LUKE 22:49-51 PORTRAITS OF PEOPLE

Portraits of People

By Karen Sue Hale

The boy was so controlled by demons

That he threw himself in the fire.

His father came and begged the Master

To save his precious boy’s life.

Jesus didn’t say, “Clean him up

and bring him into the church.”

Instead He cast those demons out

And touched him right there in the dirt

Portraits of people for whom Jesus cared.

He’s called us to follow Him

and His compassion share.

The woman had been bleeding

For twelve terrible years.

She touched the hem of His garment

As her hope conquered her fears.

Jesus didn’t rebuke her for touching Him

Although she was unclean.

Instead He said, “Your faith has healed you,

Daughter, you may go in peace.”

Portraits of people for whom Jesus cared.

He’s called us to follow Him

and His compassion share.

He was just the servant

Of the man who’d have Christ killed;

But when Peter tried to defend our Lord,

It was the slave’s blood he spilled.

Jesus did not say to him,

“You got what you deserved.”

Instead He put that ear back on

Healing every vessel and nerve.

Portraits of people for whom Jesus cared.

He’s called us to follow Him

and His compassion share.

Perhaps he may be dirty

Or maybe she has AIDS.

Someone whose been in prison

Or a homeless renegade.

How would Jesus touch them

If He were here today?

In my heart, I can’t believe

He’d turn and walk away.

Portraits of people for whom Jesus cares.

He’s called us to follow Him

and His compassion share.

He’s called us to follow Him

And His compassion share. 

FATHER'S DAY

LUKE 22:42 THY WILL BE DONE

THY WILL BE DONE

And he was withdrawn from them

about a stone's cast,

and kneeled down, and prayed,

Saying, Father, if thou be willing,

 remove this cup from me:

 nevertheless not my will,

but thine, be done.

Luke 22:41-42 (KJV)

From the beginning, Jesus was set upon doing God’s will. From leaving Heaven to be born of a virgin to His death on the cross, Jesus was being obedient to His Father (Philippians 2:6-8, John 5:30). At twelve years old, Jesus told His earthly parents that He must “be about my Father’s business” (Luke 2:49). When He taught His disciples to pray, He instructed them to pray, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10). In John chapter 17, Jesus prayed for His disciples and all who would follow Him in the future that they would be “one” with Him and the Father, that we would seek God’s will. The ultimate test of Jesus’s willingness to surrender to the will of the Father was in the Garden of Gethsemane. He agonized in prayer over the ordeal He knew awaited Him, a temporary separation from the love of His Father as He bore the weight of our sins upon the cross. Luke records the intensity of His prayer: “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44). However, in the end, Jesus submitted to the Father’s will knowing it was the divine plan to rescue us from sin and death. Do we, too, have the courage to pray, “Not my will, but Yours be done”. It is only possible when we are infused with the strength and power of Jesus (Philippians 4:13).

Father, please reveal Your will for us in each decision we face. Then give us the strength to carry out Your will rather than resorting to our own ways.

LUKE 22:31-32 FROM FALTERING FAITH TO FEEDING THE FLOCK

FROM FALTERING FAITH

TO FEEDING THE FLOCK

And the Lord said,

Simon, Simon, behold,

Satan hath desired to have you,

that he may sift you as wheat:

But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not:

and when thou art converted,

strengthen thy brethren.

Luke 22:31-32 (KJV)

He saith unto him the third time,

Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?

Peter was grieved because he said unto him

the third time, Lovest thou me?

And he said unto him,

Lord, thou knowest all things;

thou knowest that I love thee.

Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.

John 21:17 (KJV)

Sifting does not sound like a very comfortable process. The Adversary wanted to shake Peter up and see what fell out. Note that Jesus did not say, “But the Father told that old Serpent, ‘No way!’” Instead, he assured Peter that He himself had prayed that Peter’s faith would not fail. Satan had to ask permission to put Peter through trials just as he had done with Job. Therefore, we must surmise that God gave the Devil permission to sift Peter. Just as the refiner uses fire to purify silver by removing the dross, the sifter removes the unwanted parts of the wheat to leave the edible parts. Peter was asked point blank three times whether he was with Jesus or not and denied knowing him all three times. However, note that in the Lord’s warning to Peter, there is the hope of restoration. When the resurrected Jesus called Peter and some of the other disciples in off the lake, He took Peter aside. Peter had denied Jesus three times, so Jesus gave him the opportunity to affirm his love for Jesus three times. Then He gave Peter the assignment of “feeding His sheep” or shepherding His flock, in other words “strengthening his brothers” as the Lord had instructed him to do after his time of sifting. Peter’s faith faltered the night of Jesus’s arrest, but the Lord did not leave him in despair. In fact, Peter was empowered mightily to serve in the leadership of the early church AFTER he had denied knowing Jesus. Have you gone through a time of testing, of being sifted, and feel like you are now unworthy to serve the Lord? Do not despair. Turn to the Lord, receive His forgiveness, be assured of His love and reaffirm your love for Him. Then stand back and see how He raises you up to do things you could not have done with all the unnecessary chaff weighing you down!

Father, may we honestly pray Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Sift away any impurities and leave only that which will bring glory to You.