Sermon Notes; a Daily Devotional

Luke 9:57&58 "57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto Him, Lord, I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest. 58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head." James and John wanted to call down fire on a Samaritan village that rejected Jesus. Jesus rebuked them, emphasizing His mission was to save, not destroy, lives. This led to three lessons about rejection. Today’s lesson: the journey is difficult. A man approached Jesus, sincerely desiring to become a disciple and follow Him without reservation. Instead of accepting immediately, Jesus explained the cost of discipleship, highlighting the sacrifice, hardship, and lack of earthly security it demands. Jesus and His disciples led an itinerant life without a permanent home. Following Him meant enduring challenges and prioritizing the Kingdom of God over personal comfort. While preaching in synagogues or f...

Luke 9:55&56 "55 But He turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. 56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village." Jesus rebuked James and John for wanting to call down fire on a Samaritan village that rejected Him. He stressed His mission was to save, not destroy, lives. The Samaritans’ rejection stemmed from religious and ethnic tensions, as Jesus was heading to Jerusalem, symbolizing Jewish authority. This act reflected broader human sinfulness. James and John’s vengeful response mirrored the same cultural hostility. The incident contrasts human impulses for retaliation with Jesus’ call to love, forgiveness, and peace. It prompts Jesus to teach three lessons about rejection...

Luke 9:53&54 "53 And they did not receive Him, because His face was as though he would go to Jerusalem. 54 And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?" We follow Jesus’ teachings. In Luke 9, Jesus begins His journey to Jerusalem to fulfill His mission through His death and resurrection, shifting from His Galilean ministry to preparing His disciples for His sacrifice and the church’s foundation. Committed to the Father’s will despite impending suffering, Jesus sent messengers ahead to arrange lodging or other preparations. However, a Samaritan village rejected Him because He was heading to Jerusalem, reflecting deep-seated religious and ethnic hostility between Jews and Samaritans. Their refusal was not just personal but a rejection of Jewish religious authority and Jerusalem’s centrality, highlighting human sinfulness. When James and John saw this, they sough...

Luke 9:51&52 "51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that He should be received up, He stedfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem, 52 And sent messengers before His face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for Him." In our study Follow Me, we’re exploring key teachings Jesus shared with His followers. Last week, we learned about denying ourselves, taking up our cross daily, and following Him unashamedly, trusting in His sacrifice for our eternal life with God. Today, in Luke 9, Jesus begins His journey to Jerusalem, where He will fulfill His mission through His death and resurrection. This shift moves from His Galilean ministry to preparing His disciples for His sacrifice and the church’s foundation. The phrase “set His face” reflects resolute determination, rooted in Old Testament language, showing Jesus’ commitment to the Father’s will despite danger and suffering. The Greek term analempseos (“taken up”) carries a dual mea...

Luke 9:26 "For whosoever shall be ashamed of Me and of My words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He shall come in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels." All week, we've studied the verses preceding today's, where Jesus instructs His followers to deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow Him. Through His teachings, we understand the kingdom of God is established by Christ's resurrection and the Holy Spirit's work. Jesus warns that true discipleship demands sacrifice: life is found not in self-preservation but in losing oneself for His sake. Today's verse stresses that loyalty to Jesus and His teachings is paramount. Being "ashamed" of Jesus means fearing others' disapproval or ridicule, leading to denial or concealment of faith—a misplaced priority driven by fear of human opinion rather than reverence for God. The consequence is severe: when the Son of Man returns in glory, He will disown tho...

Luke 9:25 "For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?" "Cast Away" It might not sound dire. God is love and mercy, right? Surely He wants us to have "the whole world"? Yet our sinful nature, like the Serpent in the Garden, deceives us into mishearing God’s truth. "Cast Away" echoes Rev. Jonathan Edwards’ 1741 sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, from the Great Awakening. Edwards’ vivid imagery—sinners as spiders dangling over a fire by a fragile thread—highlights the precariousness of human existence and divine judgment, instilling fear and underscoring life’s fragility. "Cast Away" is no trivial matter. Heed our Lord and Savior: “Take up your cross daily.” Seek forgiveness. Christ died to forgive your sins. As God forgives you, forgive yourself and others. Forgiveness brings freedom. Release hate, resentment, and hurt—they no longer belong to you.