Luke 17 - 9.17.25

Scripture

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.’ (Luke 17:10)

Observation

When we accepted Jesus as our Lord, we became the children of God and also the servants of God. When we became free from sin, we became the servants of God (Rom 6:22). God requires obedience to his commandments from us. In this verse, Jesus reminds us that when we do what we are supposed to do, we shouldn’t applaud ourselves. We should have the attitude that we are unworthy servants, and we have just done our duty.

Obeying God is “reasonable service” expected from us. The Bible tells us to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God, which is our reasonable service (Rom 12:1, KJV). God expects us to be “living sacrifices”. This means choosing to walk in God’s ways and obeying his commandments in thought, word and deed everyday. Jesus said that whoever wants to be His disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Him (Matt 6:24). Taking up our cross means choosing to obey God everyday and every moment, instead of doing what we would naturally want to do. This is a very basic requirement that God has from his children.

Application

We need to remember that we are called to be servants of God. A servant is not above his master (Matt 10:24). As servants we have a duty to obey God and do His will. As Paul said, if we do it voluntarily, we have a reward, and if not voluntarily, we are simply discharging the trust committed to us (1 Cor 9:17).

We are enlisted in God’s army to fulfil His will. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please Him who enlisted him as a soldier (2 Tim 2:4). We need to make it our goal to please Him (2 Cor 5:9).

Prayer

Dear Father, Thank you for making me your child. Help me to remember that I am also your servant, called to do your will. Help me to be obedient to You everyday and every moment of my life. Help me to deny myself, take up my cross and follow You (Mark 8:34). Help me to make it my aim to please You (2 Cor 5:9). Lord, I cannot do this in my own strength. Your grace is sufficient for me, for Your strength is made perfect in my weakness (2 Cor 12:9). I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13). After having done everything You require of me, please help me to have the attitude that you have asked me to have - to think of myself as having just done what was required of me as an unprofitable servant (Luke 17:10). Lord, you are the lifter of my head (Ps 3:3). My exaltation and my promotion comes from You (Ps 75:6,7). I want to please you. Please help me to offer my body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to you everyday of my life, knowing that this is the reasonable service You expect from me (Rom 12:1). In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.

- Asha Chacko George

Luke 16 - 9.16.25

SCRIPTURE:  Luke 16:9  "I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings."  

OBSERVATION:  I wasn't sure exactly what this Scripture meant, but according to 'Got Questions', "Jesus is not saying that believers should gain wealth dishonestly and then be generous with it.  We are to use our worldly resources to benefit others and make friends.  Just as the dishonest manager in the parable was shrewd in benefitting himself materially, so we should be shrewd in benefiting ourselves and others spiritually.  When we give to missions, support our local church, or meet the needs of others, we are using "unrighteous, worldly wealth" to build up the kingdom of God and lift up the name of Jesus.  We are being shrewd in our dealings in this world when our eyes are on the "eternal homes" we will one day inhabit with our "friends" in Christ."

While Jesus was telling the parable of the shrewd manager, He included the verse above.  The parable of the unjust steward is told for the benefit of the disciples.  In this parable the characters are both wicked - the steward as well as his manager.  

Jesus used this parable to teach a spiritual principle.  After the rich man discovered that his manager was being dishonest with his possessions, he knew it was time to remove him from his job.  Once the manager found out his job was going to be taken away, he made the shrewd decision to go around and reduce the debt of all who owed his master.  He did this so he would have friends to run to after he had no job.  Believe it or not, when the rich man heard about what his manager had done to him, he commended him!  He had just been ripped off big time, so why in the world would he commend the manager?  (Two bad minds think alike!).    

In His application of the story, Jesus says, "For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light."  Here Jesus contrasts the "sons of the world (the unbelievers) to the "sons of light" (believers).  (GotQuestions).

APPLICATION:  Jesus encourages His followers to be good, honest stewards with our money, time, resources and possessions.  We are to be generous givers with the wealth He has given us.  We are not to store up for ourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal, but we are to store up for ourselves treasures in heaven.  For where our treasure is, there our heart will be also.  (Matthew 6:19). 

PRAYER:  I thank You God for everything You have provided for me to live on this earth.  I pray I will be a generous giver to be able to meet the needs of others.  I pray first and foremost that I will be faithful to give back to You what You have required of me,  (10 percent of our income).  Since everything we have belongs to You, how gracious You are to only require 10 percent of our income back to You!  I pray after we tithe that Anthony and I will be faithful to look for ways to use our resources to be a blessing to others.  There's something so amazing that happens when we tithe!  You have promised that when we do, You will open up the heavens and pour out blessings that we will not be able to contain!   Both Anthony and I have put our trust in You regarding tithing since 1980, and we have experienced countless ways throughout the years how You have provided over and over again for us!   And...we have discovered that it is impossible to out give You!  May we be faithful to give what belongs to You, and be generous to the ones who You prompt us to give to.  I pray we will continue to put You first in our lives, AND in our finances, and I thank You for the wonderful promise You gave us that says,  "If we seek You first and Your righteousness, all the things we need will be given to us".  (Matthew 6:33) Amen

- Robin Orefice

Luke 15 - 9.15.25

Scripture

‭‭Luke‬ ‭15‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.””

Observation

In this passage, Jesus is found teaching large crowds of people. Amongst the crowd were tax collectors and notorious sinners listening to Jesus’ teachings. This made the Pharisees and the teachers of the religious law uneasy. How could Jesus associate with such sinful people? Why would Jesus even want to sit down and break bread with them? Jesus knew the Pharisees and religious leaders’ thoughts, so he told them 3 parables to help them better understand God’s unconditional love for all and His desire for all to repent from their sinful ways and turn to Him.

Application

God’s love is for everyone.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”-John‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬ 

Did you catch that? God loves everyone-(the whole world)! His free gift of salvation is for anyone who believes and puts their faith in Him.

You know, we could bad mouth the Pharisees and the religious leaders in this passage all we want. But if we’re honest with ourselves, how many of us can sometimes do the same thing? I know I can be guilty of it. We see a dirty, homeless person on the street. We may cross to the other side of the street to avoid contact. Or you see a guy with all these tattoos and piercings over his body, and you’re already disqualifying him from hearing the Good News because you think, “He’s not into that. He’ll probably yell at me and tell me to go away.” The point is that sometimes we can be too comfortable hanging out with “our own kind of people.” We only want to share the Good News with people who look “safe”, who look polite. We will automatically disqualify people from hearing the Good News about Jesus because they don’t look or dress a certain way. This passage reminds me exactly that the gospel message is for everyone. That Jesus came to this earth, and did what He did, not just for the rich and educated, but for the poor and needy. Jesus didn’t create social boundaries between Himself and others. He went out into the world and taught, touched, healed, and loved EVERYONE He came in contact with. Jesus’ attitude and actions towards others inspire me, and hopefully inspire us all, to go out there and do the same. 

Prayer

Father God, forgive me for “playing it safe”, and holding onto Your gospel message to only certain people. Forgive me for pre-judging and disqualifying others from hearing Your message before even trying. I know You came for all. I know You died for all. And I know You love us all. Help me to share Your message with all. In Jesus name I pray, Amen. 🙏🏽

-Moses Gaddi