Insights Luke 16-19


270 Days Bible Study Insights Luke 16-19
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16:1-8. Our use of money is a good test of the lordship of Christ. (1) let us use our resources wisely because they belong to God and not to us. (2) Money May be hard for good or evil; let us use ours for good. (3) Money has lot of power, so we must use it carefully and thoughtfully. (4) We must use our material goods in a way that will foster faith and obedience.

16:10,11 – Our integrity often meets its match in money matters. God calls us to be honest even in small details we could rationalise away. Heaven’s riches are far more valuable than earthly wealth. But if we are not trustworthy with our money here (no matter how much or little we have), we will be unfit to handle the vast riches of God’s kingdom. Don’t let your integrity slip in small matters, and it will not fail you in crucial decisions either.

17:13. Money has the power to take God’s place in your life. It can become your master. How can you tell if you are a slave to Money? (1). Do you think and worry about it frequently? (2). Do you give up what you should do or would like to do in order to make more money? (3) Do you spend a great deal of time caring for your possessions? (4) Is it hard for you to give money away? (5) Are you in debt?

Money is a hard Master and a deceptive one. Wealth promises power and control, but often it cannot deliver. Great fortunes can be made —and lost—overnight, and no amount of money can provide health, happiness, or eternal life. How much better it is to let God be your Master. His servants have peace of mind and security, both now and for ever.

17:6. A mustard seed is small, but it is alive and growing. Like a tiny seed, a small amount of genuine faith in God will take root and grow. Almost invisible at first, it will begin to spread, first under the ground and then visibly. Although each change will be gradual and imperceptible, soon this faith will have produced major results that will uproot and destroy competing loyalties. We don’t need more faith; a tiny seed of faith is enough. If it is alive and growing.

17:7-10. If we have obeyed God, we have done only our duty and we should regard it as a privilege. Do you sometimes feel that you deserve extra credit for serving God? Remember, obedience is not something extra we do, it is our duty. Jesus is not rendering our service as meaningless or useless, nor is he doing away with rewards. He is attacking unwarranted self- esteem and spiritual pride.

17:26-35. Jesus warned against false security. We are to abandon the values and attachments of this world in order to be ready for Christ’s return. His return will happen suddenly, and when he comes, there will be no second chances. Some will be taken to be with him, the rest will be left behind.

18:2. To persist in prayer and not give up does not mean endless repetition or painfully long prayer sessions. Always praying means keeping our requests constantly before God as we live for Him day by day, believing he will answer. When we live by faith, we are not to give up. God may delay answering, but his delays always have good reasons. As we persist in prayer we grow in character, faith and hope.

18:24-27. Because money represents power, authority and success, often it is difficult for wealthy people to realise their need and their powerlessness to save themselves. The rich in talent or intelligence suffer the same difficulty. Unless God reaches down into their lives, they will not come to him. Jesus surprised some of his heaters by offering salvation to the poor; he may surprise some people today by offering it to the rich. It is difficult for a self sufficient person to realise his or her need and come to Jesus, but ‘What is impossible with men is possible with God”.

18:26-30. Peter and the other disciples had paid a high price—leaving their homes and jobs—to follow Jesus. But Jesus reminded Peter that following him has its benefits as well as its sacrifices. Any believer who had to give up something to follow Christ will be paid back in this life as well as in the next. For example, if you must give up a secure job, you will find that God offers a secure relationship with himself now and forever. If you must give up your family’s approval, you will gain the love of the family of God. The disciples had begun to pay the price of following Jesus and Jesus said they would be rewarded. Don’t dwell on what you have given up: think about what you have gained and give thanks for it. You can never outgive God.

19:11. This story showed Jesus’ followers what they were to do during the time between Jesus departure and his second coming. Because we live in that time period, it applies directly to us. We have been given excellent resources to build and expand God’s kingdom. Jesus expects us to use these talents so that they multiply and the kingdom grows. He asks each of us to account for what we do with our gifs. While awaiting the coming of the kingdom of God in glory, we must do Christ’s work.

19 20-27. Why was the king so hard on the man who had not increased he money? He punished the man because (1). He didn’t share his masters’ interest in the kingdom;(2) he didn’t trust his masters intentions, (3). His only concern was himself and (4). He did nothing to use the money? Like the king in this story, God has given you gifts to use for the benefit of his kingdom. Do you want the kingdom to grow? Do you trust God to govern it fairly? Are you as concerned for others’ welfare as you are for your own? Are you willing to use faithfully what he has
Entrusted to you?
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Clara Radhakrishna