Chapter Seven Saturday, December 4, 2010
Jesus is now well engaged in his ongoing ministry of teaching, preaching, and healing. He encounters the most interesting people as he becomes open to the broad possibilities of ministry. He builds relationships, changes lives, and teaches through the use of parables.
There are actually 16 parables of Jesus that are found exclusively in the Gospel of Luke. In addition, there are many more that are also recorded in Matthew, Mark, or John. It is a great way to teach. Just take a common every day experience, put it into context, and tell the story so others can see the answer and get the point.
Even though the parable is the key way Jesus teaches spiritual principles, it is really through relationship building that he transforms the lives of individuals. In this chapter he encounters a military leader, a grieving widow, and a woman with an alabaster jar of perfume. These are three very different situations but all with a common theme. It all comes down to trust and faith.
We are now one week into our journey of discovering the message of Luke. It is a great time to stop for a moment of reflection and evaluation. John Wesley (our Methodist founder) would say, “How is it with your soul?” I just want to ask, “How is it with your faith in God and trust of Jesus?” Take a moment to look at the military leader, the pain of the widow, and the commitment of the woman with the perfume. Then consider your own faith and ask this question: “What is the next step for me on my journey of faith?”
Be sure to prepare your heart for worship tomorrow. Communion will be served and received as we are open to the next steps in our journey of faith.
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