Luke Part 2 Week 17

Day 1 

RECEIVE 

Luke 11:42 

⁴² “What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things.” 

Jesus commended the Pharisees for tithing the smallest income, but He criticized them for ignoring the justice and love of God. The “tithe” referred to 10 percent. Some say if all the tithes of the Old Testament were figured it would come closer to 30 percent total during some of the time. In spite of what the Pharisees were gladly doing, they were neglecting more important matters. 

REFLECT 

What gauge do you use for how much you think you should give to the Lord’s work? Or do you have a measurement? 

RESPOND 

In the New Testament the only time the word “tithe” is used is in referring to Old Testament practices. There is no command for believers in the Church age to tithe. For guidelines the apostle Paul gave read 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 and 2 Corinthians 8:9-12. Notice that one should give in proportion to how she or he has been blessed. Also that it is based on what you have, not on what you don’t have.  

Day 2 

RECEIVE 

Luke 11:43-44 

⁴³ “What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you love to sit in the seats of honor in the synagogues and receive respectful greetings as you walk in the marketplaces. ⁴⁴ Yes, what sorrow awaits you! For you are like hidden graves in a field. People walk over them without knowing the corruption they are stepping on.” 

As people came to Jerusalem for the feast days there was a possibility they would step on a grave unknowingly and make themselves unclean. The custom was to whitewash the grave sites and in the rising sun they would appear beautiful. The Pharisees were like that on the outside but were like the dead bones on their inside (see Matthew 23:27-28).  

REFLECT 

Does this emphasize to you how important God considers the inner person to be? 

RESPOND 

As you and a friend pray for fellow believers, read Philippians 1:3-11 to see how Paul prayed for the believers in Philippi. Pray these kinds of prayers for other believers.  

Day 3 

RECEIVE 

Luke 11:45-47 

⁴⁵ “Teacher,” said an expert in religious law, “you have insulted us, too, in what you just said.” ⁴⁶ “Yes,” said Jesus, “what sorrow also awaits you experts in religious law! For you crush people with unbearable religious demands, and you never lift a finger to ease the burden. ⁴⁷ What sorrow awaits you! For you build monuments for the prophets your own ancestors killed long ago.” 

Some believe Jesus was a person of love who only said loving things. This passage reveals He did not excuse those who were unfair to others. The Pharisees placed burdens on others and had no heart to help them. They even went so far as to build monuments for the prophets their ancestors killed long ago. 

REFLECT 

Does this reveal to you how stern Jesus could be to those not doing right by others? 

RESPOND  

Someday every person will give account to Jesus. John 5:22 indicates the heavenly Father has committed all judgment to Him. Those who are followers of Jesus will have their works judged according to 1 Corinthians 3:12-15. Those who reject Jesus Christ as Savior will have their works judged at the Great White Throne (see Revelation 20:11-15). 

Day 4 

RECEIVE 

Luke 11:48-49 

⁴⁸ “But in fact, you stand as witnesses who agree with what your ancestors did. They killed the prophets, and you join in their crime by building the monuments! ⁴⁹ This is what God in his wisdom said about you: ‘I will send prophets and apostles to them, but they will kill some and persecute the others.’” 

Jesus accused the Pharisees in His day of being associated in the crime of their ancestors killing the prophets of God. Their ancestors killed them, but present-day Pharisees in Jesus’ time built monuments to them. Jesus even told them what God has said about them. God’s words proved true, “I will send prophets and apostles to them, but they will kill some and persecute the others.” 

REFLECT 

Think how sobering it must have been to Jesus’ disciples to know what God said about coming persecution. History indicates that all except the apostle John died a martyr’s death.  

RESPOND  

Those today who take a bold stand for biblical Christianity can also expect persecution. In this regard, read John 16:33 and 2 Timothy 3:12. Discuss these passages with a friend.  

Day 5 

RECEIVE 

Luke 11:50-51 

⁵⁰ “As a result, this generation will be held responsible for the murder of all God’s prophets from the creation of the world— ⁵¹ from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, it will certainly be charged against this generation.” 

Jesus mentioned the deaths of innocent men by the Pharisees. Abel’s death is recorded in Genesis 4:8. The Zechariah mentioned was not the prophet who wrote the book of Zechariah. That Zechariah was the son of Berekiah. The Zechariah Jesus referred to was a priest and is mentioned in 2 Chronicles 24:20-21. He was the son of Jehoiada.  

REFLECT 

Consider the seriousness of murders in the past being charged against the present living generation. 

RESPOND 

Jesus mentioned the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah the priest.  In doing so, He referred to the first book of the Bible, Genesis, and the last one in the Jewish arrangement of the Old Testament, Chronicles.