Reflecting the Image (by Carla Sunberg)

Two-year-old Halston wanting his own way with the manger. Seems like some of the  religious officials in Jesus' day had a hard time growing up,  and continued wanting their own way.  Scripture: Luke 20:1     One day, as he was teaching the people in the temple and telling the good news, the chief priests and the scribes came with the elders 2 and said to him, “Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Who is it who gave you this authority?” 3 He answered them, “I will also ask you a question, and you tell me: 4 Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” 5 They discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people will stone us; for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered that they did not know where it came from. 8 Then Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what author...

Little Alice served up a great reminder of reorientation  when she didn't ask Santa for anything, but wanted to  wish him a Merry Christmas. That's the note she sent him.  Scripture: Luke 19:45     Then he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling things there; 46 and he said, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer’; but you have made it a den of robbers.” Luke 19:47   Every day he was teaching in the temple. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people kept looking for a way to kill him; 48 but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were spellbound by what they heard. Observation: There are two parts to this scene in which Jesus reorients the temple for the mission of God. The opening scene is a “prophetic critique of the temple” in which “Jesus recovers the temple for its legitimate use” (Green, NICNT). The problem for the religious leaders is that Jes...

How can we be instruments of peace this Christmas season? (Enjoying a nice night out with my hubby) Scripture: Luke 19:41   As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side. 44 They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.” Observation: As Jesus continued to prepare his disciples for the future he looked over Jerusalem, and wept. What he saw was a city that had turned her back on God. The people thought that they were extremely religious, for this was the heart of Jewish worship, but they failed to see and understand the signs that he had provided for...

Scripture: Luke 19:29     When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 32 So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 They said, “The Lord needs it.” 35 Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is th...

Jerusalem at night, from the roof of the Nazarene property in the old city.  Scripture: Luke 19:11   As they were listening to this, he went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 12 So he said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to get royal power for himself and then return. 13 He summoned ten of his slaves, and gave them ten pounds, and said to them, ‘Do business with these until I come back.’ 14 But the citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to rule over us.’ 15 When he returned, having received royal power, he ordered these slaves, to whom he had given the money, to be summoned so that he might find out what they had gained by trading. 16 The first came forward and said, ‘Lord, your pound has made ten more pounds.’ 17 He said to him, ‘Well done, good slave! Because you have been trustworthy in a very smal...

The wealthy Zacchaeus was transformed when he took action, climbed a tree, and sought out Jesus.  Scripture: Luke 19:1   He entered Jericho and was passing through it. 2 A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. 3 He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. 5 When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. 7 All who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.” 8 Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” 9 Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has...

What can you hear in the midst of the crowd? Scripture: Luke 18:35   As he approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 When he heard a crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 Then he shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 Those who were in front sternly ordered him to be quiet; but he shouted even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 Jesus stood still and ordered the man to be brought to him; and when he came near, he asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me see again.” 42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has saved you.” 43 Immediately he regained his sight and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it, praised God. Observation: The final stop before Jerusalem was the city of Jericho. Here Jesus and the disciples encountered a blind man who was begging. This man represent...

Scripture: Luke 18:31   Then he took the twelve aside and said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. 32 For he will be handed over to the Gentiles; and he will be mocked and insulted and spat upon. 33 After they have flogged him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise again.” 34 But they understood nothing about all these things; in fact, what he said was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said. Observation: For the third time, Jesus tells the disciples about the days ahead. He wants them to know exactly what is going to happen to him, but they still don’t get it. They are on a journey of discipleship, and have watched Jesus closely, but they still don’t understand the true nature of God’s plan.  In the preceding verses, the disciples demonstrated that they remained unable to internalize the values of the kingdom of God. Neale relate...

Enjoying some table fellowship in England.  Luke 18:28   Then Peter said, “Look, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not get back very much more in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.” Observation: This dialogue comes as a conclusion to the conversations about what it takes to follow Jesus. The reality is sinking in, that whether one leaves little or much, the pain of what one leaves is the same. This is a complete reorientation of life, focused on the kingdom of God, and this focus leads us to ministry on the margins and to the poor. The poor become valued as though they are members of our own family.  Application: It’s easy to focus our lives on our family and close friends. Having regular meals with them is not usually a difficult task, but there are many in this worl...

A camel and the eye of a needle. With God the impossible becomes possible! Scripture: Luke 18:26   Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 He replied, “What is impossible for mortals is possible for God.” Observation: David Neale tells us, “these two realities—extreme grace and radical discipleship—converge in the life of holiness” (NBBC). That’s what Jesus is talking about here when he comments to the disciples on the rich man. What God desires is radical discipleship and this is from everyone. It doesn’t matter whether you’re rich or poor, young or old, we are being called to a life of discipleship that will cost us everything.  At the same time, we are not saved by our discipleship, or actions. Those who heard Jesus speak of the difficulty of a wealthy man being saved, wondered then, how it could be possible. The reality is that we have to recognize the extreme grace that is extended to us, so that we can live a life of discipleship. It is only ...

The "bearing wall."  Scripture: Luke 18:18   A certain ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not commit adultery; You shall not murder; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother.’” 21 He replied, “I have kept all these since my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “There is still one thing lacking. Sell all that you own and distribute the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard this, he became sad; for he was very rich. 24 Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” Observation: While Jesus was mentoring his ...