ttob22

The Testimony of Believers

Lesson Twenty-two: by turtle

There are many testimonies through out the gospels of people reactions, however the
reactions in this next chapter really is the reaction many have toward the gospel of Jesus
even within the religious world. Jesus tells it like it is. It not who you are, or even where
you come from. It is a matter of repentance of the heart. If we can ever get past the idea
that certain people are unworthy to receive the Gospel of Jesus perhaps the whole world
would get saved. It these ideas that hurt those seeking Christ within the church world.
Churches that make people feel unwanted and unloved in the spread of the gospel are only
demons. Everyone despite there ability to tithe, despite there ability to do, should never
matter in church world. The church is for everyone. However not all people feel this way.
And when a church as a clique, or perhaps a gang should be a better term for it. A gang
that is abusive or obstructive to the gospel of Christ then they are not of God. And perhaps
churches should get rid of these people, however a church also needs to love these people.
Love them because Christ loved them enough to die for them.

The next story takes place with media. The media has gather around Jesus and is walking
with Him up through this little town. And Zacheus a little man can not see over or around
the crowd because it so large. Zacheus climbs up in a tree to see Jesus, never expecting
Jesus to stop and talk to Him. Jesus talks to everyone. There is no exclusions to who Christ
will talk too. Jesus tells Zacheus to come down from the tree, he was going to his house.
Immediately Zacheus repents and offers to give all back. Yet the crowd is upset by it. Why
is Jesus going to his house, they discussed between them. Jesus said because salvation has
come to his house. Let us read the passage.

Luke 19:1-11
(1) And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
(2) And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the
publicans, and he was rich.
(3) And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was
little of stature.
(4) And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass
that way.
(5) And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him,
Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
(6) And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
(7) And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a
man that is a sinner.
(8) And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I
give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore
him fourfold.
(9) And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also
is a son of Abraham.
(10) For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
(11) And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to
Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.

Jesus comes to the heart of every man. It matters not who they are. It does not matter if
they rich or poor. Jesus comes to the heart of all people. If we can ever understand that
Jesus is the word that became flesh, we could understand that the word of God must come
to our hearts for us to receive it. God loves each of us. This story illustrates this simple
point, but it also demonstrates the bigotry of people who feel that gospel is for certain
people. The gospel can change lives, if we will only share it, however God must do the
work.

How are we to share the gospel. We are to share the gospel with our talents/gifts. The way
we do this is take our creativity and use it to witness about Jesus. Some may never give a
speech, but they share the gospel through their art, through there music, and through
their writing. This next parable is about a boss that gave each person a certain amount of
money. And each took that money and did something different with it. The first man was
given ten talents/money. The second five talents and the third he gave 2 talents. The first
man took and double his money. The second increased his money. The third however
fearful of the boss and afraid of loosing it, hid the money in a hole and had gained nothing.
The boss took the money and gave it to the one he had given the most too.

Luke 19:12-28
(12) He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself
a kingdom, and to return.
(13) And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them,
Occupy till I come.
(14) But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this
man to reign over us.
(15) And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then
he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that
he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
(16) Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
(17) And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a
very little, have thou authority over ten cities.
(18) And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.
(19) And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.
(20) And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up
in a napkin:
(21) For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst
not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.
(22) And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked
servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and
reaping that I did not sow:
(23) Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might
have required mine own with usury?
(24) And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him
that hath ten pounds.
(25) (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)
(26) For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that
hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.
(27) But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither,
and slay them before me.
(28) And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem.

Jesus is clear if we do not use the talents we have it will be taken away from us. However it
not about money, it is about gifts of the Holy Spirit. God gives each of us gifts to use
spiritually for His kingdom. If we choose not to use it, but hide it, God will take it away
from us. How we use God’s gift matters to God. It actually is not a gift but us surrendering
to Him and allowing Him to use us for the spread of the gospel. Yet we got to be willing to
use that gift.

We just finished Passover and Easter, but we continue with the theme because we are at
this point in the Gospel of Luke study. Maybe perhaps what you can gain is the obedience
of the disciples after three years to the words of Jesus. How often we change through the
hearing of the gospel. How often we change through knowledge of the word. How often we
come to assurance to know that when Jesus speaks we are to do it.

Jesus command two of his disciples to go and get a colt. To untie the colt and if any one ask
to say the Lord has need of him.

Luke 19:29-38
(29) And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount
called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,
(30) Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall
find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither.
(31) And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because
the Lord hath need of him.
(32) And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them.
(33) And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye
the colt?
(34) And they said, The Lord hath need of him.
(35) And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they
set Jesus thereon.
(36) And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way.
(37) And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the
whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all
the mighty works that they had seen;
(38) Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven,
and glory in the highest.

The crowd here is shouting and praising God for Jesus. Yet in a little while they will be
shouting to crucify Him. Crowds are often wishy washy. Never can make a decision but
goes with the flow of the moment. We all are like that to some degree. However no one
wants to be around a condemned man. No one wants to be friends with a person on trial or
accused. Yet for the moment the crowd is ready to make Jesus king. This crowd has cause
His death to come. For when it was clear the crowd want Jesus to be king that would have
been a political problem. The religious leaders like their comfort of Roman rule and wish
Jesus not to be king. They seen him as a threat to their way of life, to their money. War
brings devastation to the poor, to the disabled, to the weak, and to those without talent.
Changing leadership causes disaster. Basically the religious rebuke Jesus and told him to
shut the crowd up. And Jesus said no if these people do not do this the rocks will shout.
The rocks did shout an earthquake came the day of Christ death and came the day of His
resurrection.

If we do not praise God the earth will quake, disaster will come, for the earth will praise
the Lord, despite what you do. However the leaders wanted no part and began to plot.

Luke 19:39-40
(39) And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke
thy disciples.
(40) And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace,
the stones would immediately cry out.

Because of this one event destruction would eventually come to Jerusalem in 70 A.D.
however this is around 30 A.D. Jesus begans to weep because he knows Jerusalem would
be spiritual destroyed with His death.

Luke 19:41-44
(41) And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
(42) Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which
belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
(43) For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee,
and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,
(44) And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall
not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy
visitation.

Jesus went to the temple and turned over the money changers. Those there for the second
time noted in Christ ministry had made it a den of thieves. Jesus was fixing to die for the
world, turning the spiritual church from a den of thieves to new life with Him through the
resurrection.

Luke 19:45-48
(45) And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them
that bought;
(46) Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it
a den of thieves.
(47) And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief
of the people sought to destroy him,
(48) And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear
him.

Jesus taught in the temple and this anger those in leadership, for he was popular with the
people. It is still true today those making money off the gospel really does not like someone
that does it for free. They see it a hurt to their pocket book. Yet believers know there
leaders need money to survive and to advertise and to travel. Those that are not helping in
the spreading are help in the destruction, by not supporting those spreading the gospel for
Jesus, no I think not, for we all are responsible for sharing the gospel. So if you do not do
anything else share Jesus, share the gospel that is given freely to all, if sharing Jesus is
your livelihood, examine yourself, making sure that your work is for Jesus and not to line
your pockets. Make sure those gifts of the Holy Spirit are not for sale. That those
supporting you in ministry do it because they see the gift God has granted you. Whatever
you do, share the gospel with all people despite your view of worthiness. For Christ is king
and Lord to anyone that finds Him.