What Jesus Did

After John's disciples left, Jesus began talking about him to the crowds. "What kind of man did you go into the wilderness to see? Was he a weak reed, swayed by every breath of wind? Or were you expecting to see a man dressed in expensive clothes? No, people who wear beautiful clothes and live in luxury are found in palaces. Were you looking for a prophet? Yes, and he is more than a prophet."

—Luke 7:24-26 NLT

Key Thought


John the Baptizer had changed everything! The...

 

John's two disciples found Jesus and said to him, "John the Baptist sent us to ask, 'Are you the Messiah we've been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?'" At that very time, Jesus cured many people of their diseases, illnesses, and evil spirits, and he restored sight to many who were blind. Then he told John's disciples, "Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard — the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised...

 

Then [Jesus] walked over to the coffin [of the widow's son] and touched it, and the bearers stopped. "Young man," he said, "I tell you, get up." Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother.

—Luke 7:14-15 NLT

Key Thought


Jesus spoke to the dead young man and made him alive. Then Luke says it so beautifully, "And Jesus gave him back to his mother." Despite death, Jesus brings reunion! Despite sorrow, Jesus brings back...

 

Soon afterward Jesus went with his disciples to the village of Nain, and a large crowd followed him. A funeral procession was coming out as he approached the village gate. The young man who had died was a widow's only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion. "Don't cry!" he said.

—Luke 7:11-13 NLT

Key Thought


Jesus' heart went out to this woman who was left all alone. While many mourned with her...

 

And when the [Roman] officer's friends returned to his house, they found the slave completely healed.

—Luke 7:10 NLT

Key Thought


The Roman soldier's trust in Jesus' power was more than warranted! The servant for whom he was concerned was completely healed — not partially healed, not temporarily healed, not incrementally healed, but completely healed! When we open our lives to the authority of Jesus, when we trust him at his word and do what he says, Jesus can do...

 

[The message from the Roman officer to Jesus included,] "I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed..." When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to the crowd that was following him, he said, "I tell you, I haven't seen faith like this in all Israel!"

—Luke 7:7, 9 NLT

Key Thought


Jesus loved to shock those who heard him into listening and sometimes did so by making outsiders the heroes of his...

 

So Jesus went with [the Jewish elders who had come on behalf of the Roman officer]. But just before they arrived at the house, the officer sent some friends to say, "Lord, don't trouble yourself by coming to my home, for I am not worthy of such an honor. I am not even worthy to come and meet you. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to...

 

[Jesus said,] "I will show you what it's like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. But anyone who hears and doesn't obey is like a person who builds a house right on the ground, without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into...

 

[Jesus said,] "So why do you keep calling me 'Lord, Lord!' when you don't do what I say?"

—Luke 6:46 NLT

Key Thought


Jesus has one simple point: "If I am your Lord, then you will obey what I tell you. If you don't, then I'm not your Lord." It's that simple. It's that clear. So why have we grown so passionless about obeying what he says? After all, if we have trouble with obedience, our fundamental problem is really a lack of love for Jesus. He said "All who...

 

At that time the highly valued slave of a Roman officer was sick and near death. When the officer heard about Jesus, he sent some respected Jewish elders to ask him to come and heal his slave. So they earnestly begged Jesus to help the man. "If anyone deserves your help, he does," they said, "for he loves the Jewish people and even built a synagogue for us."

—Luke 7:2-5 NLT

Key Thought


In a world of prejudice and rank, this is a story that warms the heart and points us...