What Jesus Did

[Jesus said,] "God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied."

—Luke 6:21a NLT

Key Thought


We all have hunger. Yes, we do have daily physical hunger, but that physical hunger should point us to a deeper hunger: We are hungry for God. Sometimes we try to find comfort in physical food to compensate for the hunger we feel in our souls. But, there is a place in each of us that longs for God, that hungers for his presence, and that yearns for his...

 

[The crowds] had come to hear [Jesus] and to be healed of their diseases; and those troubled by evil spirits were healed. Everyone tried to touch him, because healing power went out from him, and he healed everyone.

—Luke 6:18-19 NLT

Key Thought


So often in ministry, we get to thinking that we have the power to make people better. Not only is this attitude arrogant, but it is dangerously wrong. The best we can hope to be is a conduit of Jesus' grace. Jesus is...

 

Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said, "God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours."

—Luke 6:20 NLT

Key Thought


Even though the crowds had mobbed around Jesus for healing, he uses this moment to teach his disciples. The words given here are not general promises to all people, but blessings given to those who surrender to the call of Jesus and follow him with all their hearts. The Kingdom, Jesus reminds the disciples, is for those who are poor —...

 

When [Jesus and his disciples] came down from the mountain, the disciples stood with Jesus on a large, level area, surrounded by many of his followers and by the crowds. There were people from all over Judea and from Jerusalem and from as far north as the seacoasts of Tyre and Sidon.

—Luke 6:17 NLT

Key Thought


The twelve disciples Jesus chose to be his apostles didn't have to wait long to be overwhelmed with opportunity. After being called by the Master, they were...

 

[The names of the apostles are] Simon (whom [Jesus] named Peter), Andrew (Peter’s brother), James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James (son of Alphaeus), Simon (who was called the zealot), Judas (son of James), Judas Iscariot (who later betrayed him).

—Luke 6:14-16 NLT

Key Thought


So often we forget that our Bible heroes were real people. They had names, but like many of us, their friends gave them nicknames. They had personal histories; so like...

 

One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night. At daybreak he called together all of his disciples and chose twelve of them to be apostles. Here are their names:...

—Luke 6:12-13 NLT

Key Thought


Few events were more important in Jesus' ministry than his selection of apostles. How would Jesus select twelve from the mob that followed him? These men would have to change the world. Could he actually find twelve who could do that...

 

[When Jesus healed the man with the deformed hand], the enemies of Jesus were wild with rage and began to discuss what to do with him.

—Luke 6:11 NLT

Key Thought


Doing right doesn't mean we will always be treated right. Most of us know this truth from our own experience. We certainly see this principle proved truth repeatedly in the life and death of Jesus. Some people angry and hostile when others do what is righteous and good. John the Baptist paid with his life...

 

He looked around at [the Jewish leaders] one by one and then said to the man [with the deformed hand], "Hold out your hand." So the man held out his hand, and it was restored!

—Luke 6:10 NLT

Key Thought


Jesus refused to let his critics determine his course of action. His ministry was determined by the will of God and the mission God had given him to do. Part of that mission was to bless those who needed God's blessing and to liberate those who needed God's...

 

The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely. If he healed the man’s hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath. But Jesus knew their thoughts. He said to the man with the deformed hand, "Come and stand in front of everyone." So the man came forward. Then Jesus said to his critics, "I have a question for you. Does the law permit good deeds on the Sabbath, or is it a day for doing evil? Is this a day to save life or to destroy it?"

—Luke 6:7-9...

 

On another Sabbath day, a man with a deformed right hand was in the synagogue while Jesus was teaching. The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees watched Jesus closely. If he healed the man's hand, they planned to accuse him of working on the Sabbath.

—Luke 6:6-7 NLT

Key Thought


What a sad story and what a waste of a wonderful opportunity for genuine worship. Here are religious folks who have presumably gone to honor God but with totally false agendas: They've...