what you are doing for me and those I love dearly although I and others pray about it often. So I will join the disillusioned criminal on the cross and simply revere who you are and ask that you remember me in this moment now.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 23, 2025 in Luke

 

Luke 20:27-40

22 Nov

27 Then Jesus was approached by some Sadducees—religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. 28 They posed this question: “Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man dies, leaving a wife but no children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name. 29 Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children. 30 So the second brother married the widow, but he also died. 31 Then the third brother married her. This continued with all seven of them, who died without children. 32 Finally, the woman also died. 33 So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her!”

34 Jesus replied, “Marriage is for people here on earth. 35 But in the age to come, those worthy of being raised from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage. 36 And they will never die again. In this respect they will be like angels. They are children of God and children of the resurrection.

37 “But now, as to whether the dead will be raised—even Moses proved this when he wrote about the burning bush. Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, he referred to the Lord as ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 So he is the God of the living, not the dead, for they are all alive to him.”

39 “Well said, Teacher!” remarked some of the teachers of religious law who were standing there. 40 And then no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Luke 20:27-40

Dear God, a couple of things stood out to me in this passage.

  1. What an interesting custom/law they had for being responsible to marry your brothers widow if she had not sons. I mean, that what ultimately happened with Ruth and Boaz after her husband’s death, and that turned out to give us David and then Jesus, so it was a valuable custom. But it’s still interesting. At present, I have one son and it looks like he is not going to have children and carry on my name through having children. My last name will stop with my dad and me on my branch. I guess that makes me kind of sad, but is it important? I don’t know. I think one of the important aspects back then was that women had so few options in supporting themselves and owning property. They needed a male husband or son to have agency. It seems messed up, and as I’ve said before, I heard someone describe some of the weird-looking decisions you made in the Old Testament as you constantly having to triage and accommodate bad decisions from you people. After the garden, it was all just making the best of a bad situation. That’s what this sounds like to me.
  2. Right here, Jesus gives us one of the clearest pictures of the afterlife and what happens after death. Are all souls immortal? Is it possible for a soul to die? I’m no theologian, and I know this is a very debatable point. In fact, I heard a Christian who is older than me, wiser than me, and much more spiritually mature and knowledgeable than me say on a podcast this week that “all souls are immortal.” I think she’s wrong about that, but I don’t know. Is there a sorting one day? Yes, Jesus is very clear about that. Will there be pain and suffering by some? Yes, Jesus is clear on that. Will that suffering be for eternity? That is much less clear. Who will make the cut on heaven vs. hell? That’s pretty unclear too. In fact, Jesus went out of his way to say a lot of people will be surprised where the cut line is (Matthew 25:31-46) But in this case, Jesus makes it seem as if there will be some worthy of being raised from the dead and some who won’t be. He also says the post-death lives of the worthy will be unlike anything we experience here. 35 But in the age to come, those worthy of being raised from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage. 36 And they will never die again.
  3. The entirety of verse 36 is interesting: 36 And they will never die again. In this respect they will be like angels. They are children of God and children of the resurrection. I’ve talked with my wife about the ideas of calling angels “Saints.” For example, “St. Michael the Archangel.” The designation of calling an angel a “Saint” seems like a demotion to me. Jesus says that John the Baptist was as great a human as there has been, but he will be less than the least in heaven (Matthew 11:11). So let’s leave angels in their proper places as much greater than us and much greater than “Saints.” And that will always be, into eternity. We will not be great in heaven. I will never be great in heaven. And that’s okay because none of it is about me.
  4. It’s a little vague who complimented Jesus at the end. Was it some of the Sadducees who were impressed with the answer or Pharisees who appreciated Jesus putting the Sadducees in their place? Not sure, but I think we are all good with Jesus when he supports our biases and frustrated when he doesn’t. If it’s the Sadducees complimenting him then I’m at least impressed with their ability to appreciate a good argument. If it’s the Pharisees then they are just behaving like I would expect them to behave.

Father, I think my big take-away from this passage is that I am so small. I am just so small. And I always will be. And that’s okay. I don’t need to be big or great on this side of heaven or the next. My life is worth nothing to me. If only I may finish the race and complete the task you have given me: The task of sharing your gospel. Let it be so.

I pray this in the name of Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 22, 2025 in Luke, Matthew

 

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Luke 19:41-42

20 Nov

41 But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. 42 “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes.

Luke 19:41-42

Dear God, I’ve taken these two verses out of context because I want to sit with this this morning, but they are part of the Triumphal Entry story:

28 After telling this story, Jesus went on toward Jerusalem, walking ahead of his disciples. 29 As he came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives, he sent two disciples ahead. 30 “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks, ‘Why are you untying that colt?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

32 So they went and found the colt, just as Jesus had said. 33 And sure enough, as they were untying it, the owners asked them, “Why are you untying that colt?”

34 And the disciples simply replied, “The Lord needs it.” 35 So they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it for him to ride on.

36 As he rode along, the crowds spread out their garments on the road ahead of him. 37 When he reached the place where the road started down the Mount of Olives, all of his followers began to shout and sing as they walked along, praising God for all the wonderful miracles they had seen.

38 “Blessings on the King who comes in the name of the Lord!
    Peace in heaven, and glory in highest heaven!”

39 But some of the Pharisees among the crowd said, “Teacher, rebuke your followers for saying things like that!”

40 He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!”

41 But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep. 42 “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. 43 Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. 44 They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you.”

45 Then Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people selling animals for sacrifices. 46 He said to them, “The Scriptures declare, ‘My Temple will be a house of prayer,’ but you have turned it into a den of thieves.”

47 After that, he taught daily in the Temple, but the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders of the people began planning how to kill him. 48 But they could think of nothing, because all the people hung on every word he said.

Jesus longed that the people understood the way to peace. So what is the way to peace? Reading The Communicator’s Commentary: Luke by Bruce Larson, I saw that “the donkey was a symbol of peace in those days. Horses were symbols of military might. Conquering generals came on horses. An ambassador coming on a peaceful mission rode on a donkey. Jesus was an ambassador of peace from the Ultimate Kingdom.”

I found myself wondering an impossible question to answer when I read this passage this morning: What if they had understood and gotten it right that day? What if the Pharisees embraced him and asked what they must do to repent? What if the people ignored Roman rule, the Israelites embraced Jesus as your son/the Messiah, and then took reconciliation with you to the Gentiles? What if everyone cheering and jeering Jesus that day embraced who he was and then started worshipping you with every thing they have and loved their neighbors as themselves? What if?

Of course, it didn’t happen that way. But is there a lesson for your faithful remnant now? As I see Christians striving for political power and influence, I can’t help but wonder if they aren’t making the same mistake the crowds made that day. In my opinion, they are. They do not “understand the way to peace.” Are they embracing reconciliation with you through Jesus? Sure. Are they taking that to the world and ungodly? They probably think so. But I think they see the more expedient path of doing it through power and control, and not the slow, deliberate path of loving one person at a time.

Father, I am reminded of the thing I heard once from John Dickson, that Jesus used (and gave to us to use) four tools, and four tools only, to impact the world around us: Prayer, Service, Persuasion, and Suffering. I don’t pray enough for people. I could probably serve more. My persuasion abilities on the ungodly are weak. And, well, let’s face it, I don’t suffer much. Show me what that means. Show me what it means to worship you through the deliberate acts of worshipping you, but also through the acts of Prayer, Service, Persuasion, and Suffering.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 20, 2025 in Luke

 

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Luke 19:11-27

19 Nov

11 The crowd was listening to everything Jesus said. And because he was nearing Jerusalem, he told them a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away. 12 He said, “A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return. 13 Before he left, he called together ten of his servants and divided among them ten pounds of silver, saying, ‘Invest this for me while I am gone.’ 14 But his people hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We do not want him to be our king.’

15 “After he was crowned king, he returned and called in the servants to whom he had given the money. He wanted to find out what their profits were. 16 The first servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made ten times the original amount!’

17 “‘Well done!’ the king exclaimed. ‘You are a good servant. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward.’

18 “The next servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made five times the original amount.’

19 “‘Well done!’ the king said. ‘You will be governor over five cities.’

20 “But the third servant brought back only the original amount of money and said, ‘Master, I hid your money and kept it safe. 21 I was afraid because you are a hard man to deal with, taking what isn’t yours and harvesting crops you didn’t plant.’

22 “‘You wicked servant!’ the king roared. ‘Your own words condemn you. If you knew that I’m a hard man who takes what isn’t mine and harvests crops I didn’t plant, 23 why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’

24 “Then, turning to the others standing nearby, the king ordered, ‘Take the money from this servant, and give it to the one who has ten pounds.’

25 “‘But, master,’ they said, ‘he already has ten pounds!’

26 “‘Yes,’ the king replied, ‘and to those who use well what they are given, even more will be given. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 27 And as for these enemies of mine who didn’t want me to be their king—bring them in and execute them right here in front of me.’”

Luke 19:11-27

Dear God, I learned just a few years ago that Jesus is actually comparing his own kingdom (your kingdom) to the new young King Herod. The local crowd would have known how young King Herod went to Rome to request his father’s throne after he died and how locals went to implore Rome to not give it to him. And how he killed the locals who spoke out against him when he got back. So it was an interesting move for Jesus to say, “Yeah, I’m not too dissimilar than Herod.” It’s weird for me to even type those words.

It makes me think of the line I happen to vaguely remember from The Chronicles of Narnia describing Aslan when Lucy asks if he’s safe: “Safe?” said Mr. Beaver.” Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.” Mr. Tumnus also says, “He’s wild, you know. Not a tame lion.” (Copied from Sally Clarkson’s blog) Jesus will not fit into the box I want him to fit into, and that’s a good thing. There is nothing in life that is safe. It’s not meant to be. And Jesus can’t be just a pushover God who gives everything and demands nothing. That doesn’t work. That’s the kind of God I’d love to have. But it makes no sense to have a God like that. It makes no sense for you to be that way. I’m impressed that Jesus made it clear through this parable that kings have a natural responsibility to demand things. They can be good and still not be safe.

Father, help me to completely embrace the idea of the hard things you call me to. You have called me to be accountable and a steward over resources in my personal and professional lives. Help me to do that well. I don’t know to what extent I should be good but not safe. I’m not a king, but I am in a position of leadership. And I tend to steer into safe–perhaps too much. Help me to find that line. This is a challenging word for me this morning. It’s probably something I need to stew on the rest of the day. Am I being the steward you need me to be over the resources you’ve given me, and am I too preoccupied with being safe for those who work under me? Explicitly guide me in this for your glory’s sake and for the sake of your kingdom coming and your will being done on earth as it is in heaven.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 19, 2025 in Luke

 

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Luke 19:1-10

18 Nov

19 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree beside the road, for Jesus was going to pass that way.

5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.”

6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7 But the people were displeased. “He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner,” they grumbled.

8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, “I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!”

9 Jesus responded, “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

Luke 19:1-10

Dear God, I had some thoughts as I read this passage this morning.

First, they have a newly-healed blind man in tow. He is part of the entourage as Jesus entered Jericho. Did he go to Zacchaeus’s house too?

Second, putting this in political terms, there were red (or blue) people following Jesus into Jericho and then they saw him express interest in a blue (or red) person. How dare he? Doesn’t Jesus know that guy’s awful? He steals and cheats!

Third, Jesus was about the repentance of each heart. In this case, his mere presence convicted Zacchaeus about his wrongdoing. And Jesus blessed his repentance: “Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.”

If I am to be Christlike, there are certain things I must do. First, I must search my own heart and repent. For my selfishness. For my judgment of others. Second, I need to love others regardless of who they are or what they do. And third, I need to offer your salvation to those around me. Jesus’s reconciliation between us and you, Father.

Father, it’s a big day for my place of work today. I pray that I might be more about loving others than worrying about my own needs. I trust you will take care of me and the needs I have. My prayer is that I (and the place I work) will be a blessing to everyone who comes into contact with us, whether they be a client, volunteer, employee, vendor, donor, or even a potential employee. Help my heart to be focused on you and focused on others. Then I’ll just trust you to do what needs done.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 18, 2025 in Luke

 

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