Luke 11:37-Luke 12:12…Thursday January 19^th, 2012

When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. But the Pharisee noticing that Jesus did not first wash before the meal was surprised. Then the Lord said to him, Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish but inside you are full of greed and wickedness

Luke 11:37-39

This washing was done not for health reasons, but as a symbol of washing away any contamination from touching anything unclean. Not only did the Pharisees make a public show of their washing, but they also commanded everyone else to follow a practice originally intended only for the priests

The Pharisees loved to think of themselves as clean but their stinginess toward God and the poor proved that they were not as clean as they thought. How do you use the resources God has entrusted to you? Are you generous in meeting the needs around you? Your generosity reveals much about the purity of your heart.

Luke 11:41

Woe to you Pharisees because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone

Luke 11:42

It is easy to rationalize not helping others because we have already given to the church, but a person who follows Jesus should share with needy neighbors. While tithing is important to the life of the church, our compassion must not stop there.

WHERE WE CAN HELP, WE SHOULD HELP

WHETHER IT BE THE INDIVIDUAL WHO IS ALONE OR THAT ONE OFF THE STREETS; DOES THE LOVE AND COMPASSION OF CHRIST REACH FORTH?

Jesus criticized the Pharisees and the experts in the law harshly because they

Washed the outside but not their heart and motives neglecting true justice and mercy. The love praise and attention while loading people down with burdensome demands while not accepting the truth about Jesus makes one a hypocrite. How oft our lifestyle prevents others from believing the truth as well. A pure heart and a love for others come from being aware of our own need of Inner Healing and restoration.

BRING YOUR INNER LIFE UNDER GOD’S CONTROL and YOUR OUTER LIFE WILL NATURALLY REFLECT HIM

Luke 11:42-52

Woe to you because you are like the unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it

Luke 11:44

The old testament laws said a person who touched a grave was unclean Numbers 19:16. Jesus accused the Pharisees of making others unclean by their spiritual rottenness . Like unmarked graves hidden in a field, the Pharisees corrupted everyone who came in contact with them

There were burdens the Pharisees had added to God’s law.

Jesus said, And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them>

Luke 11:46

God’s prophets have been persecuted and murdered throughout history. But this generation was rejecting more than a human prophet; they were rejecting God himself. Jesus the greatest Prophet of all was directly giving them God’s message.

Luke 11:49

When we reject the Lord Jesus; the Messiah, the Promised one we experience the consequences

Luke 11:50-51

Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge and you yourselves have not entered and you have hindered those who were entering

Luke 11:52

Through erroneous interpretations of Scripture and adding their own man made rules they made God’s truth hard to understand and put into practice. Bad examples and argumentative attitudes likewise was closing the door of God’s love to the people.

As Jesus saw the huge crowds waiting to hear him he warned his disciples against hypocrisy which is trying to appear good when one’s heart is far from God. The Pharisees attitudes was like yeast exposing their hunger for power while not being devoted followers and being vessels of God’s light and mercy.

LET US NOT SETTLE FOR THE APPEARANCE OF RESPECTABILITY WHILE OUR HEART IS FAR FROM GOD

Luke 12:1-2

Fear of opposition or ridicule can weaken our witness for Christ. How often we cling to peace and comfort affecting our walk with God. Jesus reminds us that we should fear God who controls eternity. Do not allow fear of a person to keep you from standing up for Christ

Luke 12:4-5

OUR TRUE VALUE IS GOD’S ESTIMATE OF OUR WORTH.

GOD CARES FOR US and WE CAN FACE LIFE FREE OF FEAR KNOWING OUR VALUE TO GOD

Luke 12:7

We disown Jesus when we hope that no one will think we are Christians. When we decide not to speak up for what is right. When we are silent about our relationship with God. When we blend into society. When we accept non Christian values.

LET US ACKNOWLEDGE HIM

Living moral upright Christ honoring lives and look for opportunities to share our faith with others while helping those in need. Take a stand for justice and love others acknowledging our loyalty to Christ and use our life and resources to carry out his desires rather than our own.

Luke 12:8-9

Jesus said that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is unforgivable. This is a deliberate and ongoing rejection of the Holy Spirit’s work and even of God himself.

LET US TURN TO CHRIST while HE IS STILL DRAWING US

Luke 12:10

Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would supply each disciple with the needed words as the opportunity arose.

LET US TRULY TRUST HIM

As we daily relate to God’s Word God will release His truths to affect our thinking whereby we can present them in an affective way

Luke 12:11-12

I think of a time when in going to church where I attend I sat farther back than usual. In our church there is always a time of greeting one another. I realized the individual beside me was obviously a street person possibly and the odor reflected that as well along with his clothes also. Usually we just shake hands but the Lord lead be to reach out and I gave him a hug. He thanked me over and over declaring he had come for several weeks and was so thankful to really feel welcomed.

WHO KNOWS WHOM WE ARE REALLY EXTENDING HOPE TO?

BE CHRIST’S HAND’S HANDS EXTENDED FOR THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE MANY and THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES WHICH YOU ALONE HAVE THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING THAT PERSONS AVENUE OF HOPE

Refresh us and renew us that we would so walk reflecting of your love and care dear Jesus

Study by Charlotte…January 2012