Luke 14:12-14

March 2, 2026 by Leave a Comment

“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 brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” (Luke 14:12-14)

Jesus makes an important distinction about hospitality. When inviting others to dinner, one should not invite those who have the ability to reciprocate. While this may give the impression of being hospitable, Jesus suggests that true hospitality happens when the guests are unable to reciprocate. In the case of the latter, the gist will be rewarded in glory.

Jesus has an amazing capacity to cut through appearances and reach the heart of the matter, even touching on motives. To that point, this is an interesting example of how we may not look closely enough at our motives. For example, we may regularly host people in our home and be known as very hospitable. But Jesus wants us to check our guest list to see if we only invite the “right kind” of people, the ones who are like us and can repay us with a reciprocal invite. I suppose the repayment could be something other than an invite, as well. Maybe a business deal or public support for something we want?

In our text, he presses us to invite people who might be deemed “those” of people. As in, we don’t have anything to do with “those” people, the ones with no power or ability to repay us with an invitation to their place.

Why does Jesus always press me to look deeper … at situations and my motives? Am I willing to invest time, energy, and resources into those who can not repay me or boost my reputation?

Father, help me faithfully examine my heart and motives. Help me be thoughtful toward those who can not repay my kindness. Amen.

Filed Under: devotional thoughts, humility, Jesus Said, Life in Christ, New Testament

Luke 13:34

March 1, 2026 by Leave a Comment

“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!” (Luke 13:34)

Jesus described Jerusalem in a way that may surprise the reader. Typically, people think of Jerusalem as the holy city. After all, the temple was located there. All Jewish males were required to go to Jerusalem three times annually. The high priest was there. We have so many reasons to consider Jerusalem as the holy city.

However, Jesus had a different view. He described Jerusalem as a city that refused to hear from God, even going so far as to kill the prophets! Additionally, Jerusalem was a city not willing to come under the care of Jesus. In fact, they will have him killed, too.

I need to make sure I see things clearly, particularly regarding myself and my standing with the Lord.

Just before Jesus wept over Jerusalem, he spoke of the narrowness of the door to the kingdom of God. The people with whom he spoke were put off because he seemed to be suggesting that they were at risk of being locked out. Jesus described their response to being locked out as misguided:

“Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’” (13‬:‭26‬-‭27‬)

This reminds me of the woman with the issue of blood who reached out to touch Jesus and was healed. None of the other people in the crowd were affected by touching Jesus. In this case, these people were not affected by Jesus presence either. Why? Because bumping into Jesus or being in close proximity to Jesus without faith is the same as refusing to be in Jesus’ care.

Father, please help me not refuse Jesus’ care. Help me soberly assess my relationship with Christ and to respond in faith. Amen.

Filed Under: devotional thoughts, Jerusalem, Jesus Said, Luke, New Testament

Luke 12:8-9

February 28, 2026 by Leave a Comment

“And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God.” (Luke 12:8-9)

These verses sting a bit because they cause me to remember the times I avoided conversations about Jesus. I don’t think I have ever denied him, as in actually saying, “I’m not a Christian” or “I don’t believe in Jesus.” But I have certainly avoided talking about Jesus in a variety of settings and for a variety of reasons.

I said these verses sting a bit because I feel guilty for the aforementioned avoidance. But the context of these verses escalates the sting. Here, Jesus is preparing his disciples for persecution that may come their way. Here is how Jesus describes the persecution: “And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say.” (Luke‬ ‭12‬:‭11‬) There seems to be a serious risk, not just embarrassment.

My avoidances have never been in circumstances of risk of imprisonment, torture, or death. They have occurred when I thought others might think I was weird or dumb.

If Jesus expected his disciples to hold fast in circumstances of persecution – genuine persecution, not just awkward situations – how much more would he expect me to hold fast in my everyday, no-risk life? Yikes!

Verse 12 focuses on the underlying issue: In whom am I trusting in those awkward moments? I’m looking at me. How can I justify my beliefs? How can I explain my beliefs? How can I not look like a nerd? I was focused on myself. Jesus told his disciples to look to the Holy Spirit: “for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” (12‬:‭12‬)

Father, please help me take my eyes off myself and look to you. Please forgive me for all the times I passively denied you. Please fill my heart with courage and steadfastness. Amen.

Filed Under: devotional thoughts, Jesus Said, Life in Christ, Luke, New Testament

Luke 10:18-20

February 26, 2026 by Leave a Comment

“And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.””

The first thing I see here is a claim to be God. How so? When Jesus says he saw Satan fall, he is claiming to have been in existence before Genesis 1:1.* Using similar language in John 1:1 (“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”), John describes Jesus as having existed “in the beginning” just like God did in Genesis 1:1.

After that declaration, Jesus assured the disciples that he had authority over the power of Satan and that he had given that authority to them.

This gift of power over the enemy seems significant and something to rejoice over. However, Jesus was concerned that they might focus on that gift (or power). Thus, he warned them not to rejoice in that authority/power. Rather, they should rejoice in the most fundamental thing, which is that their names are written in heaven. That “free gift” (Rom 6:23) is the foundation for every good thing that Christ gives his children. It seems that Jesus wants them to focus on the most basic thing.

This is a good reminder to me to keep things simple. I’m reminded of the Lord’s warning in Jeremiah 9:23-24:

23 Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24)

If I focus on the Lord and his kindness to write my name in heaven, there is less opportunity for me to focus on myself.

Father, help me to cast my eyes and heart upon you today, and thus think less about myself and more about you today. Amen.

*Note: This assumes that Satan fell before the history recorded in the Bible. For my point, though, it matters not if Satan fell before creation or only before the fall (Gen 3). If Jesus saw it happen, he was there.

Filed Under: devotional thoughts, Gospels, humility, Jesus Said, Luke, New Testament

Luke 9:23-25

February 25, 2026 by Leave a Comment

“And he said to all, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?’” (Luke 9:23-25)

These verses demonstrate the upside-down nature of following Jesus. Jesus opens with the conjunction if, showing the conditional nature of what he is about to say. 

IF you want to follow me, THEN you must deny yourself. That’s a demanding condition because I don’t like to deny myself. I like what I like, and I want what I want. BUT Jesus says I have to deny myself to follow him. He is not just another add-on in my life. 

Next, he says, if I focus on my own life, I will lose it. That is so counterintuitive! Saving my life will cause me to lose it? But by surrendering my life, I will actually gain life? I think what he means here is if we forget about ourselves and pursue him, we will find true life because he is LIFE (Jn 14:6). 

He continues with a question: What have you gained if by focusing on yourself, you gain the whole world? The point? Whatever it is, it is a loss compared to what you will gain IF you follow me.

This requires faith. When I pursue the world, I can see the results in wealth and power. When I pursue Jesus, my soul grows, and my reward in glory grows. If I deny myself, the outcome is joy. If I focus on this world, the outcome will be miserable in comparison. 

Father, please help me to deny myself and follow Jesus with abandon. Amen.

Filed Under: devotional thoughts, Gospels, Jesus Said, Luke, New Testament
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