Search

“And the lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely: for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations.”

Luke 16:8–9

Many people are surprised to learn that Jesus talked more about money than He did about Heaven and Hell—combined. There is a great emphasis in Scripture on how we use our money, and it is important that we understand God’s viewpoint. The primary purpose of money is not so that we can accumulate large bank accounts (though wise planning for the future is right and good) but so that we can do things that matter both in the immediate, and in the eternal realm as well. The devil tempts us to selfishly consider our own interests, but God calls us to care about more than just ourselves.

It is said that in England there is a tombstone with the following inscription:

Here lies a miser who lived for himself
He spent his whole life in gathering wealth
Where he is now and how he fares
Nobody knows and nobody cares.

Living selfishly robs us of eternal rewards and damages our relationships in this life. Jesus taught that we are to use our resources to help others. This is an expression of our love and concern for them, but it also builds friendships and relationships that will make life better both for us and for those we help. Our society is increasingly isolated. Many of the connections that once bound communities and neighborhoods together have been weakened, and the same thing has happened in many churches as well. The investments that we make in the lives of others draw God’s people together in meaningful and powerful ways.

“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man’s, who shall give you that which is your own?”

Luke 16:10–12

In 1899, a magazine editor named Elbert Hubbard, who needed to fill one additional page with copy, dashed off a brief essay in one hour that told the story of an unsung hero of the Spanish American War who had undertaken and completed the difficult task of delivering a message from President McKinley to a rebel leader in Cuba. “A Message to Garcia” was eventually reprinted more than forty million times, and its emphasis on being willing to serve faithfully challenged generations to do what they could even in tasks that seemed small.

The temptation that we face is to cut corners in small things, rather than taking them seriously and being faithful and diligent. As someone once said, “Even if the task is not worthy of you, diligence is.” Those who claim they would be faithful if the job were more important or the financial sums involved were higher are not telling the truth. Faithfulness is a character trait that does not depend on circumstances but on what lies within our hearts and minds.

We have no basis to expect God to entrust more to us if we are not being faithful with what we already have. The things already given to us form a test of what we would do with larger opportunity. It is not what we claim with our mouths, but what we demonstrate with our deeds that measures our faithfulness. And it is not in the future but in the present that faithfulness must be shown.

“The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.”

Luke 16:16–17

When Alexander Duff was on his way to India to serve as a missionary, his ship sank near the shore. While Duff and his party were able to swim to safety on shore, all of his belongings, including the eight hundred books he had brought to study and use in teaching and preaching were lost. The next morning, walking along the beach Duff found one book had survived—his Bible. Though he lacked the other resources he had hoped to use in his work, Duff built a school on the sure foundation of the Word of God that educated thousands of young students and made a great impact on India.

The Word of God is powerful because God’s nature and character ensure that it will never fail. The sad reality is that most of us have had painful first-hand experience with someone not keeping the promises that they have made to us. It really hurts to find out that we cannot rely on someone we trusted, but that never happens with God. In his prayer at the dedication of the temple in Jerusalem Solomon said, “Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant” (1 Kings 8:56).

Every part of God’s Word is faithful and true and unfailing, because it is a reflection of Him. Promises are only as good as the people who make them. And that is why we can fully rely on everything the Bible says. The Christian life can be based on this sure foundation.

“No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

Luke 16:13

Jesus could have correctly said that it is impossible to both serve God and the devil at the same time. He could have said that we could not serve both God and the world. Each of those statements is true, but that is not the truth that Jesus chose to highlight. The distinction that He drew was that it is impossible for us to both serve God and serve money. Money is not an evil in and of itself, but the desire and love of money lead to all kinds of sin.

There are two kinds of love for money that lead us to serve wealth rather than serving God. The first is the love for money itself—a desire to accumulate large sums to provide security or status. The second is the love for the things that money buys. We live in a consumer society where value and worth are measured by having the latest toys, the newest gadgets, the best houses and cars, and the best of everything. Neither of these wrong approaches to money is limited to the rich. The poor are just as susceptible to this snare as the wealthy.

Paul warned Timothy of the dangers of falling in love with either money or the things that money can buy and he had seen firsthand the damage that serving money does to those who had formerly been dedicated to God’s work. “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica…” (2 Timothy 4:10). The deceitfulness of money is that it promises we can serve it while still serving God, but that is false.

“And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.”

Luke 16:14–15

One of the things the Pharisees hated most about Jesus was that He was not impressed with the elaborate outward rituals they had developed to convince people that they were holy. Jesus saw through the outward piety into their hearts, and condemned them for the evil they allowed to remain hidden from the sight of men. Charles Spurgeon said, “O what fools men are, to think they can do anything in secret. This world is like the glass hives wherein bees sometimes work: we look down upon them, and we see all the operations of the little creatures. So God looketh down and seeth all.”

The reputation that we have before the world matters, and it is important that we maintain a good testimony. But if the outward appearance that others see is only “skin deep” and our heart does not match, God knows. And eventually those around us will as well. One of the things about sin is that it always grows and spreads. We may be able to keep it concealed for a time, but sooner or later it will come to the surface.

Ever since the Garden of Eden man has been trying to hide and cover sin. It hasn’t ever worked, but we keep trying. God’s remedy for sin is not covering, but confession. “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13). When we are rightly focused, caring more about what God sees than about what others may think, we will be quick to confess and forsake our sins.

“There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.”

Luke 16:19–21

I read about a remarkable study conducted at Princeton some years ago. A group of theology students (who did not know they were being studied) were assigned one at a time to go across campus to speak on the story of the Good Samaritan. The researchers had hired an actor to take up a spot along the route and pretend to be suffering from a physical illness when the students came by. The final touch was to tell the students that they were running late and needed to hurry. Ninety per cent of the students who were going to speak on the Good Samaritan ignored the suffering person they met on the way. The researchers reported, “Indeed, on several occasions, a seminary student going to give his talk on the parable of the Good Samaritan literally stepped over the victim as he hurried away!”

All around us there are people in need. These needs may be readily apparent, or they may require some careful looking and listening on our part to identify, but they are real. We are surrounded by hurting people, and we have a duty to reach out in love and compassion to help them when we can. Peter summed up the life and ministry of Jesus this way: “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him” (Acts 10:38). It is always right to do what we can to help, encourage, and bless those who are hurting.

“And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.”

Luke 16:22–23

Every one of the more than seven billion people living on earth today has an eternal destiny that awaits them. This life is just a brief interlude that passes by very quickly. And it is only during this life that the choice can be made that determines whether eternity will be spent in Heaven or Hell. The culture surrounding us treats truth as relative, and does everything it can to ignore the truth of the coming judgment. But refusal to believe it does not change the truth. Lazarus was immediately taken up, and the rich man was immediately sent down. Those are the only two options—there is no intermediate state or Purgatory. There is no “soul sleep” or annihilation. Every person will consciously either endure torment or enjoy blessing for eternity.

That truth should be constantly on our minds. Each person we meet is headed toward eternity, and since life tomorrow is not promised to any of us, we need to be serious in our efforts to sound the warning while there is still time. Heaven and Hell are real places, and if we grasp the severity of the consequences of failing to accept Christ as Saviour, we will be diligent in our efforts to win the lost. “Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences” (2 Corinthians 5:11). There are many things that are good and valuable and even important, but salvation is the one critical decision that every person needs to make before it is too late.

“And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.”

Luke 16:24

Hell is a real place. The fires of Hell are not metaphorical, but literal. Scripture tells us that it was originally prepared not for people, but for Satan. Jesus said, “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41). The first rebellion against God was not by man but by the devil, and Hell is the result of that rebellion. Yet when men refuse to turn to God, they doom themselves to eternity in that awful place.

It is hard for us to think about people spending eternity in the torment of Hell. It seems unfair to our judgment and sensibility. Yet when we look from God’s vantage point, and realize what is happening when someone rejects salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone—salvation purchased at such an enormous price—we see that Hell is a fitting and just judgment. “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 10:29).

As children of God, we have a responsibility to those who are lost. God has called and commanded us to proclaim salvation through Jesus Christ to the world. The message that we have been given to share is the only hope of escape from Hell. And it must be a priority for our lives to be faithful witnesses of the gospel.

“But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.”

Luke 16:25–26

In the early 2000s, the Atlanta Public School system was being held up as an example to the nation of how to improve student performance and test scores. The school superintendent, Beverly Hall, was chosen as the national superintendent of the year in 2009. But an investigation of the test scores revealed something disturbing—a pattern of changed answers on the tests. When the investigation was complete, it was revealed that at forty-four of Atlanta’s fifty-six schools, nearly two hundred teachers and principals had worked together to erase wrong answers and replace them with correct ones so that their students would appear to be improving on the tests. Eventually eleven of those most involved were convicted and sentenced to prison for their roles in the scandal.

Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. often said, “Don’t sacrifice the permanent on the altar of the immediate.” All of us face the temptation to do what is easy or pleasant in the moment rather than considering the long-term consequences of our choices. But those should be the most important consideration—not what feels good today, but what will produce good results in the future. Though God offers forgiveness and mercy to those who turn to Him, there are many times when that forgiveness does not undo the consequences of the choices we have already made in the past. Nothing that we do is without impact, both in our own lives and the lives of others, and we need to remember that as we make decisions.

“And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house: For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.”

Luke 16:27–28

The notion that Hell is not a place to be feared has been with us for a long time. In a biography published in 1886 of the lawyer and noted public speaker Emery A. Storrs, we find this anecdote. “A young man once approached him with, ‘Mr. Storrs, pardon me, but you are a man who has thought much upon all topics. I wish to ask you for your opinion of Heaven and Hell.’ Fixing his keen eyes on the enquirer, Mr. Storrs answered ‘When I think of the beauteous descriptions of the abode of the saints, and when I recollect that many noble witty, genial souls have died unregenerate, I must answer you, sir, that, while, doubtless, Heaven has the best climate, Hell has the best society.’”

Yet those who are actually in Hell have no pleasure in the company they are keeping. In the story Jesus told of Lazarus and the rich man, we see that though he had been an unrepentant sinner during his life, this man greatly desired that someone would go and warn his five brothers not to follow him to that place of torment. If we could hear the citizens of Hell today, they would be crying out for us to warn their friends and loved ones of the eternal death facing those without Christ. Hell is real, and it can only be avoided by those who trust Christ before it is too late.

“Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”

Luke 16:29–31

Given the rapidly changing society in which we live, there are many people suggesting new ways to reach people for the Lord. And while not everything that is new is wrong—I’m thankful for the enlarged opportunities to reach people with the gospel through new tools—there is a danger that we will become so enamored with techniques and programs that we forget the true source of the power of our message. What we most need in our day is not a new method of reaching people, but faithfulness to the method God has given us to reach the world—the proclamation of the Word of God.

“For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Corinthians 1:21). It is not through our clever techniques or manipulation that people are reached. It is not through amazing demonstrations of power that conviction comes. Even miracles would not be enough to persuade those who will not believe what the Bible says is true.

The responsibility for results does not rest on us. It is not our job to bring conviction of sin. That is the work of the Holy Spirit through the Word of God. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).

“Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come! It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.”

Luke 17:1–2

Most of us have had the experience of putting money in a vending machine, only to have it fail to deliver the product we were expecting. Sometimes insult is added to injury when the machine not only fails to dispense, but also does not return the money we put into it in the first place. When we do not receive what we expect, it is a disappointing experience. But I’ve never seen anyone shaking or pounding on a vending machine after he got the candy bar he wanted. His expectations were fulfilled, and he was not surprised, so there was no reaction.

Jesus tells us that there are going to be difficulties and offenses that we must deal with in life. While it would be nice if people did what they promised and treated us with kindness and respect, that is not the normal course of human interaction. Day after day we can expect to be offended—and when we are, God still expects us to respond properly rather than retaliating. The actions or failures of others do not excuse carnal behavior on our part.

But there is another lesson for us in what Jesus said. Rather than being hyper-vigilant to respond every time someone offends us, our focus needs to be on being diligent about ensuring that we are not giving offense to others. Paul placed a very high value on this, and in his testimony before Felix, he was able to say, “And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men” (Acts 24:16).

“Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.”

Luke 17:3–4

Henry Earl of Kentucky holds the dubious distinction of being the most arrested man in the world. According to news reports, he has been arrested more than 1,500 times. Since the courts consider most of the charges minor, many of them related to public intoxication or disorderly conduct, Earl has rarely been sentenced to more than a few days in jail for each offense. Yet because of the massive number of arrests, Henry Earl has spent more than sixteen years of his life in confinement.

All of us have people in our lives who hurt us and do things to us that are wrong. God calls us and commands us to forgive them—not just the first time they do it, but over and over again. The pattern and model for forgiveness, even toward repeat offenders, is set by the way God treats us: “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32). While we don’t like to admit it, the truth is that we ourselves are in constant need of God’s mercy and forgiveness.

Because we need forgiveness on an ongoing basis, often for the same offense against God, we must not fail to extend forgiveness to others. Of course this does not mean that we allow ourselves to suffer repeated injury, but we cannot obey God and refuse to forgive those who harm us, even if they are repeat offenders. While it is easier to cut people off and hold what they have done against them, in the end, it harms us far more than it impacts the offender.

“And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.”

Luke 17:5–6

Often during the three years Jesus spent teaching and training His disciples, Jesus was asked to do different things for them. His normal response was to meet their need, whether it was teaching on a particular topic or working a miracle like calming a storm on the Sea of Galilee. But in one instance, Jesus refused to answer the request of the disciples. When they asked for their faith to be increased, Jesus did not lay hands on them and impart faith to them. Instead He told them that a tiny bit of faith—not even the size of a mustard seed, which is quite small, was enough to see a great miracle worked.

You see, the problem is not that we need more faith, but that we need to use the faith that we have. If you read the stories of Hebrews 11, you will see imperfect people. Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David all had times of significant sin failures in their lives. Why are these people honored for their faith? Because although they did have times of failure which they confessed to God and repented of, they also faced choices when they believed God and acted in obedience to what He told them to do.

We sometimes make the mistake of thinking we must be giants of faith before we can see God work. Instead we simply need enough faith to take the next step in obedience. It is only through action that we receive the benefits of a growing faith. If you have enough faith to pray, you have enough faith to see God work.

“But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?”

Luke 17:7–8

Our modern view of Christianity has been affected by society so that we often find ourselves thinking of our service to God as a buffet where we pick and choose what we do. That is not the biblical model of servanthood. In Jesus’ day a servant was expected to do what he was told without exception. There was no choice in the matter or consideration for the preferences of the servant. The tasks were assigned, and they were expected to be carried out in full.

God is not just our friend, but also our Lord and Master, and He has the right to full and complete obedience from us. Someone illustrated this truth by drawing a contrast between two ship captains. If you have ever been on a cruise ship, you know that the captain and crew are dedicated to providing whatever is necessary for the passengers to have a pleasant experience. They are there to serve the passengers. Anyone who has been in the Navy, however, knows the captain in a very different role. The captain of a battleship expects every order to be carried out to the letter by those under his command.

The great missionary David Livingstone wrote, “God, send me anywhere, only go with me. Lay any burden on me, only sustain me. And sever any tie in my heart except the tie that binds my heart to Yours.” Rather than insisting on getting our way and avoiding anything that might be unpleasant, we must yield ourselves fully to God’s control.

“Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.”

Luke 17:9–10

Throughout Scripture we see God commanding people to do things that seem foolish, unhelpful, or difficult. Yet in each case those who did as He instructed were rewarded for their faithful obedience. Noah built a large boat to prepare for a flood that had never happened before. Abraham bound his son Isaac to an altar, preparing to offer him as a sacrifice. Joshua commanded the priests carrying the ark to walk into the flooded Jordan River. At the instruction of Jesus, Peter got out of the boat and walked on the Sea of Galilee during a storm. None of these things makes sense to our reasoning, but when God speaks, we should obey without question or hesitation. (Of course this does not apply to people claiming God has told them to do things that are not in His Word.)

To our reasoning, it does not make sense to completely yield our lives to God and obey Him, even as we understand that doing everything He says is the bare minimum that is expected—our simple duty. Paul wrote, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). Because of the great sacrifice with which our salvation was purchased, it is completely reasonable for us to give God total control of our lives. No sacrifice that we could ever make compares to the death of Jesus on the cross for our redemption. Nothing that God commands us to do as His servants is unreasonable, because we belong completely to Him.

“And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.”

Luke 17:12–14

Jesus has all power and authority, and He often demonstrated that during His ministry by healing those who were sick beyond the power of medicine. Few things were more dreaded than leprosy both because of the terrible impact it had on the person’s life, and even more so because it was so contagious. Once they were identified, lepers were cut off and cast out from society unless they were carefully examined by a priest and certified to be healed.

Normally when Jesus healed people it happened instantaneously. Usually He would either speak to the sufferer or sometimes touch them and they would be healed. In this case, however, He took a different approach. Jesus told these ten men to go to the priests for examination. He did not command them to be healed. He did not lay His hands on them and pronounce them cured. Instead He told them to do what they would do if they had already been healed—and it was only as they went in obedience that they were cleansed of their leprosy.

Many times we want God to lay out every step of His plan in detail and make sure we understand it before obeying. But God normally only lays out one step at a time. Psalm 119:105 says, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Faith is not revealed when we see the entire picture, but when we act on what we have been told.

“And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.”

Luke 17:15–16

Animosity between the Jews and Samaritans at the time of Christ was a deep-seated contempt bordering on hatred that stretched back hundreds of years. The Samaritans resented the way the Jews viewed them, and the Jews looked down on the Samaritans because of their heritage. Jewish people would walk miles out of their way to avoid going through a Samaritan town. Yet when Jesus healed the ten lepers, the one who returned to give thanks was a member of this despised group.

This man had no hesitation about bowing down before a Jewish rabbi named Jesus and expressing his gratitude for the life-saving healing he had received. He didn’t care about the divisions or the ancient arguments over where and how to worship God—he was just grateful for what had happened to him. Too many times we forget that before our salvation, we were the enemies of God.

We tend to be pretty impressed by ourselves, but God is not. The very best that we are able to do on our own is disgustingly filthy in His eyes because it is measured against His perfect holiness. “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isaiah 64:6). In order to have the proper gratitude to God for His salvation, we must never forget that we were once wretched sinners with no hope apart from His grace.

“And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.”

Luke 17:17–19

Dr. H. A. Ironside recounted the story that once when he was about to begin his meal in a restaurant, a man approached and asked if he could join him. Ironside invited him to sit down, and then bowed his head in prayer. When he was finished praying and opened his eyes, the other man asked, “Do you have a headache?” Ironside replied, “No, I don’t.” The man then asked, “Well, is there something wrong with your food?” Ironside said, “No, I was simply thanking God as I always do before I eat.” The man said with some contempt, “Oh, you’re one of those, are you? Well, I want you to know I never give thanks. I earn my money by the sweat of my brow and I don’t have to give thanks to anybody when I eat. I just start right in!” Ironside replied, “Yes, you’re just like my dog. That’s what he does too!”

Though all sin is wrong and bears consequences, there are few sins more damaging to our lives than ingratitude. Romans 1:21 places it at the beginning of the downward slope away from God: “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” If we think that we have little or nothing for which to be thankful, we have a skewed view of the world. All that we have is a result of God’s goodness and grace. Nothing that we have is truly our own, and without Him, we would have no help or hope for the future.

“And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.”

Luke 17:20–21

The Jewish people of Jesus’ time wanted one thing more than almost anything else—freedom from the occupying Roman Empire. They viewed all of the prophecies of the coming of the Messiah through the lens of a political leader who would bring about a restoration of the freedom and prominence that Israel had enjoyed under David and Solomon nearly one thousand years earlier. They were not focused on the spiritual teaching of Jesus and His emphasis on the things of God. They were looking for outward physical deliverance rather than inward spiritual salvation. As a result, many of those who had the greatest opportunity for accepting Jesus completely missed it. The Kingdom of God was offered to them, but they rejected it.

Often even those of us who have trusted Christ as Saviour fail to grasp the full impact of what the Bible tells us about the Kingdom of God. We easily fall into the trap of focusing on the temporal, not realizing that the things God values are not the things the world around us holds dear. Obedience to Scripture requires that we give up what the world treasures to grasp the things God values. F. B. Meyer wrote, “Earthly thrones are generally built with steps up to them; the remarkable thing about the thrones of the eternal kingdom is that the steps are all down to them. We must descend if we would reign, stoop if we would rise, gird ourselves to wash the feet of the disciples as a common slave in order to share the royalty of our Divine Master.”

“And he said unto the disciples, The days will come, when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man, and ye shall not see it. And they shall say to you, See here; or, see there: go not after them, nor follow them. For as the lightning, that lighteneth out of the one part under heaven, shineth unto the other part under heaven; so shall also the Son of man be in his day.”

Luke 17:22–24

The timing of the first coming of Jesus was laid out in detail by the prophet Daniel. The decree by the Persian ruler Cyrus to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem started the clock ticking, and Jesus entered Jerusalem on what we commonly call Palm Sunday right on the schedule God had revealed to the prophet hundreds of years before. The return of Jesus is just as certain and sure as His first coming, but we are not given a time line for this event. Instead we are commanded to be ready for Him to return at any moment so that we will not be ashamed.

John Henry Jowett wrote, “Said a mother to me one day concerning her long-absent boy: ‘I lay a place for him at every meal! His seat is always ready!’ May I not do this for my Lord? May I not make a place for Him in all my affairs—my choices, my pleasures, my times of business, my season of rest? He may come just now; let His place be ready!”

Those who are eagerly anticipating the return of Jesus will receive a special reward from Him when He appears. “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8).

“But first must he suffer many things, and be rejected of this generation. And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.”

Luke 17:25–27

The Flood that destroyed all of mankind, except for those in the ark, in Noah’s day remains a powerful reminder of the holy hatred God has for sin. The fact that when it occurred the Flood was completely unexpected says so much about human nature. Jesus tells us that people continued their routines right up to the very day that Noah went into the ark and the rain began. Yet we also know that for more than one hundred years Noah had proclaimed to those around him the warning that Divine judgment was coming. They received the warning. They simply refused to heed it.

We are living in a similar day. The judgment of God came on the world not primarily because they were so wicked (there is plenty of wickedness in our day) but because they refused to repent. If the notably evil city of Nineveh was spared because they responded to Jonah’s warning and the city of Sodom would have been spared if there had been at least ten righteous people there, there is little doubt that if the people had responded to Noah, God’s hand of judgment would have been stayed.

There are many lessons that could be drawn from this teaching, but one of the most important for us is the reality that it is a mistake to think that because God has not yet carried out judgment He will never do so. Instead of continuing on in our careless routines, we need to believe what He says.

“Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.”

Luke 17:28–30

Walter Knight recounted the story of an old Scottish woman who made her living by going from house to house across the countryside selling thread, buttons, and shoestrings. It was her custom that, when she came to an unmarked crossroad, she would toss a stick into the air and go in the direction the stick pointed when it landed. One day a farmer standing nearby saw her throw a stick in the air numerous times. “Why do you toss the stick more than once?” he asked. “Because,” replied the woman, “it keeps pointing to the left, and I want to take the road on the right.” She kept throwing the stick into the air until it pointed the way she wanted to go!

Many times we are tempted to ignore what God has directed because it conflicts with our plans and desires. James issued this warning to those who make their plans for the future without considering God. “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that” (James 4:14–15). Submission to God’s will is not demonstrated by saying, “Lord willing” at the end of every sentence, but by submitting our plans to His revealed will. Though the Bible does not specifically address every situation we will face, it does give principles we must follow if we want to do God’s will.

“In that day, he which shall be upon the housetop, and his stuff in the house, let him not come down to take it away: and he that is in the field, let him likewise not return back. Remember Lot’s wife.”

Luke 17:31–32

The Christian life is meant to be lived in only one direction—forward. Yet we are constantly tempted to look back to the world and the things that we left behind when we trusted Christ as Saviour. The danger is that if we keep looking back, sooner or later we will find a way to go back, regardless of the consequences. This is not new, because the Children of Israel faced the same danger when they left Egypt for the Promised Land. “And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned” (Hebrews 11:15). Rather than looking longingly to the past, we should keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.

Charles Spurgeon used this metaphor of mountain climbing for our progress in the Christian life. “The Christian life is very much like climbing a hill of ice. You cannot slide up. You have to cut every step with an ice ax. Only with incessant labor in cutting and chipping can you make any progress. If you want to know how to backslide, leave off going forward. Cease going upward and you will go downward of necessity. You can never stand still. If you begin to slip on the side of a mountain of ice, the first slip may not hurt if you can stop and slide no further. But alas, you cannot so regulate sin! When your feet begin to slide, the rate of the descent increases, and the difficulty of arresting this motion is incessantly becoming greater. It is dangerous to backslide in any degree, for we know not to what it may lead.”

“Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.”

Luke 17:33

Polycarp was a powerful leader of the early church. It seems that he was a personal disciple of the Apostle John, who ordained Polycarp to be the pastor of the church at Smyrna. After years of faithful service, a great persecution arose against those in the church who refused to offer incense to Caesar. Polycarp was threatened with death if he would not recant his faith in Christ alone. The old Christian replied, “Eighty and six years I have served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King and Saviour? You threaten me with a fire that burns for a season, and after a little while is quenched; but you are ignorant of the fire of everlasting punishment that is prepared for the wicked.” The sentence of execution was carried out, but Polycarp’s faith was not extinguished.

While none of us are eager to be martyred for our faith, we should all be willing to give our lives rather than deny the Lord. The real test most of us face is not whether to make the ultimate sacrifice or turn away from God to preserve our lives, but whether or not to make the small sacrifices of doing right when doing wrong would be more convenient or profitable in the short run. If our faith is not strong enough to overcome small temptations and give us the victory over the world that God promises to us, we should not think that it will be strong enough to stand a more serious test. The answer to the question of what we would do if our faith were put to the ultimate test is found in what we love the most—ourselves and our temporary lives or God and His eternal life.

“I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.”

Luke 17:34–36

Donald Barnhouse pastored in Philadelphia during World War I, and a young soldier who had been converted during the war asked him for advice on how to avoid falling back into his old lifestyle. Barnhouse suggested that he simply make his commitment to Christ public. He said, “You will not have to give up improper friends if you do—they will give you up.” When the soldier got off the train at the station, he met a young lady he had known before. When she asked how he was doing he replied, “The greatest thing that could possibly happen to me has happened.” When she asked if he had gotten engaged he replied, “No, it’s better than that. I’ve trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour.” She quickly ended the conversation and went on her way. He had a similar conversation with another pre-war friend, and soon found that those he had known before who would pull him back into ungodly living stopped coming around.

The message of Jesus is a message of peace with God through salvation. It is not, however, a message of peace on earth, nor will there ever be such peace until He returns to rule the world. Jesus said, “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword” (Matthew 10:34). It would be nice if being a good Christian meant that everyone would automatically like us and respond kindly to us, but the reality is the opposite. This vile world is no friend to grace, and if we are to follow Jesus, there will be those who will refuse to come with us.

“And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.”

Luke 17:37

When you drive down a country road and see a number of buzzards circling in the air, it doesn’t take special insight to understand that there is probably a dead animal nearby that has attracted their attention. We would be surprised if we drove past to discover them enjoying a particularly beautiful display of flowers in a field. That is because we know what buzzards eat and what draws their interest, so when we see them we understand what it signifies. God expects us to have the wisdom and insight to approach the world in the same way.

We should not just casually pass through life without any understanding of the events we see happening around us. Instead we should look at them through the lens of God’s Word and through the lessons of history to grasp the implications of what we see. Every nation, every church, and every family needs people with this skill. First Chronicles 12:31 speaks of “…the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do….”

The Bible often speaks of the Christian life as a war, and no soldier who sleepwalks through his days without paying attention to his surroundings can expect to survive, let alone be victorious. We need to be wise, alert, and focused on what is happening, so we can plan for the future and anticipate the return of Christ based on what we see. The Lord does not leave us without the means to evaluate circumstances and events and avoid trouble that we do not need to experience. “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time” (Colossians 4:5).

“And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;”

Luke 18:1

We live in an age of substitutes. You can go to the store and buy hamburgers that don’t have any meat in them. You can buy clothing that has no natural materials. You can even get plastic and metal replacement parts for bad knees, hips, and shoulders. In many cases the substitutes that we’ve come up with work as well as (or at least almost as well as) the original. But there are some things that cannot be replaced. For the Christian, prayer is one of those things. There are only two choices for the believer—either we pray, or we will faint. Life is not meant to be lived in our own strength, and if we make that attempt, we are doomed to failure.

One hymnist said it this way:

Prayer is the Christian’s vital breath,
The Christian’s native air,
His watchword at the gates of death;
He enters Heav’n with prayer.

God’s plan for our lives as His children revolves around our communication with Him. We hear from Him through His Word, and He hears from us when we pray. Most religions throughout history have relied on a group of priests or religious leaders to go to their gods on behalf of the people. But Christianity offers a different approach. Because God adopts us into His family when we place our faith in Jesus Christ as our Saviour, He allows us to come directly to Him with our petitions.

God places all of His resources behind His promises to provide for our needs, yet many Christians do without for the simple reason that they do not pray.

“Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.”

Luke 18:2–5

In his sermon on importunity in prayer, Andrew Murray noted that God’s way of working in our lives is patterned on His creation. Murray said, “All nature has been so arranged by God that in sowing and reaping, as in seeking coal or gold, nothing is found without labor and effort. What is education but a daily developing and disciplining of the mind by new difficulties presented to the pupil to overcome? The moment a lesson has become easy, the pupil is moved on to one that is higher and more difficult.” The illustration Jesus used to teach the importance of faithful and persistent prayer was that of a judge who cared only for himself, and not for the cases brought before him. This of course is nothing like God, but it does teach a lesson.

If even a hardhearted judge, without any concern for the needs or claims of others, could be moved to action by the repeated pleas of a powerless widow, how much more readily and willingly will God respond when His beloved children cry out to Him for help? It is true that He does not always answer our prayers immediately, but that is not because of a lack of either the will or the resources to help. Instead He knows that our faith needs to be strengthened through times of adversity, and that if we receive an answer after prolonged prayer, we will appreciate it much more when it comes.

“And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?”

Luke 18:6–7

Perhaps the greatest example in Scripture of the proper response to injustice is found in the life of Joseph. Though he was cruelly treated by his own brothers—who sold him into slavery only as an alternative to killing him outright—and spent years in prison when he was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, Joseph’s attitude remained one of faith. He did not take matters into his own hands and seek revenge, even when presented with the opportunity to do so when God raised him to a high and powerful position in Egypt. Joseph recognized that God had been at work even during the painful events of his life, and he was willing to trust God to settle any scores that needed to be made right.

The desire to seek revenge is natural, but as God’s children we are called to a different way of living—trusting God to bring justice. It is interesting that even in Heaven, John saw in his vision those who had been martyred for their faith and heard them crying out for vengeance. “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held: And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” (Revelation 6:9–10).

All of us will be disappointed or mistreated at some point in our lives. In those moments of pain and anguish, we face the choice of trusting God or trying to get even. It is not wrong to desire justice, but it is wrong not to trust God for it.

“I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?”

Luke 18:8

One day, perhaps very soon, Jesus will return to this world. And while He was with His disciples, He told us what He would be looking for on His return—faith. It is impossible to overstate the importance of faith in our lives. It is the fundamental essential for everything in Christianity. We are saved by faith. We walk by faith. We obey by faith. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 11:6).

Yet the question that Jesus asked about finding faith carries a definite negative connotation in its construction. The way He asked it reveals that in most cases He expects the answer to be, “No.” It is tragic that so many of God’s children live solely in their own strength and resources rather than relying on God and obeying His Word. Faith brings us into alignment with God’s purpose and plan for our lives, because true faith is always based on what He says.

Why do so few have faith? While there are many reasons, the fundamental problem is that we do not treat the Bible as we should. It is the source and foundation of our faith. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). If we are to be the exceptions to the negative expectation, if we are to be the people who will be found faithful when the Lord returns, then we must be people of the Bible. When God’s Word fills our hearts, our thoughts, and our mouths, we will live faithfully in accord with what it teaches.

“And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:”

Luke 18:9

The author and humorist Mark Twain was not a Christian, and his disregard for faith and the things of God were well-known. One of the things that Twain hated the most, and that helped turn him away from being saved, was the hypocrisy of professing Christians he knew. Though that does not excuse his refusal of salvation, it should serve as a warning to all of us that our conduct does have a great impact on those around us. It is said that on one occasion a prominent businessman who claimed to be a Christian but was known for unscrupulous dealings told Twain, “Before I die I mean to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. I will climb Mount Sinai and read the Ten Commandments aloud at the top.” Twain responded, “I have a better idea. You could stay in Boston and keep them.”

The temptation to feel like we are doing well—or at least better than those around us—is so comforting that we often find ourselves giving in to it even though we should know better. When we evaluate our lives by the measure and standard of the expectations and commands of a perfectly holy God found in His Word, we quickly realize that we fall far short. God uses the metaphor of a mirror to describe the Bible. “For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was” (James 1:23–24). Instead of looking around for others to whom we can compare ourselves so that we feel better, we need to allow the Scriptures to perform their cleansing and correcting work in our lives.

“Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.”

Luke 18:10–12

The Pharisees in Jesus’ day were experts in two things. They were diligent in following the traditions and customs and rules that they had added to the Word of God, especially in public. (Following the things the Bible actually said was somewhat optional.) And they were diligent in judging and condemning all those who did not measure up to their regulations. The irony is that though they had memorized the first five books of the Bible and at least outwardly tried to present themselves as complying with all that God had commanded, they completely missed the point. The root of their problem, as we so often find in our day, was in their pride. They were relying on their own efforts and righteousness to gain acceptance from God without realizing how far short of His perfection they fell.

When Paul wrote to the church at Rome, he described his anguish over the refusal of his Jewish brothers and sisters toward Christ. This especially grieved Paul since he himself had once been a Pharisee, persecuting the church and thinking he was pleasing God by doing so. “For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God” (Romans 10:3).

The desire to make ourselves righteous is not new—it goes back to Cain bringing an offering of what he produced rather than an animal sacrifice. Without question the primary reason this approach is so appealing is that it feeds our pride to think that we can gain standing with God on our own.

“And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

Luke 18:13–14

Following the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901, the third president to be killed in office, the Secret Service was given the responsibility of protecting the president’s life. Agents were detailed to guard the leader of our nation around the world, a responsibility that continues to this day. One of the most important tools the Secret Service uses to guard the president is their ability to limit access to the occupant of the Oval Office. People are not allowed to just walk in and see the president whenever they want.

In contrast, God offers us the ability to freely come into His presence as His children. Yet even though that offer is available, we can cut ourselves off from His grace if we allow pride to lift up our view of ourselves and keep us from being humble. “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5).

Like a parent holding a child whose face is covered in filth at arm’s length until they can be cleaned up, God views our pride as putrid and disgusting, and it leads Him to resist our prayers. Though our standing as His children cannot be changed, our relationship with Him is dramatically damaged when we hold pride in our hearts. Prayer and pride simply cannot coexist in our lives.

“And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.”

Luke 18:15–16

It’s hard for us to understand the reaction of the disciples when parents brought their young children to Jesus for a blessing. Rather than welcoming them with open arms, they rebuked these parents who dared to bother the Lord with their babies. In the time of Christ, children (especially the very young) were not considered important or valuable. It appears that the disciples thought that the ministry of Jesus would be hindered if He stopped to bless these children who they thought would not benefit from it because they were so young. Jesus’ response was very different. He corrected the disciples and welcomed the children with open arms. In fact, He went on to use their innocence as an illustration of the process of salvation.

In this story we see a vitally important spiritual principle—we should never turn away anyone who wants to come to Jesus. The truth is that God calls us to reach sinners with the gospel, and if we obey that command, we will end up meeting and working with people who we could faithlessly assume won’t come to Jesus and whose lives are falling apart.

The gospel is not meant for those who already have everything together, but for those who recognize their need. Jesus said, “But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9:13). We have the privilege of sharing the good news, and we need to not limit the scope of our outreach.

“Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.”

Luke 18:17

I read a wonderful story that took place during the massive German bombing of England during World War II. The Blitz took a terrible toll, not just on military targets, but on civilians as well. The unguided bombs often fell in residential neighborhoods. One night when their building was struck by a bomb, a father and his young son ran outside for fear the building would collapse. Seeing a bomb crater nearby, the father jumped in seeking shelter from the continuing attack. He called for his son to follow, but the terrified boy said, “I can’t see you.” The father responded, “But I can see you. Jump!” and the boy leaped to safety.

Faith is not based on our strength, our wisdom, or anything about us. Like little children, we must place our faith in God alone and depend on Him completely. We are often so focused on what we can see that we fail to receive what God offers to those who trust His resources rather than their own. The Christian life cannot be lived as God intends apart from faith. “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:)” (2 Corinthians 5:6–7).

There are times when we are not able to do everything we would like to do for our children, but there is no limit to what God is able to do for us. Yet we find it difficult to rely on Him, because we forget that we are His children, and as such have the right to claim all that He has promised. It is simple faith that opens the storerooms of Heaven and unleashes the power of God in our lives.

“And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother. And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.”

Luke 18:18–21

There is a vast gulf between the number of people who profess to be Christians and the number of people who have actually received salvation by grace through faith. Many of them have confidence in their standing with God, but it is sadly misplaced. Jesus said, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?” (Matthew 7:22). The wealthy leader who came to Jesus seeking assurance of his standing with God thought that everything was fine. He was not asking because he thought he had a need, but to confirm what he already thought about his spiritual condition.

Charles Spurgeon said of this person, “This young man lacked knowledge. He did not know the spirituality of the law. He had never been taught that the law concerns our glances, our thoughts, and our imagination. He supposed he had kept the law because he had not committed any act of adultery, or of theft, nor had he spoken the thing that was not true. He did not know that an unchaste glance, or a causeless hatred, or a covetous desire breaks the law of God and betrays the sin that lurks in the breast. The question showed that he did not know that salvation is not by doing, but by believing—not by our works, but by a simple trust in Jesus.”

“Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me. And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.”

Luke 18:22–23

In 1859 Charles Blondin became an international sensation when he made the first of what would eventually be more than three hundred crossings above Niagara Falls on a tightrope. When people became accustomed to his feat, Blondin began adding even more difficulty by carrying various objects, including a camera to take pictures and a stove on which he cooked an omelet which he then lowered to passengers on a ship below. Perhaps nothing matched his feat of carrying his manager Harry Colcord across the falls on his back.

Blondin, who stood only five feet five inches tall and weighed just 140 pounds, carefully balanced the man in place and said, “Look up, Harry…you are no longer Colcord, you are Blondin. Until I clear this place be a part of me—mind, body, and soul. If I sway, sway with me. Do not attempt to do any balancing yourself. If you do we will both go to our death.” The two men successfully made their way to safety across the roaring falls below because Colcord completely trusted Blondin.

The Christian life is not about us—it is all about Jesus. Paul wrote, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). The selfish pride that tempts us to rely on our own strength and resources robs us of what Jesus provides when we yield ourselves fully to Him. Nothing can be allowed to come between the Lord and us.

“And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.”

Luke 18:24–25

There are many reasons that people do not accept God’s free gift of salvation, but perhaps the most common of all is insistence on making our own way—trusting our works, our resources, our abilities, and our efforts rather than relying on the finished work of Christ alone. The example Jesus used was of the difficulty rich people faced in being saved. It is not wealth that keeps men from Heaven, but a reliance on that wealth rather than on God’s grace that keeps them from recognizing their need of a Saviour.

The basic prerequisite for someone to get saved is for them to first realize that they are lost. “When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Mark 2:17). In our day this is especially prevalent with our society’s emphasis on self-esteem and making people feel good about themselves no matter what. (I read of a high school in Texas where students whose grades qualified them for the National Honor Society were not allowed to wear the stoles signifying that accomplishment so those who had not made the grades wouldn’t feel bad.)

God doesn’t grade on a curve, and nothing that we have or can do is worthy of merit in His sight. The Lord instructed the rich ruler to sell all that he had and give it away—not so that he could buy salvation, but so that his heart and what he truly loved would be exposed.

“And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.”

Luke 18:26–27

Most people in the world who think about eternity believe that their destiny is determined by themselves—how they act toward others, or whether in the end their good deeds outweigh the bad things they have done. But if we understand what the Bible says about the perfection of God and the standard of unchanging holiness that governs His Heaven, we quickly see that any salvation that depends on our own works and efforts is an utter impossibility.

In the time of Christ, great wealth was seen as a sign of God’s special blessing (and in many places it is still the same today). So when Jesus said that it was hard for rich people to be saved, it came as a shock to His hearers. Their assumption seems to have been that if these favored people would find salvation difficult to attain no one else stood a chance. But Jesus pointed out to them the vital truth that salvation is not about what we have or do, but about what God does in response to our faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son.

The reality is that none of us have any hope of salvation on our own. No accomplishment, no atonement, no achievement that we can reach offers any means of acceptance in His sight. Paul wrote, “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The word used for sin literally means “to miss the mark,” like an archer shooting at a target and completely missing. We don’t even come close to what God demands. But in His love and mercy, He provided the miracle of salvation for all who will believe.

“Then Peter said, Lo, we have left all, and followed thee. And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, Who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.”

Luke 18:28–30

Some people act like serving God is all about sacrificing and being miserable, as though it is a dreadful and painful thing to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. But Jesus painted a very different picture. There are sacrifices and struggles, but they pale in comparison to the blessings that we receive, both in eternity and in this life as well. Those who desire eternal joy must recognize the necessity of serving God in this life. His work is not grievous to those who love Him. Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:29–30).

Dr. John R. Rice recounted his decision to enter the ministry this way. “Down at the Pacific Garden Mission, singing and doing personal work, one night I more or less volunteered myself to be a preacher on the basis of Romans 12:1–2, ‘present your bodies a living sacrifice,’ and the call of Isaiah 6 in which he said, ‘Here am I, send me.’ I wanted nothing better than to win souls and have welling up in my heart continually the glad joy I felt at that moment. I looked through the vista of future years and saw the time when ‘they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.’”

“Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished.”

Luke 18:31

The Bible is filled with declarative prophetic statements. These are not vague generalities designed to conceal failure through a lack of precision. There’s a saying that goes like this: “If they ask for a date, don’t give a number. If they ask for a number, don’t give a date. If they insist on both, mumble softly.” That is not a prophetic declaration. God foretold specific incidents and details of the life of Jesus hundreds or even thousands of years in advance. And every one of those declarative statements was proved true down to every tiny detail.

These prophecies of the Old Testament were given to validate the claim of Jesus to be the Messiah. The Gospel writers frequently talk about events as fulfilling particular prophetic declarations, citing the prophets who made them so that everyone would know that Jesus was the promised Saviour. The fact that He was born when and where the Bible said He would be, that He lived and ministered as the Bible said He would, and that He died, was buried, and resurrected exactly as foretold is evidence that He is the promised Son of God.

But these fulfilled promises also offer us confidence for our lives. The same God who spoke those events that came to pass also makes promises to us in His Word—and every one is just as certain and sure as those that have already been fulfilled. Peter tells us that the Bible is given to us to believe. “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:4).

“For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.”

Luke 18:32–34

The temptation is for us to condemn the disciples for their failure to understand what Jesus told them about His upcoming crucifixion. He plainly said that He was going to Jerusalem where He would be put to death and then resurrected, but they didn’t get the point. However before we judge them too harshly, we should remember that there are often things in the Bible that we struggle to understand—and that we have the great advantage of the indwelling Holy Spirit to help us understand what the Word of God teaches.

Charles Spurgeon said, “Commentators and expositors are very useful, indeed, but the best expositor is always the author of a book, himself. If I had a book which I did not quite understand, it would be a very great convenience to me to live next door to the author, for then I could run in and ask him what he meant. This is just your position, Christian! The Book will sometimes puzzle you, but the divine Author, who must know His own meaning, is always ready to lead you into its meaning!”

One of the main roles of the Holy Spirit in our lives is to help us understand the Bible. Jesus said, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come” (John 16:13). This is a vital resource for our Christian lives.

“And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.”

Luke 18:35–38

If you’ve ever visited a third world country, you know how persistent needy beggars can be. They don’t take the first “no” for an answer. They follow you down the street, asking for help. And while a few of them may be professional beggars, using the kindness of others as a way to avoid work, many of them are truly in desperate need. That sense of desperation gives an urgency to their requests. They do not merely want help—they need it.

The blind beggar outside Jericho was not shy about making his needs known. He was calling out at the top of his lungs, begging Jesus to stop and help him. He knew full well that he was blind and that he had no hope apart from this miracle-working teacher he had heard so many people talk about as they passed his place by the side of the road. He received mercy because he knew his need and cried out for it.

Too often we fail to realize our utter dependence on God. We wrongly think we don’t need God’s help. The stern warning to the church at Laodicea includes this description of their self-deception: “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17). As Christians, we need God’s grace, mercy, and strength to live for Him just as much as we did when we were lost and in need of salvation.

“And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, Saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.”

Luke 18:39–41

As a young man, David Livingstone was challenged when he heard the missionary Robert Moffat talk of seeing the campfires of a thousand villages where the name of Jesus had never been heard. He committed his life to taking the gospel to Africa, and he became one of the greatest missionaries in history. Though Livingstone gained great fame as an explorer, he cared about reaching the lost above all else. After Livingstone died, his body was returned to England where it was buried with great honor in Westminster Abbey. But before they prepared his body for shipment, the people for whom Livingstone had given so much cut out his heart and buried it beneath a tall tree near his final camp. They said later that his heart belonged in Africa.

When Jesus asked the blind beggar what he most wanted the Lord to do for him, he did not need to consider or weigh his options. There was one thing that he desired above all else, and he plainly asked Jesus for it.

There is enormous power found in a focused life—where instead of dashing heedlessly from one thing to the next we are focused on something that truly matters. Paul was able to say, “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13–14).

“And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God.”

Luke 18:42–43

The core of Napoleon’s army was an elite force known as the Old Guard. These veteran soldiers were selected from those who had shown the most skill and courage in battle. The members of “The Immortals” as they were known across Europe took great pride in their reputation that they had never lost a battle. The story goes that at one point when the enemy forces were gaining ground, Napoleon told his trumpeter to sound retreat. The young man drew himself up to his full height and replied, “I don’t know that bugle call!” Instead he played the charge. The men, thinking reinforcements were on the way moved forward with new spirit and won the battle.

We most often think of faith as a personal matter, and it is that. But it is more—our faith, or our lack of faith, impacts those around us in powerful ways. When one man refuses to give in to doubt, others are encouraged to believe. When one woman refuses to give in to temptation, others are encouraged to do right. When one church attempts to do great things for God in faith, others are challenged to renew their efforts to reach the lost and make disciples.

The Christian life is not meant to be lived in isolation. Paul reminds us, “For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself” (Romans 14:7). Everything that we do has an impact on those around us. When we are faithful and see God work in our lives, it both honors and glorifies Him, and it serves as an inspiration and example to others of what He is able to do for them if they will walk in faithful obedience.

“And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature. And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.”

Luke 19:1–4

In 2009 police in Utah received several phone calls reporting a car that was driving erratically. When an officer got close to the vehicle, the driver pulled to a stop, jumped out and ran inside a nearby house. The guilty driver was just seven years old! When police entered the home, the boy was explaining to his father that he had taken the keys and driven off in the car because he did not want to go to church that morning.

There are times when our relationship with God is not what it should be and we have no desire for His presence. But when we are walking in fellowship with Him, there is nothing sweeter than the sense that He is near to us.

The main thing that comes between us and intimate fellowship with God and with other Christians is sin. Whether it is a sin that we are clinging to and do not want to give up or whether it is guilt that we should no longer be carrying because we have confessed and forsaken a sin in the past, there is a real division that comes in our relationship with God because of sin. This has been true ever since the Fall in the Garden of Eden: “And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself” (Genesis 3:9–10).

“And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house. And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.”

Luke 19:5–6

The defining characteristic of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ was His great burden for people. He felt a deep sympathy for them, and, even when others did not care, Jesus did. “But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd” (Matthew 9:36). Jesus felt a compulsion to reach out to everyone, especially to those who were despised and looked down on. When He saw Zacchaeus perched in a tree, He called to him, even though as a tax collector Zacchaeus was hated by the people—but not by Jesus. He cared for the lost man, and offered him salvation.

In his book The Soul Winner’s Fire, Dr. John Rice wrote about the evangelist Gypsy Smith who saw many trust Christ under his preaching: “A preacher’s heart is far more important than his head. It is heart preaching that has power, not head preaching. In Kansas City after the service an old preacher came into the room where the Gypsy was sitting. Thousands were being blessed and hundreds saved. The older minister placed his hands upon the evangelist’s head and felt about it. ‘I am trying to find the secret of your success,’ he said. ‘Too high! Too high! My friend, you are too high,’ Gypsy said. ‘The secret of whatever success God has given me is not up there but down here,’ and he placed his hand upon his heart! Gypsy Smith never had a day’s schooling from men, yet he preached to the multitudes for sixty years. As he preached, I saw tears course down his cheeks, and my own heart was stirred, warmed and blessed.”

“And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner. And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.”

Luke 19:7–8

Though we are told almost nothing about Zacchaeus and his life, what we know from history and the culture of the time tells us that he was a man to whom money was very important. The Romans often used local citizens to collect the taxes they imposed on conquered nations. This made those who chose to be publicans hated by their countrymen who saw them as collaborators with the enemy. Even worse, because they worked on what was basically a quota system and were allowed to keep all that they collected above that amount, many of them were corrupt and extremely wealthy. Money mattered to them more than loyalty to their country or fairness to their people.

Yet when Zacchaeus met Jesus, he immediately underwent a remarkable transformation. He did not, of course, get saved by giving away money. But, as an expression of his gratitude for what he recognized Jesus was offering him and an indication of his new priorities, he publicly declared a very generous offering to meet the needs of the poor. Further he was willing to go the extra mile in making things right with anyone he had taken advantage of in his office as publican. Meeting Jesus truly changed the life of Zacchaeus.

When a person trusts Christ as Saviour, things change in their life. The change is not always as obvious as it was with Zacchaeus, but change is always the result of salvation. “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

“And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

Luke 19:9–10

Alice Knight told the story of an elderly lady in New York City in the 1800s who made her living washing clothes. She was known as Sophie the Scrubwoman, and everyone who met her soon knew that she loved Jesus. She was often seen going about witnessing to those she met. One day she was seen witnessing to a wooden Indian that stood outside a cigar store. When someone pointed it out to her, she replied, “I didn’t know I was talking to a wooden Indian about Christ. My eyesight is very bad. But talking to a wooden Indian about Christ is not as bad as being a wooden Christian and never talking to anybody about the Lord Jesus!”

If we are going to truly be followers of Jesus, we must shape our lives and priorities in the same way that He did. His constant purpose, always at the front of His mind and actions, was to bring the message and hope of salvation to those who were lost. It did not matter if they were rich or poor, spiritual leaders or pagans, Jesus told people about salvation everywhere He went. He shared the truth of the gospel with those who were respected and those who were despised. It was His overwhelming passion and purpose, and it shaped everything that He did.

Because Christ was perfect, every trait of His is worthy of our following. But what was most important to Him must also be our priority if we are to walk in His steps. If we can ignore the urgent need of the lost and dying world around us, our heart is not in tune with His.