God’s story in god’s people

Jesus’ earthly ministry lasted about three years. First came the “year of popularity,” when word of Jesus’ teaching and miracles spread throughout Israel. Then came the “year of opposition,” as Jesus made his way from Galilee to Jerusalem. Finally, there was the “year of rejection,” when Jesus revealed his ultimate mission. As we already know, the religious leaders’ rejection ends in Jesus’ glorious resurrection.

Some people just don’t deserve God’s grace, do they? They are too sinful, too evil, have caused too much hurt, or too far gone. After all, shouldn’t God’s goodness require a fairly clean resume? Doesn’t he help those who help themselves?  Shouldn’t we demonstrate that we are worthy of God’s acceptance?

Have you ever doubted Jesus? Had second thoughts about his claims? Felt distant from him in  times of discouragement or despair? Wondered whether following Jesus was worth the cost?

If you’ve had those thoughts, you’re in good company—you can place yourself right beside   John the Baptist. Today’s passage is both relatable and encouraging.

When the apostle Peter reflected on Jesus, he called him the “Shepherd and Overseer of your souls” (1 Pet. 2:25). This rich and powerful description reveals who Jesus is and how he works in our lives. As we continue our study in Luke, we will see his compassion as our Good Shepherd in today’s story.

As we continue our study of Luke’s orderly account of Jesus’ life and ministry, we come to a remarkable story. It centers on a man who may never have met Jesus personally, a request made by people who did not even believe his message, and a faith so profound that Jesus declared, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith” (Luke 7:9). Let’s look more closely at this story.

We are reading a section of Luke’s Gospel where Jesus is teaching a large crowd on a mountainside. He began with a series of blessings and woes. Then he moves on to three key themes: judging others, producing “fruit”, and an illustration that highlights the importance of putting these truths into practice.

Sometimes we like what Jesus says. Who doesn’t want the abundant life he promises? Who doesn’t desire the comfort of his constant presence? What weary person doesn’t long for his rest? We look forward to a resurrected life and the promise of heaven.

Most of us are familiar with the “Sermon on the Mount” from the Gospel of Matthew. But have you heard of the “Sermon on the Plain” from the Gospel of Luke? Luke tells us that Jesus “came down with [the apostles] and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon” (Luke 6:17).

During Jesus' earthly ministry, crowds of people followed him. These followers were called disciples, a word that means “learner.” As disciples (mathetes), they listened carefully to Christ's teaching, committed his truths to memory, and obeyed his instruction. Later, in Luke’s Gospel, we will read about the seventy-two disciples Jesus sent out in pairs to prepare the towns for his visits (Luke 10:1–24).