LORD, TEACH US

Luke 11:1-13

One of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray.”

Interesting, isn’t it? This student doesn’t ask Jesus to teach him to preach. Why not? Surely Jesus was a great preacher.

He doesn’t request more knowledge, better understanding of human nature, or even miraculous power. Why not? Surely Jesus demonstrated all these in spectacular fashion.

No. This man wants the Teacher to help him pray.

Revealing isn’t it? For all the wonderful things he might ask the Teacher to share, he wants to know how to pray. We suspect this man understood more about the source of Jesus’ power than most.

He said to them, "When you pray, say:" 'Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread. Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us. And lead us not into temptation.' "

Students of Jesus pay attention to the power of prayer and the discipline of persistence in prayer.

So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;
knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.

Students learn to pray for the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit. For without this Tutor we cannot progress very far in becoming more like our Teacher.

"If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!"

DISTRACTED

Luke 10:38-41

Sometimes life gets in the way. Things demand our attention. Then it happens.

We get distracted. Our relationship with Jesus gets pushed to the side.

Take heart. In this story of two sisters – Mary and Martha – we observe how easily this can happen. Even in the physical presence of Jesus!

What is Mary doing? She’s sitting at the feet of Jesus. Paying close attention to the Teacher!

Martha? She’s distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.

Martha doesn’t even notice that Jesus is teaching. She even complains to Jesus - Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!

"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed”

We can almost hear Martha’s thoughts. “Only one thing! There is much work to be done before I can serve a proper meal to our guests!”

But Jesus is right. There is only one thing that is really needed. A student must always find a way to pay attention to the Teacher. Nothing more important than this!

Sometimes life gets in the way. Like Martha, we get distracted by necessary things and neglect the most valuable thing.

Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.

IT'S A BIG DEAL

Luke 10:25-37

On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

"What is written in the Law?" he replied. "How do you read it?" He answered: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

"You have answered correctly," Jesus replied. "Do this and you will live."

Loving God is a big deal! According to Jesus it’s the answer to “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”

It’s a life or death, heaven or hell kind of question!

Serious students of this Teacher pause to ask, “Do I love God?”

Well, I go to church. I give money for good works. I try to be a good person.

That’s good. But there is still a question - Do I love God?

Isn’t it possible to do a great many things for God, in the name of God and not really love God?

Isn’t there something in the Bible about this? Doesn’t it say we can have all knowledge, give all our goods to feed the poor and even suffer martyrdom and if we don’t have love it profits us nothing?

Do I love God?

This is a big deal! The only thing really…

BOOK OF LIFE

Luke 10:17-24

I have given you authority…however, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

When the Seventy-two returned they were excited. We imagine the miraculous power Jesus invested in them was a heady experience. They were happy because even the demons submitted to them.

Victory! The adulation of the crowds! High-fives all around!

But the Teacher says they were mistaken in this. Instead, He tells them they should be happy that their names are written in heaven!

What does the Teacher want His students to understand?

Isn’t it a source of joy when we are a part of some successful work for God? Shouldn’t we feel great about winning a victory over some addiction? Or following Biblical principles and getting out of debt?

How about overcoming sin in our life? Being of help to someone else in their struggles?

Sure, this is all good. But there’s something infinitely better to be happy about. Having your name written in heaven! Being in God’s Book of Life!

Maybe the Teacher knows things won’t always work out for His students. Sometimes it will look like they are on the losing team.

You know. The church outreach seems to flop! You lose your job and can’t pay all the bills! You slip back into a bad habit!

What then?

No our joy must be deeper than the emotional high-five of a momentary victory in one of life’s many skirmishes.

We win some, we lose some. But the bigger battle is the Lord’s and He has won it for all who remain faithful to Him. So whether we win or lose today, we rejoice because our names are still written in heaven.

'HELP WANTED'

Luke 10:1-16

The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field…Yet be sure of this: ‘The kingdom of God is near.'

Businesses sometimes hang out a sign, Help Wanted. Here the Teacher indicates God’s Business needs more job applicants. He instructs His students to pray for more workers.

Earlier Jesus sent out the Twelve! Now He sends out Seventy-two more students to preach the kingdom is near.

What does He mean by near?

Is it the kingdom is near in time, soon to come in their lifetimes? Or the kingdom is near, as in accessible to everyone?

Yes! Both ideas are correct. Jesus came to bring the kingdom of God to earth and make a way for everyone to be a part of it!

The Teacher also said the harvest is plentiful. There are many who did not know about God’s kingdom. This is still true!

While millions today follow Jesus, millions more do not. The fields are still ripe for harvest. Help Wanted!

Students still bring this message to the world by their active participation in the kingdom. By the changes in their lives as they become more like the Teacher! And by telling the good news about Jesus!

And students of Jesus still pray to God for more workers!

He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.

JESUS FIRST

Luke 9:51-62

As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."

This must have happened many times. Someone learns about Jesus and wants to follow Him. That’s good!

But Jesus wants this man to know – everyone to understand – following Him isn’t easy - Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.

Being a student of this Rabbi wasn’t the typical experience. Jesus didn’t have a house. He was an itinerant preacher. Still is!

To follow this Teacher requires a commitment. Daily decisions that put Him first! Sacrifice is required.

He said to another man, "Follow me." But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father."

Jesus said to him, "Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."

Still another said, "I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good-by to my family."

The Teacher isn’t saying His students can’t work, take responsibility to family seriously, or fulfill other significant obligations in life. But He is saying none of those things should be placed above the commitment to follow Him.

Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

Today Jesus still says follow me. This is what being a serious student of the Teacher is about. Jesus First!

NUMBER ONE

Luke 9:37-50

An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.

What is it in human nature that fuels the desire to be number one?

Security? Being Number One seems to offer the possibility of controlling events that contribute to personal welfare and comfort.

Pride? A Numero Uno mindset finds a home with the sin of self-absorption.

Competitiveness? Only First Place will satisfy this spirit.

Whatever prompts His student’s arguments about who is the greatest, becoming more like the Teacher is the way out.

Jesus then calls a child to stand near Him.

Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all—he is the greatest.

Welcoming a child. Serving children. Doesn’t seem like the way to greatness. But it is Jesus’ way.

The Teacher became the servant of all. And He still calls His students today to replace the Number One Syndrome with humility and service to others.

In God’s world, the way to number one is to become last…least!