Luke Part 1 Week 21

Day 1 

RECEIVE 

Luke 5:13-14 

¹³ Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” And instantly the leprosy disappeared. ¹⁴ Then Jesus instructed him not to tell anyone what had happened. He said, “Go to the priest and let him examine you. Take along the offering required in the law of Moses for those who have been healed of leprosy. This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.” 

For anyone who may have been watching, think how alarmed they must have been when Jesus actually touched the leper. Jesus healed him, and instructed him to do what the law required him to do. Jesus said, “This will be a public testimony that you have been cleansed.” It was to be a testimony to the priest and others. 

REFLECT 

Think of the relief the leper must have had to be healed by Jesus. Surely he would be glad to go to the priest and be examined by him. 

RESPOND 

Talk with a friend about what it would have been like to live under the Old Testament law with all of its requirements. Leviticus 14 tells about the process the priest would use in declaring the person to be free of the skin disease. Leviticus 14:30-32 is a summary of the process the priest used. 

Day 2 

RECEIVE 

Luke 5:15-16 

¹⁵ But despite Jesus’ instructions, the report of his power spread even faster, and vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases. ¹⁶ But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer. 

Jesus had told the healed leper not to tell anyone. Apparently the leper could not contain his joy of being healed and told others. This resulted in many people coming to hear Jesus preach and to be healed. Jesus was never reluctant to heal but this was not His main purpose in coming to earth. The habit of Jesus is seen in Luke 5:16, “But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.” 

REFLECT 

Jesus wanted to move around without a lot of attention being drawn to Him. His practice of withdrawing for prayer is an example for His followers today.  

RESPOND 

In the busyness of life, do you and your friend take time to withdraw to pray? If Jesus believed in the importance of prayer, so also should His followers.   

Day 3 

RECEIVE 

Luke 5:17 

¹⁷ One day while Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and teachers of religious law were sitting nearby. (It seemed that these men showed up from every village in all Galilee and Judea, as well as from Jerusalem.) And the Lord’s healing power was strongly with Jesus. 

Most of the religious leaders were enemies of Jesus. They questioned everything He did. They did not believe Jesus was the Messiah. Neither did they approve of Him doing anything on the Sabbath, even if it helped people. Wherever He went in public, they seemed to have been there. At this point in Jesus’ life, He had been healing many people, and the religious leaders could not deny that. 

REFLECT 

What have you found it to be like with religious leaders who don’t believe what the Bible says? Especially what it says about the death, burial, resurrection of Jesus and the eye witnesses of the resurrection? 

RESPOND 

Join with a friend in reading 1 Corinthians 15:1-9. This passage tells not only of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection, but also of the eyewitnesses of the resurrection. 

Day 4 

RECEIVE 

Luke 5:18-20 

¹⁸ Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a sleeping mat. They tried to take him inside to Jesus, ¹⁹ but they couldn’t reach him because of the crowd. So they went up to the roof and took off some tiles. Then they lowered the sick man on his mat down into the crowd, right in front of Jesus. ²⁰ Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, “Young man, your sins are forgiven.” 

Notice various things in this passage of Scripture. The men were desperate to get the paralyzed man to Jesus so he could be healed. They removed roof tiles and lowered him right in front of Jesus. Especially notice whose faith Jesus rewarded: “their” faith. This includes the men as well as the paralyzed man.  

REFLECT 

Have you been told that if you had enough faith God could do something particular for you? Did those who told you this have faith it could be done? 

RESPOND 

This event was so special that other gospel writers included it. Read Matthew 9:2 and Mark 2:4-5. In both of these gospels “their faith” was referred to. Visit with a fellow believer about this. Pray for those who need physical healing. 

Day 5 

RECEIVE 

Luke 5:21 

²¹ But the Pharisees and teachers of religious law said to themselves, “Who does he think he is? That’s blasphemy! Only God can forgive sins!” 

Many of the common people believed in Jesus, but the religious leaders did not. This verse reveals they did not believe Jesus was the Messiah—God in human flesh. At least they believed God could forgive sins, but they did not think that Jesus was God. The Jewish leaders knew that Jesus claimed to be God (see John 5:17-18). They thought He was not God, and they wanted to kill Him.  

REFLECT 

Do you realize that what Jesus did on earth was trying to reveal to people that He was God? 

RESPOND 

With a friend compare two passages that reveal Jesus was and is God. See Matthew 4:10 and Hebrews 1:6. Jesus was to be worshiped, which indicates He was God.