He Prays and Prepares
After the dustup over the Sabbath, the religious leaders begin to eagerly seek to kill Jesus. And Jesus knows this most of all. He also knows His time is short on this Earth and the kingdom must carry one after He rises and ascends to the Father. So what does Jesus do when He knows His time is short?
He prays.
He picks successors.
He helped people.
He preaches the Truth.
Luke 6:12–16 (ESV) In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. 13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, 15 and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Sometimes when we earnestly pray for something, we don't think we have an answer. I wonder if it's just not the answer we were looking for? God's ways are not our ways.
Jesus knew He had to pass on what He had to others. This is the reality of life. Investing in the next generation and making sure to NAME some gifts in people's lives. Great leaders don't just give duties to followers, they give them TITLES to live up to. Imagine Peter the fisherman getting called an Apostle for the first time! Did they struggle with pride about this? Of course. But a leader must be able to call that out and refine what they could be. Give someone a name.... "I see in you..." and watch what happens.
He helped people. That's life according to Jesus. He came to help those who knew they needed help.
And how did He most often help? Healing, yes. But teaching all the time. And this particular sermon had to be confusing to many. But that's often what truth is to us. We live by the world's standards. Christ preaches from heaven's standard. Which one are you listening to? Which one are you influenced by? Riches leave. God's Kingdom is forever. Insults are temporary, a testimony is eternal.
I am repeatedly challenged by Jesus' words. I often forget, even as a Pastor, how important it is to OBEY His teaching and not simply study it. Notice the end of Luke 6:
Luke 6:47–48 (ESV) Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.
He prays.
He picks successors.
He helped people.
He preaches the Truth.
Luke 6:12–16 (ESV) In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. 13 And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles: 14 Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew, 15 and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot, 16 and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
He prayed all night and the Father gave Him these choices... men of little account. It is the way of God for certain to pick those the world deems foolish.
Sometimes when we earnestly pray for something, we don't think we have an answer. I wonder if it's just not the answer we were looking for? God's ways are not our ways.
Jesus knew He had to pass on what He had to others. This is the reality of life. Investing in the next generation and making sure to NAME some gifts in people's lives. Great leaders don't just give duties to followers, they give them TITLES to live up to. Imagine Peter the fisherman getting called an Apostle for the first time! Did they struggle with pride about this? Of course. But a leader must be able to call that out and refine what they could be. Give someone a name.... "I see in you..." and watch what happens.
He helped people. That's life according to Jesus. He came to help those who knew they needed help.
And how did He most often help? Healing, yes. But teaching all the time. And this particular sermon had to be confusing to many. But that's often what truth is to us. We live by the world's standards. Christ preaches from heaven's standard. Which one are you listening to? Which one are you influenced by? Riches leave. God's Kingdom is forever. Insults are temporary, a testimony is eternal.
I am repeatedly challenged by Jesus' words. I often forget, even as a Pastor, how important it is to OBEY His teaching and not simply study it. Notice the end of Luke 6:
Luke 6:47–48 (ESV) Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.
PRAYER:
Father, help me to do what Jesus did... as a leader for others. But Lord, help me to do what Jesus said. I ask you to give me a new heart for those who are overlooked and lowly. I know your eyes are on the ones who don't have it all together. Help me to see them the way you see them. In Jesus' Name.
Comments
Post a Comment