Canonical Reading Plan for Oct 31, Luk 17-18

Today's readings are Luk 17-18.

Jesus teaches the disciples more lessons in Luk 17. Temptations will come to all. No one is immune to being tempted. As followers of Christ, we should recognize that one of the results of living in a fallen world is that there are times when sin can look attractive. Any believer can stumble. When someone sins, they should be forgiven. True repentance should be met with forgiveness as often as the sinner repents. God's grace toward us is endless. Our grace toward others should be as well. Those who cause others to be tempted will be judged harshly.

Recognizing their own weakness toward temptation and resistance toward forgiveness, the apostles ask for more faith (Luk 17:5-6). Jesus assures them that both will come just as surely as a mustard seed will grow in size and strength over time. Jesus is telling them spiritual maturity takes time and effort to grow.

The promise of the mustard seed parable is expounded upon. How does maturity develop? Only through those that set aside their pride and recognize their need for grace. This is a stark contrast to those religious leaders who feel they are entitled to God's favor and blessing because of who they are. There is an assurance that those who feel unworthy will be rewarded well but only if their priority is serving God rather than receiving their reward (Luk 17:7-10). Serving God demonstrates thankfulness for His grace. Expecting a reward for service shows a misunderstanding of grace. This is a mature teaching, one that will come with a more mature faith, one that starts out as small as a mustard seed.

Jesus gives an illustration of what He's teaching by cleansing ten lepers. Only one of which comes back to thank Him (Luk 17:11-19). All ten received the same material blessing, physical healing. Ironically, only one, a Samaritan, praised God and thanked Him. The nine who express no thanks are assumed to be the Jewish religious leaders. They felt entitled to a healing. The Samaritan would have been considered unworthy by the Jews. But, the Samaritan had a deeper appreciation for God's blessing because he knew he was, indeed, unworthy of receiving anything from God. The one who acknowledges his unworthiness receives the ultimate blessing, the favor God.

Jesus emphasizes His teaching with the warning that the principles of God's kingdom run contrary to the desires of the world (Luk 17:22-37). The pursuit of worldly goods and worldly happiness can cause one to miss the kingdom. There's nothing wrong with owning things. The problem comes from making our possessions a priority over God and making self-serving happiness the primary goal of life. God has been showing mankind all along that that type of living only leads to death.

Luke relates two parables, both of them preceded by a description of to whom they apply and what their object lesson is.

The first parable teaches the disciples to be persistent and patient in prayer (Luk 18:1-8), waiting for God and for His timing in all things but being diligent to pray at all times.

The second parable condemns self-righteous contempt toward others (Luk 18;9-14). It’s easier than most think to fall victim to this mentality. Here's a good example, while reading the parable, many folks feel contempt for the Pharisee. In other words, they exhibit self-righteous contempt for the Pharisee. Did you?

Jesus gives encouragement to all believers who struggle with these issues. They can grow in their faith and become stronger as they draw closer to the Lord, just as little children grow and become stronger as they wholly and innocently trust Jesus. Woe to anyone who hinders either (Luk 18:15-17)!

Next, we see the parable of the rich ruler (Luk 18:18-30). The popular version of this includes the notion that there was a gate in Jerusalem, "The Eye of the Needle," that was so small, camels had to be unloaded and stripped bare of any burdens to get through the gate. The lesson that this supposedly taught was that to enter heaven, you had to divest yourself of worldly things.

It's a quaint notion, but it's not the point of this parable nor is it based on any truth about the gates of Jerusalem.

There is no such gate in Jerusalem. There never has been. The danger of this popular notion is that it portrays the camel's passing through the eye of the needle as something possible to do if the camel meets all the conditions. All the camel must do is drop everything he has, squeeze through and emerge into the city. That would seem to indicate that all the rich ruler had to do was sell all his stuff to get into heaven.

It's far more helpful and far more accurate, to see the camel as a real camel and the eye of a needle as the actual eye of a sewing needle. It's impossible for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle...unless the camel is supernaturally transformed. The camel has no way of getting through the eye by any action he can perform. The rich ruler has no way of getting into heaven by any action he can perform.

His question, calling Jesus 'Good Teacher' is, "...what must I do to inherit eternal life?". Jesus responds with "Only God is good." The implication is that, if Jesus is truly good, then Jesus is God. The ruler doesn't fully comprehend all this. He thinks Jesus is just a good teacher. The ruler doesn't see the truth of what he just uttered. This young man is not looking for a Lord and Savior. He’s merely looking for a way to get to heaven.

In answering the ruler's question, Jesus recites a short list of commandments, but not all of them. The ruler has met the short list...but not all. He has certainly missed the first two: "You shall have no other god before me" and "You shall have no idols." He quite obviously does not worship God. All he wants is eternal life. As will soon be made clear, he struggles with covetousness and, perhaps, pride. He's looking for the blessings Jesus brings but not for Jesus!

Jesus gives him the answer he's looking for. He just doesn't get it. Jesus does not tell him it is impossible for the camel to enter through the eye. He says it is "...easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle..."  then follows it with, "What is impossible for man is possible with God." In other words, it's impossible for the ruler to do anything to get eternal life but it is possible for God to give it to Him through Jesus, who stands right in front of him. But to do that, God has to be his highest priority. He will have to be willing to surrender everything to walk with Jesus.

The ruler leaves unchanged, walking away from the only hope for his transformation, the only hope for eternal life. Instead, he clings to the idols he's fashioned in his life, his money and his belongings. Tragically, he turns his back on Jesus.