Life Walk Lesson 69 — God Encounters
Jesus teaches His disciples how to ask our Father in heaven for things they need or desire, and to expect to receive good things from Him, because He loves us.
When we honor Who He is, and desire what He has for our enjoyment and well-being, God is pleased to give it to us in abundance, even over and above anything we could imagine, or even think to ask for.
God is pleased with us when we have faith in His ability to answer our prayers. God is also pleased with us when we live a lifestyle of asking Him for our needs, and the accompanying gratitude for answered prayer.
He is also pleased with us when we live a life of obedience to Him, as well as forgiving others when they wrong us, because we have been forgiven when we didn’t obey Him.
He has the power and the glory, and desires to share it with those who live a righteous life.
Here, in Luke 11, we find Jesus in the company of people who were not behaving well, even though they invited Him to eat with them. A quick reading of the chapter will find us comfortable in the familiar verses, like Ask and you shall receive, and the like.
I find in between the lines, however, where Jesus deftly uses the Sword of the Spirit in a teachable moment. Can you find it too?
Here is what is familiar to us:
Luke 11:9-10
9 “And I tell you, Ask and it will be given you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.
10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
We all love that passage because it gives us hope that our prayers will also be answered — anything we like.
Jesus tells stories to get a point across for those who have ears to hear:
Luke 11:11-12
11 What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent;
12 or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”
Look at what He is offering them: The Holy Spirit!
Now let’s look at Luke 10:19
"Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy; and nothing shall hurt you.”
All in a Day’s Work: What I learn from God-Encounters
Jesus has taught His disciples how to pray and receive their requests.
Jesus has healed a deaf-mute man, and is promptly accused of using the wrong methods, which His accusers also use, by the way. The fact that they did not have ears to hear what He was trying to tell them went right over their heads, I think.
Jesus gives them a lesson in hierarchy, protocol, anarchy, vain and ineffective methods, and the power of God to save completely.
Jesus speaks to them about who true family is — those who listen to God and obey His voice.
God is the best example available for a godly Dad, isn't He. He speaks up for the voiceless, as King Lemuel's mother instructs her son to do in Proverbs 31:8-9 and He heals them too!
Jesus gives them a sign anyhow, and reprimands those who only look for signs in order to believe God. The greater the person, the less need for a sign -- but they did not perceive His greatness yet.
Jesus talks about the light within us — for we are the light of the world.
Jesus reminds the people about Kingdom economy, and living right for the right reasons, not just to look good in front of others.
Jesus shows them that promoting other peoples sins against God is no way to please God, and being a stickler for the smallest detail isn’t always success-oriented behavior. Sometimes we just need to be merciful and let it go. Only God is Perfect.
The best thing to do when you have been given knowledge, or understanding, or wisdom of any kind from God, is to pass it on, so others can also succeed in the Kingdom of God.
Yet, I have also learned: don’t give any time to serpents and scorpions — just step on them and keep moving. Like the fig tree — speak to it and move on. Let God take care of it. There is no value in arguing over words. Even the Apostle Paul said so. How did he find this out, you wonder? He spent some time trying to convince people of the truths He had learned first hand from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Some refused to believe, and he learned to walk away and let God take care of them.
Keep it simple, for we enter as a Child into the Kingdom.
Keep it godly, so our life is above reproach, both with God and humans.
Keep it genuine, for genuineness is attractive to the Kingdom.
It is God Who works in us to do His will for everyone’s good.
Scripture Reading: Luke 6-7
Mark 2:25-27
[Footnotes from my NIV Bible: 1 Samuel 21:1-6; 2 Samuel 8:17; Matthew 12:3-8 (Exodus 25:30; Leviticus 24:5-9); Isaiah 58:6-7; Luke 6:6-11; Luke 13:10-17; Luke 14:1-6; Exodus 20:8-11]
Scripture Reading: Matthew 11-13
Time Setting: a six month period, wherein Jesus travelled and ministered all over the region, while His authority to do what He did was questioned, challenged, and persecuted to the point of death-threats.
The first thing that was challenged was the concept of "Sabbath rest" -- Matthew 11:28
From: Harmony of the Gospels in Modern English, Coulter, 1974; Page 65
Part III From Passover AD 29 -- Passover AD 30 on Luke 6, Mark 2, Matthew 12 The Second Passover Season, Jesus shows He is the Lord and Master of the Sabbath
Luke 6:1 "And it occurred on the second first Sabbath [the second Sabbath of the first rank, which is the second annual Holy Day during the Feast of Unleavened Bread], He passed along through the grain fields, and His disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands and were eating."
[Footnotes: a. Leviticus 24:9; 1 Samuel 21:1-6; b. Numbers 28:9-10; c. Hosea 6:6; Jeremiah 7:22-23; Psalm 51:16-19]
Jesus raises the Widow of Nain's son after the event of Mark 3, Matthew 12, Luke 8 of declaring who His family is -- those who listen and obey. [Page 71]
On Page 74: At the Fall Festival Season in Jerusalem, Jesus heals a man of a 38 year infirmity on the Sabbath. [John 5]
Matthew 28:18-20
18 "Then Jesus came to them and said, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
20 teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
What did Jesus command:
Matthew 10:8 "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give."
John 15:12 "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."
John 15:17 "This is My command: Love each other."
