Our story opens with Jesus being invited to have dinner with Simon and his friends. It must have been a mixture of curiosity and a court trial on their part. It was not hospitality or an invitation of a friend to dinner. They showed none of the common courtesies they would have to him. Had he been a celebrity they would have fallen over themselves making him feel welcome. But they invite him to dinner to examine him – not to welcome or include him. He’s been upsetting too many people and disturbing the peace that they so carefully control.  It might be that a word of warning or common…

This morning we are going to look at faith, focus and fame in the book of Luke. 1. Faith is not always the same The Paralytic: Luke 5 It is the faith of his friends. The widow with the dead son: Luke 7 No mention of faith at all. His heart was touched. The man with the withered hand: Luke 6 No mention of faith but a rebuke to the Pharisees. The man with leprosy: Luke 5 “Lord, if you are willing.” It’s almost a question. But in these next cases there are even more expressions of faith. The faith of the centurion – Luke 7:1-10. This is a man…

This morning we are looking at three stories: Jesus healing the paralytic, Jesus going to dinner with Levi and Jesus breaking the Sabbath laws.  All three of them have something in common and that is why we are looking at them together. They all are stories about Jesus intentionally breaking the norms. They are stories about the threat Jesus represents to not only the established traditions but to the core identity of Judaism. They are stories that show us how quickly Jesus moves from people being amazed at his gracious words in the synagogue to the leaders anxiously and furiously talking among themselves about how to deal with a now…

Last week we talked about the temptation to discover secret meanings in the parables and read them as mysteries instead of reading them for what they are. They are stories that speak to the part of our minds and hearts that are not reached by proclamations and straight facts. They are torpedoes and not missiles. Until now, I had never thought about the title given to this parable. But this week I started wondering why it has been labeled “The Good Samaritan”. Jesus doesn’t call it that and there is no mention of the word good in the parable itself. I think whoever later came up with that phrase must…

Luke 5:1-11 Context  4:13-21 The passage is part of a larger passage which is not just about the preaching of good news and personal salvation.  It is far more than that. Isaiah 61:4-9  It is about national restoration and prominence.  A day of justice and vengeance.  A time for the rebuilding of the national esteem and release from the captivity of an oppressive enemy. 4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations. 5 Strangers will shepherd your flocks; foreigners will work your fields and vineyards. 6 And you will be called priests of the LORD, you…

It is always important to consider three things in looking at a passage. Otherwise, we simply cherry pick verses or lift things out of context and distort their meaning. So, let’s look first at context and circumstances and then audience Context and Circumstances: Jesus is early on in his ministry. Up until now he has been an obedient son, a delight to the teachers in Jerusalem and grown in wisdom, strength and in favor with God and man. He has resisted the temptations of the Devil and made something of a debut in his hometown synagogue where all spoke well of him and were amazed at his gracious words that…

The Song of Mary Over the holidays we have time again to think about images of Mary, the mother of Jesus and also the subject of our text this morning. Traditionally, what is our picture of Mary? An innocent virgin, humble servant, surprised and disturbed by what she hears from Gabriel, frightened by losing the young Jesus who has stayed behind in Jerusalem. She is the patient mother at the wedding at Cana wisely telling the stewards to do whatever Jesus tells them and ask no questions. She is the mourning figure standing beneath the cross while Jesus is crucified and, finally, a widow adopted by John at the end.…

1. Luke has been called the writer who most presents Jesus through the eyes of women and the Gospel starts from the beginning with two women – Elizabeth and Mary. Not just two women but women in very difficult circumstances. One with no child late in life and the other with a child early in life but unmarried. There are several miracles in the Bible related to a woman not having a child. Sarah and Abraham, Rachel and Jacob, Rebekah and Isaac, Hannah, the mother of Samuel, Samson’s mother, and the Shunammite woman and her elderly husband. To be without a child is not only to be without a family or security…

I feel somewhat like I do when the kids and grandkids leave for home after a short visit. I wish I would have had more time with them.  However, I know they will be back and we will have more. On the other hand, at this stage of life I doubt if I will have another opportunity to teach Isaiah and that makes me regret we do not have more time. We barely skimmed the surface and next week we move on to the next series of lessons. As we have seen over the last several weeks, we cannot just jump into the assigned text without stepping back and seeing…

This morning we are in Isaiah 58 and, like last week, it helps to have a little context.  In Isaiah 55 the Lord invites the people to come to him and be healed. “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters.” “Give ear and come to me; hear me, that your soul may live.” “Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near.” “You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.” Then in Chapter 57 he rebukes…