Lk15

God's heart today is for people who are lost and people in need.  What is your concern today?

The only people group in the world who take offense at spending time with lost sinners are pharisaical "religious people".  There continues to be so many parallels between the "religious people" of Jesus day and the "religious people" of our day.  Religious people are so caught up in religion that they forget the reason that Jesus came to earth and the purpose of God revealing Himself in scripture.

Jesus came to seek and to save the lost!  His purpose was to win anyone and everyone to faith in Him.  From His perspective every sinner was on a equal playing field…lost and without hope.  People's religion actually hurt their ability to respond to Jesus rather than helping it.  The purpose of all religion is to build our relationship with God and to strengthen our love for people.

If you are pursuing a religious experience that is causing you to become less loving and more critical of others, it is a "false teaching".  One of satan's greatest tools over time has been religion.  God wants a relationship with you,  rooted in biblical community which continually challenges you to love the lost and the least.

Join a church that calls you to "welcome and eat with lost sinners".  That is what Jesus did.  Leave any church that is not reaching the lost and welcoming sinners continuously.  "Holy clubs of the religious" were repulsive to Jesus 2000 years ago and still are today.

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Troy Nesbitt, Lead Pastor

515.232.5488 | troynesbitt@gmail.com

Cornerstone Church of Ames | www.cornerstonelife.com

helping people know and obey Jesus

56829 U.S. Highway 30 | Ames, IA 50010

Lk14

"Anyone who does not give up all his possessions, cannot be my disciple" - Jesus

Three times in this chapter Jesus makes a comment about discipleship.  He is clear in what He is saying.  Three times He uses the strongest of terms to make it clear what it means to follow Him.  He said, "If you don't do this, you cannot be my disciple".  Do you think these things only applied to Jesus' day?  Wouldn't these truths still apply today?

The first discipleship quality is a supreme love for Jesus.  He even goes so far at to compare that love for Him with the opposite (hate) for others.  In Matthew Jesus said, "If you love anyone more than me, you are not worthy to be my disciple."  We know that the first quality of discipleship is love for God.  How does your love for God compare to the love you have for others?

Secondly, Jesus talks about "carrying your own cross" and "following Him".  He said that if one is not willing to die to himself and truly pursue Jesus, he cannot be a disciple.  Following Jesus demands that we turn from our own agenda and begin to follow His.

Finally, Jesus talks about our stuff.  He leaves no doubt that everything that we consider "ours" is no longer to be thought of that way.  In fact, He demands that we "give up" our ownership over those possessions and begin to use them to honor Him.

How are you doing on the discipleship test!  One out of three?  Two out of three?  Do you think Jesus was making a joke?  Can we actually assume if we are not doing any of these things that we are true disciples?  I think not.

Live it.

Lk13

"Make every effort to enter heaven, because I tell you, many will try but will not be able to enter." - Jesus

There is no doubt in my mind that many who think heaven is their destiny will be shocked to discover that they actually won't make it.  Jesus said the way is narrow that leads to life and "few" are those who are willing to travel that path.  It is NOT our effort that gains entrance into heaven, but heaven will not be gained by anyone apart from considerable effort!  Jesus commanded his listeners, "make every effort!"

Thinking that Jesus is able to save you is not the same as being saved by Jesus.  Examine the cost of following Jesus.  It was never without sacrifice and change.  Jesus said, "unless you repent, you will perish."  At that time he was speaking to religious people.  People who were convinced that they were heading to eternal bliss.  They were the "good" people in the culture.  They were also the godless.  They assumed that all was good in their lives because they were "blessed" by God.  Nothing could have been farther from the truth.

Examine your life.  How much does your life actually reflect that Jesus is living in and through you?

Lk12

Jesus pities anyone who is rich in this world but is not rich toward God.  What you do with money is a clear indicator of the god you serve.  Jesus makes this clear over and over again. 

His challenge is quite simple: Do you consider yourself a child of God? Is everything you have been given to you by Him?  Then how you use what you have should reflect your desire to please Him.  This chapter begins with a clear challenge; Fear God.  We are to fear God because He is the One who will determine our destination for eternity and the quality of that eternal state.  

Secondly there is a challenge to avoid hypocrisy and greed.  Hypocrisy is saying one thing and doing a different thing.  Jesus was specifically talking about the pharisees and later described their "hypocrisy" specifically as greed. They defined the quality of their life according to their possessions rather than their obedience to God.  They generally were faithful "tithers" but were never rich toward God.  Giving to the poor would have been one of the last things they would have done with their money.

Finally Jesus described what life will be like for those who fail to live and give for eternity!  When He returns, they will be left without a blessing.  In essence, their life will have amounted to nothing. But for those who are eagerly waiting and living for His return, a blessing and a great reward will be theirs to have forever.

Live today like you believe these words of Jesus.

Lk11

External appearance is rarely a good indicator of what is truly inside a person.  Where ones spends their money is a way better indicator of their true God.  What does your God look like?

Jesus spent many hours in prayer alone.  In fact, it was this discipline that His disciples wanted Jesus to teach them.  His model prayer was a simple one; Focused on God, His Kingdom and His will.  I wonder what the majority focus of our prayers would be?  I assume this model would help our prayer life tons.  Still, it is better to pray poorly than to not pray at all.  What will you pray for today?

Lord help us to live for you.

Lk10

The reason many people will never accept the forgiveness that Jesus offers is because they want to "justify themselves".  Anyone who seeks God's favor through their own good works will forever be separated from the love that God provides. This was the case with the "expert in the law."  It is only through faith in the work of Jesus that someone is justified before God.  Jesus is the only way.  

Don't get confused about the value of "good works".  They earn nothing in regards to salvation and no amount of works will ever save.  On the other hand, "good works" are what God has prepared for us to do after we have been saved!  Anyone who believes that they are saved because of the work of Jesus on the cross should be marked by "works" because of that salvation.  Works will never save.  True salvation always works.

Finally, I love the contrast in this chapter between Martha and Mary.  Martha was "working" hard to serve the Lord, while Mary was working hard to listen to Him.  Many christians busy themselves with what they think Jesus wants them to do without ever taking the time to sit at His feet and listen to what He says.  I want to get up every morning, spend time listening to Jesus, and THEN busy myself doing what He says.

I think it is a good plan.

Lk10

The reason many people will never accept the forgiveness that Jesus offers is because they want to "justify themselves".  Anyone who seeks God's favor through their own good works will forever be separated from the love that God provides. This was the case with the "expert in the law."  It is only through faith in the work of Jesus that someone is justified before God.  Jesus is the only way.  

Don't get confused about the value of "good works".  They earn nothing in regards to salvation and no amount of works will ever save.  On the other hand, "good works" are what God has prepared for us to do after we have been saved!  Anyone who believes that they are saved because of the work of Jesus on the cross should be marked by "works" because of that salvation.  Works will never save.  True salvation always works.

Finally, I love the contrast in this chapter between Martha and Mary.  Martha was "working" hard to serve the Lord, while Mary was working hard to listen to Him.  Many christians busy themselves with what they think Jesus wants them to do without ever taking the time to sit at His feet and listen to what He says.  I want to get up every morning, spend time listening to Jesus, and THEN busy myself doing what He says.

I think it is a good plan.