Do You See What I See? Luke 10-12

Do You See What I See?

 

 

In the pre-dawn darkness a blog post is made at 4:39 a.m. “Hitting the wall can be quite painful.  I have reached that place often lately and find myself retreating.  It is hard to face my friends because they see and hear it in my voice.  I am not supposed to be weak!  The last few weeks have been overwhelming and difficult to wade through and I am just tired.” 

 

The pre-dawn blog ended with these words, “I want to live near the altar! I want my heart set on the pilgrimage! My goal is to go from strength to strength till I stand before God and I want my legacy to be that in all things… I trusted and praised the One that created me!” (The complete blog post can be found at http://jennysue1538.blogspot.com )

 

The hours tick by and the pre-dawn blogger makes a Facebook post at 2:11 p.m. “Experienced an angry Christmas shopper that told me to get my ugly bald head out of his way before he came over and —– slapped me.  Poor guy must have been having a really bad day!”

 

My heart aches for my friend as I see into her life through these brief social media posts.  I sense the warrior rising within me as I hear her goal ring true in my heart.   I marvel at her ability to see into the life of the angry Christmas shopper who insulted her on an already difficult day.

 

In our study of Luke last week, we see that Jesus knew difficult days were coming.  He spoke truth to His followers and encouraged them to press on confidently. 

 

The followers of Jesus were increasing.  In Luke 9 the chapter begins with Jesus sending the 12 out to “proclaim the kingdom of God, and to perform healing.”  In Luke 10 we see Jesus appointing 70 others to go out ahead of Him into every city and place where He was going to visit.  Jesus could see that the harvest was plentiful, but the laborers were few.

 

This week as we study Luke 10-12, let us purpose to SEE…

• SEE Jesus from God the Father’s vantage point.
• SEE ourselves from Jesus’ perspective.
• SEE others in the light of how Jesus SEES them.

 

Things to Do this Week

Read Luke chapters 10-12 on pages 1676-1683 in “The New Inductive Study Bible.” (Or use the Bible of your choice.)

Make an effort to read and interact with a portion of Luke each day.

• An easy way to read Luke is one event at a time.  List each main event in the margin of your Bible for easy reference.  Mark every reference to time with a circle. Underline geographic locations.
• Record your answers to the questions below in a notebook or journal.
• Consider adopting this pattern for your personal Bible study time each day.

1. Pray –  John 14:26  Ask the Helper, the Holy Spirit to teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance what you read and study.
2. Read Scripture – 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Why?  All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness; so the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
3. Interact with Scripture – 2 Timothy 2:15 Why?  So you will not be ashamed and you will be able to accurately handle the word of truth and apply it to your life effectively.  Interaction with scripture includes:  keeping everything in context; marking repeated words & references to time; asking questions… who, what, where, when, why & how; using scripture cross references to allow scripture to interpret scripture; word studies (dictionary, lexicon, concordance)
4. Pray – Philippians 4:4-9 Thank God for what you learn.  Ask God to help you PRACTICE what you learn.  Ask God to help you THINK correct thoughts based on what you learn.

 

Main Events – Luke 10-12

 

• Read Luke 10:1-16 According to verse 9 what were the 70 supposed to do? What were they supposed to say to the people?  Where were they supposed to stay when they entered a city?  How do the instructions given to the 70 compare to the instructions Jesus gave to the 12 in Luke 9:2-5?  What do you learn about the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, Tyre, Sidon & Capernaum?  If you have underlined the geographic regions in green it is easy to glance back over Luke 1-9 and spot the references to each of these cities.  See what Jesus said or did in each of these cities previously in chapters 1-9. 

 

• Read  Luke 10:17-20  When the 70 returned to Jesus what emotions did they exhibit?  What did they tell Jesus?  How did Jesus respond to the 70?  What do you learn from Jesus instructions to the 12 disciples in chapter 9 and His instructions to the 70 in chapter 10 that you need to apply to your personal life?  What do you learn about responding to those who reject the message of Jesus?  

 

• Read Luke 10:21-24  Highlight the words “see” and “eyes.”  What do you learn about Jesus and God the Father?  According to your study of Luke, what “things” did the disciples “see?”  Insert yourself into this setting with Jesus, the disciples and the 70 who had just returned from the cities.  What would you think?  What emotions would you experience? 

 

• Read Luke 10:25-37  Highlight the word “saw.”  The Samaritan exhibited love for God and love for his neighbor in verses 33-35.  In verse 37 Jesus says, “Go and do the same.” Notice how the Samaritan responded to the naked, beaten, and half dead man.  He gave sacrificially of his time and his resources.  The Samaritan followed up to verify that the beaten man’s needs were met.  How have you loved God and loved your neighbor… today… this week?  What action steps do you need to take to follow Jesus instruction to “go and do the same”? 

 

• Read Luke 10:38-42  Listening versus being distracted.  To listen is to understand, learn, comprehend and perceive what is being said.  To be distracted is to be driven about mentally, over-occupied and too busy.  How would you describe yourself?  Do you listen to the things of God or are you distracted, driven about mentally, over-occupied and too busy?  Would those who matter most to you, describe you as one who listens or one who is distracted?  What adjustments will you choose to make to become a better listener? 

 

• Read Luke 11-13 How did Jesus teach His disciples to pray?  The word “hallowed” means to acknowledge and dedicate to God the things of God; to purify; to consecrate things to God and to dedicate people to God.  A practical way to apply this to personal prayer is to thank God for Who He is… Creator, Ruler, Sovereign, Just, Healer, All Knowing, Eternal, All Powerful, Compassionate, Patient, Creative, Good, Loving, Kind +++++  How are we to pray for our needs according to verse 3?  How do we pray for forgiveness of our sins?  How should we pray about temptation?  What do you learn about our responsibility to pray in verses 5-10?  What do you learn about God the Father in verses 11-13?  Take time to write a personal prayer to God following Jesus example in Luke 11. 

 

• Read Luke 11:14-26  What do you learn from verses 14-23?  Is neutral an option?  What is the consequence of being neutral or empty in verses 24-26? 

 

• Read Luke 11:27-28  According to Jesus who is blessed?  Are you blessed?  What are you doing to hear the word of God and apply it to your life (work, marriage, parenting, dating…)?

 

• Read Luke 11:29-32 How is a wicked generation described in verse 29? Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites to repent.  Who is the sign to this generation according to verse 30?  Allow scripture to interpret scripture – Read 1 Kings 10:1-10 on pages 571-572 to learn who the Queen of the South is.  According to Luke 11:31 what will she do at the judgment?  Read  Jonah 1:1-4 on page 1483.  According to Luke 11:32 what will the men of Nineveh do and why? 

 

• Read Luke 11:33-36  Highlight the word “eye.”  The eye is described as the lamp of your body.  Consider the things your eyes have seen and taken in over the last day… the last week… the last month.  What things have you seen that have dimmed your light?  What things have caused your light to shine from within?

 

• Read Luke 11:37-54  How are the Pharisees, scribes and lawyers described?  In verse 52 we see that the lawyers rejected the truth of Jesus for their personal lives.  They also hindered those who were receiving the truth of Jesus.  Who became hostile and began plotting against Jesus in verses 53-54?

 

• Read Luke 12:1-12 Chapter 12 begins with “Under these circumstances.”  The circumstances are described in Luke 11:53-54 “…the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile and to question Him closely on many subjects, plotting against Him, to catch Him in something He might say.”  How many were gathering together to hear and see Jesus? What will happen to the things that are covered up?  Who should man fear in verses 4-5?  What do you learn about yourself, Jesus and God from verses 6-12?

 

• Read Luke 12:13-21  What are we to “beware” of in verse 15?  How can you and I be rich toward God?  Remember what Jesus told the disciples and the 70 to go out and do?

 

• Read Luke 12:22-34  Jesus begins speaking to His disciples in verse 22 by saying, “For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life,…”  The reason can be found in the previous verses 20-21.  Because the follower’s of Jesus are to be “rich toward God” He tells them “do not worry.”  Make a list titled “Jesus said,  Do Not Worry About…”  Worry is defined as: to be anxious, to be troubled with cares, and to be weighed down. List what you learn from verses 30-34 and add it to a second list titled “Do this instead of worrying.”   What do you learn about the heart in verse 34?  Where are you spending your time and resources?  Where is your heart?

 

• Read Luke 12:35-48  Who is described as blessed in these verses?  What are we to be ready for according to verse 40? 

 

• Read Luke 12:49-59  Do you see from the beginning of Jesus instructions to the disciples in Luke 4 through chapter 12 the ways of the world are being held up as a contrast to the ways of God the Father and His Son Jesus.  The behavior of the scribes, Pharisees and lawyers are held in contrast to the followers of Jesus.  Satan’s plan for Jesus is held in contrast to God’s plan in Luke 4. 

 

In Luke 3:16 John said, “I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”  In Luke 12:49 Jesus says, “I have come to cast fire upon the earth…”  Keep this in context with everything you have been learning about Jesus.  Remember Luke 9:52-56 when the disciples were not received and the disciples said, “Lord, do You want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”  But He turned and rebuked them… “for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.”  Grace and opportunity for men to be saved from judgment is provided by Jesus first.  It is followed by judgment by fire.  God is both perfectly loving and abounding in grace and He is also just and will bring judgment.  In Luke 12:52-53 families will be divided.  Matthew 10:21-22 gives insight into why this division will happen.  “And brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death.  And you will be hated by all on account of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.”

 

Do you see what I see?  More importantly, do you see what God sees?

 

Let us purpose to SEE…

• SEE Jesus from God the Father’s vantage point.
• SEE ourselves from Jesus’ perspective.
• SEE others in the light of how Jesus SEES them.

Learning to see,

Ginger