The Parable Of The Judge Who Truly Cares

By Mary Vee
Luke 18

Peter

Photo by Mary Vee, Arizona

My name is Peter. I am a disciple of Jesus.

The last time I wrote, I shared the answer Jesus gave the Pharisees when they asked, "When will the kingdom of God come?" You can scroll down to the last post for the answer.

After the Pharisees left, and Jesus was alone with us, he told us a parable to explain his answer. This is the story he told:

"There lived a judge in a certain town who neither feared God nor cared about anyone he met. 

"There also was a widow in the same town who came to him with a great concern, 'Grant me justice against my adversary,' she begged. 

"He refused to hear her case. 

"She came back the next day and stood in a long line, hoping to be heard. The judge refused to help her again. 

"The widow refused to give up. She returned and stood in the long line day after day.

"Finally, after many pleas, the judge said to himself, 'Even though I don't fear God or care about any living person, I will see this woman gets justice if only to make her stop bothering me.' 

"This is how an unjust judge thought 

"But, The Almighty God, the Faithful Judge who cares about his chosen ones who cry out to him day and night, will always bring justice. He won't ignore them, and He will help them quickly.

"So, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"

This is where Jesus ended this parable. What do you think? Will He find faith on earth?

Jesus told another parable when the crowds returned. Next week I'll tell you this story.

Come back to read the next story.

*Note from Mary Vee: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


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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.

Did you Know the Kingdom of God is In Those Who Believe?

By Mary Vee
Luke 17

Peter

Photo by Mary Vee, Arizona

My name is Peter. I am a disciple of Jesus.

The Pharisees asked Jesus, "When will the kingdom of God come?"

Jesus said, "You won't see the kingdom of God with your careful observations. People won't say, 'Here it is,' or 'There it is,' because the kingdom of God is within you."

Jesus turned to the other disciples and me and said, "The time is coming when you will long to see the Son of Man, but you will not see Him. Men will tell you, 'There he is!' or 'Here he is!' Don't run off after them to see the man and be deceived.

"The Son of Man in his day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. First, though, he must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

"Think of the days of Noah. That is what life will be in the days of the Son of Man. People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage to the very moment Noah entered the ark. The door closed and the floods came, destroying everything not aboard.

"Remember what you were taught about the days of Lot? People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. On the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven, destroying everything in the city.

"This is how the day will be when the Son of Man is revealed to the world. 

"On that day no one who is on the roof of his house will be able to go down and get the goods left in his house. Neither will anyone in the field be able to go back for anything. Do you remember what happened to Lot's wife? She looked back, longing for what she'd left behind. Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it. Whoever loses his life will preserve it.

"On that night, two people will be in one bed. One will be taken and the other left. 

"Two women will be grinding grain together. One will be taken and the other left."

We turned to him, confused about what he meant. We asked, "Where will this happen, Lord?"

Jesus answered, "Where there is a dead body, the vultures will gather. Don't give up telling others the Gospel. Keep praying."

To explain what he meant he told us a story. I will share it next time.

Come back to read the next story.

*Note from Mary Vee: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


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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 Rich Man Who Begged

By Mary Vee
Luke 16

Peter

Photo by Mary Vee, Castle in Austria

My name is Peter. I am a disciple of Jesus.

The Pharisees had challenged Jesus on a point about money. To answer their questions he told this story about a rich man.

"There was once a rich man who liked to dress in purple and fine linen. He lived in luxury every day, demanding only the best from his servants and expecting the finest foods, decorations, respect, and more in his palace.

"He refused to notice the beggars and poor outside the castle. He preferred they leave, go bother someone else. Go anywhere but in his sight.

"A beggar named Lazarus laid at the rich man's gate. Dogs came and licked the sores covering his body. He longed to eat scraps, anything that fell from the rich man's table. He begged for mercy. Anything to ease his misery.

"One day the beggar died. The angels came and carried him to Abraham's side and comforted him.

"Soon after, the rich man also died. His friends, family, and servants buried and mourned him. The rich man found himself in hell where he suffered great torment. He looked up and saw Abraham far away. By his side was Lazarus.

"The rich man called out to Father Abraham. 'Please, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'

"But Abraham turned to the once rich man and said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things. Now, Lazarus is comforted here with me and you are in agony. 

"Even if I wanted to help you, I couldn't. You can see there is a great chasm that has been permanently fixed. Look at it and see. It is impossible for anyone to go from here to help you. And--no one from your side can cross over to reach us.

"The man who was once rich said, 'Please, I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house. I have five brothers. Have him warn my brothers so they will not also end up in this place of torment.'

"Abraham shook his head. 'They have Moses and the Prophets. They have been warned already as you were.'

"The man who was once wealthy pleaded. 'No, father Abraham. I know my brothers. They would believe someone visiting them from the dead. They will repent, I'm sure of it.'

"Father Abraham answered, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead. You would not have either.'

The power of Jesus' story left everyone silent.

Come back to read the next story.

*Note from Mary Vee: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


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

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 Pharisees' True Love

By Mary Vee
Luke 15

Peter

Photo by Mary Vee

My name is Peter. I am a disciple of Jesus.

Jesus had barely finished a story about a dishonest manager when a group of Pharisees listening in interrupted. They sneered and scoffed at the story. 

The other disciples of Jesus and I looked at them. We knew how much the Pharisees loved money. How they tricked the people into taking money to fill their own pockets instead of using the funds to help those in need or maintaining the Temple.

Jesus didn't turn away from them. He faced these men and said, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men."

Sady, the poor often believed the tales of the Pharisees. They longed to find another coin in the dust of their home to give to the priests so that a loved one could be forgiven or healed or... as if the money could do this. These poor would rather starve than see their loved one suffer. 

Jesus said, "But God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men, all the stuff you own and lavish before the world to see was paid for by the people who gave their last coins, thinking they were supporting the Temple. This is detestable in God's sight.

"Yes, the Law and the Prophets were taught until John the Baptist came, preparing the way for the Messiah. Since then, the good news of the kingdom of God is being preached. You, though, are masters at making yourselves look good in front of others. What the people see and call monumental, God sees through and calls monstrous. 

"But there is now a compelling invitation to every man and woman. The good news about the kingdom of God. Know this, the sky will dissolve and the earth will vanish before one speck of the law fades. Can you keep the whole law?

"You cannot use your legalities to cover up your sins. Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery. The man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. This is the law.
To explain his teachings, Jesus then told a story about a rich man. I'll write to you about this next time. 

Come back to read the next story.

*Note from Mary Vee: If you have questions, please feel free to leave them in the comment section. I will see them and will answer as best I can or direct you to a source.


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

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.