Jesus told the parable of the ten minas to the crowds, Luke explains, “because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately” (Luke 19:11). As we have seen throughout the Gospel of Luke, the person and work of Jesus himself was the sign that the […]
“And a ruler asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?'” (Luke 18:18). This rich, young man could not have asked Jesus a more important question. However, he was unprepared to hear the answer, for when he heard it, “he became very sad” (Luke 18:23), and ” went away sorrowful” (Mark […]
The third parable of Luke 15, like the two before it, is again about something that is lost. “The Parable of the Prodigal Son” is one of the most well-known and cherished of Jesus’ parables—and for good reason! Many of us have experienced the realities described in the first half of this parable. Though we were […]
What does it look like to truly love the Master and to be among those “who will eat bread in the kingdom of God” (Luke 14:15)? Jesus’ parable in this passage shows us that those who were first invited made pathetic excuses and ultimately missed out—which is precisely what the elite of Israel who rejected […]
The self-righteous and hypocritical Pharisees were repeatedly plotting against Jesus and seeking to discredit him throughout his earthly ministry. When presented with mighty displays of his divine power over sickness, they still refused to listen to and believe in him. On one such occasion, Jesus used the opportunity to teach his fellow dinner guests about […]
The Scriptures are abundantly clear that God is not merely concerned with our outward appearance, which man can see, but with the inward condition of our heart (1 Sam 15:22; 16:7; Hos. 6:6). While there are certainly good works that accompany true saving faith (Eph. 2:10), we are often tempted to substitute religious activity for […]
The parable of the Good Samaritan and Jesus’ visit to the home of Mary and Martha are related in a couple of significant ways. First, here we find both the command to show mercy to our neighbors and do good works (Luke 10:37), but also the preliminary and gracious invitation to find rest in the […]
The story of the wise and foolish builders, found at the conclusion of Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain, is a familiar one to most. Having taught on living the life of the kingdom and what it means to be an authentic disciple, Jesus warns those who would presume to call him ‘Lord’ yet fail to do what […]
Luke’s Gospel was written so that we would know for certain all that was fulfilled by Jesus Christ in God’s great plan of redemption. He tells the story of the love and mercy of God in that “the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10). As we preach through […]
