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Relieve Each Other's Burdens
Luke 19:23 'Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?'
The Grek word for 'usury' means primarily 'a bringing forth, birth, or offsprings.' It is used metaphorically for the profit received by a lender.
The Law of Moses attempted to protect both borrower and lender. In Israel, borrowing and lending was not for big, commercial enterprises but rather to help the poor and needy who lacked everyday necessities. In lending, the lender had the opportunity to help the poor in need. It was an act of love in which the lender actually lifted a burden by helping his fellow Israelite through a crisis, but was forbidden to charge usury. To relieve the burden of the...
Be Faithful With A Little
Luke 19:12-13 'He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.'
LUKE 19:11-27
The main purpose of this parable is to show that there would be a long period when Jesus would go away before returning to fulfill the prophecy about a physical kingdom on earth.
The nobleman's servants were called to give an account for what they had done with their lord's money that was delivered unto them. The servants were commanded to 'occupy till I come.' These servants represent the followers of Jesus. However, being a follower of Jesus is more than simply...
Minister God's Love
Luke 19:8 '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 19:1-8
Zacchaeus was rich but Jesus made no demands for him to give away all his goods to the poor as He did with the rich young ruler. Zacchaeus had already repented and money was no longer his god, as was revealed by his actions. It seems that Zacchaeus was going above and beyond the requirement of restitution as stated in Mosaic law by offering to give half of his goods to the poor and to repay fourfold for his theft.
Publicans were hated by their fellow Jews. They were especially despised by the religious...
Please God Not People
Mark 10:48 'And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou son of David, have mercy on me.'
MARK 10:43-48
The devil will always have someone available to tell us why we shouldn't expect to get results when petitioning God. Most people would rather stay with the crowd and not do anything to draw attention to themselves even if that means not getting their needs met. They will try to make you conform as well. If this man would have listened to the crowd, he would not have received his healing. 'Ye have not, because ye ask not' (Jas. 4:2).
This blind man is a good example of an active kind of faith. He was not passive in his approach toward healing. He boldly cried...
Jesus Paid The Price
Mark 10:45 'For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.'
Jesus told His disciples many times of His death but this is the first time He indicated the reason for His death. Now it is clear that His death would be a 'ransom', defined in the Greek as a means of loosing by paying a price.
The words 'ransom' and 'redeem' were used interchangeably in scripture.
Not only would Jesus pay the price for sin but also His death would be substitutionary. In 1 Timothy 2:6, the word 'ransom' is taken from the Greek word 'antilutron' which means 'a redemption-price.' The Greek word 'anti' means 'in place of.' In other words, the ransom avails for all who will accept it (Jn....
Share In His Sufferings
Matthew 20:22 'But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.'
MATTHEW 20:17-25
The Greek word for baptize is 'baptizo.' This word was used by Plato (fourth century B.C.) to describe a man being 'overwhelmed' by philosophical arguments; or it means sponges being 'dipped' in fluid; and by Strabo (first century B.C.) to describe people who could not swim as being 'submerged' under water. Josephus in the first century A.D. used the word to describe the city of Jerusalem as being 'overwhelmed' or 'plunged' into destruction by the Romans; and Plutarch (also first...