Luke 24:18-35

Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, "You must be the only person in Jerusalem who hasn‘t heard about all the things that have happened there the last few days."
19 "What things?" Jesus asked. "The things that happened to Jesus, the man from Nazareth," they said. "He was a prophet who did wonderful miracles. He was a mighty teacher, highly regarded by both God and all the people. 20 But our leading priests and other religious leaders arrested him and handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. 21 We had thought he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. That all happened three days ago. 22 Then some women from our group of his followers were at his tomb early this morning, and they came back with an amazing report. 23 They said his body was missing, and they had seen angels who told them Jesus is alive! 24 Some of our men ran out to see, and sure enough, Jesus’ body was gone, just as the women had said." 25 Then Jesus said to them, "You are such foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. 26 Wasn‘t it clearly predicted by the prophets that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his time of glory?" 27 Then Jesus quoted passages from the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining what all the Scriptures said about himself. 28 By this time they were nearing Emmaus and the end of their journey. Jesus would have gone on, 29 but they begged him to stay the night with them, since it was getting late. So he went home with them. 30 As they sat down to eat, he took a small loaf of bread, asked God‘s blessing on it, broke it, then gave it to them. 31 Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared! 32 They said to each other, "Didn‘t our hearts feel strangely warm as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?" 33 And within the hour they were on their way back to Jerusalem, where the eleven disciples and the other followers of Jesus were gathered. When they arrived, they were greeted with the report, 34 "The Lord has really risen! He appeared to Peter !"
Devotion (by Chris Bunch): "I can only Imagine"
There was a popular Christian song that hit the mainstream radio a few years ago called: "I can only Imagine." It‘s a powerful song with lyrics that wonder what people will do when they see Jesus. The group, Mercy Me, asks the questions: Will you dance? Will you stand? Will you sing? Will you be still? In today‘s scripture, we have an eyewitness account of some followers of Jesus who meet the resurrected Lord of all.
This passage tells us that they walked and talked and ate with Jesus, and after this encounter verse 32 tells us that their hearts were "strangely warmed" as they met him face to face. I wonder today as you are sitting reading this, has your heart been warmed by your relationship with Jesus Christ? Because the reality is: if you have a relationship with Christ your heart should be changed.
A heart touched by Christ goes from a cold, self-centered approach to a warm, others-centered approach. So, let me ask you: Does your heart burn for the realities of God? Has it grown cold due to neglect or sin? Or is it open to serving others around you?
Only by spending some time in the presence of the living and resurrected Jesus Christ can your hearts become warmed. Why not spend some time with him right now and you will not have to imagine what it will be like to meet Jesus, but he will meet you right now. Then, after you meet him why not show his love in one act of kindness today.


Prayer
Jesus, thank you for meeting with me today. Warm my heart to love you and love the people around me. I confess the cold parts of my heart (name those parts) and I ask for your forgiveness. I receive your spirit now to walk with you and serve one person today with your love. In your name I pray. Amen

Luke 24:1-17

The Resurrection
1 But very early on Sunday morning the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. 3 So they went in, but they didn‘t find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.
5 The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, "Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? 6 He isn‘t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day." 8 Then they remembered that he had said this. 9 So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. 11 But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn‘t believe it. 12 However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.The Walk to Emmaus 13 That same day two of Jesus’ followers were walking to the village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 As they walked along they were talking about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things, Jesus himself suddenly came and began walking with them. 16 But God kept them from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, "What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?" They stopped short, sadness written across their faces.
Devotion (by Mikey Skoglund):
How crazy would it be if someone came up to you and told you that a lost friend of yours was not actually dead but was alive! I mean, I don‘t blame the disciples here for not believing it right away, but then again, isn‘t that the kind of faith and trust that God wants us to have in Him? He explained to his disciples that He would be crucified and then buried, but that He would come back again on the third day, so wouldn‘t they be thinking about that and think that its too much of a coincidence that He‘s not in the tomb anymore on the third day? You see, I think that God tells us things and gives us promises every day, but we just are not listening sometimes, so when we come across something that throws us through a loop, instead of trusting in God, its so easy to give it up and feel hopeless. This passage acts as a good reminder to trust in the Lord‘s promises, for He WILL do what He said He would do, and He will not leave you or forsake you at any time, even in the times when its hard to see your way out.

Prayer:
Lord, thank You for not leaving me or forsaking me. Please help me to trust in Your word and Your promises every moment of my life. I praise You for the loving and merciful God that You are. Please give me the strength I need to live through today.

Luke 23:44-56

The Death of Jesus 44 By this time it was noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three o‘clock. 45 The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. 46 Then Jesus shouted, "Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!" And with those words he breathed his last.
47 When the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshiped God and said, "Surely this man was innocent." 48 And when all the crowd that came to see the crucifixion saw what had happened, they went home in deep sorrow. 49 But Jesus’ friends, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching. The Burial of Jesus 50 Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph. He was a member of the Jewish high council, 51 but he had not agreed with the decision and actions of the other religious leaders. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea, and he was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come. 52 He went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 53 Then he took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in a long sheet of linen cloth and laid it in a new tomb that had been carved out of rock. 54 This was done late on Friday afternoon, the day of preparation, as the Sabbath was about to begin. 55 As his body was taken away, the women from Galilee followed and saw the tomb where his body was placed. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and ointments to anoint his body. But by the time they were finished the Sabbath had begun, so they rested as required by the law.
Devotion (by Greg Gahl)
Reading through the above passage several things really stand out. The first is that 3 hours of night occur during the middle of the day; wow, the power of God. The next is that the curtain in the middle of the sanctuary tore in half. This might not seem like much, but what a powerful statement! The area the curtain was in was only accessible to the highest priest alone and not any other priests, definitely not the public. The tearing of the curtain represent this barrier between humans and God — with Christ‘s death it is torn and we now are able to connect with God. Again, wow, the power of God!
Finally Jesus states "Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!" What a powerful statement with so few words. For me this is the beginning of faith. Jesus hands his spirit over to God and trusts that everything will be ok. Jesus is looking into the eye of death and his faith stands strong.

Prayer:
Lord please be with each and every one of us as we go out into our day to help us have the faith that everything will be ok no matter how big or how small the situation might be. Help us to have faith as your son Jesus Christ had as he looked death in the face. Amen.

Luke 23:26-43

The Crucifixion
26As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him. 28Jesus turned and said to them, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children. 29For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30Then " ‘they will say to the mountains, "Fall on us!" and to the hills, "Cover us!" ’ 31For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?" 32Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One." 36The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37and said, "If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself." 38There was a written notice above him, which read:|sc THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren‘t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" 40But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don‘t you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? 41We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." 42Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."



Devotion (by Rob Alsobrook)
Things don‘t always appear as they seem. The Jews of that day knew the prophecies of the coming Messiah and thought they knew what to look for, specific characteristics indicating what the Messiah would do to make known that that person was indeed the awaited Messiah.
But in the end, they missed the boat. They were blinded by their own pride and did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus challenged those people, just as He does today through His Word. Even as He was walking to where He would be crucified, He ironically was leading someone else carrying His cross. Christ does ask us to pick up our crosses daily and follow Him, even when it is tough.
I am always amazed at the fortitude of Christ and pray that when I am encountered by trouble and the challenges of life that I may recognize Christ‘s example and exhibit the same amount of resilience during times of trouble.

Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Open our eyes so that we may always recognize You and open our minds to better and more fully understand Your ways and example. Bless us with the strength and confidence to follow You even when things get hard, and never allow us to be without the hope in knowing that You will come back some day and we will be able to know and recognize You when you do return. Amen.

Luke 23:1-25

Jesus’ Trial before Pilate
Then the entire council took Jesus to Pilate, the Roman governor. They began to state their case: "This man has been leading our people astray by telling them not to pay their taxes to the Roman government and by claiming he is the Messiah, a king."
So Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus replied, "You have said it." Pilate turned to the leading priests and to the crowd and said, "I find nothing wrong with this man!"
Then they became insistent. "But he is causing riots by his teaching wherever he goes—all over Judea, from Galilee to Jerusalem!"
"Oh, is he a Galilean?" Pilate asked. When they said that he was, Pilate sent him to Herod Antipas, because Galilee was under Herod‘s jurisdiction, and Herod happened to be in Jerusalem at the time.
Herod was delighted at the opportunity to see Jesus, because he had heard about him and had been hoping for a long time to see him perform a miracle. He asked Jesus question after question, but Jesus refused to answer. Meanwhile, the leading priests and the teachers of religious law stood there shouting their accusations. Then Herod and his soldiers began mocking and ridiculing Jesus. Finally, they put a royal robe on him and sent him back to Pilate. (Herod and Pilate, who had been enemies before, became friends that day.)
Then Pilate called together the leading priests and other religious leaders, along with the people, and he announced his verdict. "You brought this man to me, accusing him of leading a revolt. I have examined him thoroughly on this point in your presence and find him innocent. Herod came to the same conclusion and sent him back to us. Nothing this man has done calls for the death penalty. So I will have him flogged, and then I will release him.
Then a mighty roar rose from the crowd, and with one voice they shouted, "Kill him, and release Barabbas to us!" (Barabbas was in prison for taking part in an insurrection in Jerusalem against the government, and for murder.) Pilate argued with them, because he wanted to release Jesus. But they kept shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"
For the third time he demanded, "Why? What crime has he committed? I have found no reason to sentence him to death. So I will have him flogged, and then I will release him."
But the mob shouted louder and louder, demanding that Jesus be crucified, and their voices prevailed. So Pilate sentenced Jesus to die as they demanded. As they had requested, he released Barabbas, the man in prison for insurrection and murder. But he turned Jesus over to them to do as they wished.

Devotion (by Marilyn Brooks)
This scripture brings to me the fact that God was totally in control of the situation and that Jesus had total faith in His Father. God had prepared Jesus for what was coming. He knew that this was the only way to save those who will have faith and believe that He is the son of God.
The angry crowd had no faith and chose to condemn Jesus. Pilate knew he did not have justification for using the death penalty on an innocent man. Herod did not believe that Jesus was guilty of anything worthy of death either but the crowd continued to demand Jesus’ be put to death.
Jesus understood the sacrifice his Father was asking: "Then, let it be done." The living must die so that the dying can live.

Prayer:
Father, Thank you for your son Jesus. How amazing that you can love us so much. May we please you, by being faithful servants and loving others as you love us with kindness and compassion. May we understand the sacrifice made so that we may live in eternity with our loving God. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Luke 22:54-71

A Rooster Crowed
54-56Arresting Jesus, they marched him off and took him into the house of the Chief Priest. Peter followed, but at a safe distance. In the middle of the courtyard some people had started a fire and were sitting around it, trying to keep warm. One of the serving maids sitting at the fire noticed him, then took a second look and said, "This man was with him!"
57He denied it, "Woman, I don‘t even know him." 58A short time later, someone else noticed him and said, "You‘re one of them." But Peter denied it: "Man, I am not." 59About an hour later, someone else spoke up, really adamant: "He‘s got to have been with him! He‘s got ‘Galilean’ written all over him." 60-62Peter said, "Man, I don‘t know what you‘re talking about." At that very moment, the last word hardly off his lips, a rooster crowed. Just then, the Master turned and looked at Peter. Peter remembered what the Master had said to him: "Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." He went out and cried and cried and cried.Slapping Him Around 63-65The men in charge of Jesus began poking fun at him, slapping him around. They put a blindfold on him and taunted, "Who hit you that time?" They were having a grand time with him.
66-67When it was morning, the religious leaders of the people and the high priests and scholars all got together and brought him before their High Council. They said, "Are you the Messiah?" 67-69He answered, "If I said yes, you wouldn‘t believe me. If I asked what you meant by your question, you wouldn‘t answer me. So here‘s what I have to say: From here on the Son of Man takes his place at God‘s right hand, the place of power." 70They all said, "So you admit your claim to be the Son of God?" "You‘re the ones who keep saying it," he said. 71But they had made up their minds, "Why do we need any more evidence? We‘ve all heard him as good as say it himself."

Luke 22:35-53

35Then Jesus said, "When I sent you out and told you to travel light, to take only the bare necessities, did you get along all right?" "Certainly," they said, "we got along just fine." 36-37He said, "This is different. Get ready for trouble. Look to what you‘ll need; there are difficult times ahead. Pawn your coat and get a sword. What was written in Scripture, ‘He was lumped in with the criminals,’ gets its final meaning in me. Everything written about me is now coming to a conclusion." 38They said, "Look, Master, two swords!" But he said, "Enough of that; no more sword talk!"
A Dark Night
39-40Leaving there, he went, as he so often did, to Mount Olives. The disciples followed him. When they arrived at the place, he said, "Pray that you don‘t give in to temptation." 41-44He pulled away from them about a stone‘s throw, knelt down, and prayed, "Father, remove this cup from me. But please, not what I want. What do you want?" At once an angel from heaven was at his side, strengthening him. He prayed on all the harder. Sweat, wrung from him like drops of blood, poured off his face. 45-46He got up from prayer, went back to the disciples and found them asleep, drugged by grief. He said, "What business do you have sleeping? Get up. Pray so you won‘t give in to temptation." 47-48No sooner were the words out of his mouth than a crowd showed up, Judas, the one from the Twelve, in the lead. He came right up to Jesus to kiss him. Jesus said, "Judas, you would betray the Son of Man with a kiss?" 49-50When those with him saw what was happening, they said, "Master, shall we fight?" One of them took a swing at the Chief Priest‘s servant and cut off his right ear. 51Jesus said, "Let them be. Even in this." Then, touching the servant‘s ear, he healed him. 52-53Jesus spoke to those who had come—high priests, Temple police, religion leaders: "What is this, jumping me with swords and clubs as if I were a dangerous criminal? Day after day I‘ve been with you in the Temple and you‘ve not so much as lifted a hand against me. But do it your way—it‘s a dark night, a dark hour."

Luke 22:14-34

14 When the time came, Jesus and the apostles sat down together at the table.[a] 15 Jesus said, "I have been very eager to eat this Passover meal with you before my suffering begins. 16 For I tell you now that I won‘t eat this meal again until its meaning is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God." 17 Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. Then he said, "Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I will not drink wine again until the Kingdom of God has come." 19 He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me." 20 After supper he took another cup of wine and said, "This cup is the new covenant between God and his people—an agreement confirmed with my blood, which is poured out as a sacrifice for you.[b] 21 "But here at this table, sitting among us as a friend, is the man who will betray me. 22 For it has been determined that the Son of Man© must die. But what sorrow awaits the one who betrays him." 23 The disciples began to ask each other which of them would ever do such a thing. 24 Then they began to argue among themselves about who would be the greatest among them. 25 Jesus told them, "In this world the kings and great men lord it over their people, yet they are called ‘friends of the people.’ 26 But among you it will be different. Those who are the greatest among you should take the lowest rank, and the leader should be like a servant. 27Who is more important, the one who sits at the table or the one who serves? The one who sits at the table, of course. But not here! For I am among you as one who serves. 28 "You have stayed with me in my time of trial. 29 And just as my Father has granted me a Kingdom, I now grant you the right 30 to eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom. And you will sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Jesus Predicts Peter‘s Denial 31 "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. 32 But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers." 33 Peter said, "Lord, I am ready to go to prison with you, and even to die with you." 34 But Jesus said, "Peter, let me tell you something. Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me."

Devotion (by Jana Goebel):
As always, when it comes to the Bible and especially to the words of Jesus, there is something to learn in every verse. But today for me it is verses 24-27 that stand out the most. Lately, I have been asking myself what it means to follow Jesus. What will I look like if I do everything I can to be like Jesus? For me a big part of the answer is in these three little verses. Jesus says we are to put others before ourselves- to make ourselves lower than them. He has given us an example in the way that he served others. Think about it. If God himself was humble enough to serve others, how can I think that I somehow shouldn‘t serve? That‘s my challenge. To constantly remind myself that I need to serve all those around me if I want to look like Jesus. Serving could be as simple as letting a car in front of me in a traffic jam, holding the door for someone at the grocery store, or cleaning out my husband‘s car for him.

PRAYER:
Father, thank you for always giving me the perfect example of how I can be more like Jesus. Lord, help me this week to see ways that I can put others first and serve them. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Luke 22:1-13

The Passover Meal
1-2The Feast of Unleavened Bread, also called Passover, drew near. The high priests and religion scholars were looking for a way to do away with Jesus but, fearful of the people, they were also looking for a way to cover their tracks.
3-6That‘s when Satan entered Judas, the one called Iscariot. He was one of the Twelve. Leaving the others, he conferred with the high priests and the Temple guards about how he might betray Jesus to them. They couldn‘t believe their good luck and agreed to pay him well. He gave them his word and started looking for a way to betray Jesus, but out of sight of the crowd. 7-8The Day of Unleavened Bread came, the day the Passover lamb was butchered. Jesus sent Peter and John off, saying, "Go prepare the Passover for us so we can eat it together." 9They said, "Where do you want us to do this?" 10-12He said, "Keep your eyes open as you enter the city. A man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him home. Then speak with the owner of the house: The Teacher wants to know, ‘Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ He will show you a spacious second-story room, swept and ready. Prepare the meal there." 13They left, found everything just as he told them, and prepared the Passover meal.
Devotion (by Emily Alsobrook):
What I find interesting in this section is that Jesus was betrayed by one of His own. Jesus had many followers, crowds of people who followed Him and listened to His teachings. But there was a select few that were always with Him, the 12 disciples. And Judas was in that group.
Judas was aware that the religious leaders hated Jesus and would most likely strike a deal if the price was right. But Luke takes note that Satan entered Judas. This betrayal involves more than the jealous religious leaders or a greedy betrayer; it involved a cosmic battle between God and Satan, a battle in which we know Satan is completely defeated.
Satan‘s part in the betrayal of Jesus does not remove all responsibility from Judas.
Disillusioned because Jesus was talking about dying rather than about setting up His kingdom, Judas may have been trying to force Jesus’ hand and make Him use His power to prove He was the Messiah. Or perhaps Judas, not understanding Jesus’ mission, no longer believed that Jesus was God‘s chosen one. Whatever Judas thought, Satan assumed that Jesus’ death would end Jesus’ mission and thwart God‘s plan. Like Judas, Satan didn‘t know that Jesus’ death and resurrection were the most important parts of God‘s plan all along. God is always in control, even when things seem dark and hopeless.

Prayer:
God, thank you that no matter what the situations look like, You are always in control. Thank You for sending Your Son to be betrayed and sacrificed for me and the rest of the world. Help me to trust You, no matter what. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Luke 21:10-38

10Then he said to them: "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. 11There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. 12"But before all this, they will lay hands on you and persecute you. They will deliver you to synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. 13This will result in your being witnesses to them. 14But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. 15For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. 16You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. 17All men will hate you because of me. 18But not a hair of your head will perish. 19By standing firm you will gain life. 20"When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. 21Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. 22For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. 23How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. 24They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. 25"There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. 26Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. 27At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." 29He told them this parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 32"I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 33Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. 34"Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. 35For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." 37Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, 38and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.

Devotional (by Isaac Pellerin):
It can be tempting to read this passage and immediately assume that Jesus is talking about some dark time in the future that has not yet arrived and that it is our job to decipher current events to figure out if he is coming today or tomorrow. While there may, indeed, be some merit to these speculations; the people Jesus was talking to faced many of the things he talked about in their lifetime.
Luke was written around the year 60 A.D. and in 70 A.D. the Roman Empire destroyed the Temple and many Jews had to flee for the mountains for safety.
I believe that Luke is reminding the readers at that time, that in the face of adversity, the kingdom of God is present. It‘s a reassurance that when things in life get as dark as they can get, that‘s when we can clearly see where light truly comes from.
I love verse 34 where we are challenged to guard our hearts against becoming weighed down with anxiety. For the kingdom of God brings hope, and that is what we seek when all is well and when all seems lost.

Prayer:
God I pray that you would be present in my life. That your kingdom principles would overtake me and allow me to see Your hand within life‘s circumstances. In Jesus name. Amen.

Luke 20:45-21:9

Luke 20:45-21:9 (NCV)
Jesus Accuses Some Leaders 45 While all the people were listening, Jesus said to his followers, 46 "Beware of the teachers of the law. They like to walk around wearing fancy clothes, and they love for people to greet them with respect in the marketplaces. They love to have the most important seats in the synagogues and at feasts. 47 But they cheat widows and steal their houses and then try to make themselves look good by saying long prayers. They will receive a greater punishment."
Chapter 21
True Giving 1 As Jesus looked up, he saw some rich people putting their gifts into the Temple money box. 2 Then he saw a poor widow putting two small copper coins into the box. 3 He said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow gave more than all those rich people. 4 They gave only what they did not need. This woman is very poor, but she gave all she had to live on."
The Temple Will Be Destroyed 5 Some people were talking about the Temple and how it was decorated with beautiful stones and gifts offered to God.
But Jesus said, 6 "As for these things you are looking at, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another. Every stone will be thrown down." 7 They asked Jesus, "Teacher, when will these things happen? What will be the sign that they are about to take place?" 8 Jesus said, "Be careful so you are not fooled. Many people will come in my name, saying, ‘I am the One’ and, ‘The time has come!’ But don‘t follow them. 9 When you hear about wars and riots, don‘t be afraid, because these things must happen first, but the end will come later."
Devotion: The Leader‘s Trap
Every single one of us has been in leadership roles in life. It might be in your family as a parent or older sibling, at work as a supervisor, or in some office in a club. Everyone likes moments of leadership when people look up to us and see us as something special. The religious teachers in these first verses have what I call "The Big Head Syndrome." They have bought into their own self-importance and have become sucked into accolades and acclaim from others. Whether in the church or outside the church people can easily fall into these traps, pitfalls of hypocrisy. In the scripture Jesus talks about these religious leaders who loved to have people notice their clothes, position, power and religious knowledge. Now, you might be thinking, "Well, this is a passage for you Chris-you‘re a religious leader." And you would be right. But, it is also a passage for anyone in an area of leadership.
So, when you are in your leadership role ask yourselves these questions: Do you love to be seen in the right places? Do you dress for effect and to display your success? Do you engage in "name-dropping?"
Are you more motivated by serving or being noticed? Are you always trying to impress other people?
All of us have fallen into these traps and then we become blinded to the needs of others around us. Today, keep your public profession and inner attitude in check, in control. Avoid the limelight that often leads to hypocrisy.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to be less like the religious teachers and more like the poor widow. Instill within me a spirit of humility that reminds me this life is not about me, but about you and others. Give me the wisdom to realize that seeking your approval is more important than seeking the approval of people. I pray in Jesus name. Amen

Luke 20:20-44

Paying Taxes to Caesar
20Keeping a close watch on him, they sent spies, who pretended to be honest. They hoped to catch Jesus in something he said so that they might hand him over to the power and authority of the governor. 21So the spies questioned him: "Teacher, we know that you speak and teach what is right, and that you do not show partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. 22Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?" 23He saw through their duplicity and said to them, 24"Show me a denarius. Whose portrait and inscription are on it?" 25"Caesar‘s," they replied. He said to them, "Then give to Caesar what is Caesar‘s, and to God what is God‘s." 26They were unable to trap him in what he had said there in public. And astonished by his answer, they became silent.The Resurrection and Marriage 27Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. 28"Teacher," they said, "Moses wrote for us that if a man‘s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother. 29Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. 30The second 31and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. 32Finally, the woman died too. 33Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?"
34Jesus replied, "The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35But those who are considered worthy of taking part in that age and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, 36and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God‘s children, since they are children of the resurrection. 37But in the account of the bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive." 39Some of the teachers of the law responded, "Well said, teacher!" 40And no one dared to ask him any more questions.Whose Son Is the Christ? 41Then Jesus said to them, "How is it that they say the Christis the Son of David? 42David himself declares in the Book of Psalms: " ‘The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand 43until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." ’ 44David calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?"

DEVOTION:
There is so much going on in this passage that it sometimes makes my head swim. However, I think it is a good look into who Jesus was. First of all, to understand who Jesus was as a man, we must realize the cultural context this passage occurs in. This passage takes place in Galilee. Many scholars believe that the Galileans were some of the most well educated religious people of the time. These Jewish men have spent the better part of their life learning and memorizing scripture. They know it from memory, and have been taught what it means. It is also important to note that Jesus is called teacher or rabbi. We often think of the term rabbi as equal to a position, but for the Jewish people of Jesus’ day it was a title given to one who teaches. It is also an indication of the great respect people had for Jesus and his ability to interpret and teach scripture.
So we see that as a man, Jesus was an amazingly articulate and accurate teacher, even when surrounded by some of the world‘s greatest scholars. How about what we see of Jesus as God? In Jesus’ day, rabbi‘s often visited the local temple or synagogue where they were staying. Primarily this was due to the fact that it was the place where scripture was most often discussed. It is also important to note that there were some teachers who simply taught what the scriptures literally said, and there were others that were able to interpret it‘s deeper meanings. Because of these various interpretations, learners would sometimes need to question the teacher to determine the best and most accurate interpretation. Jesus fell into the latter category of teachers. This may be why the religious leaders felt Jesus would easily fall into the trap of their difficult questions. Why would he suspect anything was odd about people questioning an interpretation of the scriptures? But then we see that he could not be fooled.
Verse 23 tells us he "saw through their duplicity." This shows us his god-like quality of being all-knowing. Because he was fully God, Jesus was able to see into their hearts and understand the true purpose of their questions. While it‘s good to have this knowledge, we shouldn‘t stop there when reading God‘s word. We should go on to ask, "Does this speak to something in my life?" How does understanding that Jesus was both fully human and fully God affect your life? Take some time to pray about that and ask God what he would like to teach you about himself?

PRAYER: Father, you are so awesome that I often feel like I can never hope to understand you. I can barely wrap my brain around the fact that you are both human and God. Help me, God, to understand more fully who you are and how that impacts my life. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen

Luke 20:1-19

The Authority of Jesus Challenged
1 One day as Jesus was teaching the people and preaching the Good News in the Temple, the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the elders came up to him. 2 They demanded, "By what authority are you doing all these things? Who gave you the right?"
3 "Let me ask you a question first," he replied. 4 "Did John‘s authority to baptize come from heaven, or was it merely human?" 5 They talked it over among themselves. "If we say it was from heaven, he will ask why we didn‘t believe John. 6 But if we say it was merely human, the people will stone us because they are convinced John was a prophet." 7 So they finally replied that they didn‘t know. 8 And Jesus responded, "Then I won‘t tell you by what authority I do these things." Parable of the Evil Farmers 9 Now Jesus turned to the people again and told them this story: "A man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and moved to another country to live for several years. 10 At the time of the grape harvest, he sent one of his servants to collect his share of the crop. But the farmers attacked the servant, beat him up, and sent him back empty-handed. 11 So the owner sent another servant, but they also insulted him, beat him up, and sent him away empty-handed. 12 A third man was sent, and they wounded him and chased him away. 13 "‘What will I do?’ the owner asked himself. ‘I know! I‘ll send my cherished son. Surely they will respect him.’ 14 "But when the tenant farmers saw his son, they said to each other, ‘Here comes the heir to this estate. Let‘s kill him and get the estate for ourselves!’ 15 So they dragged him out of the vineyard and murdered him. "What do you suppose the owner of the vineyard will do to them?" Jesus asked. 16 "I‘ll tell you—he will come and kill those farmers and lease the vineyard to others." "How terrible that such a thing should ever happen," his listeners protested. 17 Jesus looked at them and said, "Then what does this Scripture mean? ‘The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’[a] 18 Everyone who stumbles over that stone will be broken to pieces, and it will crush anyone it falls on." 19 The teachers of religious law and the leading priests wanted to arrest Jesus immediately because they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the people‘s reaction.
Devotion:
As I read this passage I‘m reminded that our life and our gifts are on lease to us from God. He‘s given each of us a different set of time and a different set of skills. In this parable, the people were farmers on a vineyard, but these farmers wanted to keep everything for themselves and not give to the owner what was rightfully his. Jesus uses this story to illustrate what the religious leaders in that day were doing. You see they were given responsibilities and positions of leadership to to help people understand God‘s love for them and help them to try and live a righteous life, but they took these roles and abused them for their own selfish gain. This passage challenges me to be diligent with the gifts that God has given me and helps me realize that one day He will come back and ask me for His share of the fruits of my labor and I don‘t want to send Him back empty-handed.

Prayer:
Lord, help me to not be like the farmers in this story. God I thank You for the gifts and talents You‘ve blessed me with and I ask that You would guide me in the ways that You want me to use what You‘ve given me. Help me to not just do things for my own selfish ambitions, but create in me a clean heart that loves those around me as You love them and seeks to serve people as You have served us. In Your name I pray, amen.

Luke 19:28-48

God‘s Personal Visit
28-31After saying these things, Jesus headed straight up to Jerusalem. When he got near Bethphage and Bethany at the mountain called Olives, he sent off two of the disciples with instructions: "Go to the village across from you. As soon as you enter, you‘ll find a colt tethered, one that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it. If anyone says anything, asks, ‘What are you doing?’ say, ‘His Master needs him.’" 32-33The two left and found it just as he said. As they were untying the colt, its owners said, "What are you doing untying the colt?" 34They said, "His Master needs him." 35-36They brought the colt to Jesus. Then, throwing their coats on its back, they helped Jesus get on. As he rode, the people gave him a grand welcome, throwing their coats on the street. 37-38Right at the crest, where Mount Olives begins its descent, the whole crowd of disciples burst into enthusiastic praise over all the mighty works they had witnessed: Blessed is he who comes, the king in God‘s name! All‘s well in heaven! Glory in the high places! 39Some Pharisees from the crowd told him, "Teacher, get your disciples under control!" 40But he said, "If they kept quiet, the stones would do it for them, shouting praise." 41-44When the city came into view, he wept over it. "If you had only recognized this day, and everything that was good for you! But now it‘s too late. In the days ahead your enemies are going to bring up their heavy artillery and surround you, pressing in from every side. They‘ll smash you and your babies on the pavement. Not one stone will be left intact. All this because you didn‘t recognize and welcome God‘s personal visit." 45-46Going into the Temple he began to throw out everyone who had set up shop, selling everything and anything. He said, "It‘s written in Scripture, My house is a house of prayer; You have turned it into a religious bazaar."47-48From then on he taught each day in the Temple. The high priests, religion scholars, and the leaders of the people were trying their best to find a way to get rid of him. But with the people hanging on every word he spoke, they couldn‘t come up with anything.
Devotion (Emily Alsobrook):
At this time, the Jewish celebration of the Passover is approaching. Thousands of Jews have come to the city of Jerusalem on a pilgrimage to celebrate their history and God‘s deliverance of their people. These people have come expectant, excited, out of duty and tradition. They hope to celebrate as they have in years past. And what do they find? The great teacher Jesus riding in on a small colt, somewhat like military "triumphal entries." They decide to turn it into a celebratory parade and begin to shout and chant.
But Jesus has previously responded with tears and sorrows. When He saw the city and approached it, he wept and regretted the fact that they had not accepted Him. Jerusalem actually has the Hebrew word peace as a part of its meaning (Hebrews 7:2); but these people rejected Jesus, the Prince of Peace. They would have found peace had they turned to Him, but the religious leaders had blinded the group to the true source of peace, Jesus himself.
Jesus wants peace, to be a source of peace for all. Will you allow Him to be your source of peace today?
Prayer: Jesus, thank you for being the Prince of Peace, for being the very source of peace. Help me to remember that You are God and I am not. And in the midst of my day and all the things going on, that You are the source of peace in my life. Help me to rely on You. Amen.

Luke 19:11-27

Luke 19:11-27 (New International Version) 11While they were listening to this, he went on to tell them a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and the people thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear at once. 12He said: "A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas.‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’ 14"But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don‘t want this man to be our king.’ 15"He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.
16"The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’ 17" ‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’ 18"The second came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned five more.’ 19"His master answered, ‘You take charge of five cities.’ 20"Then another servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your mina; I have kept it laid away in a piece of cloth. 21I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.’ 22"His master replied, ‘I will judge you by your own words, you wicked servant! You knew, did you, that I am a hard man, taking out what I did not put in, and reaping what I did not sow? 23Why then didn‘t you put my money on deposit, so that when I came back, I could have collected it with interest?’ 24"Then he said to those standing by, ‘Take his mina away from him and give it to the one who has ten minas.’ 25" ‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’ 26"He replied, ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. 27But those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and kill them in front of me."Devotional: (Isaac Pellerin)
Jesus often stressed responsibility. We can look at this story and find ourselves relating to the servants who have all been given different amounts of responsibility. The focus does not end up being what they have, but rather, what they do with what they were given. In the same way that is to be our focus. If Jesus came to give us abundant, full life here and now, then we need to understand that part of that promise is leaving us what actionable responses to what he teaches. It would be wasteful to be irresponsible with the life we have.
Prayer: God, thank you for giving me this life. Thank you for your teaching the helps me live a full life here and now. Help me to be responsible with what you have given me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Luke 18:35-19:10

esus Heals a Blind Beggar
35 As they approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. 36 When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him that Jesus of Nazareth was going by. 38 So he began shouting, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" 39 The crowds ahead of Jesus tried to hush the man, but he only shouted louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
40 When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. 41 Then Jesus asked the man, "What do you want me to do for you?" "Lord," he pleaded, "I want to see!" 42 And Jesus said, "All right, you can see! Your faith has healed you." 43 Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.Jesus and Zacchaeus
1 Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. 2 There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was one of the most influential Jews in the Roman tax-collecting business, and he had become very rich. 3 He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowds. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree beside the road, so he could watch from there.
5 When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. "Zacchaeus!" he said. "Quick, come down! For I must be a guest in your home today." 6 Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy. 7 But the crowds were displeased. "He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner," they grumbled. 8 Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, "I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have overcharged people on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!" 9 Jesus responded, "Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a son of Abraham. 10 And I, the Son of Man, have come to seek and save those like him who are lost."Devotion: What would you Say? (Chris Bunch)
The two stories in our scripture today are two of my favorites. The story of Bartimaeus (we learn his name in Mark 10:46) and Zacchaeus. In each of the stories, both men cannot see Jesus. Bartimaeus cannot see him because he is physically blind. Zacchaeus can‘t see him because he is to short. But, this does not stop either of them from getting to Jesus.
One of them screams out to Jesus until he is heard and the other one climbs a tree to get noticed. Both, through their faith, get a glimpse of God‘s one and only Son. What I find interesting is that Jesus notices both of the men even though they are treated like outcasts by the crowd. Jesus approaches both of them and meets their need.
The question that is so powerful to me in this passage is given to Bartimaeus when Jesus asks him, "What do you want me to do for you?" I was thinking this afternoon as I am writing this, "What do I want Jesus to do for me?"
And I am asking you today, "What do you want Jesus to do for you?" Right now, I would encourage you to make a list of three or four responses you might make to Jesus’ question. Avoid generalities like: make me a better person, feed the world, etc. Get personal and specific. One I am asking right now is this, "Take away my anxiety and help me to experience your precious peace."
Don‘t hesitate to ask Jesus what others may think is impossible. If you need Jesus help, ask for it. I am confident as I look at the Bible that he desires to meet your needs when you turn to him.
Prayer: Jesus, thank you for being willing to meet my needs. Help me to call out to you with boldness realizing that you are still asking, "What do you want me to do for you?" Help me now to believe you will meet my request in your time. In Jesus name. Amen

Luke 18:17-34

The Rich Man 18 Once a religious leader asked Jesus this question: "Good Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?" 19 "Why do you call me good?" Jesus asked him. "Only God is truly good. 20 But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother.’"
21 The man replied, "I‘ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young." 22 When Jesus heard his answer, he said, "There is still one thing you haven‘t done. Sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 23 But when the man heard this he became very sad, for he was very rich. 24 When Jesus saw this, he said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God! 25 In fact, 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 this said, "Then who in the world can be saved?" 27 He replied, "What is impossible for people is possible with God." 28 Peter said, "We‘ve left our homes to follow you." 29 "Yes," Jesus replied, "and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God, 30 will be repaid many times over in this life, and will have eternal life in the world to come."Jesus Again Predicts His Death 31 Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus said, "Listen, we‘re going up to Jerusalem, where all the predictions of the prophets concerning the Son of Man will come true. 32 He will be handed over to the Romans, and he will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit upon. 33 They will flog him with a whip and kill him, but on the third day he will rise again." 34 But they didn‘t understand any of this. The significance of his words was hidden from them, and they failed to grasp what he was talking about.
Devotional
Jesus says in this passage that it is hard for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God, and at first I was thinking, well good thing I‘m not like Bill Gates then! But when I read this passage again, I am convicted because we do have many possessions here in the U.S. that are extreme luxuries elsewhere in the world. Notice though that Jesus did not say that it was impossible for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God, just very difficult. If you think about it, people who have more possessions have more to ‘lose’ in their minds. I think what Jesus wants to get across to us here in this passage though isn‘t to yell at us for having some nice things and tear us down because we live in a more privileged nation, but I think He wants us to think critically about what we do have and be able to let go of anything or everything if we‘re called to do so to serve Him. You see, the point of this story was that Jesus asked the man to sell everything he had and to follow Him. I don‘t think Jesus says that to everyone, but I think He does expect us to let go of the things He asks us to so that we can focus on serving Him and the people of this world better.
Prayer: Lord, please give me the strength and wisdom I need to know how to give things up to You. Help me to hear Your voice and what You‘re calling me to surrender to You today. Lord I want to follow You with all that I am and I don‘t want anything to get in the way, so help me remove those things that are getting in the way of me serving You with all of my heart.

Luke 18:1-17

Luke 18:1-17 (New International Version)
The Parable of the Persistent Widow 1Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. 2He said: "In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared about men. 3And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
4"For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don‘t fear God or care about men,5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won‘t eventually wear me out with her coming!’ " 6And the Lord said, "Listen to what the unjust judge says. 7And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?"The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector 9To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood up and prayed about[a]himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
13"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ 14"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."The Little Children and Jesus 15People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. 16But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 17I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."
DEVOTION:
We just completed a unit on prayer in Nucleus. We were able to remember some very important things about prayer, and I was amazed at how easily the kids accepted and applied the lessons learned. I guess that‘s why Jesus tells us to have faith like a child in this passage. Kids just seem to naturally understand and trust God. If the Bible says God will hear their prayers and answer them, they believe it! I think we learn two important things in this passage about prayer. One is to be persistent and to understand that God will answer you in the way that is best for you. The second is that confession and humility are vital accompaniments to prayer. When we understand just how small and sinful we are as compared to God, we are able to approach Him with humility in our prayers, and he will honor that.
Below are the three lessons the kids have learned about prayer. I have been challenged (as I challenge you) to find a practical way to apply them to your life.
1. The Three A‘s: I can pray to God ANYTIME, ANYWHERE, ABOUT ANYTHING
2. Prayers are DATA: Describe God, Ask for forgiveness, Thank God, Ask for things I need (an example is below for today‘s prayer).
3. Stoplight Answers: RED = NO, YELLOW = WAIT, GREEN = YES
PRAYER: Father in heaven, you are amazing and holy. I am awed by your power. Forgive me today for the many things I do that are not a part of your will. Thank you for providing me with my needs and loved ones. Thank you for sacrificing your Son so that I might live. Lord, help me today to live my life in a way that honors you and bring healing to the areas of my life where it‘s needed. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Luke 17:20-37

Luke 17:20-37 (The Message)
When the Son of Man Arrives
20-21Jesus, grilled by the Pharisees on when the kingdom of God would come, answered, "The kingdom of God doesn‘t come by counting the days on the calendar. Nor when someone says, ‘Look here!’ or, ‘There it is!’ And why? Because God‘s kingdom is already among you." 22-24He went on to say to his disciples, "The days are coming when you are going to be desperately homesick for just a glimpse of one of the days of the Son of Man, and you won‘t see a thing. And they‘ll say to you, ‘Look over there!’ or, ‘Look here!’ Don‘t fall for any of that nonsense. The arrival of the Son of Man is not something you go out to see. He simply comes. 24-25"You know how the whole sky lights up from a single flash of lightning? That‘s how it will be on the Day of the Son of Man. But first it‘s necessary that he suffer many things and be turned down by the people of today. 26-27"The time of the Son of Man will be just like the time of Noah— everyone carrying on as usual, having a good time right up to the day Noah boarded the ship. They suspected nothing until the flood hit and swept everything away. 28-30"It was the same in the time of Lot—the people carrying on, having a good time, business as usual right up to the day Lot walked out of Sodom and a firestorm swept down and burned everything to a crisp. That‘s how it will be—sudden, total—when the Son of Man is revealed. 31-33"When the Day arrives and you‘re out working in the yard, don‘t run into the house to get anything. And if you‘re out in the field, don‘t go back and get your coat. Remember what happened to Lot‘s wife! If you grasp and cling to life on your terms, you‘ll lose it, but if you let that life go, you‘ll get life on God‘s terms. 34-35"On that Day, two men will be in the same boat fishing—one taken, the other left. Two women will be working in the same kitchen—one taken, the other left." 37Trying to take all this in, the disciples said, "Master, where?" He told them, "Watch for the circling of the vultures. They‘ll spot the corpse first. The action will begin around my dead body."Devotion: You may be asking yourself, what is Jesus talking about? Noah, Lot, lightning…
We know that Jesus died and came back to life (Luke 24:4-8). When He came back to life, He visited the disciples (Luke 24:36-43, talked to various people (Luke 24:13-35), and then went back up to Heaven to be with God the Father (Luke 24:45-51). In this section, Jesus is talking about how He will come back to earth again.
He mentioned two Old Testament stories, Noah and Lot. You can check those out in Genesis chapters 6-8 and Genesis 19:1-29, respectively. Jesus was referring to these stories because in both situations people didn‘t pay attention to what was going to happen. Very few people paid attention to God‘s warnings in these stories. Noah warned people that a flood was coming, but they disregarded his message and went about their lives. Lot warned his family that the city was going to be destroyed, but they laughed it off as a joke.
He‘s letting us know that we should take His teaching and His warnings very seriously. He will come again, and we can‘t be going about business as usual. We need to be expectant, paying attention to God every day. We can‘t grasp and cling to the things of the world, because they are only temporary. But if we let go of the temporary things, we will get life on God‘s terms.
Prayer: Jesus, help me to let go of the things in this world. Help me not to rely on them, but to rely on You. Thank you that You are coming back to earth. Help me to be expectant and continue to live my life on earth to serve You. Amen.