Gems from the Gospels Luke Chapters 5-17 #52days

Gems from the Gospels

Luke Chapters 5-17

Luke 5 & 6 – Jesus taught from Peter’s boat while the crowd stayed on the shore. After speaking, He told Peter to go deep for a catch. Peter respected Jesus and obeyed even though they had fished all night without catching a thing. They had a miraculous, net-tearing catch that filled both Peter’s boat and that of his partners, James and John, to the point of sinking! All the fishermen were astonished by the catch. Then Jesus told them that from then on, they would catch men! A promotion. LOL Peter, Andrew, James, and John immediately left their nets and their boats and followed Jesus. A man completely covered with leprosy fell at Jesus’s feet and begged, “Sir, if you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus TOUCHED him and said, “I am willing, be cleansed.” He was immediately healed, and Jesus sent him to the priest to make the offering commanded in the Law. Huge crowds surrounded Jesus to hear Him and to be healed, but Jesus made a habit of sneaking off for private prayer. Once the crowd in and around the house was so large that four men desperate to see their paralyzed friend healed, cut a hole in the roof and lowered the man down to Jesus. Jesus addressed the man’s greater need first by telling him that his sins were forgiven. REMEMBER THE REASON Jesus came was to show us the way to a relationship with the Father and go to the cross in order to pay for our sins. Pharisees thought this was blasphemy because only God has the authority to forgive sins. Therefore, to prove His authority to forgive sins, Jesus told the man to get up, pick up his mat, and to home. Everyone was amazed when the man walked out praising God. They all agreed they had seen extraordinary things that day. Levi (Matthew) left his tax collector’s booth to follow Jesus. He gave a banquet in Jesus’s honor and invited his friends, many of whom were tax collectors. Pharisees and Scribes demanded to know why Jesus would eat with such sinners. He explained that the doctor is for the sick and He had come to call sinners to turn to God from their sins. Pharisees and Scribes asked why Jesus’s disciples feasted instead of fasting. Jesus explained that the guests at a wedding feast while the bridegroom is with them. His disciples would fast when He was taken from them. Another time Jesus’s disciples were accused of breaking the Sabbath by picking a few heads of grain and eating them. Jesus said, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” Another Sabbath, Jesus healed a man with a shriveled hand and asked, “What is permitted on the Sabbath, doing good or evil, saving life or destroying it?” The Scribes and Pharisees who saw healing as “working on the Sabbath,” were infuriated. After praying all night, Jesus called His disciples and appointed twelve of them as apostles. Jesus healing and casting out demons in great crowd. He spoke blessings and woes:

·     Blessed are poor – Kingdom of God is yours

·     Blessed are hungry – will be filled

·     Blessed are crying – will laugh

·     Blessed are persecuted – dance for joy for your reward is great

·     Woe to rich – already have their comfort

·     Woe to full – will go hungry

·     Woe to those laughing – will mourn and cry

·     Woe when spoken well of – your fathers treated false prophets like that

Jesus gave the startling instruction to love your enemies, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who mistreat you. He taught what is known as the Golden Rule—do for others what you would want them to do for you. Show compassion as the Father does. REMEMBER THE REASON for doing these things is to bring glory to God and share the Good News of salvation through Jesus. Don’t judge hypocritically, forgive as you have been forgiven, give generously. Blind cannot lead the blind. You cannot help your brother with a splinter in his eye if you have a log in your own eye. Take stock of yourself before scrutinizing others. Good fruit comes from good trees, a good heart. Our hearts must be made pure by the Holy Spirit in order to produce good works. Build on the firm foundation of Jesus, acting on His words, in order to stand strong. REMEMBER THE REASON for everything we do as followers of Jesus is to share the Good News with others.

Luke 7 & 8 – In Capernaum, a Roman officer who had built the local synagogue sent Jewish elders to ask Jesus to heal his beloved servant. He stated he was not worthy to have Jesus come to his house but believed Jesus could just give the command, and the man would be healed. Jesus said, “Not even in Israel have I found such faith.” The messengers returned to find the servant in good health. REMEMBER THE TRUTH of Jesus’s power. The next day, Jesus saw a funeral procession in the town of Nain. The deceased was a widow’s only son. Out of compassion, Jesus raised him from the dead. Some people said, “God has come to help His people.”  REMEMBER THE TRUTH of His compassion and authority over death. John the Baptist sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus if he was the Messiah. Jesus told them to report what they had seen—blind see, lame walk, lepers cleansed, deaf hear, dead raise, Good News preached to poor (Isaiah 35:5-6, 26:19, 61:1). REMEMBER THE TRUTH that Jesus is Messiah. Jesus talked about John the Baptist to the crowd and affirmed him as a prophet who fulfilled Malachi 3:1 by preparing the way for the Lord. Those baptized by John were acknowledging that God was right. The Pharisees and Scribes who refused John’s baptism nullified for themselves God’s plan. John fasted, and they said he had a demon. Jesus feasted, and they accused him of being a glutton and drunkard. Jesus dined at a Pharisee’s house. A sinful woman wept and washed Jesus’s feet with her tears, drying them with her hair. She poured expensive perfume on Him as well. The Pharisee thought that as a prophet, Jesus should have known that she was a sinner. Jesus asked Simon (the Pharisee), if a man cancelled two men’s debts, which would love him more, the one with the small debt or the one with the large. Simon rightly replied the one who owed the most. Jesus pointed out that the woman had done all the things the host had failed to do. Washing a guest’s feet was an expected ritual. She had also anointed Him. Jesus forgave her sins, but the guests thought that to be presumptuous since they did not believe Him to be God. Jesus had several women disciples including Mary Magdalene and Joanna, the wife of Herod’s finance minister. The women  REMEMBER HIS TRUTH as did these women who supported Him financially. Jesus told the parable of the farmer scattering seed and then explained it privately to His disciples:

·     Path – birds ate – Adversary takes message out before they trust

·     Rock – dried up – believe initially but not deeply enough to withstand persecution

·     Thorns – choked out – worries, wealth, and life’s gratifications choke them so fruit never matures

·     Rich soil – produces 100 times what was sown – hear the message with a receptive heart, persevere and yield fruit

REMEMBER HIS TRUTH concerning the soil of our hearts. Jesus was told His mother and brothers were outside, but He declared that His mother and brothers were those who hear God’s message and act on it. REMEMBER HIS TRUTH and act on what Jesus said. The disciples discovered that even the wind and water obeyed Jesus when He calmed a storm on the Sea of Galilee. REMEMBER THE TRUTH that Jesus controls nature. Jesus cast a “legion” of demons out of a man and into a herd of pigs which then drowned themselves in the lake. The people of that region asked Jesus to leave because they were afraid. REMEMBER THE TRUTH that demons must obey Jesus. On the way to the house of Jairus, a synagogue leader whose daughter was deathly ill, a woman who had been bleeding for twelve years touched the tassels on Jesus’s robe, also known as the “wings.” She was instantly healed. Jesus said, “My daughter, your faith has saved you, go in peace.” Perhaps she was familiar with the verse in Malachi 3:20 that said the Messiah would come with “healing in His wings.” REMEMBER THE TRUTH that Jesus can heal. When Jesus got to the home of Jairus, his daughter was already dead. He assured Jairus that she only slept. He took Peter, James, John and the grieving parents into the house. Jesus took the girl by the hand and said, “Little girl, get up!” She stood up immediately. REMEMBER THE TRUTH that Jesus has power over life and death. REMEMBER HIS TRUTH—Jesus proved Himself to be the Son of God.

Luke 9 – Jesus gave the Twelve authority and power to expel demons and heal the sick and sent them out to proclaim the Kingdom of God. He told them to take no supplies. If they were not welcomed in a town, they were to shake the dust from their feet when they left. Jews would do this when leaving a Gentile city. The Twelve preached the Good News and healed people from village to village. WORSHIP HIM through obedience and proclaiming Him. Meanwhile, Herod heard news about Jesus and wondered if John the Baptist had raised from the dead or perhaps one of the prophets. Herod desired to see Jesus for himself. The Twelve returned and reported to Jesus. He took the twelve and withdrew to Bethsaida, but the crowds followed. Even though they interrupted His downtime, Jesus showed compassion and healed their sick as He taught them. Jesus told the twelve to feed this hungry mob of 5000 men plus women and children. They came up with five loaves and two fish. Jesus had them organize the crowd into groups of about fifty. He blessed the food, and the disciples were able to hand out enough to feed everyone there plus have twelve basketsful left over. Jesus asked the Twelve who people said he was. They answered John the Baptist, Elijah, or another prophet of long ago risen from the dead. Jesus then asked, “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered for the group, “The Messiah of God.” Other gospels add that Peter referred to Him as “the Son of the Living God.” Then Jesus instructed them not to disclose this to anyone. He told them he would be rejected by the Jewish religious leaders and put to death, but He would rise to life on the third day. It when whoosh over their heads. Jesus taught that one who wants to follow Him must deny himself, take up his execution stake, and follow him. Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for Jesus’s sake, will save it. If one is ashamed of Jesus, He will be ashamed of that one when He comes in glory. WORSHIP HIM by giving up your right to yourself. Jesus told them some would not experience death before seeing the Kingdom of God. One week later, Jesus took Peter, James, and John up a mountain to pray. While Jesus was praying and worshipping the Father, his face changed and his clothing became white like lightning. Moses and Elijah appeared and talked with him about His soon exodus in Jerusalem. As Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt to the promised land, Jesus was to lead God’s children (believers) to Heaven. The three disciples had been sound asleep and awoke to see the sight of Jesus glorified and speaking with Moses and Elijah. Peter wanted to build them three shelters, but that is not the worship God desired. A bright cloud enveloped them and God spoke saying tell them to listen to His Son. WORSHIP HIM by listening to and obeying His words. When they came down from the mountain, Jesus drove a demon out of a man’s son because His disciples had not been successful in their attempt to do so. “All were struck with amazement at the greatness of God.” Jesus again foretold his death. The disciples did not understand but were afraid to ask. The disciples argued about which of them was the greatest. Jesus stood a child beside Him and said that whoever welcomes a child in His name welcomes Him, and whoever welcomes Him welcomes the One who sent Him. He told them that the least among them is the one who is great. WORSHIP HIM by serving one another humbly. As the time neared for Jesus to return to the Father, He set a determined course for Jerusalem. He sent two disciples ahead to Samaria, but the people would not let Jesus stay there. James and John (the sons of thunder) wanted to call down fire from heaven to destroy them. Jesus simply rebuked them and moved on. A man told Jesus he would follow Him wherever He went, but Jesus reminded him that even animals and birds have their home, but He had no home of His own. Jesus called another man to follow Him, but the man wanted to wait until his father was dead and buried. Jesus told him to let the dead bury the dead and go out and proclaim the Kingdom of God. Another wanted to go home and say good-bye first. Jesus said, “No one who puts His hand to the plow and keeps looking back is fit to serve in the Kingdom of God. WORSHIP HIM by being determined to follow Him no matter the cost.

Luke 10 & 11 – Jesus sent out 70 disciples in pairs (accountability and encouragement) to preach in advance of His arrival. They were to take nothing with them and stay as guests in homes that welcomed them. Jesus told them to receive hospitality as their payment because “the workman is worthy of his hire.” They were to proclaim peace when welcomed and shake the dust from their feet when rejected. Jesus said it would be better on the Day of Judgement for Sodom than for any town that rejected them. Jesus pronounced woe on Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum because of their unbelief. He told his disciples, “Whoever rejects you rejects Me, and whoever rejects Me rejects the One who sent me.” There is woe for those who reject Jesus and rewards for those who ACKNOWLEDGE HIM. The 70 returned filled with joy, reporting that with Jesus’s power even demons had to submit to them. Jesus told them to be glad that their names were recorded in Heaven. Joy is not found in the exercise of the supernatural, but joy is in the gift of the relationship with the Lord, the intimacy with our Father. ACKNOWLEDGE HIM, and surrender your life to Jesus to have your name recorded in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Jesus was filled with joy by the Holy Spirit and thanked God for revealing truth to ordinary people. Direct quote from Complete Jewish Bible, “My Father has handed over everything to me. Indeed, no one fully knows who the Son of Man is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and those to whom the Son wishes to reveal Him.” ACKNOWLEDGE HIM when He reveals Himself to you. An expert in the Jewish Law asked Jesus what he needed to do in order to inherit eternal life. Jesus asked him what the Torah said. He correctly replied to love the Lord your God and your neighbor as yourself by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. Then trying to trip Jesus up, he asked, “But who is my neighbor?” Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan in which Jewish religious leaders passed by a man wounded by robbers and left for dead. They let their fear of becoming ceremonially “unclean” prevent them from helping the man. Then a Samaritan, a foreigner disdained by the Jews, ministered first aid to the man and set him up in an inn until he healed. The expert in the Law had to admit that the Samaritan was a neighbor to the man, and Jesus told him to “Go and do like this Samaritan.” ACKNOWLEGE HIM by showing compassion. Jesus and His disciples were welcomed into the home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. Martha asked Jesus to make Mary get up and help her with all the hospitality tasks. Jesus told her that He would not make Mary cease doing the only essential thing, learning from Him. ACKNOWLEDGE HIM by learning from His word to us, the Bible. His disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray. He taught them what we know as the “Lord’s Prayer” or “Model Prayer.” He taught them not only what to pray but to be persistent in prayer and confident that God would give them the best answer because of His love and goodness. ACKNOWLEDGE HIM by entrusting your needs to Him in prayer. When Jesus expelled a demon from a mute man enabling him to speak, people said He did it by the power of Beelzebub (Satan). Jesus explained that a kingdom divided against itself will fail, so how could Satan survive if he drove out demons by his power. He said, “But if I drive them out by the finger of God, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you.” ACKNOWLEDGE HIM by not accrediting His miracles to anyone or anything other than God. A woman shouted, “Your mother is blessed.” Jesus replied, “More blessed are those who hear and obey the word of God.” ACKNOWLEDGE HIM by listening and obeying His word. Jesus told the crowds that their wicked generation asked for a sign but the only one to be given to them was the sign of Jonah, alluding to His resurrection after three days in the tomb. He said Nineveh who repented after Jonah’s message and the Queen of the South who travelled from afar to hear the wisdom of Solomon, would condemn the unbelief of their generation. The Person before them was greater than Jonah or Solomon. ACKNOWLEDGE HIM by trusting Him and repenting from sin. A lamp should not be hidden but displayed to fill the room with light. If your eye is good (a Jewish euphemism for generous) your body will be filled with light. ACKNOWLEDGE HIM by being generous in His name. When Jesus dined with a Pharisee, he was criticized by not doing the ceremonial hand washing before eating. He retorted that the Pharisees cleaned the outside of dishes but inside were full of robbery and wickedness. ACKNOWLEDGE HIM with a pure heart. Jesus said, “Woe to you Pharisees,” because they tithed even their mint and herbs but ignored justice and the love of God (Micah 6:8). ACKNOWLEDGE HIM with your tithes and offerings but by being just and loving as well. The Scribes pointed out that by insulting the Pharisees, He insulted them as well. He pronounced woe on them as well for approving of the fact that their fathers killed the very prophets for which they built shrines. He also told them they had taken away the key of knowledge, did not go in themselves, and barred the entrance so no one else could enter into knowledge either. ACKNOWLEDGE HIM by seeking wisdom from His word and discipling others to do so as well.

Luke 12 & 13 – Jesus told the disciples to guard themselves against the leaven of the Pharisees meaning their hypocrisy. He said not to fear those who can only kill the body but fear Him who has authority to throw you into Gehinnom. He taught that the most ordinary common birds were sold cheaply, yet not one of them was forgotten by God. Every hair on your head is counted, and you are worth far more than sparrows. As the song says, “His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.” DON’T WORRY, TRUST HIM. Whoever acknowledges Jesus to others, Jesus will acknowledge in the presence of God’s angels, but whoever disowns Him, he will disown. I wonder if Peter recalled this teaching when the rooster crowed. Jesus encouraged the disciples that when they would be arrested and brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, the Holy Spirit would teach them what they needed to say. DON’T WORRY, TRUST HIM to speak through you. A man asked Jesus to make his brother share their inheritance. Jesus turned to the crowd and warned them to guard against any type of greed because a man’s life does not consist in what he owns. Then He told the story of a farmer who had a bumper crop, built big new barns, and planned to eat drink and be merry. That night the Lord required His life and asked who would now inherit all his stuff? Jesus made the point that we should not set up wealth without being rich toward God. DON’T WORRY, TRUST HIM rather than greedily storing up treasure on earth. In fact, Jesus taught the disciples not to worry about food or clothing because God feeds the birds and clothes the wildflowers. DON’T WORRY, TRUST HIM because you are far more valuable to God than birds and flowers. Don’t strive or be anxious about things. Pagan nations set their hearts on things. God knows what you need. Seek His Kingdom and the things you need will be provided for you (Matthew 6:33). Store riches in Heaven because where your wealth is, your heart will be. DON’T WORRY, TRUST HIM to supply your needs (Philippians 4:19). Be vigilant like those waiting for the Bridegroom to return from the wedding feast.  Be ready because the Son of Man will come when you are not expecting Him. DON’T WORRY, TRUST HIM and be prepared for His return. The crowds told Jesus about some men Pilate had slaughtered like animals in Galilee. Jesus asked if they thought those men were worse sinners than others in Galilee. He asked them about 18 people who died when a tower fell on them and whether they thought they were worse than others because of their horrible death. In both cases, Jesus warned, “If you don’t turn from you sins, you will die similarly. He told them of a fig tree that had not born fruit for three years. The owner wanted to cut it down, but the gardener proposed fertilizing it with manure and giving it a chance to bear fruit. Then if it was still barren, cut it down. DON’T WORRY, TRUST HIM, for God is patient with us. Jesus was teaching in a synagogue ono the Sabbath when a woman who had been crippled 18 years came in. Jesus healed her which made the president of the synagogue indignant. He told the people there were six days to come for healing but not on the Sabbath. Jesus told those who judged Him for healing on the Sabbath that they would untie their animals to lead them to water on the Sabbath, and this woman was a daughter of Abraham that needed to be freed from bondage on the Sabbath. Others were happy about the wonderful things taking place through Jesus. DON’T WORRY, TRUST HIM for healing and freedom. Jesus compared the Kingdom of God to a tiny mustard seed that grew until birds nested in its branches and to a small amount of yeast that causes dough to rise. DON’T WORRY—share about the Kingdom of God and TRUST HIM for the increase. Jesus told the people to enter through the narrow door before the owner of the house shuts it and you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob inside the Kingdom of God, but yourselves thrown outside. He said outsiders from all over with sit at the table in the Kingdom which was probably quite surprising to the Jews. He stated that many who are last will be first and many who are first will be last. The Pharisees told Jesus to leave because Herod wanted to kill Him. Jesus said, “Tell that fox, today and tomorrow I am driving out demons and healing the sick, and on the third day, I reach my goal.” He then said that it was unthinkable that a prophet should die anywhere but Jerusalem. Then Jesus lamented, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!” DON’T WORRY, TRUST HIM to shelter you under His wings (Psalm 91:4).

Luke 14 & 15 – One Sabbath, the Pharisees were watching Jesus closely as a man entered whose body was swollen with fluid. Jesus asked the Pharisees whether the Torah allowed healing on the Sabbath or not? They did not answer. Jesus healed the man and asked, “Which of you would not pull your ox out of a well on the Sabbath?” The Pharisees need to LET GO of traditions that were not in keeping with the intent of the Law. Jesus noticed the guests at a dinner where choosing the best seats for themselves. He taught them they should not sit in the best seat because if a more important person came in, they would be embarrassed when the host asked them to move. If they sat in the least important place, then the host might honor them by moving them to a more prominent seat. He ended by stating, “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but everyone who humbles himself will be exalted.” As for the need to be honored, LET IT GO. (James 4:10) Jesus advised the Pharisee hosting the meal not to invite friends, relatives, and rich people to a dinner because they will invite you in return as your reward. Instead invite the poor, disfigured, cripple, and blind who have nothing with which to repay you. You will be prepaid at the resurrection of the righteous. LET GO of associating only with your peers and those higher in social standing. Jesus told another story involving a banquet. All the invited guests gave lame excuses for not attending. Therefore, the host sent a servant to invite the poor, disfigured, blind, and crippled. When there was still room, he sent the servant out into the country to fill the house. He ended by saying not one of those invited would get a taste of His banquet. He was indicating that He would extend the invitation to the Gentiles and those who realized their neediness. LET GO of lame excuses and accept His invitation to salvation. Jesus made the hard statement that one cannot be His disciple unless in comparison to their love for Him, they hate father, mother, wife, brothers, children. He also made carrying his own cross a requirement for being a disciple. Everything in your life that would try to take the place of Jesus, even your own life, LET IT GO! Jesus spoke of calculating the cost before beginning a building project and preparing an army before waging a ward. We are to realize that although salvation is a free gift, there is a cost to being Jesus’s disciple. LET GO of everything to follow Jesus. Tax collectors and sinners kept coming to hear Jesus. Pharisees and Scribes kept grumbling that Jesus welcomed and ate with sinners. Jesus told them the parable of the Lost Sheep the shepherd left the rest of the sheep to find. He said there is more joy in Heaven over one sinner who repents than 99 righteous with no need to repent. He told of a woman rejoicing after finding the coin she lost. There is joy among God’s angels when one sinner repents. LET GO of prejudice and judgmental attitudes. Jesus reinforced the concept of forgiveness with the parable of the Prodigal Son. The younger son demanded his inheritance and squandered it. When he found himself desiring to eat the slop he was feeding pigs, he went home to be his father to take him on as a servant. Instead his Father gave him the best robe, a ring, and shoes. Then the father killed the fatted calf for a celebration. LET GO of the shame and return to the Father’s loving, forgiving arms. When the older son protested, the father told him, “My son was dead but now he is alive!” LET GO of jealousy. If you think you have a right to yourself, LET IT GO and trust Jesus’s plan for your life.

Luke 16 & 17 – Jesus taught His disciples with a parable. A man’s steward (general manager) was charged with squandering resources so the man demanded a full accounting and fired him. The GM worried what would become of him with no job, so he called in his boss’s debtors and forgave portions of their debts to ingratiate them toward him. His boss applauded his shrewdness. This unrighteous man knew how to deal with his own kind, and his unrighteous boss applauded him. The conclusion is that most unbelievers are wiser in the ways of the world than Christians are wise to the ways of the Lord. VALUE HOLINESS and seek to be wise in God’s ways. We need to be wise in using earthly money to help others. If our generosity is used by God to draw them to Him, we will be rich in friends to greet us when we go to our eternal home where money is useless. Jesus taught that if one is trustworthy in small matters, he will be trustworthy in larger matters. The Complete Jewish Bible renders verse 11 as, “If you haven’t been trustworthy with worldly wealth, who is going to trust you with the real thing?” and The Voice as, “If you can’t even handle a small thing like money, who’s going to entrust you with spiritual riches that really matter?” Jesus emphasized that you can’t be a slave to both God and money. VALUE HOLINESS over wealthiness. The Pharisees ridiculed Jesus because they loved money. Jesus told them they tried to look righteous on the outside, but God knew their hearts. They could not hide their true values from Him. VALUE HOLINESS to your core, in your heart because to value holiness is to value the One who is holy. Jesus told them about the rich man and Lazarus, the beggar covered in sores who laid outside his gate. Lazarus died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s bosom (Heaven). The Rich man died and found himself in Sheol. He saw Abraham and Lazarus afar off and still thinking of Lazarus as a servant, asked Abraham to send him to dip his finger in water to cool the rich man’s tongue because he was in flames. Abraham pointed out there was a great chasm between the two places that no one could cross. Then the rich man asked Abraham to send Lazarus to warn his brothers to change their ways thinking they would listen to someone who was raised from the dead. Abraham said that if they would not listen to Moses and the prophets, they would not be convinced even if someone rose from the dead. VALUE HOLINESS before you miss the opportunity to do so. Jesus told His disciples it is better to be tied to a weight and thrown in the sea than to ensnare believers. If your brother sins, rebuke him, but if he repents, forgive him seven times. The Apostles asked Jesus to increase their faith. He told them with faith as small as a mustard seed they could command a tree to uproot and replant in the sea. He explained that a slave is not thanked for doing only what is his duty, so when you obey say, “We’re ordinary slaves who have only done our duty.” HOLINESS is your duty. On His way to Jerusalem at the border with Samaria, Jesus healed ten lepers. They did not see the evidence of their healing until they were on the way to show themselves to the priests. Only one returned, shouting praises and fell at Jesus’s feet to thank him. Jesus asked, “Where are the other nine?” The only one to return was a Samaritan. Jesus told him, “Get up. You may go, your trust has saved you.” Not every person Jesus healed was saved, only those who had faith. When the Son of Man returns, it will be like lightning that flashes and lights up the sky from one horizon to the other. As in the days of Noah and later with Sodom, people will be going about business as usual when suddenly judgment will come. When the Son of Man is revealed, don’t go back to get belongings—remember Lot’s wife. One will be taken and one left behind. VALUE HOLINESS because you do not know when Jesus will return.