Jesus Over CHAOS
Read Luke 20-21
Jesus’ love endures forever! His schedule was so packed!
On Tuesday of Holy Week, daytime, He taught people in the temple courts, proclaimed the good news, answered challenging questions, foretold about His death and the upcoming chaos in the world; then gave directives for followers to face it.
He knew those questions were more of a trap to catch Him than just challenging questions. Thanks be to our dear Lord Jesus Christ - not only did He stop the plot/trap from developing against Him, but He also had ways of redirecting the conversations to His heavenly authority that was given Him by the Father (v. 20:3, 25, 44). He puts on display His purposes coming into this world (to be rejected and then to be the cornerstone (v. 20:17)), and His grand picture of resurrection and of the age to come (v. 20:35).
But Jesus was over the chaos. He took control of it. He warned people against the teachers of the law (v. 20:45-47) and commended the widow’s offering and her wholehearted faithfulness (v. 21:1-4). He then told people the signs of the end times (v. 21:10), affirmed them to make up their minds not to worry (v. 21:14) but instead to lift up their heads, looking up to the coming redemption (v. 21:28) and salvation. Thank You Lord for showing people, crystal clear, that You care more about the inward (the heart) than the outward (the surface) and that You want people to put their focus on not just the here and now, but also on the future!
While Jesus had already known that He was going to die soon, and not just die, but die in a very hard way, He did not focus on the hardship. Instead, He focused on finishing the work that the Father gave Him - loving, guiding and pointing people to His right path. Then to close His busy day, He went out to spend the rest of the night on Mt. Olive (v. 21:37), getting ready for the next morning, to start again … (v. 21:38)
Dear Jesus, thank You so much for Your love and Your HOLY and focused rhythm of life, and for being over the chaos!
He is Worthy:
1. I thank You Lord for Your Holistic Focal life (v. 20:1-21:36) as our example to be Christlike.
2. You can see through my heart like Jesus saw through the Pharisee spies’ duplicity (v. 20:20, 22) and here is what I notice I have in my own soul ___________; but in spite of all these, Jesus still loves me, died for me and forgave me … I am in awe!
3. Thank You Lord that You are not the God of the dead, but of the living (v. 20:38). Thank You for giving me a new life in Christ from where I was at _________.
We are Needy:
1. Lord, I love to be wholistically Christlike, help me please!
2. Lord, teach me to discern well so that I will not fall (again) into the trap of ___ _____ (v. 20:45-47); but represent You well instead!
3. Lord, when I see all the signs of the end times, bless me not to be fearful but live out Your VICTORIOUS posture, such as __________ (v. 21:14, 28); all for Your Glory!
4. Please make all of the above contagious for Your Kingdom expansion, thank You so much Lord!