Author: Stephen Ricker

The Pharisees and all the Jews held onto traditions that many began believing were as important as the Law of Moses. They considered these traditions a form of worship. (Matthew 15:9; Mark 7:3) For example, “When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such […]

Jesus continues his response to those who ask for a sign from heaven (16). First, he uses the similitude and proverb in verse 33. Jesus would give no sign to them to show that he was the Messiah at this time because it would do no good. Jesus preached and did works openly, not in […]

When the religious leaders claimed Jesus was driving out demons by Beelzebub’s authority, they also tested him by asking for a sign from heaven. When they said, “…from heaven,” they meant something that clearly only God could do. They believed that Satan would command other demons to come out of someone. Jesus taught the silliness […]

Jesus’s parable illustrates what will happen to a person and society that does not have God’s presence after it has been freed of demons. Jesus continues to address the comment that he drives out demons with the power of Satan. When asked Jesus will drive out a demon. That is only the beginning of a […]

Jesus teaches through a parable that he has ultimate power. Jesus attacks Satan who also has power. Jesus overpowers Satan and utterly defeats him. Thus, Jesus rescues people from Satan’s evil rule. Satan never wins. Addressing the religious leaders, Jesus also teaches that a person is either against him or for him. Neutrality does not […]

Jesus is full of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit knows everyone’s thoughts to the deepest crevices, the dark hidden places, thoughts that haunt our every moment, and the soul’s joy. So, Jesus knew the thoughts of those who came to him. Jesus knows every thought through the Spirit right now. The jealous and fearful […]

Jesus had been driving out demons for three years. So did the twelve and the seventy-two when he sent them out. Now a great crowd followed him. The religious leaders were jealous. Their pride and pay were hurt. They attacked Jesus’s character and ministry. They claimed, “By Beelzebub, the prince of demons, he is driving […]

Jesus’ teaching in these three verses is among the best that illustrates prayer is a religious word that means personal communication with God, my Father. The communication is similar to that of a father with a child. It is not business communication. It is not a drama or a play. It is not a political […]

I ask for what I wish, seek for what I miss, and knock for that from which I feel shut out. Jesus gives assurance that I will receive, find, and the door will be opened. The point in these two verses is confidence and faith in God. I have owned a coo-coo clock for many […]

After Jesus taught his disciples topics to include in their conversations with God he told some parables. The first concerns a friend who comes asking at midnight for food to serve to an unexpected traveling friend. He is not asking for selfish things. He is asking so he can help another. “Yo, neighbor,” he calls […]

Jesus taught this prayer to his followers, those seeking to learn from and follow him. After Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist he was full of the Holy Spirit. Luke 4:11-12 states, “Jesus… was led by the Spirit into the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing […]

Jesus taught his disciples what to pray, including asking God for the forgiveness of sins against him (4a). Then he taught them to tell God, “…for we also forgive everyone who sins against us.” The original Greek reads, “…for we forgive everyone who is indebted to us,” which is like Matthew 6:12, “…as we also […]

“And forgive us our sin” is a direct word-for-word translation from the original Greek, “Kai aphiemi hemin hemon hamartia” (a transliteration). There are no extra words and no excluded words. To appreciate what is being asked of God, I need to understand and accept that I possess sin (hamartia). So, what is sin? What is […]

Jesus continues teaching his disciples the topics that are important to pray about. He had mentioned these prayer topics including a few more during The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:9-13). “Give us each day our daily bread,” is stated both times. God is the one who gives me food including physical bread. The Lord […]

Conversations with God His Father were an essential and desired part of Jesus’ life. For three years, his disciples watched him pray in solitude. John the Baptist also prayed and taught his disciples to pray. Now Jesus’s disciples asked him to teach them how to pray. Elsewhere, Jesus taught them when and where to pray. […]

Martha and Mary both loved Jesus. Martha opened her house to him and his disciples. Martha wanted to be a good host, so she was busy with all the preparations that had to be made. Mary listened to Jesus while sitting at his feet. She was listening carefully to what Jesus said.Martha was upset with […]

Jesus explained to a self-righteous religious leader, a Bible teacher what love for a neighbor is with a now well-known parable. It is known as “The Parable of the Good Samaritan”. Jesus and the Bible expert agreed that if a person loved God and neighbor they would inherit eternal life. Jesus told him if he […]

When I am asked similar questions twice, I grow annoyed. When I am asked a third time, I grow tired of answering. However, Jesus finds new ways to articulate an answer when asked similar questions over and over again. Jesus was often asked, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life? and, “Teacher, what […]

What is hidden and what is exposed is the subject of Jesus’s joy through the Holy Spirit. God reveals the truth to whom he chooses when he chooses. The hidden thing that Jesus refers to is Satan falling from heaven as fast as lightning because Jesus gave authority to the laymen evangelists in his care […]

The laymen evangelist teams were joyful when they returned because demons submitted to them in his name. Jesus acknowledged that Satan fell as fast as lightning from heaven because of their work that trampled on snakes and scorpions. Jesus described the evil spirits who rebel against God as the lowest and most dangerous of creatures […]

Jesus is still instructing the seventy-two laymen evangelists before they enter the Samarian mission field. They are to be attentive to the people’s reaction to the good news. If the town welcomes them they are to eat what is given them, heal the sick, and preach, “The kingdom of God is near you.” They are […]

Jesus gives the thirty-six laymen evangeliic (i.e., missionaries to their region) pairs some instructions before they go to their mission field. I, like most Christians, am a layman evangelist; that is, I do not receive pay from my local congregation. I can learn some good advice from this on how to obtain a hundredfold crop. […]

Before Jesus went through Samaria, he sent 36 pairs (seventy-two lay persons) ahead of the group traveling with him. The twelve apostles were not sent with them. The laymen were instructed to go into every town and place where he was about to go. Luke did not use a Greek adjective that would designate them […]

When people hear the good news, they either quickly reject it, accept it superficially, conditionally, or wholeheartedly and absolutely. Jesus’ parable of the soil types is meant to help those who follow him understand this and be prepared (Matthew 13, Mark 4). Luke 14:25-34 records that Jesus will tell the crowds who follow him to […]

Samaria was a region sandwiched between Judea to the south and Galilee to the north. Perea was the eastern neighbor on the other side of the Jordan River and The Mediterranean Sea was its western shore. The people of Samaria and the Jews had dissension since the time of King Solomon (John 4). The Jewish […]

Luke records in verse 51, “As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.” Luke marks time so the reader will relate to Jesus and the disciple’s mindset and heart. The two were very different. Jesus would leave and the disciples were not ready. For me […]

Jesus’ teaching here is related to the former concerning the disciples’ pride. The Twelve were more exclusive than Jesus. Jesus’ disciples wanted to stop a man who they believed was practicing faith without Jesus’ official license and authority. He was not “one of them.” They were greater, and he was lesser, was the thought that […]

The disciples were presumptuously proud. They argued about who was the greatest among them (46; Mark 9:33-35). The argument came from their pride and ambitions. Pride is an arrogant or disdainful conduct or treatment caused by a high opinion of oneself; our skills, accomplishments, state, possessions, or position. Pride is easier to recognize than define, […]

Jesus rebuked the evil (unclean, unholy) spirit. Jesus has authority over unholy demons because he is the ultimate power. Evil spirits fear his power. They leave when he says, “Leave” (Zechariah 3:2; Mark 1:25; Luke 4:25, 39; Jude 1:9). Luke states that the boy was healed. Jesus gave the boy back to his father. The […]

Jesus and three of his apostles came down the mountain after Jesus was transfigured to find a large crowd, confusion, and arguing. (Mark 9:14-15) The commotion centered around a father who wanted Jesus to drive an evil (unclean) spirit out of his boy. The signs of demon possession in the New Testament include: speechlessness (Matthew […]

I, like Peter, when fatigued and stressed have spoken foolish and witless words only to regret having said them. Peter’s statement was so silly that in a rare instance, Luke inserted a comment into his historical account of Jesus’ transfiguration on Mont Herman. He adds, “He (meaning Peter) did not know what he was saying” […]

Jesus prayed often, and often alone. Praying was one of Jesus’ habits. A habit is another word for routine, except prayer is not a mechanical procedure or activity. (Matthew 6:5-7) Prayer is personal communion with God. David’s Psalms are good examples of personal communion with God. Hence, this is the reason Jesus usually prayed alone. […]

Jesus revealed to his disciples what it meant to be Christ, the Son of God. As the Christ, Jesus suffered many things, was rejected and killed, and on the third day was raised to life (22). Now, he said to them all what it meant to be one of his disciples. This is very important […]

When Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say I am? Peter said “The Christ (Messiah) of God.” Christ means anointed one. The anointed one implies that the Christ is the:1) Great Prophet. (Deuteronomy 18:15,18; Isaiah 55:4,; Luke 24:19; Acts 3:22, 7:37)2) Only High Priest. (Psalms 110:4; Romans 8:34; Hebrews 6:20, 7:24, 9:24)3) Eternal King […]

Christ appears five hundred and one times in the New Testament, each time referring only to Jesus and his kingship. Today, many people believe that Jesus’s sir name is Christ. It is not. People having sir names only started a few hundred years ago. Before that, people had only one word for a name. However, […]