The One We Should Fear

By Mary Vee
Luke 11 

From Luke's Journal 

Inside Jerusalem's city walls.
Photo by Mary Vee.

My name is Luke, I am a disciple of Jesus. The other disciples are here with me as well. 

Jesus continued His mission which was to go into the cities and villages and preach the Good News. As his disciples, we went with Him wherever He went. 

The Pharisees and keepers of the law followed as well, but for a different reason. They didn't care to learn from Jesus. They pounded Him with questions, clearly trying to trap Him into saying or doing something wrong so they could arrest him.

But while the Pharisees tried to prove to the people that Jesus did not speak the truth, the crowds didn't listen to them. Instead they came by the thousands pushing and shoving one another so they could stand nearer to Jesus and hear what He said.

One day, Jesus turned to us, his disciples, and said, "Please be aware of these Pharisees and the way they pretend to be good. They are not. Their hypocrisy can't be hidden forever. The people will see their deceit as easily as they see yeast in dough.

"Whatever the Pharisees have said in the dark, those deceitful words will be heard in the light, and the truth you have whispered in the inner rooms will be broadcasted from the housetops for all to hear!

"My friends, don't be afraid of these men who want to murder you. As Moses told the Israelites before the Egyptians released them, these men may kill the body, but they have no power over your souls. 

"There is One whom you should fear, though. Fear God who has the power to kill and cast those who do not obey Him into Hell.

"Tell me, what is the price of five sparrows? A couple of pennies? It's not much more than that. Yet, God your Heavenly Father doesn't forget a single one of them. He also knows the number of hairs on your head. You, my friends, are far more valuable to Him than a whole flock of sparrows. 

"I the Messiah will publicly honor you in the presence of God's angels if you publicly admit that I am your Friend and believe in me as the Messiah. Keep this in mind, though, I will deny you before those same angels if you choose not to follow me and believe my words. 

"Those who speak against me may be forgiven if they turn from their selfish ways. Those who speak against the Holy Spirit, will never be forgiven.

Jesus looked at all of us with such kindness and care in his eyes and said, "When you are brought to trial before these Jewish rulers and authorities in th synagogues, don't be concerned about what to say in your defense. The Holy Spirit will give you the right words to say at the right moment.


I will share more of what Jesus taught next time.

 Come back to read the next story.

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sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.

The War of the Pharisees and The Legal Experts

By Mary Vee
Luke 11 

From Luke's Journal 

Inside Jerusalem's city walls.
Photo by Mary Vee.

My name is Luke, I am a disciple of Jesus. The other disciples are here with me as well. 

We have been at a home where Jesus is talking to Pharisees. There is a crowd of people listening who have entered the home to hear what Jesus says. Needless to say the house is packed with people.

After a long time of Pharisees asking questions, we finally had our meal. It was clear to me that the Pharisees wanted to make Jesus mad. To get him to make a mistake in what he said or did. But Jesus never did.

We ate our meal, and even while we had our food, the Pharisees continued to fire questions at Jesus. He answered every question, teaching the people the truth.

As Jesus finished his meal he said three things to the Pharisees: Woe to you because you neglect justice and you don't love God. Woe to you because you do things for attention. Woe to you because you think you are important and you are not.

When Jesus finished saying those words, an expert in the law said, "Teacher, when you talk like that, you offend us and our profession."

Jesus faced him and said, "The same horrors wait for you, because you create so many demands that weigh the people down. Demands you would never follow yourself. 

"Woe to you because you're no different from your ancestors who killed the prophets from long ago. You are murderers!  You agree with what they did and would do the same thing today, yet you build tombs to honor the prophets. Hypocrites. 

"God in his wisdom said, 'I will send prophets and apostles, some of whom the religious leaders will kill and others will be persecuted.' Your fathers before you have done this and you will too. 

"You will be held responsible for killing all of God's servants since the beginning of the world, from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary in the Temple. Yes, you will be charged for this.

"Woe to you because you have hidden the truth from the people. You've chosen not to accept or believe what you've discovered then you prevented them from hearing and believing the truth for themselves."

The Pharisees and experts of the law stood and shook their fists. Their anger raged. From that time on, they worked hard to oppose everything Jesus said and did. They opposed him fiercely and threw wicked questions at him, waiting to catch him in anything he might say to arrest him. 

These leaders rarely got along before, but now they worked together to arrest and get rid of Jesus, the Messiah.    


I will share more of what he taught the next time.

 Come back to read the next story.

*********************************************************************************************

sources: 
*A Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study, An Analytical Synopsis of the Four Gospels by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York 1932
*New International Version, New King James Version. 
*My Bible College training.
*My notes and walk through classes I've taught in Children's church. Answers to student questions, etc.
*Pastoral sermons on this time
*Matthew Henry Commentary
*F. LaGard Smith Commentary
*My notes from my trip to Israel.
*Photos from my trip to Israel.