March 17, 2024 • Randall Snipes • Luke 15, Proverbs 23:7
On Palm Sunday we celebrate Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. They welcomed Him by laying palm branches on the ground. They were looking for and expecting a national and political savior to save them from the tyranny of Rome. But they didn't get it. Their focus was on the physical, temporary, and immediate circumstances. They shouted Hosanna on Sunday, but by Friday they were shouting crucify Him. This week we are giving a special emphasis to the death and resurrection of our Lord and it needs to be more than a holiday event or an annual festivity. As we anxiously await our Lord's second coming, we have an opportunity and an obligation to apply the 7 B's of Luke 17 to our lives.
As we dive into the Gospel of Luke, we encounter many of Jesus' physical healings of individuals. Looking at these healings brings us to a place of many questions and many life lessons. Every single one of us has a need that we are desperate for a touch from our Lord. We all have things in this life, whether they are physically or emotionally, that we are praying for and begging God to show up and show off. We need to remember in these requests to be persistent and not manipulative, get others praying for you, and believe that God knows what He is doing. His decisions may include some suffering in this life, but He promises us that it will all work together for our good.
