What Jesus Did

The apostles said to the Lord, "Show us how to increase our faith."

—Luke 17:5 NLT

Key Thought


How refreshing! The disciples are amazingly honest. "We need more faith!" I've been there; haven't you? They wanted more. They wanted to know how to acquire more faith. So what did they do? They asked Jesus! Why don't we?

Today's Prayer


Dear Father, please increase my faith! I know faith is the doorway through which so many of your great movements of grace come...

 

[Jesus said,] "So watch yourselves! If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive."

—Luke 17:3-4 NLT

Key Thought


In today's polite and politically correct society, it is considered rude to step in and confront someone about his or her unethical or improper behavior or sin. Hurting someone's feelings or impinging on...

 

One day Jesus said to his disciples, "There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin."

—Luke 17:1-2 NLT

Key Thought


Jesus wants us to be aware that temptation is real, dangerous, and personal. However, it is far worse for us to be the source of someone else's temptation and sin than...

 

[Concluding the story, Jesus said,] "Then the rich man said, 'Please, Father Abraham, at least send [Lazarus] to my father's home. For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don't end up in this place of torment.' But Abraham said, 'Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.' The rich man replied, 'No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.' But Abraham...

 

[Jesus continued,] "The rich man shouted, 'Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.' But Abraham said to him, 'Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to...

 

[Jesus said,] "If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?"

—Luke 16:10-11 NLT

Key Thought


"It's just a little thing. It doesn't hurt if I fudge a little, does it?" Jesus says, "Yes, it does matter." Why? Because integrity is about...

 

[Jesus continued,] "Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. The rich man also died and was buried, and he went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side."

—Luke 16:22-23 NLT

Key Thought


We spend a lot of time investing in "things" that don't matter. "Things" give us a facade of importance in our earthly sojourn. However, "things" don't go...

 

Jesus said, "There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury. At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man's table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores."

—Luke 16:19-21 NLT

Key Thought


This image makes us want to throw up. However, what makes us sick is probably the thought of having dogs licking Lazarus' open sores...

 

[Jesus said,] "For example, a man who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery. And anyone who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery."

—Luke 16:18 NLT

Key Thought


God hates divorce. It splits families. It breaks covenants. It destroys people. It hurts children. It dishonors God's plan for marriage. He wants us to understand that his grace does not lessen his call on each of us to be faithful to his or her marriage covenant...

 

[Jesus said,] "Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in. But that doesn't mean that the law has lost its force. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest point of God's law to be overturned."

—Luke 16:16-17 NLT

Key Thought


The intent of God's law was to form a holy people who reflected the character...