Complaints or Cries?

by Shannon Tillman | Sep 25, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

Years ago, a fellow staff member called me to chat.  I had been in a great mood before the phone call.  However, by the end of the conversation all of life seemed bleak.  She had one negative thing to say after another about every situation: work, health, relationships, everything.  I was drained by the end after listening to her complaining to me for over an hour.

While I fell apart with just one person’s gripe session, poor Moses had to listen to millions of negative voices rising up against their situation and against him.

Exodus 15:22-23

Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the Desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink its water because it was bitter. (That is why the place is called Marah.) 

These people faced life-threatening circumstances.  This is a serious matter.  There is no water.  It had been three days.  Children kept telling their parents, “I’m thirsty.”  Imagine their fear.  If water was not found soon, people could die.  Finally, in the distance, they saw water.  Picture their joy of coming close to what seemed like an answer.  Hope was renewed.  They rushed onward, with dry mouths and parched lips, eagerly anticipating a refreshing drink.  Yet, their hopes were dashed as they took a sip.  The water was bitter, harmful, undrinkable.  What they thought was an answer just added to the problem.

How do we respond to difficult situations?  What do we do when our hopes are crushed?  There is a choice to make.  The people decided to complain.

Exodus 15:24

So the people grumbled against Moses, saying, “What are we to drink?”

Imagine millions of people grumbling.  If my heart was disturbed by one negative phone call, how would a murmuring crowd impact Moses?  It would be easy to join in and become a part of the complaints.  Yet, in the midst of all this grumbling, he took a different approach.

Exodus 15:25a

Then Moses cried out to the Lord…

The people complained; Moses cried out to God.  Millions of people focused on their circumstances.  Moses focused on the only One who could help with the problem.  Moses called on the Lord to intervene.  God gave Moses a creative solution.

Exodus 15:25b

 …and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became fit to drink.

Millions of people stood around and complained.  One man prayed and received an answer that helped millions.  That is the power of crying out to God compared to complaining about circumstances.

Each difficult situation brings a choice.  Will I complain or cry out?  Maybe the Lord will reveal to us creative solutions that will help others as well if we choose to cry out to Him.

You Got Your Priesthood Back

by Shannon Tillman | Sep 18, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

Lance Armstrong won the Tour de France competitive bike race seven consecutive years, from 1998 to 2005.  Due to the grueling nature of this race, speculations arose that he may have used performance-enhancing drugs.  Armstrong denied the allegations for years.  An investigation, however, concluded that he had been doping throughout his biking career.  Finally, in 2013, Armstrong admitted to the drug use.  His awards were stripped from him and he was punished with a lifetime ban of involvement in professional sports.

Everything can be lost in a moment by our own sinful choices.  Even future generations can be impacted.  The nation of Israel experienced consequences from their sins.  Children from eleven out of the twelve tribes of Israel were impacted by their forefathers’ idolatry for over a thousand years.

The nation of Israel had been miraculously rescued from Egypt by the hand of God.  The Lord brought them to Mount Sinai in order to meet with them, to establish a covenant with them.

Exodus 19:5-6

Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites.”

If the nation would obey God, all of them would be a kingdom of priests.  The priesthood was for everyone.  What a privilege granted to them!  However, the honor was soon to be stripped away from the nation.  They chose to worship a golden idol shaped like a calf, instead of the Lord.

Exodus 19:19

When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain.

The covenant between the people and God was broken.  Their idolatry, their sin, their breaking of the rules led to drastic consequences.

Exodus 32:25-28

Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies. So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him. Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’”  The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. 

Only one tribe of Israel responded to Moses call of being “for the Lord”.  The Levites came to Moses and were given the gruesome task of killing idol worshippers.  They chose to do what was right in a wrong situation.  Because of their choice, they received a blessing.

Exodus 32:29

Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.”

The rest of the tribes had the priesthood stripped from them.  Only the Levites and their descendants were able to keep the position of their priesthood.

Numbers 3:5-7, 11-13

The Lord said to Moses, “Bring the tribe of Levi and present them to Aaron the priest to assist him. They are to perform duties for him and for the whole community at the tent of meeting by doing the work of the tabernacle…The Lord also said to Moses, “I have taken the Levites from among the Israelites in place of the first male offspring of every Israelite woman. The Levites are mine, for all the firstborn are mine. 

The Levites replaced the firstborn of every tribe.  What was meant for every tribe was given to the Levites instead.  The other tribes had this honor stripped from them and their children.

However, a miraculous turn around takes place after the death and resurrection of Jesus.  He became the lasting High Priest on our behalf.

Hebrews 6:20a

where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever…

Jesus from the tribe of Judah, not Levi, is now the High Priest.  What Judah lost with the golden calf was regained by Jesus at the cross.  Jesus, the First Born son, implements the regaining of the priesthood for all believers.  It is not reserved for a few but the office of priesthood is open to all.

1 Peter 2:9-10

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

We received the priesthood back!  We are now the priests of God.  Think of the honor the Lord has given you through Jesus.  You are not “just saved”; you are chosen to be in the royal priesthood.  This is beyond just being a serving priest but being bestowed with royal lineage as well!  We have been set apart to be holy.  Together, believers from all over the world, through all of history make up a new nation of people that are the special possession of God Himself!  That is a reason to give a shout of praise!  This honor of priesthood is for the privilege of serving Jesus, the one who suffered to grant us this sacred office.

Revelation 1:5-6

…and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.

I do not know what you thought when you looked at the mirror this morning, but it should be “I am a royal priest of God”.  We will be celebrating the One who gave us this honor not only on earth but heaven as well. One future song is recorded in the book of Revelation honoring what Jesus has done and what Jesus will do.

Revelation 5:9-10

And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”

Everyone is called to the priesthood.  This is not for a special few.  Your past does not disqualify you.  Your age is not a factor.  Your excuses have no place.  You are the royal priest of the Lord, serving under the High Priest of Jesus.  It is time to step up into the fullness of your holy calling.

Jesus, Our Ark of the Covenant

by Shannon Tillman | Sep 11, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

He was chosen.  He worked with wood and had other skills in creating items.  He was one man in a nation of millions of people.  He was called to the work.  No other person in history accomplished the task that he alone could do.  It was a sacred job.  He was commissioned by God to create the place of mercy.  His name was Bezalel.

Exodus 31:1-5

Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts.

The nation of Israel had been rescued from Egypt.  In the wilderness, the Lord instructed Moses to build a tabernacle, a place of worship.  Bezalel was to lead this sacred task of constructing the house of worship for the Lord.  There were numerous holy items that were made.

Exodus 31:6b-9

…make everything I have commanded you:  the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law with the atonement cover on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent— the table and its articles, the pure gold lampstand and all its accessories, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils, the basin with its stand…

The most holy object of them all would be the ark of the covenant.  This box was the meeting place between God and the people.  It would be housed in the section of the Tabernacle called the “Holy of Holies” or “The Most Holy Place”.  Once a year, the High Priest was allowed to go behind the curtain and sprinkle blood on the ark.  It was the time of forgiveness of sins for the people.  It was Bezalel who would have the great honor of making the holy box.

Exodus 37:1

Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood—two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.

Bezalel had to take a rough tree, smooth it down, and fashion it into the shape of a box.  The box was then covered with precious metal.

Exodus 37:2

 He overlaid it with pure gold, both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it. 

The Lord gave specific instructions about the lid of the ark.  It would be adorned with angelic creatures looking downward at the top of the box.

Exodus 37:6-9

He made the atonement cover of pure gold—two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. Then he made two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover. He made one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; at the two ends he made them of one piece with the cover.  The cherubim had their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the cover.

The ark was not empty but contained objects from the wilderness journey.

Hebrews 9:4

This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant.

Bezalel completed his beautiful ark without the full understanding of how it would picture one of his relatives who would be born over fifteen hundred years later.  Bezalel was from the tribe of Judah.  Jesus, also from the tribe of Judah, fulfilled the purpose of the ark.  The ark was the meeting place between God and His people.

Exodus 25:22

There, above the cover between the two cherubim that are over the ark of the covenant law, I will meet with you and give you all my commands for the Israelites.

However, the ark could only be approached with the blood sacrifice, and only once a year by the High Priest.  The Lord wanted to meet with all of His people.  The ark was the picture of what was to come.

Let us ponder the fulfillment of the ark from the inside out.  First, inside the ark was the jar of manna.  This was the miraculous bread that came from heaven for the daily provision of the people, to sustain them in the wilderness until they reached the Promised Land.  Jesus declared Himself the true Manna from heaven.

John 6:32-35

Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven.  For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 

Another object in the ark of the covenant was the ten commandments.  This was the requirements for the people.  However, everyone failed.  Each one sinned until Jesus.  He lived perfectly.  Thus, He fulfilled all of the law.

Matthew 5:17-18

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

The last object in the ark was Aaron’s staff.  There had been a dispute where Israelite leaders believed they deserved the high priesthood just as much as the descendants of Aaron.  The Lord spoke to Moses on how to handle the dispute.

Numbers 17:1-4

The Lord said to Moses, “Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his staff. On the staff of Levi write Aaron’s name, for there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral tribe. Place them in the tent of meeting in front of the ark of the covenant law, where I meet with you.  The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout…

The following morning, the Lord miraculously showed His chosen tribe for the priesthood.

Numbers 17:8

The next day Moses entered the tent and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.

This staff shows that only God’s chosen priest can serve before the Lord.  Jesus, our High Priest, is chosen to approach God.

Hebrews 6:19

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

The High Priest, the one who is the Mediator between God and man, is Jesus.  He approached heaven, not with the blood of an animal, but with His own blood.  His precious blood was shed on a wooden cross.  What was the ark fashioned out of?  It was made of wood.  Wood of the ark pictured the wood of the cross where the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of mankind was made.  He took on the sin of the world.  He was able to die for us because He was perfect, He was God in a human body.  The wooden ark was covered with gold, representing the deity of Jesus.  The God-man died for us, making atonement for our sins.

The word “ark” in Hebrew means “ark, or chest, or coffin.”  The very name of the ark gives a picture of the final placement of a dead body, a coffin.  After Jesus died on the cross, He was laid in a tomb.  Also, recall the ark of the covenant had a lid with two cherubim looking downward at an empty space between them.  Now picture the tomb of Jesus as it was discovered by the women on the third day.

Luke 24:2-4

They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 

I think that those two angels had sat at each end of the body of Jesus, watching over his body until He rose from the dead.  Then they enjoyed staring at the empty place and telling the people who came:

Luke 24:5b-7

“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” 

Jesus is the fulfillment of all the symbolism of the ark of the covenant.  A distant relative, from the tribe of Judah, made a precious box that was a telling a story of what Jesus would do on behalf of His people.  Bezalel created the ark, but he would never see it again.  For the box was placed behind the curtain in the Holy of Holies.  Only the High Priest could access this room and only one time a year.  This changed, though, when our High Priest, Jesus, who was also our sacrifice, died on the cross.

Matthew 27:50-51a

And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

The curtain which shielded the ark of the covenant from all the people, all the priest, and even the High Priest except one day a year, was miraculously torn!  Access to God through Jesus, became available to anyone who would believe.  That ark pictured Jesus and gave a picture of what He would do for us.  We can now freely approach the mercy seat of God.

Hebrews 4:14-16

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess.  For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

We can approach God boldly today because of Jesus.  In the past, the nation of Israel did not have complete access to the Lord.  That is why Bezalel toiled in his labor.  He completed the ark so that the nation of Israel could access the room of God through the High Priest once a year.  Jesus completed His work so that every person could enter in the Holy place of the Lord at any time, for any reason.  We have access to the true Ark of the Covenant, Jesus, at this very moment.  May we all take the time to enter into His holy Presence today.

Summer Reading: Lessons from Luke (part 12)

by Shannon Tillman | Aug 21, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

Prisoner’s Paradise

I am afraid to write this chapter.  I do not want to miss a single word in describing this powerful scene of condemnation and of salvation.  This is an account of three men as well as all of mankind.  Who am I to write a chapter on the death of our Lord?  Yet, write it I must for He compels me.  Please, look past my humble attempts of explaining this passage.  Instead, let the Holy Spirit fully bring an impact on the death of the Lamb.

I have never been able to handle blood and gore.  I refuse to watch action films because I cannot bear the violence.  But the scene I do anything to avoid is seeing the crucifixion scene of Christ.  I will close eyes, often even cover my ears.  It is just too much for me to handle.  I cry at the thought of it, seeing the death scene had made me weep to the point of shaking and feeling physically sick.  I have almost fainted.  That was just the few minute depictions of this historical event, held near the end of movies documenting the life of Jesus.  But when I heard the movie The Passion had been released, I did everything I could to avoid seeing commercials of the film.  Yet, I knew God was calling me to view this motion picture.  I admit to you, I resisted.  Almost everyone I knew had already seen it.  A group of friends finally convinced me to go, even though most of them had already viewed the movie.  I watched a majority of it.  When I did close my eyes, I did not close my ears.  But my heart hurt the whole time.  The one thought that continued through my mind was, “Jesus, You love me this much?”  It was a question, for I still struggle with believing the love God has for one such as me.

Do some of you question His love?  His mercy?  His grace?  Do you feel like you need to do more for His acceptance, to earn His favor?  Do you question your salvation?  Would God even save me?  Then, come with me to a place where death reigned, where questions went unanswered, where confusion was rampant, where hope was lost.  That is until Jesus spoke.

Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with Him to be executed.  When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him along with the criminals –one on His right, the other on His left…One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him:  “Aren’t you the Christ?  Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him.  “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?  We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve.  But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise.”  (Luke 23:32-33, 39-43)

What do you want to be remembered for?  What will be your legacy? These nameless men, only known for crimes, were only mentioned for Who they died with.

Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with Him to be executed. 

 Three men are forced to go up the hill.  Three men knew what awaited them.  Three men carrying their crosses.  Three men facing capital punishment.  Three men scorned by Roman soldiers and despised by Jewish countrymen.  Three men finally came to the place of death.

When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him along with the criminals –one on His right, the other on His left…

Three men were put on the crosses that day.  This form of torture perfected by the Romans is the most painful form of slow death that has ever existed.  Crucifixions took place on major roads leading into cities.  This was a gruesome reminder of what would happen to anyone who disobeyed the reigning tyrants.  Jesus was in the center.  The two nameless convicts were at His sides.  Crowds stood at their feet.  Some were screaming up at Jesus, mocking Him.

The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at Him.  They said, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”  (Luke 23:35)

The Jews were not the only group having fun at the expense of the dying Jesus.  The Romans, also, joined the cruel act.

The soldiers also came up and mocked Him.  They offered Him wine and vinegar and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”  (Luke 23:36-37)

 Then the strangest mockery of all occurred.  A fellow convict, one of the three men dying, someone suffering the same fate of Jesus, joined the scorning session.

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him:  “Aren’t you the Christ?  Save yourself and us!”

Facing death, suffering excruciating pain, hardly able to gasp in air, why would you waste breath on insulting someone suffering your same fate?  On deathbeds, you hear of speaking words of love to family and friends, sometimes of confessions of wrongdoings committed during the lifetime, of a desire to pray.  But making fun of another person?  It seems outlandish.

In truth, this convict represents many people.  All of us are under the sentence of death.  We may not know when, where, or how our capital punishment will take place, but we all know it is coming.  No one will escape it.  We all will face it.  Yet, there are some who choose to shake their fist at God during their entire lifetime, even to the point of death.  Their insults take different forms:  He does not exist; He is just a Good Force; He is part of many ways; He is removed and unconcerned; He is just a dream.  Mockery, scorning, refusing to accept the Truth.  Determined to live out our opinions and often joining in on the crowd’s viewpoints, no matter how wrong they may be.

But not everyone joins the crowd.  Some see their death sentence and realize they deserve it.  They do not insult God for they know He did not put them there.  No, it was their own choices.  But now they realize they are wrong.  And the Lord alone is right.  When you realize this, you cannot be silent.

But the other criminal rebuked him.  “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?  We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve.  But this man has done nothing wrong.”

Two men, both criminals, under the same sentence draw such drastically different conclusions.  One views the crowd and joins them.  The other views the Christ and joins Him.  I believe this convict watched how Jesus reacted.  He heard His words of love earlier when

Jesus said, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34a)

This criminal looked at the facts of his life and summed it up with

We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. 

He studied Jesus and realized

But this man has done nothing wrong.

I do not know how much this convict knew about Christ.  Had he heard about Him before he was in prison?  Had he observed the Lord before being nailed to a cross beside Him?  We do not know.  All we do know is that He knew the Name above every name and called out to Him.

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

This criminal was saying, “I know You are the Messiah.  You have a kingdom in heaven and You reign over it.  I realize I am a sinner.  I do not belong there.  Look at me.  You know what I am.  But please just remember me.  That is more mercy than I even deserve.

A hardened convict, humbled.  His heart was finally broken not when he received his punishment for the crime, but when he saw an innocent man face death with Life.  It was more than he could hope for when that Life was extended to him.

Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with Me in paradise.” 

Life for the dying.  Hope for the hopeless.  Future for the end.  Today will not be ended with excruciating pain.  Even though you are suffering now, this day will end with you in paradise.  You are with Me now in death but you will be with Me again in life.  This is the truth I am telling to you and to anyone else who will listen.  Paradise is waiting for those who will receive it!

For you.  For me.  The choice is ours.  Two men were equidistant from the cross of Christ.  Both deserved to be there.  They were guilty.  But one decided in his last moments on earth to reach out for eternity.  Another held on to the temporal even in his dying moments.  Jesus listened to them both.  One hurled insults.  The Lord never responded.  He knew the convict would be judged.  The other one cried out for mercy.  Jesus immediately answered with the promise of paradise.  Neither deserved grace.  But the one who asked for it received it.

The same is true today.  We just receive paradise by believing in the One who rules over it.  We realize that we do not deserve it, far from it.  We have seen the consequences of our poor choices.  We feel the weight of our death penalty.  But we can choose to ask for mercy.  Jesus will give it.  You do not have to earn it.  Realize the convict was never able to do anything good for God.  He was on a cross when He confessed Jesus as Lord.  The criminal died not too long after that.  He never preached a sermon, helped the homeless, gave money to the church, said a kind word to family or friends.  Yet, he would be in paradise.  Do you regret your life?  Do you look at your past and realize that there is nothing good?  Do you think that you do not deserve to go to heaven?  You are right.  If it was based on our own merits, none of us have a chance.  But it has nothing to do with you.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God–not by works, so that no one can boast.  (Ephesians 2:8-9)

No one can boast.  Not a pastor.  Not a missionary.  Not a giver.  Not a criminal hanging on a cross.  Each of us is saved by grace, not merit.  It is a gift, not a wage.  Nothing we deserve, yet everything God wants to lavish on us.  Stop striving.  Accept his gift.  Jesus loves to pardon the prisoners and release them into paradise.  That is the wonderful truth!

One by One

One by one these one on one encounters mean nothing if one more change does not transpire.  Are you different?  Do you love the Lord all the more because of what you have learned from the letter of Luke?  Have you drawn closer to Him?  Are you in awe of His grace?  Has His mercy floored you?  If not, than this is just been a book you can check off your list.  Please feel free to throw away for my words are worthless.  Who cares what this crazy person thinks?  But I hope that the verses from Luke have inspired you to discover more of the Word yourself.  Let the Spirit guide you into gleaning new insights from the passages.

Some of you have heard the same Bible stories over and over again.  You try not to yawn when the minister is preaching.  You go ahead and prepare your own three-point sermon:  lunch, nap, and then golf.  But you are missing out.  Read the words for yourself.  Hear what God is speaking to you.  He may take you in a wholly (or should I say holy) different direction than the minister is preaching and teach you something new, amazing, refreshing.  Take time to listen.

There are others of you who have never known that you could read the Bible daily for yourself.  It was not until I was in college that I understood what a Bible study was.  I believed only preachers were called to read the Word of God on a daily basis.  I thought the rest of us only had to take it in on Sundays when a preacher would spoon-feed us.  Not true!  The enemy loves this lie.  He knows that the most powerful force at your fingertips is the Word of God.  For the Word keeps us on the path of God, the one thing the enemy hates.  Through the Word we can discern the will of God, which is the last thing the enemy wants us to know.  Speaking the Word can defeat the enemy; he hates to lose a battle since he has already lost the war.  (You can shout Amen to that!)

Begin today.  Open the Bible.  Pray.  Ask God to teach you something.  Read a chapter.  Listen to the Spirit speak.  Write down what He tells you.  Ask for help to be more like Christ.  Obey whatever He shares with you.  The Bible was given just for you.  This present has eternal power!  But you must open this letter in order to receive it.  You can learn your own life lessons from the Word.

Time with God needs to interrupt your day every day.  Just like the encounters we studied in Luke, you have the opportunity to approach Jesus with your cares, concerns, needs, joys, sins, and triumphs.  Speak to Him and allow the Lord to speak to you.  You are not going to inconvenience Him.   He is waiting for you.

From the stories in Luke, we have witnessed how each person was eternally changed by meeting with the Savior.  Maybe a new chapter will be written in heaven.  It is about another one-on-one encounter.  But this time, it is about Jesus meeting with you.  What an exciting story that will be!  Give Him glory.  Go ahead, right now, shout “Glory.  Praise the Lord.  Halleluiah…..”  You keep going.  He deserves it.  This is the beginning of your one-on-one.  Enjoy His Presence!

Summer Reading: Lessons from Luke (part 11)

by Shannon Tillman | Aug 14, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

Blind Beggar

When I was a young child, I would pretend to be blind.  I had seen a movie where one of my favorite actresses, Audrey Hepburn, played the part of a blind woman.  I was amazed at how real she acted out her drama role.  I always wanted to be more like Audrey, so I would practice.  One day I was getting into the back seat of our car when my mom said, “Shannon, stop pretending you are blind.”  I had never told anyone that I had been practicing the performance of a blind person. With my mom recognizing what I was doing, I figured I must have been doing a good job at impersonating a blind person.  Mothers, they never understand their artistic children.  (Mom, I am just kidding.  Please still make me cookies!)

But to play the part of a blind person, compared to living in the darkness is like comparing the strength of a marshmallow to a mountain.  For even as a kid, I understood that blind people have an amazing strength to survive, to thrive, and to impact others’ lives.  I remember two men who lived down the street from me.  These brothers were both born blind.  I would watch them walk through the neighborhood with their canes.  They worked, enjoyed many friends, and were nice to a shy girl like me.  I was amazed at how I never heard them complain.  Their smiles seemed more genuine than other adults who lived in my neighborhood.  But as kind as they were, I must admit, I was somewhat frightened of their blindness.  I did not understand why some people were born that way while others like me were not.  It made me uncomfortable, to the point of being overly cautious with anything I might say.  I would even avoid them.  But not my mom.  She spoke and interacted with them just like any other neighbor.  Not only that, she would give them direct eye contact.  It did not matter that they could not see if she was giving them attention or not, she would be fully engaged in the conversation.

Another Person 2,000 years ago was fully engaged in a conversation with the blind.  His discussion ended with a miracle!

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.  When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening.  They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”  He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to Him.  When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want Me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.”  Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God.  When all the people saw it, they also praised God.  (Luke 18: 35-43)

This is more excitement than any Audrey Hepburn movie could provide.  Let’s set this amazing scene.  A large crowd is walking with Jesus into the city of Jericho.  A man is sitting by the roadside begging.  Due to his blindness, this would have been the only “profession” he would be able to do.  He probably sat in this same place day after day, hoping for pity of those who went on by.

I wonder how many we saw even today who are spiritually blind, sitting beside the roadside, hoping for a few bucks for a meal.  We have become so hardened to this sight, walking by as if the people were not there, pretending we cannot see them.  Not looking into their desperate faces.  Judging the reasons of why we think they are there and why they stay in that situation.  Giving our opinions of how they could drastically turn their lives around.  We blame them without knowing their stories.  We accuse them as if we are the judges.  Sometimes we make fun of them, mocking their pain.  And I wonder are we the spiritually blind who just happen to have enough to be able to walk by the spiritual blind that do not have anything?  Jesus, open our eyes to see the needs of the people around us.  Show us the ones to meet.  We cannot help everyone, but we can help the ones You call us to.  We desire to obey.

A beggar’s days blend together.  Each day being so much like the next.  He probably heard the same sounds, groups of people traveling in and out of the city.  Donkeys, sheep, birds added their share of noise.  But this day, this blind man was amazed when he heard a commotion going on.

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.  When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening.  They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”  (Luke 18:18:35-37)

He heard the crowd.  It piqued his curiosity.  So he just called out to anyone who would answer, “What is going on?”  The answer he received was about to change his life.  When he heard that Jesus was passing by, he could not be silent!

He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  (Luke 18:38)

Imagine a blind man on the side of a large crowd yelling.  He is screaming at the top of his lungs.  It is like a Superbowl yell at a family reunion.  Can you just see all the people with widened eyes looking at him?  They all thought he was acting inappropriately and they, of course, had something to say about that.

Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet…  (Luke 18:39a)

Those who are going in front of everyone, guiding the way, the leaders of this mob, did not like this blind guy taking attention from “their deal”.  They were trying to bring Jesus into the city of Jericho in style and this hillbilly is ruining their image.  It would be like picking up the President of the airport in a Pinto.  This is embarrassing.  This man is ruining our parade.  The weather is perfect.  The crowd is great.  We thought we would look great on the 6:00 p.m. news.  And now this blind beggar is getting all the attention.  Be quiet!

…but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”  (Luke 18:39b)

I believe this man had the kind of yell that could make glass shatter.  Thankfully, glass windows had not been invented yet or many people may have gotten injured that day.  For here he is, in the middle of a large, boisterous, noisy crowd and yet his yell his heard above the ruckus.  But how he yelled is not as impressive as what he yelled.  “Son of David”, that is a title reserved for the Messiah alone.  The Jews knew that their Savior would be of the lineage of David.  This blind man was preaching a sermon in one sentence.  Would it not be nice if ministers today could do this from time to time?  But that truly would be a miracle.  But back to the blind man.  In that short sentence, he was saying, “Jesus, I believe that you are the Messiah, sent from God, to redeem your people.  I know you have a plan for the entire nation and that it is glorious.  But would you please do something amazing in my individual life.  I know that it would be only out of your mercy, for I do not deserve anything from You.  But I ask, my Savior, that You show kindness to even someone like me.”

This man had a greater understanding of Who Jesus was than some of them who had followed His ministry for three years.  How did he know all this about Christ?  He used what he had available, his ears.  He had listened to what others had said about Jesus.  When he had asked what was going on and they told him that Jesus was passing by, he did not have to ask, “Who is Jesus of Nazareth?”  He already knew.  He had heard about him.  Maybe people had told him stories as they walked into the city about the miracles Jesus had performed.  Or possibly he had friends of family who had listened to Jesus speak.  We do not know how he knew about Jesus; we just know that he did.  He not only knew about him, he responded to him.  He used something else he had, his voice to yell above the crowd.

Some of you may feel that you cannot come to Christ for you do not have it “all together”.  You think God will only accept you if you are good, or called to be a pastor, or are extremely talented.  Maybe you even tell yourself, I will come to Christ when my life is different.  I know a man who will not come to church until he has stopped drinking for an extended period of time.  I told him that God does not call you to change, but for you to come, so that He can make a change in you.  But he told me, one day I will have it together.  That was over four years ago.  He still has not set foot in church.  This blind man did not have anything together.  He was handicapped, strike one.  Blindness was considered by the so-called religious to be a curse of God, strike two.  He was a beggar on the streets, strike three.  By all standards physically, religiously, and socially this man was out of the game.  But just like the kid who cannot play ball but still wants to be in the game, he yells, “Coach put me in!  I’m ready to play.  I’ve learned a lot on the sidelines of the Jericho road.  Just give me a chance.”  The Coach heard.

Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to Him.  (Luke 18:40a) 

Just like a good coach.  Everyone obeys his orders.  But I like the first two words the best:  “Jesus stopped…” Hundreds of others are surrounding Him and He stops for one man, one outcast.  Do you feel like you have struck out in life?  Does it all seem hopeless?  You think that how it is now, is how it will always be.  Let me say something, “Jesus stopped” and He will do it again.  He is ready to intervene.  He is not just paying attention to all those around Him whom seem to have it all together.  His ears were attuned to the one who would acknowledge the need for Him.  He is willing to do the same today.  Just call out to him.  Draw near to him.  The blind man had to come to Jesus first before he could hear the question of God.

When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want Me to do for you?”  (Luke 18:41)

Does this seem a little odd to you?  Can you imagine going to the greatest eye surgeon in the world and he has to ask you where your eyes are?  Would that make you nervous?  Why does Jesus ask the man what he wants Him to do?  Is it not obvious that a blind man wants to see? Why the question?  Because he had already received his first request.  Remember, he had asked, “Son of David, have mercy on me.”  Done.  Jesus had done that.  It is evident by the fact that He stopped and had the man brought to him.  This is a sign of mercy.  God Himself allowing us to approach Him.

Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.  (Hebrews 4:16)

Miracle one accomplished.  It was time for miracle two.

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied. (Luke 18:41b)

Simple.  To the point.  This is my desire.  I am coming to You for You are the only One who can meet this need.  You are the Lord.  I acknowledge You for Who You are.  You created me like this.  I am not blaming anything of my past on You.  I am just asking for a new future because of You.

Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.”  Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God.  When all the people saw it, they also praised God.  (Luke 18:42-43)

Receive your sight…Receive.  It was a gift.  It had followed the greatest gift of all.  Mercy.  The man at that time did not know how much that gift would cost Jesus.  But for now, he would praise Him with the same voice he had used to cry out to Him.  The same legs that had carried him to the roadside of Jericho were now walking behind the pathway of Jesus.  The ears that had heard of Jesus of Nazareth were now listening to the Man Himself.  This time he was not a bystander in the crowd, asking strangers what was going on.  Now, he was a part of the group in such a way that they were glorifying God by the miracle Jesus had done in his life.  For he was not only boisterous about his need, he was outlandishly joyful in sharing his miracle.  Others may have lost their spiritual blindness of God because he would not stay silent.

Money Matters

I love the Charles Dickens’ tale, The Christmas Carol.  Bear with me as I recount the grisly yet then glorious tale.  Ebenezer Scrooge is a wealthy man who is merciless to all people.  He is the wealthiest man in the district, yet so miserly, always wanting more.  The thought of Christmas makes him angry, seeing it as a day that he was being pick-pocketed by employees who would get full pay without working.  That night, Christmas Eve, Scrooge returns home.  The spirit of his former, now deceased, business partner, Jacob Marley that informs Scrooge that three spirits will visit him, awakens him. These three beings, the ghost of Christmas past, the ghost of Christmas present, the ghost of Christmas future, show him how cruel, twisted, and meaningless life has become and will be due to the pursuit of money.  He was despised by many and had no true friends.  When he awoke on Christmas morning, he decides that his life would be different.  He realized that loving people, not money, was the key to eternal living.  Scrooge radically changed his ways and found the joy that had eluded him all his years.

While The Christmas Carol was only a fictional book, the character Scrooge seems all too real.  He is a timeless character, representing every age.  For the love of money, willing to obtain it at any cost, is not a recent phenomenon.  In fact, a Scrooge was infamous in the town of Jericho.

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.  A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.  He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd.  So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately.  I must stay at your house today.”  So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner’”.  But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord!  Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.  For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”  (Luke 19:1-10)

For those of you who now have the song “Zacchaeus was a wee little man, a wee little man was he…” going through your head, I am sorry.  For those of you who did not have that song in your head until I began writing the lyrics, I am doubly sorry.  But either way, I want to warn you.  We have been hearing this story since preschool.  This was one of the few ones allowed since we just couldn’t bring up that David and Bathsheba incident in grade school.  Imagine if that story was a song!  But the story of Zacchaeus is told time and time again as we move our way up the ranks of Sunday School.  I do not want the familiarity of this story to take away from the radical nature of it.  This is an amazing story of grace, of transformation, of Scrooge opening the window on Christmas day and realizing he could begin anew.

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.  A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.   (Luke 19:1-2)

Let’s stop right here.  Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.  What is wrong with that?  I mean, we all dislike the IRS but that does not mean they are criminals.  At least in theory.  But in that day and age, tax collectors were despised.  These Jewish men had sold out to the Roman government.  Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary puts it this way:

As a class, the tax collectors were despised by their fellow Jews.  The were classified generally as “sinners” (Matt.9:10-11;Mark 2:15), probably because they were allowed to gather more than the government required and then to pocket the excess amount. John the Baptist addressed this when he urged tax collectors to gather no more money than they should (Luke 3:12-13).  But even further, the tax collectors were hated because their fellow countrymen viewed them as mercenaries who worked for a foreign oppressor of the Jewish people.

Tax collectors were the group that your mama warned you about hanging around.  They were rejected from civil society.  Men like Zacchaeus would often not be allowed in the temple or synagogues and people on the streets would avoid them.  They were hated by their Jewish countrymen yet not accepted by the reigning Romans who they worked for.  They were displaced from every aspect of life.

The outcast finds himself again not being a part of the group when he realizes that a throng of people was walking into the city with Jesus.

He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd.  (Luke 19:3)

 I am of average height.  I always wanted to be tall.  But often people are looking down when they talk to me.  I hate that.  Anyway, that is my own issue.  I am working through it.  But I do have one advantage due to my stature.  Often in crowds, tall people, even strangers, feel sorry for me and let me stand in front of them.  Or if standing in front of them really will not make a difference, they keep me posted on what is going on, since I cannot see.  I must wonder if the reason Zacchaeus could not see Jesus was not as much due to the fact that there was so many people that he could not move through the crowd but more so that nobody was willing to give even an inch to the hated tax collector.  No one would tell him what was going on.  Everyone was making it known that he was not accepted, he would not be helped, and he needed to leave.  In their attempt to “be religious” by seeing Jesus, they missed out on everything Jesus stood for.

At one of my former jobs, I worked with a lesbian.  It took a long time for her to admit it to me, even though I had suspected for a while.  She was afraid to tell me because she knew I was a Christian.  She thought that in my attempt to “be religious”, I would hate and condemn her, push her out of the crowd.  When she finally had the courage to share the truth to me, I reaffirmed my friendship with her.  I told her that I believed that her lifestyle was wrong.  I also reminded her that I would continue to share God’s love and truth with her as I did before she confessed.  I would not change towards her.  I would continue to pray for her.  And she would still have to listen to my crazy stories that I torture all people with.

What breaks my heart is that somehow people feel like the church is about condemnation.  We are the group that does not allow outsiders in.  How did this ever come about?  Let me remind you, you are a sinner.  I am a sinner.  Just because our sins are different from the neighbor next door does not make me better or worse.  Christ alone was sinless.  For some amazing reason, He decided to pour out His mercy on the likes of you and me.  Let me tell you that we are wretches.  But He decided to give us his garment of righteousness.  It has nothing to do with anything you or I have done.  Nothing.  We are lower than the slime off a snail.  In fact, we would have to reach up to obtain that.  Being so low in our sinful state, how can we possibly look down on anyone else?  God did not reach down into the pit to draw us out so we can yell down to everyone else left behind and tell them they deserve to be there, or ignore their plight which was once ours.  No, we are to reach down through the power of the Spirit and offer a hand to bring others out.  That hand that reaches up will be grimy with sin, some sins you may not have even known existed.  Do not retract your hand.  Do not use the hand that is supposed to help them out and turn it into a finger pointing and condemning.  If you are doing this to any person or group, confess it now.  Ask the Lord to give you His love for the modern day tax collectors.  For they need to see Jesus in you.  Zacchaeus was so desperate, he ran.

So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.  (Luke 19:4)

Aren’t you glad that he did not just run away?  He could have said it was too hard and just left.  The tax collector could have thought that if this is how the religious crowd is, Jesus must be like this, too, rejecting us sinners.  Or maybe Zacchaeus thought, if I come to Jesus, I do not want to turn into these kinds of religious people, so I will just come to God in my own way.  But Zacchaeus did not do any of this.  He ran ahead of the crowd.  He went past where they were.  He knew they were headed his way so he climbed a tree, so they could not displace him from the crowd again.  It would be embarrassing, a grown man climbing trees.  Others may point and laugh.  He did not care.  All he knew was that Jesus was coming his way.

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately.  I must stay at your house today.”   (Luke 19:5)

You have heard “X marks the spot” on pirate maps.  I feel like Jesus was on a divine hunt for the treasure of a soul.  A big tree, holding a man was the sign that God was getting ready to show mercy.  In a short while, another tree holding the Son of Man would be a sign to the world that God was ready to show mercy.  But for now, it was time to extend a hand down in the pit holding Zacchaeus and demand for him to come out.  Jesus does not have to beg and plead, for He knew God’s will must be carried out in this man’s life today.  And I love the fact that He called Zacchaeus by name.  There had been no formal introductions.  We have no indication that the wee little man had been around Jesus, which is why he wanted to see what he looked like.  The fact that Jesus called him by name is significant.  For the Shepherd had come for his lost sheep.

…the sheep listen to His voice.  He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out.  (John 10:3b)

And the wee little sheep Zacchaeus hurriedly answered the call.

 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.  (Luke 19:6)

Need I remind you that a crowd is surrounding Jesus?  A huge multitude is hanging on His every word.  I wonder when they saw Jesus stop and look up at Zacchaeus, they thought He was going to condemn this evil sinner.  Did they look at one another and smile saying, “Finally, that tax collector will get what he deserves?  Who does he think he is coming to a religious gathering?”  But their smiles quickly faded when Jesus demanded that of all the houses in Jericho, he would dine at the dreaded sinner’s house.  He bypassed the religious leaders, the devoted Jews, the good people, the political leaders, everyone and went to the most hated man’s house in town.  Unbelievable!  They had some words to say about that.

All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner’”.  (Luke 19:7)

Amazing how quickly a crowd can turn.  This group was just singing the praise of Jesus after He had healed the blind beggar.  As long as He was doing what they liked, they were all for Him.  But as soon as He challenges their comfort zone, their social order, their hierarchy on who is on top and who is on bottom, which is when their song quickly change tunes.

Men claiming to be the Messiah do not go to eat with sinners.  Being around the unclean makes you unclean.  What kind of religious man is this?

Jesus was not religious at all.  Religion had become a matter of rules, regulations, routine, but no longer relationship.  Jesus was in the adopting business.  He saw an orphan that needed a Father, needed brothers and sisters, needed love and mercy.  He saw a child in crisis.

Often we hear stories of people who have been in traumatic situations.  You never hear them say, “I was so scared that I would never see my big screen T.V. ever again.  I just wept at the thought that I might not be able to tell my car how much I love her.”  We realize after everything material is gone, that it never mattered in the first place.  Family, friends, that is what our lives are truly defined by.  That alone is what our hearts crave and need.

 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord!  Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”  (Luke 19:8)

 Notice the first two words, “But Zacchaeus…” this is in comparison to the crowd that muttered about the restaurant Jesus chose for the evening.  The religious group condemned, while the sinner changed.  The religious group grumbled, while the sinner gave.  The religious group judged others, the sinner judged only himself.  Because of this, only one man’s household heard these words of Jesus.

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.  (Luke 19:9)

That very day salvation came to the house, the Name of that salvation is Jesus.  Not only did he reinstate a lost Zacchaeus spiritually but emotionally as well.  Look at the tenderness as the Lord called him “a son of Abraham”.  For years this man had been treated as a traitor to the Jews, no longer worthy of being a part of their people.  Yet, God never disinherited Zacchaeus.  Jesus is letting him know that he is accepted, he belongs, he is one of God’s own, and he is forever adopted as a child of God.

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.  (Luke 19:10)

Do you feel lost, rejected, scorned?  Do you see yourself as an outsider, not belonging anywhere?  There is hope.  Look up.  Do you see it?  There is a tree on a hillside called Calvary.  It was there where the Son of Man lost His life.  He, too, was rejected and scorned because the religious leaders considered Him an outsider that did not belong in their group.  He knew that we belonged there on that tree.  Our sins deserved that punishment.  But you see, God is one who calls people by name and requests that they come down from the tree for He is willing to take their place.  And not only did He take our place, but He desires to come and fellowship with us, to come to our house, to come right where we are.  Zacchaeus did not have time to ready his house, make everything look all right, ensure that everyone was dressed appropriately, and that no one made the mistake of saying the wrong thing.  No, he just allowed Jesus to meet him how he was.  But you can never stay the same when you are around Jesus.  You, too, will be crying out, “If there is anyone I have wronged, in Your Name, I will do my best to restore the relationship.  For now that I am in right relationship with You, Lord, I want to be in right relationship with everyone else.  For you are my Father, I belong, and these are my brothers and sisters that I desire to show your love to each one.”  Son or Daughter of Abraham, listen.  Jesus is calling your name.  Obey whatever He says.  He will bring salvation to your home.

Summer Reading: Lessons from Luke (part 10)

by Shannon Tillman | Aug 7, 2025 | Bible Study, Theology, Thoughts

Smiling Samaritan

Let me tell you about one of the worst Thanksgiving holidays I ever had.  First of all, I drove 15 straight hours to Texas at night after working a full day.  The girl who went with me, who was supposed to help drive, decided on the trip that she was just too tired.  I was irritated.  I finally arrived at my destination, extremely worn out, for at this point I had not slept for over 32 hours.  When I reached the guy’s house that I was going to spend part of the holiday with, I found out that he had told his family we would spend the holidays with them.  That means I would have to get in the car with him, while he drove another 3 hours.  But before we left, I needed to iron my outfit.  He had one of those ironing boards that went over the door.  In my deliriously tired state, I bumped it while I was stretching my shirt over the board, knocked the iron over.  The side of the iron landed squarely in the middle of my left hand.  I still beared the scar almost a decade later.  Needless to say, I was in pain.  I screamed.  The pain did not go away for weeks.  Every time I moved my hand, I winced.  So, with a bandaged hand, no sleep, we headed out on our 3-hour drive.  During the weekend, I found out this guy was dating another girl and had lied to her about my visit.  That sets up for a marvelous holiday.  So, my long drive home was filled with thoughts that are not the kind to write about.  I guess you could say that thanksgiving was not on my mind.

I can look back now and laugh.  Sometimes it’s even fun to share my story when people notice the small scar on my hand.  Some of you can share stories of how things did not turn out the way you planned.  You might look back and laugh.  Or, the more painful stories may still bring the sting of tears to your eyes.  But how did you respond?  Did you complain?  Did you blame?  There were some men in the Bible who had every reason to be bitter.  Their stories were hard.  I was angry about an iron that burned one part of my hand.  These men had their whole bodies wracked with the disease of leprosy.  Let’s look at their story.

Now on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.  As He was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met Him.  They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When He saw them, He said, “go show yourselves to the priests.”  And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.  He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him-and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed?  Where is the other nine?  Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then He said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”  (Luke 17:11-19)

Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem.  He knew His days on earth were growing short.  He was traveling the distance to die.  Think of the burden He was carrying.  Jesus knows what it is like to face a dark future.  Some of you may feel that way.  You see circumstances looming before you.  What do you do?  Look at the amazing thing Jesus did.  He continued to meet the needs of those around Him.

Now on His way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee.  As He was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met Him.  They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When He saw them, He said, “go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

Coming in on His final days, He still was concerned about others.  He showed them love, care, healing.  He did not, however, meet every problem of the people.  He did not go out of His way to find people to heal.  But when the needs of the people came to Him, He responded.  This is a great example for us during difficult times.  During overwhelming times, if an obvious opportunity presents itself to minister to someone else, take it.  God made it apparent to you for a reason.  Do not worry about going out of your way trying to make a difference everyone’s lives.  That would only enable you to avoid dealing with your own issues.  But I think sometimes, God brings others to us, so by helping them, our hearts are encouraged.

For Jesus, what could be more obvious than ten men yelling at Him?  That had to feel like a Superbowl party.  I have never understood the need to yell at the television during football games.  My dad could sit and watch a game by himself and you could hear him yelling at referees, players, and coaches throughout the house.  For all those who yell at the screen, may I remind you, they cannot hear you!  If you want the slim possibility that they may hear your “marvelous” advice that you alone can give, since after all their training they can not figure it out, buy a ticket to the game!

Sorry, that was a crazy tangent.  But imagine, like at a football party, everyone yelling at you.  Jesus hears their chant; He could not have missed it even if He had tried!  What were they screaming?

They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

Have pity on us.  Pity is probably something they had not received in a long time.  There was no pity given to those with leprosy.  They were cast out from society.  Lepers were considered physically unclean so were unable to be around others.  This is similar the woman we studied earlier who had been bleeding for twelve years.  Not only were they isolated socially, they were not allowed to take part in worship.  Unable to enter the temple, they felt far from God, for He was the one who had made the law to place lepers outside the city.  Look with me at Numbers 5:1-4

The Lord said to Moses, “Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone who has an infectious skin disease…Send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp where I dwell among them.”  The Israelites did this; they sent them outside the camp.  They did just as the Lord had instructed Moses. 

Outside the camp.  Isolated.  Alone.  Cast out.  By the law of God?  How can this be?  Easy.  God is a doctor.  He knew that the skin disease of leprosy is contagious.  To protect the people who were not infected, those with the disease had to be isolated to keep it from becoming an epidemic.  But in that primitive medicinal culture, it was easier to issue the command without having discussing things like skin cells.  For they would ask, “What is a cell?”  But I do want to point out the heart of God.  He sends them outside the camp, but they are never considered outside his provision or care.  They, too, received the manna, the quail, and the water.  He protected them from invaders.  He still led their way in the wilderness.  They were outside the camp but they were never outside His heart.

Do you feel like an outsider?  Do you always feel like you are watching others fit in while you seem to never be able to connect?  Does everyone else seem to have it all together while you look around and cannot even begin to collect the mess?  Do others seem to always be in front, having things go their way, while you go from struggle to struggle?  My dear brother or sister, He knows.  He cares.  His eyes are still on you.  He can see you.  Just because you are on the outside with everyone else, does not mean you are beyond His reach.  But sometimes, you just need to ask for help

They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When He saw them, He said, “go show yourselves to the priests.”  And as they went, they were cleansed.

They stood at a distance.  They respected the cultural norms of the day.  They did not invade His boundaries.  But look at what Jesus did.  He came close.  He would not have been able to see their leprosy from far away.  But it states that, “When He saw them”, so God came close to them.  He did not stay at a distance.  Don’t you just love that about God?  Isn’t that what Jesus did at Bethlehem?  God wanted to be close to us.  So, He came in the flesh as a baby born to Mary in a stable, Immanuel, God with us.  Look at all He went through just to be near to you and me.  Shout, “Halleluiah”!  Come on, I know you want to!

Immanuel, the God who came close responded to the men in regards to the law, the one that they obeyed by staying outside the camp.  The rule they respected by standing at a distance from Jesus.  The law they understood.  So, Jesus responds to them in accordance to what they were familiar with but He adds a new twist.   He told them to go to the priests.  But let’s look at what we find in Leviticus 14:1-4

The Lord said to Moses, “These are the regulations for the diseased person at the time of his ceremonial cleansing, when he is brought to the priest:  The priest is to go outside the camp and examine him.”

The priest was to come outside the camp to examine the lepers to see if they were healed.  Why would Jesus skip this step and send them to go to the priest?  He did not skip a step.  For He is the High Priest, and He had examined them outside the camp, they were clean.  He already had pronounced it.

When He saw them, He said, “go show yourselves to the priests.”  And as they went, they were cleansed.

On their way, they realized they were healed.  They had to take steps of faith first before their skin was restored.  This was not an immediate restoration.  Jesus had them walk a ways before they could see the miracle.  This is unlike his other miracles where they could see the results right away.  Why did He do that?  Maybe to show what was in their heart.

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.  He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him-and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed?  Where are the other nine?  Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then He said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”  (Luke 17:11-19)

Only one had in his heart thanksgiving.  Only one knew the reason for his wholeness.  Only one made the journey back.

I cried the other day for I realized my heart is like the nine instead of the one.  What made it so apparent?  I heard of a lady who has the heart of this thankful Samaritan.  She has a rare form of cancer.  The prognosis is not good.  They are doing experimental treatments.  This lady is a young mom, with two young children.  She realizes that she may not see them grow up, be married, have children.  But she said that she is thankful for the time she has.  And she trusts the will of God.  I heard about this amazing Christian woman not long after I complained to a friend about some hardships at work.  I wanted the problems solved and gone.  Yes, I am like the nine.  I want to be like the one.

What did the one do?

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice.  He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him-and he was a Samaritan.

He walked back alone.  His friends went on.  The same loud voice that cried out for Jesus to have pity on him, was now wildly praising God.  He wanted everyone to hear what the Lord had done for him.  Imagine the looks he got on the road.  Some may have thought he had lost his mind.  Here was a grown man shouting praises to God as he walked.  Then, when he saw Jesus, he threw himself at His feet.  It was almost like a baseball slide!  He just could not wait to say thank you to Jesus.

Is that convicting or what?  How often does God do something absolutely amazing for us and we forget to say “thanks”.  Or we mumble a quick “thank you, Lord.”  Or we remember months later, and say, “I don’t think I ever showed you any gratitude.”  This man let everyone know what God had done and he was not satisfied until he came to the feet of Jesus to say thank you.  It was not enough for him to celebrate with his nine buddies that they were healed.  No, he went straight to the Source.

He went alone in more ways than one, for he was a Samaritan.  The Jews hated Samaritans.  They were considered half-breeds.  Jews would walk miles out of their way just so they would not pass through the region of Samaria.  This city was the capital of the northern kingdom of Israel when it defected from the southern part of Judah and Benjamin.  The city fell to Assyria in 721 B.C.  Many of the citizens were deported to other place such as Babylonia and Assyria.  The deported Israelites were replaced with foreign colonists, who intermarried with the Israelites.  So there were considered by the Jews to be a “mixed race”.  Through the generations, the Samaritans mixed their worship of the God of Israel with pagan gods.  (Isn’t it amazing what you learn when you read the Bible dictionary?)  So, needless to say the Jews felt superior to the Samaritans, and treated them as lower class.

If anyone in that group that day had a reason to not come back, it would have been the Samaritan.  But he did come back.  For he was not looking at the past, he was looking at the future.  He realized that because of Jesus he now has hope.  That is what thanksgiving is about.  It is showing gratitude for what God has done because it has given us hope for the future.

God has done so much for us.  Have you ever heard the song “Count your blessings”?  That is my mom’s favorite hymn.  Sometimes, when I am being my negative self, she starts singing that song.  That really annoys me.  I know she is right yet I have a strange feeling to stifle her.  For sadly, I get so used to complaining that thanksgiving seems foreign to me.  Maybe that is how the nine were.  That is why only the foreigner was thankful.

Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed?  Where are the other nine?  Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”

No one else but one was found to give praise to God.  Ten received the favor of God.  But God only received favor from one.  When God’s eyes sweep the earth how many thankful, praising hearts does He find?  I am sure He sees many complainers.  His eye also watches those who are crying out for help.  But how many times does he lay eyes on those who are praising, thanking Him?  Forgive me, Lord.  You are convicting me as I am writing this.  I am so sorry that I do not throw myself at your feet to thank You for all the marvelous things You have done for me.  You have been faithful; I have been faithless.  Change me, Lord.  Remove the leprosy of complaining and give me the garment of praise!  For I desire to hear your words of favor.

Then He said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”  (Luke 17:11-19)

Your faith has made you well?  I thought he was already healed.  He was healed physically.  But by coming back to Jesus, he received true wholeness.  His soul found what he was looking for.  He was at the feet of Jesus.  He was kneeling down.  He had recognized that Jesus was greater than himself.  At the feet of God, his heart was made well.  He could rise and go as a new person.  His skin was cleansed, but so was his heart.  The other nine had pretty skin, the lotion industry may have them do commercials, but the one had a beautiful heart.  Others may compliment the skin.  But Jesus commended his heart.  In an age of facials, masks, plastic surgery and extreme makeovers, what looks better on you:  the skin or the heart?  If you don’t know for sure, wait until God answers your prayer.  Is your first reaction to go show off to others, or are you throwing yourself down at the feet of your Lord?

Rich Ruler

Finally, a title I did not have to come up with myself.  This one was printed in the heading above the verses for me.  That is good, because I did not know what to do with this section.  It is such a distressing story.  Everything in me wanted to skip it, to go on to ones with happy endings.  I like the Jesus encounters where the people’s lives are changed for the better just because of Him.  But I felt like we needed to look at the other side.  Each one of us has experienced this disappointment of having shared the truth of Christ with people but they have turned away, rejecting Jesus.  We have watched as they have chosen the world over heaven.  This chapter is for those of us who have experienced this heartbreak.  I want you to know Jesus understands how it feels.  This chapter, too, is for those who are still undecided, searching, wandering about this Jesus fellow.  You, too, have a choice to make.  He won’t force any decision on you.  He is a gentleman.  It is apparent in these verses.

A certain ruler asked Him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?”  Jesus answered.  “No one is good-except God alone.  You know the commandments; ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.” “All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said. When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “You still lack one thing.  Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.  Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!  Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”  (Luke 18:18-26).

My heart hurts whenever I read these verses.  This rich ruler was so close to the Ruler of heaven and earth and yet he missed him.  His worldly riches blinded him to the reality of eternal life.  He chose the here and now.  It is easier to do that.  All of us struggle with it.  But sometimes, when we are all alone and everything is quiet, we begin to question, what about when life is over?

A certain ruler asked Him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”  (Luke 18:18)

He had obviously pondered this question in his mind.  He thought about the future.  He realized that at some point his life would be over and he wanted to make sure that he ended up in heaven.  But what is amazing to me is that he even thought to ask the question for he was a Jew, part of the people of God.  In the ruler’s education, he would have had to read about Moses who had led the people out of Egypt.  It was Moses who had received the commandments and shared them with the people.  These showed what God required of them.  When they disobeyed the laws, there were detailed instructions that discussed how to sacrifice an animal to cover their sins.  This would allow the relationship with God to be restored.  So to believe God, follow His commands, observe the sacrifices; that were the traditional way of life for a Jew.  Everyone knew that this led to eternal life.  But somewhere deep inside this man, he realized there was more.  Something was missing out of the equation.  He knew.  He obeyed.  Yet, there had to be a different way.  He was right.  The Way was standing right in front of him.  And the Truth was going to be unleashed.

A certain ruler asked Him, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life.” “Why do you call me good?”  Jesus answered.  “No one is good-except God alone.”  (Luke 18: 18-19)

Wait a moment.  Jesus is God.  Why did He say that?  He was going to the heart of the ruler.  This rich man only saw Jesus as a good teacher, not as God.  The young man just thought he was getting advice from a smart guy.  Jesus never claimed to be a smart guy.  He called Himself equal with God.  You could not choose His title for Him.  You either believed Him or not.  This man was trying to play both sides.

We see the same thing today.  People call Jesus a “good man” or a “great prophet”.  They applaud His teachings and commend His life of love.  But they refuse to acknowledge Him as Lord.  God Himself in the flesh.  They would rather play both sides.  Yes, He was a good man so I agree with the Christians on that part.  But He is not the only way to heaven, so I agree with the world on that part.  You cannot have it both ways.  You have to choose a side.  For Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, the Life.  No one comes to the Father except by Me.”  That’s it.  Case closed.  You must either say He was Lord, or you say He was a liar, or He was a lunatic.  But you cannot call Him a just a good teacher.

Jesus was saying in effect, “Buddy, God alone is good.  Are you going to acknowledge me as the Lord or are you going to enjoy both sides.  You have to choose.  And I am getting ready to make it hard for you to try to teeter totter on the fence.”

“Why do you call me good?”  Jesus answered.  “No one is good-except God alone.  You know the commandments; ‘Do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother.”  (Luke 18:19-20)

Here is a trivia question.  How many commandments are there?  The answer is ten.  So, why did Jesus only mention five of them?  Did He forget how many He wrote down on the mount Sinai with Moses?  Of course not!  Which ones did He not mention?

You shall have no other gods before me.  You shall not make for yourself an idol…You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God…Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy…You shall not covet…anything that belongs to your neighbor.  (Exodus 20:1-17)

By omitting these, he was actually going to the man’s heart.  For Jesus knew the man felt like he had kept five of the commandments, which is good.  But it takes all ten to hit perfection, and only One did that, and He is the One answering the questions.  But the man is confident in the five he had kept.

“All these I have kept since I was a boy,” he said.  (Luke 18:21)

 Why did the man not question Jesus here, instead of bragging on Himself?  He could have said, there are not only five commandments but ten.  He could have named the other ones.  As a Jewish man, he would have had them memorized.  But to speak the other five would mean having to face himself, looking squarely at what he was not doing right.  The rich ruler was willing to evaluate the areas of his life which were right, but was yet unwilling to assess what he was doing wrong.  Jesus had given him a chance to admit, to confess.  The young man did not take the opportunity.  He was too busy preserving his image.

We live in a culture where image is everything.  It seems to be even worse in the church.  We will not admit that we do not have it all together.  We act more spiritual than what we are.  We fake joy when we feel like falling apart.  We pretend our families are perfect even when the marriage is on the verge of breaking up.  It is time to face the truth, to evaluate where we really are.  Is there an area of sin in my life?  Then, I need to confess it and quit hiding it.  Only then can I follow Christ.  Until then, I am just avoiding a true relationship with Christ.  Thankfully, though, even when I am unwilling to face my sin, Christ continues to point out the stronghold in my life, so I may change.  Often, His approach becomes more direct.

When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “You still lack one thing.  Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me.”  (Luke 18:22)

The truth is out.  The sin is revealed.  Jesus hit the area of sin hard.  The reasons those five commands were deleted was because the man loved material things.  The first four commandments deal with your relationship with God, the last six deal with your relationship with others.  His love of this world caused his relationship with God to be completely out of whack.  By caring about the things of this world, he coveted what others had and did whatever he could to obtain more.  God was not the center of his life.  Riches were his all in all.  People were seen in comparison, either he had more than them or felt content or he had less and coveted.  That is why he felt empty.  That is why he came to Jesus desperately seeking what would give him eternal life.  He knew something was missing.  He asked the right question.  He went to the right Person.  He listened to the answer.  But he would not accept it.

When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth.  (Luke 18:23)

This was a good man.  He kept most of the commandment, that is more than many can brag about.  He was an Israelite, part of the people of God.  The ruler was wealthy, a sign of blessings from God.  Yet, he would not be entering the kingdom of God.  He made a choice.  He forsook the eternal to enjoy the temporal.  What a tragedy.  By his sadness, we know that the ruler recognized his loss yet still refused to let go of his riches.

Some of you may be doing the same thing.  You are living for the here and now, not realizing that our lives are like a fleeting mist.  You are devoted to a world that will not last.  Please today make a different choice.  He is right there, so close.  He wants you to come and follow Him.  He knows it is a tough decision.  He is not minimizing your struggle.

Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!  Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”  (Luke 18:24-25)

 Jesus is looking at you.  He knows what is keeping you from Him, from fully serving Him.  Some of you have chosen heaven for eternity but are enjoying the world to its fullest now.  Christ has so much more to offer.  Will you let go of what is holding onto you?  The wealth, the image, the prestige, the possessions cannot compare with what Jesus can give you.  When the ruler chose the world, he left sad and depressed.  But when the disciples chose Christ, they are full of joy, peace.  Which will you choose?  Take some time in prayer.  Ask the Lord to show you if there is anything in your heart that you desire over Him.  Confess it as an idol.  Ask Him to let whatever or whomever it is go.  Then, decide to follow Him with your whole heart, soul, and mind.  You will never regret it.  In heaven, you will even be rewarded for it.  If only the ruler realized the riches in heaven far surpassed anything he could imagine!  For the greatest Treasure of all stood before Him, the pearl of great price.  He is before you today, right now.  Jesus is asking you to follow Him.  Do you know what happens when you follow someone?  That means you get to be with Him.  Jesus is asking you to join Him, to be with Him, to be a part of what He is doing, to be His friend.  Smile friend, and go and follow Him.