Pastor Gary's OYB Devotion Archive for April 3

‘Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”’ (Luke 10:36-37 ESV)

From: April 3, 2016

“Who is my neighbor?” Asked the legal expert of Jesus. He asked this question seeking to “justify himself.” For the law is so perfect in its demand, who can keep it? Therefore, the lawyer sought a loophole or a limitation to the law in order to satisfy it. However, Jesus did not allow for a legal accommodation. Instead, he told a parable of three travelers passing by a man in need. The first two were experts in the law of Moses, yet failed to love their neighbor by stopping to help. The third man, a Samaritan, one hated by the Jews as a half-breed and certainly not a legal expert, he actually stopped to help the injured man. The parable surely hit the mark. It is not enough to know the law. One must do it. And since the lawyer must’ve realized the impossibility of keeping the law, perhaps he recognized his need for a Savior to rescue him from the sin that he couldn’t overcome. Because the truth is, both he and we are the ones in the ditch that needs someone to show us mercy.

“Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:30 NKJV)

From: April 3, 2015

When the 70 disciples that the Lord sent out to bear witness returned, they were overjoyed that even the demons were subject to the name of Jesus. But Jesus told them not to rejoice over such things. Spiritual warfare is real and Christ-followers have been given authority, but we are not to glory in this. We are to “rejoice” that we are saved and that our names are in the Lamb’s Book of Life. On this Good Friday when we remember the price that our Lord paid for our inclusion into that Book, we rejoice in Him.

“At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, ‘O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way'” (Luke 10:21 NLT)

From: April 3, 2014

Jesus found joy in the way the Father revealed his true identity to those with childlike faith, yet concealed it from those who thought themselves wise. Jesus delighted in the Father’s sovereign plan. It brought him joy to the full. He shared the Father’s pleasure in this. This is the joy that is available to the Christian, an unconquerable exultation that flows to those filled with the Holy Spirit. This is not the conditional coincidence of happiness, but the perpetual state of the one whose contentment rests in Christ alone.

“Do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20 ESV)

From: April 3, 2013

Spiritual warfare is real and Christ-followers have been given authority, but we are not to glory in this. We are to “rejoice” that we are saved and that our names are in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

“At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit” (Luke 10:21)

From: April 3, 2012

After the 72 returned rejoicing from their witnessing assignment, Jesus was filled with joy from the Spirit. Two thoughts: 1) You’ve never known true joy until you’ve felt this joy of the Holy Spirit. 2) If you want to share this joy with Jesus, answer the call to be a witness for Him.

“Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, ‘I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children'” (Luke 10:21)

From: April 3, 2011

When the 70 returned from witnessing, the Lord was overjoyed. That’s what you feel when you share the gospel, the joy of Christ!