Rediscovering Christmas: Days 15-20: Luke Chapters 15-20

Luke Chapter 15 talks about how finding the lost is SO important...even just one lost one is important, just as it is described through various examples in this chapter.

Luke 15: 4-7 says: 4 What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it?

5 And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

6 And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.


7 I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.


Luke 15: 8-9 says: 8 Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?


9 And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.


There are many ways that the lost are spoken of in this chapter, but it is for us to see everyone who is lost is very important and needs to be found!!

Chapter 16 speaks of the Parable of the Shrewd Manager...this is where Jesus explained that nobody can serve two masters...you can not devote yourself to both God and money.

Chapter 16 also speaks of additional teachings and speaks of divorces and adultery and even goes on to speak of The Rich Man and Lazarus.  The rich man had a beggar, Lazarus who laid at his gate waiting for something to eat...anything that would happen to fall from the rich man's table.  The message goes onto say that Lazarus and the rich man end up dying and the rich man doesn't make it to heaven and Lazarus ends up being by Abraham's side.  The rich man was able to look up and see Lazarus by Abraham.  It goes on to say the rich man asked Abraham to send Lazarus to give him a drip of water to cool his tongue.  Abraham reminded the rich man how he never helped Lazarus so each of them had rewards equal to how they treated others and according to their actions.  The rich man asked that his five brothers be warned of how they treated others so they didn't end up in the same place.  Abraham declined and said they had Moses and the Prophets to listen to and said if they wouldn't listen to them they wouldn't even be convinced with someone being risen from the dead.

Chapter 17 talks about sin, faith, and duties.

I think Chapter 17 verses 3 and 4 are really something to keep in mind.

3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.


4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.

Chapter 17 also speaks of the ten being healed from leprosy (Jesus had instructed them to go to the priests to be cleansed) and only one of the ten came back to praise God after the healing.

I think it is SO important to always remember to praise God for all of our blessings!!

Chapter 17 also explains that the kingdom of God will come without careful observation.

Chapter 18 explains of the Parable of the Persistent Widow...who kept coming to a judge asking for justice.

Chapter 18 also speaks of the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.  Pharisees were those who really went by God's laws as well as their own rules regarding the laws of God.  God shows through this parable how a person must be humbled (just as the tax collector was when he asked for God to have mercy on him as a sinner).

The chapter goes on to speak of how everyone must receive the kingdom of God as a little child would...I think that means FULLY believing...no doubts whatsoever...etc.

Chapter 18 also speaks of the rich ruler who asks how to get to Heaven...Jesus tells him a bit of the Ten Commandments...do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, etc.

Chapter 18 verse 27 is such a great response: 27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.


Jesus also predicts his death in Chapter 18 as well.  The disciples did not understand any of this at this point.

And...a blind beggar begins to see in Chapter 18.

Chapter 19 is about Zaccheus and I sang to my children the song that I remember singing in Sunday School class as a child as we read this:

Zaccheus was a wee little man and a wee little man was he.  He climbed up in a sycamore tree for the Lord he wanted to see.  And as the Saviour passed that way He looked up in the tree and He said Zaccheus you come down for I'm going to your house today, for I'm going to your house today.

Zaccheus even was willing to give half of his possessions to the poor and pay back four times the amount to anyone he cheated.

Chapter 19 also speaks of the Parable of the Ten Minas (a mina was about three months' worth of wages).  This parable shows which servants were able to be trusted and which were not as well.

The Triumphal Entry is also spoken of in Chapter 19.  This speaks of Jesus riding the colt and the people spreading their cloaks on the road for Him.

Chapter 19 goes on to speak of Jesus at the temple once again and it goes on to speak of how some leaders among the people wanted to kill Jesus but couldn't find anyway to do it.

Chapter 20 is where the Authority of Jesus is questioned.  Jesus was asked about his authority from various people.

The Parable of the Tenants is also spoken of in Chapter 20.  This is where a man plants a vineyard and has farmers and servants.  At harvest time he sent a servant to the vineyard to get some fruit but he was beaten and sent away.  The man kept sending servants and each one was wounded.  So after the third was beaten, he sent his son and they killed him.

At this point, the teachers of the law as well as the chief priests wanted to make an arrest right then as they knew the parable was against them but they were afraid to make the arrest as they were scared of the people.

In Chapter 20 Jesus also directs that whatever was owed to Caesar (when paying taxes) be given to Caesar and what is Gods give it to Him.

The Resurrection and Marriage is also written about in Chapter 20.  The Sadduccees asked a question regarding marriage in this section.  The Sadduccees were Jewish leaders (a lot of them were even priests).  The Sadduccees didn't believe in the resurrection of the dead, but the Pharisees had a hatred for Jesus and they agreed.  In the section of the Resurrection and Marriage, Jesus speaks of the resurrection of the dead and it says that some of the teachers of the law responded that what He said was well said.

The last part of Chapter 20 is talking about Whose Son is the Christ.