Luke Part 2 Week 12

Day 1 

RECEIVE 

Luke 10:21-22 

²¹ At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way. ²² My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” 

Although Jesus was the second person of the trinity, He was filled with joy by the third person of the trinity. Jesus acknowledged that no one truly knew Him except the heavenly Father. For some who want to deny Jesus is God, He said no one could really know the Father except through Him. This is an answer that can be given to those who deny that Jesus is God. 

REFLECT 

As a believer in Jesus, you also have the Holy Spirit living in you. Does this give you joy? 

RESPOND 

Visit with a friend about every believer having the Holy Spirit in his or her life. Read Romans 8:9 that reveals the Spirit is in each believer. Read Galatians 5:22-23 to see the evidences of the Spirit shown through believers’ lives. 

Day 2 

RECEIVE 

Luke 10:23-24 

²³ Then when they were alone, he turned to the disciples and said, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you have seen. ²⁴ I tell you, many prophets and kings longed to see what you see, but they didn’t see it. And they longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.” 

The disciples who walked with Jesus had the high privilege of seeing, experiencing, and hearing things about Jesus that would make others jealous. The Greek word translated “blessed” also means “fortunate” or “happy.” The Old Testament prophets and kings were highly regarded but they never had the privileges the disciples of Jesus had. Jesus said, “[T]hey longed to hear what you hear, but they didn’t hear it.” 

REFLECT 

Have you sometimes thought about what great privileges the disciples had as they walked and talked with Jesus? 

RESPOND 

Join with a friend in reading 2 Peter 1:20-21. Prophets did not sit on a log and wonder what to write. They were “moved” by the Holy Spirit about what to write. The Greek word for “moved” was also used of a ship being borne along by the wind in its sails. The Spirit enabled them to write exactly what God wanted written. Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17 in this regard. 

Day 3 

RECEIVE 

Luke 10:25-26 

²⁵ One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?” ²⁶ Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?” 

Notice who usually gave the most opposition to Jesus who was the prophesied Messiah of Israel. It was the religious leaders. Many of the common people trusted in Jesus as the Messiah, but few of the Jewish religious leaders did. In those days an “expert in religious law” was one who specialized in the Old Testament law system. In turn, Jesus asked him a question. 

REFLECT 

Have you ever asked what the lawyer asked, “What should I do to inherit eternal life?” Hopefully you have and were told what to do. 

RESPOND 

Have you noticed that when Jesus was asked a question He often asked His questioner a question? This can be an example in the way you can witness for Jesus. Talk with a friend of how a conversation can be turned around to a more important topic. Your answer could be, “That’s a good question, but are you ready to meet Jesus face to face when you die?” 

Day 4 

RECEIVE 

Luke 10:27-29 

²⁷ The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” ²⁸ “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!” ²⁹ The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 

Notice that the expert in the Old Testament law knew much true information. He knew of Leviticus 19:18 that says to love one’s neighbor as yourself. Jesus agreed with his answer. But then the expert lawyer had another question and asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” The text says he asked this because he “wanted to justify his actions.”  

REFLECT 

Have you known of people who ask questions in order to justify their actions? 

RESPOND 

The lawyer wanted to “justify” his actions. The word is translated from the Greek text and means to “declare righteous.” This expert in the Old Testament law was trying to become right with God by good works instead of believing in Jesus as the Messiah. 

Day 5 

RECEIVE 

Luke 10:30-32 

³⁰ Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. ³¹ By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. ³² A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.” 

Jesus answered the expert in Old Testament law about who a Samaritan is. Jesus loved to tell stories to make a significant point. Jesus told of a Jewish man who was attacked by bandits who left him lying beside the road. A religious leader (a priest) did nothing to help him. Also a Temple assistant who would have been a Levite looked at the half-dead man and crossed the road to the other side.  

REFLECT 

What is your response when you see someone in desperate need? Do you seek to help or “pass on by”? 

RESPOND 

Talk with a friend about the Samaritans who were despised by the Jews in Judea. The Samaritans were an outcast group as far as the Jews were concerned. Talk with your friend about groups that are considered as outcasts by present-day society. Then ask yourselves how you think of these groups and what you are doing to attempt to befriend some of them.