Bent Oak Church

Jesus has spent the last several chapters teaching and switching between the Pharisees, crowds, and disciples. In this week's passage, we'll take a look at how he summarizes that content in warning his own disciples not to be come obstacles but to serve as faithful servants. 

The Pharisees continued to ridicule Jesus and his teaching. After everything they had seen and heard, they still could not understand what Jesus was teaching. Jesus recognized that though they appeared righteous, it was a question of the heart that blinded them to his words. 

Joshua Kansiewicz takes a look at one of Jesus' most intriguing parables and helps us better understand how the shrewd manager shapes our lives as disciples and followers of Jesus. 

Having offered the crowd one of his most challenging words, Jesus turned his attention to three parables, each describing something lost and found. Though Jesus calls his disciples to die to self, he also offers an image of God searching for those who are lost, 

Having given a strong warning to the religious leaders, Jesus turned his attention to the crowd. They could not continue following Jesus if they were unwilling to count the cost of being a true disciple. A true disciple is called to the cross. We take a closer look at Jesus' hard words. 

Barry Kinzer shares from Jesus' parable of the great banquet. He explores Jesus' warning to hosts and digs into those who reject the host's invitation. God will fill his banquet, compelling those in the streets to come in. We must be willing to not only hear his invitation but also to respond with determination. 

Again, Jesus went into the home of a Pharisee, and again, they took offense at his work. But Jesus was watching them. And again, he saw what they could not see about themselves. Jesus told a parable to illustrate their self-obsession and their addiction to honor. 

Jesus' description of his kingdom as a seed and leaven confused the crowd. Did that mean God's kingdom was small? Did it mean only a few would be saved? Jesus answered their question by turning it on them. Were they each striving for the narrow door to enter? We take a closer look at Jesus' answer and his compassion for the lost Jerusalem.

Jesus healed another woman plagued by a demon. And again, it caused controversy. This time, it was a leader of the synagogue who saw Jesus's healing as a violation of the Sabbath. It is a familiar story in Luke. The leaders continue to oppose Jesus, and the crowd grows more impressed with his miracles. But few recognize how the kingdom is actually at work. Jesus offers them the comparison of mustard seeds and leaven. 

Having concluded a long teaching on fear and having called the crowd to repent, it must have been frustrating that they still did not understand. Jesus wanted to talk about their need for salvation; all they could think about was other people. The beginning of chapter 13 offers us a honest look at our own humanity but it also offers a remarkable view of Jesus's patience.