SFJ Bible Reading Plan

Luke 16

The Parable of the Dishonest Manager

16:1 He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. 2 And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’ 3 And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’ 5 So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 He said, ‘A hundred measures¹ of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures² of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ 8 The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world³ are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. 9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth,⁴ so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.

10 “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? 13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

The Law and the Kingdom of God

14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. 15 And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

16 “The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then the good news of the kingdom of God is preached, and everyone forces his way into it.⁵ 17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void.

Divorce and Remarriage

18 “Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.

The Rich Man and Lazarus

19 “There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. 20 And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, 21 who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side.⁶ The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. 24 And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ 25 But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ 27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house—28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ 29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

Footnotes

[1] 16:6 About 875 gallons or 3,200 liters

[2] 16:7 Between 1,000 and 1,200 bushels or 37,000 to 45,000 liters

[3] 16:8 Greek age

[4] 16:9 Greek mammon, a Semitic word for money or possessions; also verse 11; rendered money in verse 13

[5] 16:16 Or everyone is forcefully urged into it

[6] 16:22 Greek bosom; also verse 23

(ESV)

Going Deeper

Religion, Irreligion and the Gospel (12-19-14)

Grab your Bible and let’s go deeper into Luke 15

Luke 15: 1-3 “Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. ²And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” ³So he told them this parable:…”

Have you ever stopped to really consider what the parable of the Prodigal Son is about by studying the context in which Jesus tells it?

First it says, “Now the tax collectors and “sinners” were all gathering around to hear him.”  Let’s look at these for a moment:

“The tax collectors”

If you grew up in the church as a child you were told the tax collectors were bad guys because they were like “Fryer Tuck” from Robin Hood, that they took more than they should to get rich.  To give you the full picture of why tax collectors were so hated, you have to understand Rome at that time. Rome dominated the people with oppressive rule that required a massive army.  How do you fund, supply, feed and train a massive army to oppress the world?  TAXES!!  Tax collectors were the guys showing up at your door to take a large portion of your money essentially so an evil empire could later come through your neighborhood to kill and abuse your loved ones.

Let’s look at the second group listed:  “sinners”

We know that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”  We are all sinners.  So, what is unique about these “sinners?”  When Luke writes “sinner” here in the scriptures, he is talking about the outcast. Sinner here, means one who is deformed, diseased, homeless street people, prostitutes, slave traders, drug runners, etc. This is speaking from the JEWISH perspective on society.  If people were outside of the Jewish norm they were labeled in this way. They are sinners!

The third group that was near Jesus on this hillside was “the Pharisees and the scribes”

“The Pharisees”

A Pharisee was a person who held a high position in society because they were the religious elite, the highest rank in the Jewish faith.  And they loved being above everyone else.  It says here that the Pharisees were “grumbling or muttering”.   This is what self righteous people do!

Who do you know that is always complaining about something or even worse is nit-picking other people all the time?  Ask yourself, am I muttering a lot lately?  So what were they grumbling about?   Answer:  “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”  The Pharisees disapproved of a Rabbi (Jesus) allowing dirty unrighteous people to fellowship with him.  Eating together was a sign of acceptance and the Pharisees wanted nothing to do with it.

Now, I want to set the table for what Jesus is about to unveil in these three parables as it gives us a great way to think about our spiritual journey and go about our ministry.  Jesus is going to deconstruct and reconstruct three world view,  three roads we can travel.

1. The Irreligious

In biblical times the irreligious person (ie: tax collector and the sinners) had:

• No real regard for the law of the bible or religious ways.
• If they grew up Jewish, they have left home, leaving behind the Jewish traditions and beliefs
• By doing this they are told regularly by the religious that they are outcast and that they will be judged and condemned for their rebellion.
• They essentially lived for themselves and for pleasure.

**Even though the irreligious have done life their way and are put down by the religious, HERE THEY ARE GATHERING AROUND JESUS!  They are interested; they want to hear what he has to say! WHY? Because it is different than RELIGION.

2. The Religious

The religious man looks down on others because that is what you do when your identity is wrapped up in accomplishment, in keeping the RULES!  Everything is about keeping the moral standard.

• If you did keep the rules, you felt good but when you were on top of your game you pointed out all those who fell short compared to you.
• When you were not at the top of your game, you scrambled to work harder to earn your righteousness back.

Now, there is a third party in this hillside scene:  It’s Jesus!  But many times, as with life, he is the one that we completely look right past.

The Bible is given to us not so that we can learn about these other people and how to copy them or not copy them. It is always pointing us back to Jesus.

So, there is a third camp that we can be in.  But, only because Jesus makes it so.

3. The Gospel

Now, here is the kicker: just because you go to church or because you prayed a prayer when you were younger doesn’t mean that you are currently living through the GOSPEL.  It is this very important clarity that we NEED to chase down.

Understand this:   each of us is currently living in one of the three camps!  It is imperative that we begin to see how we relate and operate out of these different relationships with God!

1. Some are living like the irreligious person seeking answers and salvation because everywhere else we have looked we have not found it. When those who are the irreligious look at other irreligious people, they say, “Sweet, rock on.” Or they see the danger in the worldly lifestyle they are in and it causes them to want to change, to not end up where their dad or brother or friend ended up.

When you who are the irreligious look at the religious camp, you want to vomit at their hypocrisy and uppity self-righteous “look at me” lifestyle.  When you look at those truly living out of the Gospel, you are inspired but hesitant because you are fearful that deep down it just looks like the religious.

2. Some relate with the religious who are frustrated with the grace of Christ that is trumping all the self-righteous good works they have worked so hard to do to earn their place. When the religious look at the irreligious, they think, “What a lazy waste! Get yourself together. I did it, so can you!”

When you who are the religious look at other religious people, many times it is all judgment.  Are you as good as me?   When the religious look at those truly living out of the Gospel they are frustrated at the peace and the freedom in Christ!

3. Or we are the ones humbled and transformed by the Gospel who seek to know him more and worship him as our greatest treasure! Your objective in showing up is to say thank you and dig deeper; to walk in obedience not because you have to but because you want to.

When you who are living out of the Gospel see the other two camps, your response is the same: sad and excited. Sad, because you see their lostness in their unsatisfying man driven pursuits.  Excited, because people who truly love the treasure they have found are only really satisfied when they get to share it with others.  A heart captured by Christ, treasuring Christ above all else, is one of authentic worship and true love for others.

So which of the three camps are you living in?

The common reality is for many who are saved is we can resort to taking a religious or irreligious approach to life in certain things.  Our heart is captured and surrendered to Jesus in one setting but we are completely reliant on our own strength and works in another.  Some of us who have the Gospel don’t live out of it at times because we get caught up practicing the habits of our religious upbringing or our wild days of trying to be satisfied with the world’s offerings or methods.

But here is the point I want to highlight, and it is big!  We are SOLDIERS FOR JESUS!  In other words we have more than gathered to hear him like the tax collectors and we are not standing afar just criticizing him.  We have been transformed by him and long to worship him and serve him.  But are we living it out as we fly our colors?

Now don’t miss this:   In

Luke 16:3

3 And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.

(ESV)

it says, “Jesus told them this parable.”  Really, he goes on to tell them three parables.  Let me ask you this about the “Prodigal Son”:  In what context have you told the story of the Prodigal Son to another or heard it used?   Relating to someone who is lost or has lost someone they love and how it doesn’t matter how bad their rebellion was, the loving Father God always welcomes them home!   RIGHT?

But there is so much more to this story.  At the beginning of the story as Jesus told it in

Luke 16:11

11 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?

(ESV)

, “a man had two sons”.  We have made this story mostly about the younger son but it is as much about the elder son as the younger son and as much about the father as the two sons.

Instead of its well-known name “the Prodigal son” (by the way, Jesus didn’t call it this), a better name might be “A loving Father’s response to his two lost sons.” What we must see is Jesus is telling this story to not only show the Sinners their need for him, but to speak to the Pharisees who relate to the elder brother and show them their need for him too.   He is saying, “Do you see that you are just as lost as the younger brother? That, you need me just as much as they do?”

Jesus is highlighting the failure of both brothers, both camps:  Irreligious and Religious!

-The hedonistic self-centeredness of the younger brother

-The self-righteous self-centeredness of the elder brother

They both are lost and in need of the father.  They both really want the father’s stuff more than the father. They just go about it differently.

In the end, only the father’s love and grace brings HOPE!  Which points us to the GOSPEL!

This brings me to the word: PRODIGAL!  Most of us have thought prodigal to mean lost or wayward, because we have always thought of the younger brother running form home and needing to return. The definition for PRODIGAL is:   •  recklessly extravagant    •  having or giving everything    •  recklessly spendthrift.

Now the Prodigal son was reckless in his spending.  But the word “PRODIGAL” is a much better definition for the father in the story, who at every turn gives and gives in order to have true relationship with his children.  This points us to a deeper fulfilling picture of God’s prodigal grace and love for us!

In

Luke 16:1-3

The Parable of the Dishonest Manager

16:1 He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. 2 And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’ 3 And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.

(ESV)

we see JESUS take the time to share and speak truth and hope into the people who surround him.

Just as Jesus came for them, the religious and irreligious, we are to share the Gospel with both lost groups. To share the good news to the self centered and the self righteous. To share with them that Jesus left his throne to put on flesh. The Victor became a victim—all the way to his murder.   To show people the PRODIGAL GOD!   The price he paid!

If we are going to share this GOOD NEWS that changes lives with others we have to see the reckless expense of a father who loves us and paid the high price for us to come into the party and celebrate with him!  We have to live out of the Gospel camp and not just talk about it.

It begins by acknowledging which road you have been walking lately.  Irreligious?  Religious?  Gospel?

Go back and read the parable of the Prodigal Father and his love for his two lost sons in Luke 15:11-32 again and let it help you see and savor the beauty and power of living out of the Gospel in all things.

By His grace and for His glory,

-Shepherd / Soldiers for Jesus MC / Bakersfield CA

Luke 15

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

15:1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

3 So he told them this parable: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ 7 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins,¹ if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.’ 10 Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

The Parable of the Prodigal Son

11 And he said, “There was a man who had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them. 13 Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. 14 And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to² one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. 16 And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’³ 22 But the father said to his servants,⁴ ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23 And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.

25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ 31 And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

Footnotes

[1] 15:8 Greek ten drachmas; a drachma was a Greek coin approximately equal in value to a Roman denarius, worth about a day’s wage for a laborer

[2] 15:15 Greek joined himself to

[3] 15:21 Some manuscripts add treat me as one of your hired servants

[4] 15:22 Or bondservants

(ESV)

Luke 14

Healing of a Man on the Sabbath

14:1 One Sabbath, when he went to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees, they were watching him carefully. 2 And behold, there was a man before him who had dropsy. 3 And Jesus responded to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?” 4 But they remained silent. Then he took him and healed him and sent him away. 5 And he said to them, “Which of you, having a son¹ or an ox that has fallen into a well on a Sabbath day, will not immediately pull him out?” 6 And they could not reply to these things.

The Parable of the Wedding Feast

7 Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, 9 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

The Parable of the Great Banquet

12 He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers² or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

15 When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” 16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. 17 And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant³ to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you,⁴ none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’”

The Cost of Discipleship

25 Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, 26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, 30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

Salt Without Taste Is Worthless

34 “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? 35 It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Footnotes

[1] 14:5 Some manuscripts a donkey

[2] 14:12 Or your brothers and sisters

[3] 14:17 Or bondservant; also verses 21 (twice), 22, 23

[4] 14:24 The Greek word for you here is plural

(ESV)

Luke 13

Repent or Perish

13:1 There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? 3 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? 5 No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

6 And he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?’ 8 And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’”

A Woman with a Disabling Spirit

10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. 11 And behold, there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” 13 And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. 14 But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” 15 Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? 16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” 17 As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.

The Mustard Seed and the Leaven

18 He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? 19 It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.”

20 And again he said, “To what shall I compare the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened.”

The Narrow Door

22 He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’ 28 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. 29 And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.”

Lament over Jerusalem

31 At that very hour some Pharisees came and said to him, “Get away from here, for Herod wants to kill you.” 32 And he said to them, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I finish my course. 33 Nevertheless, I must go on my way today and tomorrow and the day following, for it cannot be that a prophet should perish away from Jerusalem.’ 34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 35 Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

(ESV)