Jesus continues His teaching through the parables using plain language to teach different aspects about the kingdom of God. He also affirms the way He will die.
Luke 18: The Parable of the Persistent Widow
1 And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.
2 He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man.
3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.'
4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God nor respect man,
5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.'"
6 And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge says.
7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?
8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"
The Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:
10 "Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.
12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.'
13 But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'
14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
Let the Children Come to Me
15 Now they were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them. And when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
16 But Jesus called them to him, saying, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.
17 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it."
The Rich Ruler
18 And a ruler asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"
19 And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.
20 You know the commandments: 'Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour your father and mother.'"
21 And he said, "All these I have kept from my youth."
22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."
23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich.
24 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, "How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!
25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."
26 Those who heard it said, "Then who can be saved?"
27 But he said, "What is impossible with men is possible with God."
28 And Peter said, "See, we have left our homes and followed you."
29 And he said to them, "Truly, I say to 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 receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life."
Jesus Foretells His Death a Third Time
31 And taking the twelve, he 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 delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon.
33 And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise."
34 But they understood none of these things. This saying was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.
Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar
35 As he drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.
36 And hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what this meant.
37 They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by."
38 And he cried out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
39 And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
40 And Jesus stopped and commanded him 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 recover my sight."
42 And Jesus said to him, "Recover your sight; your faith has made you well."
43 And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.
Luke 19: Jesus and Zacchaeus
1 He entered Jericho and was passing through.
2 And there was a man named Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector and was rich.
3 And he was seeking to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was small of stature.
4 So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was about to pass that way.
5 And 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 and came down and received him joyfully.
7 And when they saw it, they all grumbled, "He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner."
8 And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold."
9 And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."
The Parable of the Ten Minas
11 As they heard these things, he proceeded to tell a parable, because he was near to Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately.
12 He said therefore, "A nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and then return.
13 Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten minas, and said to them, 'Engage in business until I come.'
14 But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We do not want this man to reign over us.'
15 When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business.
16 The first came before him, saying, 'Lord, your mina has made ten minas more.'
17 And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant! Because you have been faithful in a very little, you shall have authority over ten cities.'
18 And the second came, saying, 'Lord, your mina has made five minas.'
19 And he said to him, 'And you are to be over five cities.'
20 Then another came, saying, 'Lord, here is your mina, which I kept laid away in a handkerchief;
21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.'
22 He said to him, 'I will condemn you with your own words, you wicked servant! You knew that I was a severe man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow?
23 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?'
24 And he said to those who stood by, 'Take the mina from him, and give it to the one who has the ten minas.'
25 And they said to him, 'Lord, he has ten minas!'
26 'I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
27 But as for these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slaughter them before me.'"
The Triumphal Entry
28 And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
29 When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples,
30 saying, "Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here.
31 If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' you shall say this: 'The Lord has need of it.'"
32 So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them.
33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, "Why are you untying the colt?"
34 And they said, "The Lord has need of it."
35 And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it.
36 And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road.
37 As he was drawing near---already on the way down the Mount of Olives---the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen,
38 saying, "Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"
39 And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, rebuke your disciples."
40 He answered, "I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out."
Jesus Weeps over Jerusalem
41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it,
42 saying, "Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.
43 For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side
44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation."
Jesus Cleanses the Temple
45 And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold,
46 saying to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be a house of prayer,' but you have made it a den of robbers."
47 And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him,
48 but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words.
Things to think about…
1. In Luke 18:1-8 Jesus speaks about this woman who keeps coming back to the un-just judge. It is symbolic of the believer constantly coming back to the Father, a just judge, who will give speedily to those who call out. Often, we don’t receive what we ask for and give up praying. If this is the case, as the parable suggests, how persistent are you with your prayers to the Lord? We give up very easily don’t we. Discouragement is a powerful weapon in Satan’s armoury against persistent, consistent prayer. Sometimes this is because the need is in fact not a need, but a want. Discerning the difference should be reflected in our persistence in prayer. Have you ever received a breakthrough and a mighty answer to prayer after persistently praying? Jesus asks in this context, “will He find faith on the earth”, vs 8, when He returns? Praying with faith asks that God’s kingdom comes. This is ultimately fulfilled when He returns, but is evident when a sinner repents and accepts Christ as their saviour.
2. Jesus reminds the disciples of what heart attitude is required for true believers, Luke 18:9-17, through the attitude of the repentant tax collector and the willing heart of children. Religious bigotry and hardness of heart are condemned at every point by Jesus. Our Lord reminds His disciples as he did in Luke 10:21 that children are favoured due to having a child like faith. May we be the same.
3. The rich ruler, Luke 18:18-30, who we know from the other gospels was also young. He was likely a ruler or next in line to rule over a synagogue. They were wealthy and he asked to sell everything, give to the poor and follow Jesus. He clearly wanted to justify himself but had an issue with giving up his possessions. A covetous spirit was on clear display. Jesus challenges this by saying it’s hard for rich people to enter heaven. But he then goes on to say we must leave our wives, brothers, children and parents, vs 29. Seems a bit extreme doesn’t it; or is it? How do you reconcile Christ’s statement with your present lifestyle? Look at the promises in vs 30. They include blessings in this life and the next. What does it look like to give up everything in this life? I think it means asking the Lord to have His way in us no matter what that looks like. Wives, husbands, children and parents are our closest relations while on earth. Leaving them means leaving their attitudes and belief system when they reject Christ’s clear teaching. This is easier said than done. But you may be the only voice that allows them to ponder the truth of their accountability before God. Keep leaving their fallen values and opinions and show them the way that leads to eternal life.
4. Jesus foretells his death in a fair amount of detail in Luke 18:31-34, yet the disciples didn’t understand. Jesus said seems fairly plain as I read it. I am sure you feel the same. How is it that the disciples didn’t get it? Do you ever miss plain messages given by those who love you, because of a biased predisposition on the subject being spoken about? How can you avoid this from happening in the future? Jesus tells them plainly that He will rise from the dead. Surely this is good news, but when you see the Saviour as only an earthly deliverer from Roman rule, death is a repugnant consideration, and their minds were closed to the truth concerning the Lord’s ministry in His death and resurrection.
5. I love the impulsiveness of the blind beggar at Jericho, Luke 10:31-43. He is blind. He does not care if he is making a scene, embarrassing himself or others. Note that he was yelling out “Son of David…”, vs 38,39. This was a title of Messiah. This man already had faith and now wants to see the power of the Messiah work in healing his sight. Jesus is the Healer and this man wants to be healed. This is how it is for a person driven by the Spirit to seek salvation. Pray the Lord raises up this type of concern by many in our communities. It is certainly very rare in our day. He is healed and immediately follows Jesus. He does not need to be told. He has received everything of value from Jesus, why would he not. Our souls have been saved. As such, following Jesus is the most natural act in the world. Note that even those who rebuked the man initially were now rejoicing in the miracle this man had received, vs 43. Sometimes appreciation for a bold act comes after the blessing. This is true for ever believer who talks about Jesus, but is ultimately longing for heaven. Salvation can come to the rich! Look at what happens to Zacchaeus, Luke 19:1-10. Consider that he gives half his goods, not all, to the poor as was requested of the Rich Ruler. Perhaps he needed the other half to pay the fourfold he offered for anyone he defrauded. But he may not have defrauded anyone. Jesus says he is a ‘son of Abraham’, vs 9. Look at the fruit of the two different responses in these two men. Christians should find joy in giving out of their abundance, whether it is their time or money. May the joy of the Lord bless us all with a giving heart because He has given the greatest gift to us – His Son.
6. In the parable of the Ten Minas, there is extravagant blessing given to those who have been blessed with a lot and use that blessing for the Lord’s glory, but those who have very little and yet didn’t even use the little for the Lord’s glory, even what they have will be taken away. There is also judgment upon those who flatly rejected the nobleman when he returned with his kingdom. They were slaughtered before him when he returned, vs 27. This is the difference between those who receive heaven and blessing and those who receive hell and judgement when the Lord returns with His kingdom. Jesus’ message is to be faithful with our resources and talents in the interim. What talents and resources are you utilising for the kingdom? Are you seeing an increase as the parable suggests you should?
7. When Jesus comes into Jerusalem on a donkey, everyone is praising Him by laying down coats, not only over the donkey, but also on the road. Are these people really praising the Saviour? Jesus says they are and says if they didn’t even the stones would cry out in praise, vs 40. Yet we know that these same people would cry out in just a few days’ time, ‘Crucify, crucify’. Surely Jesus knew this would be the case. Even Peter would be shaken in his faith. Praise God for restoration, because we know that after Peter was restored, revival happened among these people. 3000 would be saved in a day, Acts 2:41.
8. Jesus describes in Luke 19:41-44 what would be fulfilled in 70AD with the destruction of Jerusalem. The Roman general Titus would put siege works around the city in 67AD. By 70AD the walls were breached and the total fulfilment of these words were complete. Jesus also points to a greater fulfilment where Jerusalem will be surrounded again. We certainly see that to be the case from the book of Revelation that was written well after 70AD by John in 95AD.
How do we keep cleansing our temples from unholy behaviour and attitudes, Luke 19:45-48? Remember Jesus wants no impurity in His body. He clearly gets very angry when it is polluted by religious hypocrisy Preaching truth and holding everyone accountable regardless of whether someone stands in the pulpit or sits in the pew is the key. Love always rejoices in the truth. Tough truth shows tough love. Tough to hear, but honouring Christ’s body, the church, as He does, is the key.
Vision statement for CBC
CBC’s Vision :- To be a growing biblical church community, significantly influencing our city and beyond, through intentional outreach, fulfilling our mission.
Prayer Points
1. ‘One for Israel’ have asked for our prayers. There is another court case this month against them for proclaiming Jesus as Israel’s Messiah. The message of Yeshua is seen as anti-Israel and could have profound consequences, potentially leading to the gagging of the gospel in Israel
2. Members quarterly meeting next Sunday - New members will be voted upon. See CBC’s Youtube page if you need to see them.
3. Pray for the seats still being counted after last weekend’s election.
4. Pray for peace over the Israel/Gaza, Ukraine/Russian wars.
5. New Life group starting soon in Fernvale/Lowood after membership course
6. Those that haven’t come to church for a while to return.
7. Revival over our city.
8. Finances to cover our needs
9. Pray for PlayPatch, Kids church, Creche and Kids Hope at Karalee State school.
10. Growth, conversions, joy in the Word and Spirit to increase.
Praise Points
1. Fina; session of New Members completed. Look forward to welcoming new members next Sunday
2. More visitors on Sunday
3. The Lord’s grace over our lives and country
4. Café, music, kids church, admin, sound and technical team every week
5. Joy, peace and grace we see at CBC. Thankyou Lord
Announcements
1. Quarterly Members Meeting 25th May after church.
2. Ministries this week. Life groups, Kids@Church, Kids Hope - Karalee.
3. PlayPatch 1-5yos, Fridays 9:30am at church.
4. Church bank details bsb:- 704 913 and Acc number:- 4000 4388 1
5. Tune in again this week on our YouTube page. Subscribe to the CBC channel Chuwar Baptist YouTube channel.
Catechism questions for May...
Q. 32. What is a change of heart called? A. Regeneration.
Bible References – Titus 3:5-7.
“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known” Jer 33:3
