2020 for JESUS - Day 165: JESUS is THE LORD... MASTER...GOD... THE SON OF MAN...

Luke 17:1-37

Sin, Faith, Duty

 "JESUS said to HIS disciples: 

'Things that cause people to stumble are bound to come, but woe to anyone through whom they come. 

2 It would be better for them to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around their neck than to cause one of these little ones to stumble. 

3 So watch yourselves.

'If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; 

and if they repent, forgive them. 

4 Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.'

5 The apostles said to THE LORD, 

'Increase our faith!'

6 HE replied, 

'If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, 

you can say to this mulberry tree, 

‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ 

and it will obey you.

7 Suppose one of you has a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Will he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, 

‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? 

8 Won’t he rather say, 

‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; 

after that you may eat and drink’? 

9 Will he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? 

10 So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, 

‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’

JESUS Heals Ten Men With Leprosy

11 Now on HIS way to Jerusalem, JESUS  traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 

12 As HE was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 

13 and called out in a loud voice, 

'JESUS , MASTER, have pity on us!'

14 When HE saw them, HE said, 

'Go, show yourselves to the priests.' 

And as they went, they were cleansed.

15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising GOD in a loud voice. 

16 He threw himself at JESUS' feet and thanked HIM—and he was a Samaritan.

17 JESUS  asked, 

'Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 

18 Has no one returned to give praise to GOD except this foreigner?'

 19 Then HE said to him, 

'Rise and go; your faith has made you well.'

The Coming of the Kingdom of GOD

20 Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of GOD would come, 

JESUS  replied, 

'The coming of the kingdom of GOD is not something that can be observed, 

21 nor will people say, 

‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ 

because the kingdom of GOD is in your midst.'

22 Then HE said to HIS disciples, 

'The time is coming when you will long to see one of the days of THE SON OF MAN, but you will not see it. 

23 People will tell you, 

‘There he is!’ or ‘Here he is!’ 

Do not go running off after them. 

24 For THE SON OF MAN in HIS day will be like the lightning, which flashes and lights up the sky from one end to the other. 

25 But first HE must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.

26 'Just as it was in the days of Noah, 

so also will it be in the days of THE SON OF MAN. 

27 People were eating, drinking, marrying and being given in marriage up to the day Noah entered the ark. Then the flood came and destroyed them all.

28 'It was the same in the days of Lot. People were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building. 

29 But the day Lot left Sodom, fire and sulfur rained down from heaven and destroyed them all.

30 'It will be just like this on the day THE SON OF MAN is revealed. 

31 On that day no one who is on the housetop, with possessions inside, should go down to get them. Likewise, no one in the field should go back for anything. 

32 Remember Lot’s wife! 

33 Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. 

34 I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. 

35 Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left. 

36 [Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other will be left.]'

37 'Where, LORD?' they asked.

HE replied, 

'Where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather.'"

2020 for JESUS - Day 164: JESUS is GOD... THE GOOD NEWS...

Luke 16:1-31

The Parable of the Shrewd Manager

"JESUS told HIS disciples: 

'There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 

2 So he called him in and asked him, 

‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’

3 'The manager said to himself, 

‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— 

4 I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’

5 'So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, 

‘How much do you owe my master?’

6 ‘Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied.

'The manager told him, 

‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’

7 'Then he asked the second, 

‘And how much do you owe?’

'‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied.

'He told him, 

‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’

8 “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. 

9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

10 'Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 

11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 

12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

13 'No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both GOD and money.”

14 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at JESUS. 15 He said to them, 

“You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but GOD knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in GOD’s sight.

Additional Teachings

16 'The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John. Since that time, THE GOOD NEWS of the kingdom of GOD is being preached, and everyone is forcing their way into it. 

17 It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law.

18 'Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

The Rich Man and Lazarus

19 'There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 

20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 

21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 'The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 

23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 

24 So he called to him, 

‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

25 'But Abraham replied, 

‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 

26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’

27 'He answered, 

‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 

28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

29 'Abraham replied, 

‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

30 ‘No, father Abraham,’ 

he said, 

‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

31 'He said to him, 

‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’”

2020 for JESUS - Day 163: JESUS is THIS MAN... THIS MAN RECEIVES SINNERS AND EATS WITH THEM... GOD...

Luke 15:1-32

The Lost Sheep

 "Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near HIM to listen to HIM. 

2 Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, 

'THIS MAN RECEIVES SINNERS AND EATS WITH THEM.'   

3 So HE told them this parable, saying, 

4 'What man among you, if he has a hundred sheep and has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open pasture and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 

5 When he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 

6 And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 

7 I tell you that in the same way, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.'

The Lost Coin

8 'Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 

9 When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 

‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!’ 

10 In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of GOD over one sinner who repents.”

The Prodigal Son

11 And HE said, 

'A man had two sons. 

12 The younger of them said to his father,

 ‘Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me.’ 

So he divided his wealth between them. 

13 And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. 

14 Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished. 

15 So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 

16 And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. 

17 But when he came to his senses, he said, 

‘How many of my father’s hired men have more than enough bread, 

but I am dying here with hunger! 

18 I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, 

'Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; 

19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men.'

 20 So he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. 

21 And the son said to him, 

‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 

22 But the father said to his slaves, 

‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, 

and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; 

23 and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 

24 for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; 

he was lost and has been found.’ 

And they began to celebrate.

25 'Now his older son was in the field, 

and when he came and approached the house, 

he heard music and dancing. 

26 And he summoned one of the servants and began inquiring what these things could be. 

27 And he said to him, 

‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 

28 But he became angry and was not willing to go in; 

and his father came out and began pleading with him. 

29 But he answered and said to his father, 

‘Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never 

neglected a command of yours; 

and yet you have never given me a young goat, 

so that I might celebrate with my friends; 

30 but when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth with prostitutes, 

you killed the fattened calf for him.’ 

31 And he said to him, 

‘Son, you have always been with me, and all that is mine is yours. 

32 But we had to celebrate and rejoice, 

for this brother of yours was dead and has begun to live, 

and was lost and has been found.’”

2020 for JESUS - Day 162: JESUS is GOD...

Luke 14:1-35

JESUS Heals on the Sabbath

 "It happened that when HE went into the house of one of the leaders of the Pharisees on the Sabbath to eat bread, they were watching HIM closely. 

2 And there in front of HIM was a man suffering from dropsy. 

3 And JESUS answered and spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, 

'Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath, or not?' 

4 But they kept silent. And HE took hold of him and healed him, and sent him away. 

5 And HE said to them, 

'Which one of you will have a son or an ox fall into a well, and will not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?' 

6 And they could make no reply to this.

Parable of the Guests

7 And HE began speaking a parable to the invited guests when HE noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, 

8 'When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, 

9 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, 

‘Give your place to this man,’ 

and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. 

10 But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, 

‘Friend, move up higher’; 

then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. 

11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

12 And HE also went on to say to the one who had invited HIM, 

'When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment. 

13 But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 

14 and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.'

15 When one of those who were reclining at the table with HIM heard this, he said to HIM, 'Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of GOD!'

Parable of the Dinner

16 But HE said to him, 

'A man was giving a big dinner, and he invited many; 

17 and at the dinner hour he sent his slave to say to those who had been invited, 

‘Come; for everything is ready now.’ 

18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first one said to him,

 ‘I have bought a piece of land and I need to go out and look at it; 

please consider me excused.’ 

19 Another one said, 

‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to try them out; 

please consider me excused.’ 

20 Another one said, 

‘I have married a wife, and for that reason I cannot come.’ 

21 And the slave came back and reported this to his master. Then the head of the household became angry and said to his slave, 

‘Go out at once into the streets and lanes of the city and bring in here the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ 

22 And the slave said, 

‘Master, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 

23 And the master said to the slave, 

‘Go out into the highways and along the hedges, and compel them to come in, so that my house may be filled. 

24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste of my dinner.’

Discipleship Tested

25 Now large crowds were going along with HIM; and HE turned and said to them, 

26 'If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be MY disciple. 

27 Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after ME cannot be MY disciple. 

28 For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it? 

29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, 

30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 

31 Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand? 

32 Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 

33 So then, none of you can be MY disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.

34 'Therefore, salt is good; but if even salt has become tasteless, with what will it be seasoned? 

35 It is useless either for the soil or for the manure pile; it is thrown out. 

He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”