Luke Part 2 Week 32

Day 1 

RECEIVE 

Luke 16:14-15 

¹⁴ The Pharisees, who dearly loved their money, heard all this and scoffed at him. ¹⁵ Then he said to them, “You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.” 

Jesus had said a person could not serve two masters by trying to serve God and being enslaved to money. The Pharisees, who loved money, ridiculed Him for such a statement. Jesus pointed out their hypocrisy in that what they were like on the outside was not what they were like on the inside. Their lives pleased the world but Jesus said, “What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God.” 

REFLECT 

Have you found that what pleases the world does not please God? How does this make a difference in the way you live? 

RESPOND 

The believer should live so others can see the characteristics of Jesus in their lives. The Holy Spirit indwells believers (see Romans 8:9) and the Lord Jesus does also (see Colossians 1:27). Live and love as Jesus would have you to do.  

Day 2 

RECEIVE 

Luke 16:16-18 

¹⁶ “Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in. ¹⁷ But that doesn’t mean that the law has lost its force. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest point of God’s law to be overturned. ¹⁸ For example, a man who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery. And anyone who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.” 

Some dispute whether the teaching about “dispensationalism” is supported by the Bible. The word refers to different ages being “dispensed” out over time. The law of Moses and the prophets were to be followed until the time of John the Baptist. Now the world is in a different age and known as the “Church age” since the Day of Pentecost (see Acts 2). Jesus gave an example from the Old Testament about divorce and remarriage. Matthew 19:9 gives sexual immorality as an exception.  

REFLECT 

The moral law of the Old Testament law is still in force (see Exodus 20:1-17). The only exception for today is the Sabbath that was given only to Israel (see Exodus 31:12-13). Notice in verse 14 anyone who profanes the Sabbath should be put to death; no one does that today.  

RESPOND 

Matthew 5:18 also referred to the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet or a stroke of a pen that would not pass away until it was fulfilled. The smallest letter was the Yodh written above the line as the English apostrophe; the stroke was the distinguishing characteristics of a letter such as with the English Q and O.  This reveals even the words of the Bible are inspired by God as 2 Timothy 3:16 says.  

Day 3 

RECEIVE 

Luke 16:19-21 

¹⁹ Jesus said, “There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury. ²⁰ At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. ²¹ As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores.” 

Opinions differ as to whether this is another parable that Jesus told, or if it is about a specific incident that others would know about. The Lazarus in this case is different than the one by the same name who was a brother of Mary and Martha. This account about a rich man and a beggar could catch everyone’s attention. Luxury was compared with poverty. 

REFLECT 

Does this story by Jesus catch your immediate attention? It is a mixture of joy and sadness. 

RESPOND 

Talk with a friend about common names in the Bible. There are several who have the name “Mary.” Usually their ancestor is listed to distinguish them. Even “Jesus” was a common name. Jesus had both a Hebrew name Yeshua, and a Greek name Iēsous. He was also known as “Messiah,” meaning “anointed one” from which the word “Christ” is derived.  

Day 4 

RECEIVE  

Luke 16:22-23 

²² “Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. The rich man also died and was buried, ²³ and he went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side.” 

The “heavenly banquet” is translated by some as “Abraham’s bosom,” that seems to be another name for heaven. The “place of the dead” is a translation of hades, the temporary place that someday all in it will be cast into the lake of fire (see Revelation 20:11-15). Note there is torment in this temporary place. It is not purgatory, which is not taught about in the Bible. 

REFLECT 

Notice the last verse of 1 Thessalonians 4. Is this a comfort to you? Are you sure of your salvation? You can be, see 1 John 5:11-13. You can be a “know-so” Christian; you do not have to be a “hope-so” Christian. 

RESPOND 

Notice that the conscious person in hades could communicate with Abraham. He was conscious and also in pain. Visit with a friend about this and pray for unbelievers to desire to avoid this place by placing their trust in Jesus for salvation. 

Day 5 

RECEIVE 

Luke 16:24 

²⁴ “The rich man shouted, ‘Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.’” 

The rich man was desperate to have his tongue cooled from the agony created by the flames. Although he didn’t call on God in his lifetime, the rich man now called for help from his pain. What do you think Abraham’s response will be?  

REFLECT 

The man’s riches had nothing to do with his destiny. He was there because he didn’t trust in Jesus as his Savior.  

RESPOND 

A statement that may be useful in witnessing could be something like: “People do not go to hell because they are bad; good people do not go to heaven because they are good. Bad people go to hell because they have not trusted in Jesus as Savior; good people go to heaven because they have trusted in Jesus as Savior.”