As we continued in our series on the Life of Christ, this past Sunday we
focused our study on Luke 20. We saw in this passage that
regardless of the types of questions that were brought to Jesus, He
turned them around to refocus the questioners on the areas He
wanted them focused on. These questions that Jesus asked are the
same questions that we must answer today.
Just as Jesus asked whether John's baptism was from heaven or
from men, we must ask the same question today about God's clearest
revelation for our generation-Scripture. Is Scripture the words of
heaven or the words of men? If of heaven, what does Scripture
reveal to us about God?
Jesus' second question is 'Whose image is on it?' Scripture
tells us early and often that we have been created with the image
of God on us! If we are to give to Ceasar what has his image on it,
are we giving ourselves completely to God whose image is on us? If
we do not give to God what is rightfully His, then it's like we are
stealing from Him.
In a conversation with the Sadducees regarding whether there was
life after death or simply a cessation of existence, Jesus asks a
third question. 'Have you not read what God said to you, 'I am the
God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?' This life
is not all there is. We will go from this life and stand in the
presence of God. And as we stand before Him, thieves that we are,
stained with sin, we have no way of repaying that which we've
stolen and so we deserve punishment.
Jesus' fourth question points to hope in the midst of this
hopeless situation. Who is the Christ? Who is this Jesus? He is
fully human but He is the Messiah, the Son of God who mediates
between us and God and is, in fact, God Himself. He has taken the
wrath of God that I deserved and you deserved upon Himself on the
cross. In a sense, He has paid back what we had stolen. Through
faith in Him, we are no longer enslaved to sin but instead are
placed in Him and empowered to glorify God. And He brings
reconciliation and restoration back to our relationship with
God.
It is not insignificant that Luke records that Jesus was
preaching the Gospel when these accounts happened. In a sense,
throughout all these questions that Jesus' raises, He is leading
His listeners-and ultimately us-through a presentation of the
Gospel of salvation in Him.
In Mark and Matthew, there is an additional question that is
brought to Jesus. It is one that we are familiar with-what is the
greatest of all of God's commandments. We are probably also
familiar with the response-love the Lord your God with all your
heart, mind, soul, and strength and love your neighbor as
yourself.
Though Luke doesn't record this particular teaching of Jesus
(though 10:25-28 is similar in another context) I think that it is
just as relevant to the Gospel message that Luke is developing
through these accounts. If we are to love God with our whole being,
then we must know who He is and that can only happen through His
revelation of Himself. The image of God on us places a reason why
we ought to love God in this way. Because He has created us to
worship Him He deserves our complete love and adoration.
Additionally, because His image is on all mankind, there is value
in others-so much so that an act of worshipping God requires us to
love others as much as we love ourselves. The fact that these are
commands-to love God and love others-reminds us that to break
either and/or both of these commands means that we will be held
accountable before God. Ultimately, if we are honest with
ourselves, we will admit that we simply cannot keep these commands
perfectly. But we are not left hopeless-when we are placed in Jesus
through faith, we are again able to love God and love others as God
commands.
Praise God for Jesus, the Son of David, the Christ, the Messiah,
the Son of God, our Adonai God!
Weekly Devotional Schedule
Monday-Matthew 21:12-27
Tuesday-Matthew 22:15-46
Wednesday-Matthew 23:1-12
Thursday-Mark 11:15-33
Friday-Mark 12:13-40
Saturday-Luke 19:45-20:47