Thursday Devo
Scripture Reading:
Luke 10
21 At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.
21 At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.
Commentary from the ESV Study Bible:
10:21 rejoiced in the Holy Spirit. Cf. 3:22; 4:1, 14, 18.
Father (Gk. patēr, “father”) would have been “Abba” in Aramaic, the everyday language spoken by Jesus (cf. Mark 14:36; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6). It was the word used by Jewish children for their earthly fathers. However, since the term in both Aramaic and Greek was also used by adults to address their fathers, the claim that “Abba” meant “Daddy” is misleading and runs the risk of irreverence. Nevertheless, the idea of praying to God as “Our Father” conveys the authority, warmth, and intimacy of a loving father’s care, while in heaven reminds believers of God’s sovereign rule over all things. The theme of “heavenly Father” is found throughout the OT (Deut. 14:1; 32:6; Ps. 103:13; Jer. 3:4; 31:9; Hos. 11:1). Jesus’ disciples are invited into the intimacy of God the Son with his Father. The concern of this first petition is that God’s name would be hallowed—that God would be treated with the highest honor and set apart as holy.
Lord of heaven and earth. Cf. Acts 17:24. Jesus’ rejoicing is primarily due to God’s having revealed (Luke 10:22) the presence of the kingdom and Satan’s fall (vv. 17–18) to little children, that is, to the disciples, who have childlike faith themselves (v. 23). Jesus notes with irony the wise and understanding of this world who nonetheless have rejected the gospel (cf. Luke 1:51–52; 1 Cor. 1:19).
Father (Gk. patēr, “father”) would have been “Abba” in Aramaic, the everyday language spoken by Jesus (cf. Mark 14:36; Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:6). It was the word used by Jewish children for their earthly fathers. However, since the term in both Aramaic and Greek was also used by adults to address their fathers, the claim that “Abba” meant “Daddy” is misleading and runs the risk of irreverence. Nevertheless, the idea of praying to God as “Our Father” conveys the authority, warmth, and intimacy of a loving father’s care, while in heaven reminds believers of God’s sovereign rule over all things. The theme of “heavenly Father” is found throughout the OT (Deut. 14:1; 32:6; Ps. 103:13; Jer. 3:4; 31:9; Hos. 11:1). Jesus’ disciples are invited into the intimacy of God the Son with his Father. The concern of this first petition is that God’s name would be hallowed—that God would be treated with the highest honor and set apart as holy.
Lord of heaven and earth. Cf. Acts 17:24. Jesus’ rejoicing is primarily due to God’s having revealed (Luke 10:22) the presence of the kingdom and Satan’s fall (vv. 17–18) to little children, that is, to the disciples, who have childlike faith themselves (v. 23). Jesus notes with irony the wise and understanding of this world who nonetheless have rejected the gospel (cf. Luke 1:51–52; 1 Cor. 1:19).
Study Questions:
- In verse 21, Jesus thanks God for hiding the truths of his Kingdom from those who think they're clever, like they have it all figured out. He rejoices that God has revealed himself, instead, to the childlike. He's saying that salvation is not restricted to the spiritual elite, the worldly wise and the intelligent, like the well-educated scribes and Pharisees of Jesus’ day, or those claiming elevated, secret knowledge. There is no elevated, secret knowledge. There is no holy man in holy building that has to stand between you and God. We can only receive God's truth when we humble ourselves, admit we don't know everything and confess we need his help. This is why the Gospel is a stumbling block for so many. It's offensive to admit you're a sinner in need of saving. How often do you give yourself a humility check in your relationship with God? Do you live life on your own, only turning to him when you get desperate? Or do you have a habit of admitting on a daily basis that you don't have the answers and, instead of trying to fix things on your own, submit to his will for your life?
- In light of what we've learned from Luke 10, we should commit to live out the GOSPEL. Evangelism is the hallmark of a true Jesus follower. When we lose our sense of this mission, we are no longer on the same page with God; we aren't interested in the same things. No matter where we go or what we do, we should always be on mission, always looking for opportunities to be used by God. You are where you are for a reason. What are you doing with the circles of influence God has given you? Who needs to be on your "name list"? Who do you need to be praying for to meet Jesus? Share the names with the group and commit to pray for opportunities!
Pray:
- That you would stay humble, submitting to God daily.
- That you would be a light in the darkness each day.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
6. Is the Bible God’s word? Jesus proved He is God by rising from the dead and said the Old Testament was God’s word and gave authority to the Apostles to write the words of the New Testament under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit so that all the words of the Bible are God’s Word.
(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)
(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)
No Comments