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Throughout this gospel, Luke has impressed upon His readers that what He and others witnessed could only be attributed to the work of the Holy Spirit. Zechariah prophesied in the Holy Spirit, and his son, John, was “filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.” The Holy Spirit came upon Mary, and the “power of the Most High overshadowed” her. The Spirit promised Simeon that he would see the Lord’s Christ, and descended on Jesus at His baptism.

Furthermore, Luke is convinced that Jesus was in communion with God’s power and Spirit, reflecting at various times that, Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit, moved about in the power of the Spirit, and rejoiced in the Holy Spirit. Luke saw that the power of God was on Him to heal and that power went out of Him when He did. And as for Jesus’ perspective? After reading in the synagogue Isaiah’s words that “The Spirit of the LORD is upon me,” Jesus announces: “Today this Scripture is fulfilled…”

In chapter 21, Jesus’ conversation is intense and private. Prophecy and warning and encouragement are mingled together as Jesus brings His teachings about the Kingdom of God to a climax. Chapter 22 is devoted to Jesus’ final night: the Passover feast, betrayal, and arrest of Jesus. Few things are singular: Satan enters Judas; an angel ministers to Jesus. Otherwise, there is the same confusion and tension that has been building in this gospel for some time.

Though much is happening, pay attention to Jesus’ words and activity as He nears the end. This is what He wants others to see and hear and remember of Him: what He teaches about, and what He prays for. He knows that Scripture must be fulfilled in Him, yet asks earnestly that the Father might remove this cup from Him. And listen carefully as He makes a promise to grant His power to His disciples: when it is their opportunity to bear witness, “I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.”

Our verse for this week is Romans 8:38-39: For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Luke 21 and 22.  Now let’s read it!  

On the way to Jerusalem, Jesus’ reputation precedes Him and a man of Jericho wants to see Jesus so badly that he runs ahead and climbs a tree to get a better view.  This man was a man of means and stature: he was, in Luke’s words, a chief tax collector, and rich.  We don’t know any more of his backstory; nor do we know why Jesus looked up, called him by name, and invited Himself to the tax collector’s house.  But we soon find out how others feel about Jesus going to the house of a “sinner,” and this pretty much sums up the through line for the rest of today’s reading. 

Multiple times today Jesus cuts right through the aggravation of the scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees.  Without waiting for a response at the tax collector’s house, Jesus tells them a parable, about servants who were entrusted with their master’s wealth.  When they grumble about His disciples’ worship of Him, Jesus warns them that “…if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” 

Rather than pay homage to the Jerusalem leadership, He drives out the market they had set up in the Temple.   When they try to trap Him, He defies them to show their hand, then tells the crowd another parable about wicked stewards.  Finally, in the hearing of all the people, He says “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces… who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers.”

All the while, Luke reflects that the scribes and chief priests were seeking to destroy him,           but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words.  It seems that Jesus is doing everything He can to provoke them – a move that could end in His destruction, but would finally force them to reveal what’s really in their hearts.      

Our verse for this week is Romans 8:38-39: For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Luke 19 and 20.  Now let’s read it! 

I want to reinforce the subject of context that I talked about yesterday.  Looking back at chapter 16: after Jesus told the disciples, “No servant can serve two masters… you cannot love God and money,” Luke says the Pharisees, who were lovers of money… ridiculed Him. 

After this Jesus launches into a series of seemingly disconnected teachings: certainly nothing bonding them like the “lost and found” parables in chapter 15.  “God knows your hearts,” He says, “For what is exalted among men is an abomination to God…”  He follows by sequencing traditions: Law and Prophets through John, followed by the “Gospel of the Kingdom of God.”  Then there’s a blip about divorce, and finally a long parable about a rich and poor man, with allusions to Abraham, Moses, and the prophets again. 

I call all this to your attention because we’re now three-quarters of the way through Luke’s gospel.  Luke did promise in the beginning that he wanted to write an orderly account of Jesus’ life.  Even though this is difficult to make sense of at times,  it’s not simply a random collection of stories.  Choices were made about what to include, what to omit, and what to emphasize. 

Today’s reading deals with temptation, forgiveness, and gratitude; with the coming of the Kingdom of God, and humility in prayer.  There are living examples that reinforce what Jesus has been teaching about faith and boldness.  And there is a geographic marker – the first in a long time – that turns the story down the final stretch, when we can determine what Luke – and Jesus – were driving toward.

Our verse for this week is Romans 8:38-39: For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Luke 17 and 18.  Now let’s read it!