What Jesus Did

[Jesus continued,] "Dear friends, don't be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot do any more to you after that. But I'll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell. Yes, he's the one to fear."

—Luke 12:4-5 NLT

Key Thought​

Most of us, me included, much prefer to speak about God's grace, love, and mercy. Every once in awhile, however, we hit one of those "shake you to the core" passages that remind us of God's...

 

As Jesus was leaving [after his accusations against the religious leaders], the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees became hostile and tried to provoke him with many questions. They wanted to trap him into saying something they could use against him.

—Luke 11:53-54 NLT

Key Thought​

We can have any one of at least four different reactions to Jesus' demands in our lives:

1. We can respond to his convicting truths with harsh anger and fury, even becoming aggressive...

 

Meanwhile, the crowds grew until thousands were milling about and stepping on each other. Jesus turned first to his disciples and warned them, "Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees — their hypocrisy. The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known to all. Whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear!"

—Luke...

 

[Jesus continued,] "What sorrow awaits you experts in religious law! For you remove the key to knowledge from the people. You don't enter the Kingdom yourselves, and you prevent others from entering."

—Luke 11:52 NLT

Key Thought​

Unfortunately, some who are new to Christianity have the genuineness of their faith squelched by a group desire to be religiously superior. Rather than encouraging, helping, and blessing those who are newer in the faith, these folks seeking superiority...

 

[Jesus continued,] "As a result [of honoring their ancestors who killed the prophets], this generation will be held responsible for the murder of all God's prophets from the creation of the world — from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, it will certainly be charged against this generation."

—Luke 11:50-51 NLT

Key Thought​

Wow! Jesus' judgment on these hypocritical religious leaders is severe. Why is his...

 

"Teacher," said an expert in religious law [after Jesus' accusations against the Pharisees], "you have insulted us, too, in what you just said."
"Yes," said Jesus, "what sorrow also awaits you experts in religious law! For you crush people with unbearable religious demands, and you never lift a finger to ease the burden. What sorrow awaits you! For you build monuments for the prophets your own ancestors killed long ago. But in fact, you stand as witnesses who agree with what your ancestors...

 

[Jesus continued his accusations against the Pharisees:] "Yes, what sorrow awaits you! For you are like hidden graves in a field. People walk over them without knowing the corruption they are stepping on."

—Luke 11:44 NLT

Key Thought​

All of us have a tendency to look at our sins and shortcomings and dismiss them as less serious than other people's sin. Jesus was confronting the Pharisees about their sin. The Pharisees were generally considered to be some of the most righteous...

 

[Jesus continued his accusations against the Pharisees:] "What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you love to sit in the seats of honor in the synagogues and receive respectful greetings as you walk in the marketplaces."

—Luke 11:43 NLT

Key Thought​

What drives you? Whose approval matters most to you? The praise of our peers often drives us. We talk about peer pressure influencing teens. However, we often fail to acknowledge that we, as adults, allow approval pressure to affect...

 

[Jesus continued,] "What sorrow awaits you Pharisees! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens, but you ignore justice and the love of God. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things."

—Luke 11:42 NLT

Key Thought​

Jesus reminded the Pharisees, and us, that giving is important. Tithing was only a part, but an essential part, of what God instructed the Israelites to give, [1] and following instructions to New Testament...

 

As Jesus was speaking, one of the Pharisees invited him home for a meal. So he went in and took his place at the table. His host was amazed to see that he sat down to eat without first performing the hand-washing ceremony required by Jewish custom. Then the Lord said to him, "You Pharisees are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy — full of greed and wickedness! Fools! Didn't God make the inside as well as the outside? So clean the inside by...