“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed about himself like this: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: extortionists, unrighteous people, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a …
Continue reading “22010.278 We Come to God Only Through Jesus”
“Jesus also told this parable to some who were confident that they were righteous and looked down on everyone else.” —Luke 18:9 Luke is setting the stage at the beginning of this story. The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector is a lesson in humility. Our position in prayer before our Holy God …
“And the Lord said, ‘Listen to what the unrighteous judge says! Won’t God give justice to his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he delay long to help them? I tell you, he will give them justice speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on …
“Then Jesus told them a parable to show them they should always pray and not lose heart. He said, ‘In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected people. There was also a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, “Give me justice against my adversary.” …
“Would any one of you say to your slave who comes in from the field after plowing or shepherding sheep, ‘Come at once and sit down for a meal?’ Won’t the master instead say to him, ‘Get my dinner ready, and make yourself ready to serve me while I eat and drink. Then you may …
“But the older son became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and appealed to him, but he answered his father, ‘Look! These many years I have worked like a slave for you, and I never disobeyed your commands. Yet you never gave me even a goat so that I could celebrate …
“So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way from home his father saw him, and his heart went out to him; he ran and hugged his son and kissed him. Then his son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you; I …
Continue reading “22010.270 Celebrating the Return of the Lost Son!”
“But when he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have food enough to spare, but here “I am dying from hunger! I will get up and go to my father and say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy …
“So he went and worked for one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He was longing to eat the carob pods the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.” —Luke 15:15–16 Have you ever been in a situation where “no one gave [you] anything”? …
“Then Jesus said, ‘A man had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, “Father, give me the share of the estate that will belong to me.” So he divided his assets between them. After a few days, the younger son gathered together all he had and left on a journey to a …