Luke 16:1

Verse of the Day Devotion Luke 16:1

“Now He was also saying to the disciples, There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and this steward was reported to him as squandering his possessions.” – Luke 16:1

Today we will look at the Parable of the Dishonest Steward.  Here is this first part of this parable as found in Luke’s gospel.

Now He was also saying to the disciples, There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and this steward was reported to him as squandering his possessions. And he called him and said to him, What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward. And the steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to beg.  I know what I shall do, so that when I am removed from the stewardship, they will receive me into their homes.  And he summoned each one of his master’s debtors, and he began saying to the first, How much do you owe my master? And he said, A hundred measures of oil.’ And he said to him, Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty. Then he said to another, And how much do you owe? And he said, A hundred measures of wheat. He said to him, Take your bill, and write eighty.” Luke 16:1-7. 

Now, the first seven verses of Luke sixteen lay out the story Jesus told His disciples.  However, in verse fourteen we see that some Pharisees were listening as well.  The parable begins with a rich man calling his steward before him to let him know he will be letting him go due to his mismanaging his resources. A steward is a person who manages the resources of another. This steward had authority over all the master’s resources and could transact business in his name. This requires the utmost level of trust in the steward. Now, it appears the master is not aware of the steward’s dishonesty, for the steward is being released for apparent mismanagement, not fraud. This explains why he is able to conduct a few more transactions before he is released and why he is not immediately tossed out on the street or executed. The steward, realizing that he will soon be without a job, makes some shrewd deals behind his master’s back by reducing the debt owed by several of the master’s debtors in exchange for shelter when he is eventually put out. When the master becomes aware of what the wicked servant had done, he commends him for his shrewdness. Then Jesus adds, “for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light.” Luke 16:8. What He was saying here is quite interesting.  The people who are not followers of Christ are more shrewd in working for what they say is most important, money, fame etc. then those who were His followers.

After completing the parable, He now tells them what it means. 

And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that when it fails, they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. If therefore you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous mammon, who will entrust the true riches to you? And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Luke 16:9-13.

The basic idea is that He was telling them that whatever resources they had, needed to be used to plan ahead, not for this world, but for the eternal life ahead of them.  The word ‘mammon’ is from the Aramaic word mammon, which originally meant ‘that in which one puts their trust in,’ hence wealth.  Jesus calls it ‘unrighteous mammon’. According to the theologian Adam Clarke, “Riches promise much but yield nothing: they excite hope and confidence and deceive both: in making a man depend on them for happiness, they rob him of the salvation of God and of eternal glory.”  In other words, riches cause us to look at them for hope and confidence instead of God, which they cannot truly provide. Remember verse 9, “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by means of the mammon of unrighteousness; that when it fails, they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.” Luke 16:9.  We must invest our resources in the Lord’s work, and not wait until we think we have enough.  As an example, In a survey taken in 1992, people were asked how much money they would have to make to have the American dream. Those who earn $25,000 or less a year thought they would need around $54,000. Those in the $100,000 annual income bracket said that they could buy the dream for an average of $192,000 a year. These figures indicate that we typically think we must double our income in order to find the good life, instead of finding it now. Jesus then tells us, “If therefore you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous mammon, who will entrust the true riches to you? And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?” Luke 16:11-12.  In both instances, He speaks of using these things for the glory of God.

Then He closes with a very well-known verse. “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Luke 16:13.  Jesus states that serving two masters is simply an impossibility. If you think that you are successfully serving two masters, you are deceived. One can have both money and God; but one cannot serve both money and God at the same time.  Whichever you would not give up at any cost is who or what you serve.  Pray about this, for money will be with us in this life, but God will be with us forever in the life to come.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Luke 11:5

Verse of the Day Devotion Luke 11:5 

“And He said to them, suppose one of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves.” – Luke 11:5

Today we will look at the Parable of the Friend at Midnight.  Here is this parable as found in Luke’s gospel.

And He said to them, “Suppose one of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’. and from inside he shall answer and say, Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything. I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs. And I say to you, ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it shall be opened. Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?  Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” Luke 11:5-13.

This parable comes after Luke’s version of the Lord’s prayer, and it’s purpose is to also discuss another aspect of prayer.  He finishes up the Lord’s prayer and then immediately follows it with, “And He said to them, Suppose one of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him.” Luke 11:5-6. He tells them a man goes to a friend’s house, at midnight, to ask for some bread for a friend.  So, he goes to his neighbor for assistance.  But the neighbor answers him saying. “Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything. Luke 11:7. However, after some time he gets up and gives him the bread he needs.

Notice the reason the man gave him the bread.  It was because he was persistent, not because he was a friend. And this should be our attitude in praying,  Jesus tells them, “And I say to you, ask, and it shall be given to you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.” Luke 11:9.  In the Greek, which uses the present imperative in each, is a bit different.  It is saying, ‘keep on asking, keep on seeking, and keep on knocking’.  Therefore, we are to keep on asking. This is what we do when we are certain that the one we are imploring is near and can hear. And we are to keep on seeking. This expects an action on our part. We have to actively look for the one we are imploring. And we are to keep on knocking. This expects further action after having located the one we are imploring. It pictures us as persistently banging on the door to get the person’s attention.    

But also, we are to be confident in our praying. “For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it shall be opened. Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he?  Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?” Luke 11:10-13.  In verses 10-13 Jesus indicates that we must have confidence first that God will, in fact, answer our prayers, and second that God will always answer our prayers in a manner that is best for us.  He has promised this to us, and he always keeps His promises to His people, of whom we are a part.

Therefore, let us change our prayer practices where needed.  Let us be fervent in our prayers to God, giving ourselves totally to Him in our requests, and also trust completely that He will give us what we need, along with what is best for us.  This is true trust in the living God.  For as Jesus told them, “For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it shall be opened.” Luke 11:10.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Luke 13:6

Verse of the Day Devotion Luke 13:6 

“And He began telling this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any.” – Luke 13:6

Today we will look at the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree.  Here is this parable as found in Luke’s gospel.

And He began telling this parable: A certain man had a fig tree which had been planted in his vineyard; and he came looking for fruit on it and did not find any. And he said to the vineyard-keeper, Behold, for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?  And he answered and said to him, Let it alone, sir, for this year too, until I dig around it and put in fertilizer; and if it bears fruit next year, fine; but if not, cut it down.” Luke 13:6-9.

Jesus told this parable immediately after reminding all who were there about the tower over the Pool of Siloam which collapsed unexpectedly and killed eighteen people. “Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And He answered and said to them, Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered this fate?  I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem? I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Luke 13:1-5.  

This story starts by the vineyard owner showing his disappointment that a tree he had watched for  three years had not produced any fruit.  The three-year period is important because this points to John the Baptist and Jesus who had been preaching repentance and the coming of the promised Messiah for three years throughout Israel.  However, the fruit of repentance was not coming forth, and they thought they were special because they we Jews. “Therefore, bring forth fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, we have Abraham for our father, for I say to you that God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. And also the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”  Luke 3:8-9. They had departed from the true faith and the true living God. The Jews created a religion of works based on  righteousness that was not pleasing to God. 

Now, there are three distinct entities in this parable.  The vineyard owner represents God, the one who found the tree with no fruit and justly requesting it be cut down.  The vineyard keeper or gardener is Jesus the Christ, who asks for additional time to see the tree bear fruit, and the tree itself representing the Jewish nation and individuals.  

The lesson in this parable is that borrowed time is not permanent. God’s patience has a limit. In the parable, the vineyard owner grants another year of life to the tree. In the same way, God in His mercy grants us more time; another year, day, minute or second. Christ stands at the door of each man’s heart knocking and seeking to gain entrance and requiring repentance from sin. But if there is no fruit or repentance, His patience will come to an end, and the fruitless, unrepentant individual will be cut down. We all live on borrowed time; judgment is close by. That is why the prophet Isaiah wrote, “Seek the LORD while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the LORD, And He will have compassion on him; And to our God, For He will abundantly pardon.” Isaiah 55:6-7.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Luke 18:9

Verse of the Day Devotion Luke 18:9 

“And He also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt:” – Luke 18:9

Today we will look at the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.  Here is this parable as found in Luke’s gospel.

And He also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and viewed others with contempt: Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee, and the other a tax-gatherer. The Pharisee stood and was praying thus to himself, God, I thank Thee that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax-gatherer. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get. But the tax-gatherer, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner! I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, but he who humbles himself shall be exalted.” Luke 18:9-14.

This parable says a lot regarding spiritual truth and what is expected from us as true followers of Christ.  It starts by stating why He told this parable.  “And He also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and viewed others with contempt.” Luke 18:9. Jesus noticed in the Temple those who were the Pharisees and Jewish leaders who thought their own goodness was so great it could not fail to make them acceptable to God. They held rigorously to the ceremonies and traditions laid out in the law, making a public show of their religiosity, all to be seen by other men, many of whom they despised as being beneath them. The Pharisee in the story is the picture of one who is self-justifying. Also, when you examine his prayer you see no elements of confession. He does not ask forgiveness for his sins, probably because he believes he has nothing to confess. Also, the fact there is no glorification of God makes His prayer all about him. Even the thanks he does offer is designed to exalt himself and place himself above others whom he treats with disgust. Going to the temple to pray with the condition of his heart as it was, he might as well have stayed home. Such a prayer is not heard by God.

Now, contrary to the Pharisee who went to the temple to be self-congratulatory, the tax collector stood at a distance, perhaps in an outer room, but certainly far from the Pharisee who would have been offended by the closeness of this man. Tax collectors, because of their association with the hated Romans, were seen as traitors to Israel and were loathed and treated as outcasts. His posture spoke of his unworthiness before God. He was unable to even lift his eyes to heaven because of the burden of his guilt and shame which weighed heavily upon him.  Overcome by his transgressions, he beats his breast in sorrow and repentance and appeals to God for mercy. The prayer he speaks is the very one God was waiting to hear, and his attitude is exactly what God wants from all who come to Him.

Now, the tax collector had the attitude that God called for in His sermon on the mount.  “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:3.  Being ‘poor in spirit’ means that we admit we have nothing to offer God to atone for our sins.  We come to Him empty, bankrupt, as someone having nothing to give for our sins.  The tax collector recognized his sinful condition and seeks the only thing that can bridge the gap between himself and God. He cries out to Him, “Have mercy on me.”

Jesus is telling them that if we are truly broken-hearted regarding our sin, we can be assured of our forgiveness because of God’s great grace and mercy.  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9.  No amount of good works, loving our neighbor, giving our tithes, or church attendance will make a difference regarding our sins for these are not what will blot them out and give us the ability to stand before a holy God.  This is why God sent Jesus to die on the cross. His death is the only means we have that is able to cleanse us and make us acceptable to God.

Also, we must not make the mistake of comparing ourselves with others and gaining confidence from what we see through that comparison. In fact, Jesus specifically warns us against this attitude at the beginning of the parable. “And He also told this parable to certain ones who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and viewed others with contempt:” Luke 18:9. When we try to justify ourselves by comparing ourselves to others, we naturally end up despising them, and how is this “loving our neighbor as ourselves”. Our standard for comparison is God Himself, and we all fall short of His glory. “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:23.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Luke 18:1

Verse of the Day Devotion Luke 18:1 

“Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,” – Luke 18:1 

Today we will look at the Parable of the Persistent Widow and unjust judge.  Here is this parable as found in Luke’s gospel.

Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,  saying, “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God, and did not respect man. And there was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, Give me legal protection from my opponent. And for a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, lest by continually coming she wear me out. And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; now shall not God bring about justice for His elect, who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them? I tell you that He will bring about justice for them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?”  Luke 18:1-8.

The story begins with the mention of a judge. He was not connected with either a synagogue or the temple but rather with a municipality. He was a part of the secular judicial system, which, in Israel in Jesus’ time, seems to have coexisted with the religious one. However, what interested the narrator is not what belonged to the world, but what belonged to the world of ethics.  

Now a woman was constantly being attacked in a legal sense.  And in this town, an unjust judge presided over everyone, who feared no one, not even God.  In that time in the Jewish community, a judge was expected to be impartial, to judge righteously, and to recognize that judgment ultimately belongs to God. “Then I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the cases between your fellow countrymen, and judge righteously between a man and his fellow countryman, or the alien who is with him. You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall hear the small and the great alike. You shall not fear man, for the judgment is God’s. And the case that is too hard for you, you shall bring to me, and I will hear it.” Deuteronomy 1:16-17. Therefore, because of these verses, the judge was actually not competent to be the judge. 

Now this widow comes many times before this judge.  And again, in that time because of the law, a widow deserves special protection under the justice system.  “For the LORD your God is the God of gods and the Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God who does not show partiality, nor take a bribe. He executes justice for the orphan and the widow and shows His love for the alien by giving him food and clothing.” Deuteronomy 10:17-18.  Eventually, the judge grows weary of her coming to him, he decided to give her protection.  “And for a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, lest by continually coming she wear me out.” Luke 18:4-5. 

Now, we do not always get immediate results when we pray. Our definition of swift justice is not the same as the Lord’s definition. The parable of the persistent widow demonstrates that effective prayer requires tenacity and faithfulness. A true disciple must learn that prayer never gives up and is based on absolute trust and faith in God. We can fully count on the Lord to answer how He deems best, and when He chooses. God expects us to keep on asking, seeking, knocking, and praying until the answers come.

Jesus presents a final question regarding the matter at the end of the parable of the persistent widow and unjust judge. He asks, “I tell you that He will bring about justice for them speedily. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8. Faithful and persistent prayer is the permanent calling of every true disciple of Christ who is dedicated to living for the Kingdom of God. Like the persistent widow, we are needy, dependent sinners who trust in our gracious, loving, and merciful God alone to supply what we need.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Luke 14:8

Verse of the Day Devotion Luke 14:8 

“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him.” – Luke 14:8

Today we will look at the Parable of the Invited Guest.  Here is this parable as found in Luke’s gospel.

And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, when you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, and he who invited you both shall come and say to you, give place to this man, and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.” Luke 14:7-11.

Jesus was in the house of one of the leaders of the Pharisees on the Sabbath and eating with them.  “And it came about when He went into the house of one of the leaders of the Pharisees on the Sabbath to eat bread, that they were watching Him closely.” Luke 14:1. While there He healed a man suffering from dropsy.  This was a disease produced by the accumulation of water in various parts of the body; very distressing, and commonly incurable. Jesus turns to the Pharisees and asks them if it was lawful to heal on the Sabbath.  But when they did not answer, He healed him and sent him on his way. He then asked them, “Which one of you shall have a son or an ox fall into a well, and will not immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?” Luke 14:5.  Again they did not answer. Then He noticed how people strategically placed themselves so as to be in the best places; that is, the places of most honor.

In Jesus’ day, the seating arrangement at a dinner showed a definite order of prestige or honor. The most honored person sat in a particular seat, the next most honored person in another place, and so on down the line.  This parable presupposes a culture of honor and shame in ancient Jewish and Hellenistic societies and illustrates these cultures by means of seating order at banquets.  Guests here are literally those invited and refers to the Pharisees and experts of the law mentioned above.  He then tells them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, and he who invited you both shall come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place.” Luke 14:8-9.  To ‘take the place’ literally means ‘do not recline’. To be told to move in this manner would be humiliating, for one, you would be told to move that someone they viewed as more important could sit there, and two, you would need to find a place to recline in the least honorable places. 

Then He adds, “But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, Friend, move up higher; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you.” Luke 14:10. In other words, do not put yourself in the pace of honor, but allow the one who invited you move you up to a better place, for then you will be looked at positively as one who is honored, instead of being humiliated.  This is the basic idea as stated in verse 11. “For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and he who humbles himself shall be exalted.” Luke 14:11.

The general idea is we have to learn not to be high minded or arrogant, but to be content with more lowly things, because pride and ambition are disgraceful before men: forwhosoever exalts himself shall be abased;but humility and self-denial are really honorable: he that humbles himself shall be exalted, We see in other instances that a man’s pride will bring him low, but honor shall uphold the humble in spirit, and before honor is humility. The Pharisees seek to exalt themselves, and in so doing they cease being models and rulers of God’s people. God’s way is not their way.  We must be careful that we do not place ourselves on a pedestal.  Paul put it this way. “For through the grace given to me I say to every man among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.” Romans 12:3. 

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Luke 12:16

Verse of the Day Devotion Luke 12:16 

“And He told them a parable, saying, the land of a certain rich man was very productive.” – Luke 12:16

Today we will look at the Parable of the Rich Fool.  Here is this parable as found in Luke’s gospel.

And He told them a parable, saying, The land of a certain rich man was very productive. And he began reasoning to himself, saying, What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops? And he said, This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry. But God said to him, You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared? So is the man who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Luke 12:16-21.

Jesus tells this parable in response to a question He received from someone who was listening to Him. “And someone in the crowd said to Him, Teacher, tell my brother to divide the family inheritance with me.” Luke 12:13. He answers him stating it is not up to Him to judge this issue. “Man, who appointed Me a judge or arbiter over you? And He said to them, beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” Luke 12:14-15. The key to understanding this parable is in verse 15 (and later summarized in verse 21), “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” Luke 12:15. Jesus says this to the man who asked Him to arbitrate between him and his brother. In ancient times, the firstborn was guaranteed a double portion of the family inheritance. More than likely, the brother who was addressing Jesus was not the firstborn and was asking for an equal share of the inheritance. Jesus refuses to arbitrate their dispute and gets to the heart of the matter: Covetousness! Jesus warns this person, and all within earshot, that our lives are not to be about gathering wealth. Life is so much more than the abundance of possessions. 

And then from our focus verse, Jesus tells this man a parable.  “He starts it by saying that a man planted a garden which then produced an extreme amount of produce.  He then asks himself, “What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?” Luke 12:17. With this he had two reasonable answers; he could either share it with others in need or keep it all and create more storage facilities. In this parable, he chose the latter.  “This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.” Luke 12:18-19. 

In what has he been a fool? Not in his foresight and planning; in these he has been exemplary. Nor was he wicked or unjust. His folly is his oblivion to God. There are many forms of pride, but the worst of them is to think that one has no need of God. He does not acknowledge the source of his blessings. Rather, he gathers to himself and serves himself. Having failed to recognize his wealth as a gift of God,  the rich man rests all his hopes in things. Investment in things never pays the dividends one hopes for. He may eat, drink, and be merry as the rich man said, but he is a fool, for tomorrow we shall die. This is the second and final time in Luke Jesus calls someone a fool, and in both instances was for confusing temporal earthly realities with eternal divine realities.

So, the point of the Parable of the Rich Fool is twofold. First, we are not to devote our lives to the gathering and accumulation of wealth. There is an interesting point made in the parable. God says to the man in the story, And the things you have prepared, whose will they be?  This same idea is found in the old testament. “Thus, I hated all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun, for I must leave it to the man who will come after me. And who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will have control over all the fruit of my labor for which I have labored by acting wisely under the sun. This too is vanity. Therefore, I completely despaired of all the fruit of my labor for which I had labored under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 2:18-20.

The second point of the Parable of the Rich Fool is the fact that we are not blessed by God to hoard our wealth to ourselves. We are blessed to be a blessing in the lives of others, and we are blessed to build the kingdom of God. The Bible says if our riches increase, we are not to set our hearts upon them. “Do not trust in oppression, And do not vainly hope in robbery; If riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.” Psalm 62:10. The Bible also says there is one who gives freely and grows all the richer. “The desire of the righteous is only good, But the expectation of the wicked is wrath. There is one who scatters, yet increases all the more, And there is one who withholds what is justly due, but it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous, And he who waters will himself be watered. He who withholds grain, the people will curse him, But blessing will be on the head of him who sells it.” Proverbs 11:23-26.  

In closing, Paul speaks of this idea as well. “Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;” 2 Corinthians 9:6-8.  We are blessed by God, so we can in turn “abound in every good work” and be a blessing in the lives of others. So, if God has blessed you with material wealth do not set your heart on it but be rich toward God. That is the message of the Parable of the Rich Fool.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Mark 4:26

Verse of the Day Devotion Mark 4:26 

“And He was saying, the kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil.” – Mark 4:26

Today we will look at the Parable of the Seed Growing.  Here is this parable as found in Mark’s gospel.

And He was saying, The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; and goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts up and grows—how, he himself does not know. The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head. But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” Mark 4:26-29 

This parable is only found in Mark’s gospel. Though it shares several elements with the Parable of the Soils, i.e.: a man scattering seed, the seed itself, and the harvest, the idea that is the focus of that parable should not be read into this one.  This parable by itself has its own message to tell. 

In the Parable of the Growing Seed, Jesus compares the Kingdom of God to a man who scatters seed on the ground and then allows nature to take its course. As the man who sowed the seed goes about his business day by day, the seed begins to have an effect. First, the seed sprouts; then it produces a stalk and leaves, then a head of grain, and, finally, fully developed kernels in the head. Jesus emphasizes that all of this happens without the man’s help. The man who scattered the seed cannot even fully understand how it happens, it is simply the work of nature. All by itself the soil produces. 

Many believe the kingdom of God should be likened to something grand and glorious: to shimmering mountain peaks, crimson sunsets, the opulence of potentates, the glory of a gladiator. But Jesus likens it to seeds, something that is small and somewhat commonplace. The theologian James R. Edwards puts it this way. “The parable of the seed growing by itself has its own unique message to convey. Determining the precise focus of the parable is difficult. The sower plays a minimal role. Furthermore, the seed grows without his effort (or lack of effort) and in a way that is a mystery.” And this is the key point.  What brings success to the Christian message is not based upon human effort or understanding, though Christians certainly need to plant/scatter the seed.  Success comes via the power of God through the seeds planted. And this brings success because our God is an active God.  And we see this success comes from God alone.  “The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head.” Mark 4:28. Yes, we plant the seeds, but it is God who does the work in the hearts of people.

Then in the final verse, we read of the harvest.  “But when the crop permits, he immediately puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.” Mark 4:29.  Putting forth the sickle for the harvest often pictures the arrival of God’s kingdom.  “And another angel came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, Put in your sickle and reap, because the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe.” Revelation 14:15. The metaphor of reaping, with its inevitable separation of wheat from weeds, or grain from husks), is a common picture in the Old Testament of the end of the age. It always involves the concept of judgment as well as salvation: chaff and weeds are burnt, wheat is saved. This is to be the final realization of the rule of God, which has begun already in Jesus. “Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, tread, for the wine press is full; The vats overflow, for their wickedness is great.” Joel 3:13. 

To summarize the point of the Parable of the Growing Seed: The way God uses His Word in the heart of an individual is mysterious and completely independent of human effort. May we be faithful in “sowing the seed,” praying for a harvest, and leaving the results to the Lord! And we can look forward to this time. “But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Lord to be salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you.” 2 Peter 3:13-15.

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Mark 4:21

Verse of the Day Devotion Mark 4:21 

“And He was saying to them, A lamp is not brought to be put under a basket, is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand?” – Mark 4:21 

Today we will look at the Parable of a Lamp under a basket.  Here is this parable as found in Matthew’s gospel.

And He was saying to them, A lamp is not brought to be put under a peck-measure (basket), is it, or under a bed? Is it not brought to be put on the lampstand?  For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it should come to light. If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.  And He was saying to them, Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure it shall be measured to you; and more shall be given you besides. For whoever has, to him shall more be given; and whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.” Mark 4:21-25.

In order to get a full understanding of this parable, we must look closely at our focus verse.  In the New American Standard Bible (NASB) which I predominantly use, along with most other translations, the wording is “A lamp is not brought”.  However, in the Greek the wording is much more interesting. It is literally saying, “The Lamp does not come”.  The imagery is of the Messiah, coming down to bring the truth to mankind.  We read the following in the Gospel of John. “Again, therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12.  And, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” John 1:4. And again, “We must work the works of Him who sent Me, as long as it is day; night is coming, when no man can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” John 9:4-5.  There are some who say the lamp represents the Kingdome of God.  But based on Christ’s claim in various places that He was the light of the world, I believe it must be Christ

Therefore, the way the Greek puts it makes sense.  He did not come into the world to be put under a basket or under a bed.  He did not come to conceal His message. He came to declare it, and He uses parables many times to present them.  Then He says, “For nothing is hidden, except to be revealed; nor has anything been secret, but that it should come to light.” Mark 4:22. This verse seems to contradict verse 21. However, Jesus and His kingdom were concealed temporarily, for He was not fully revealed until after the resurrection.  On earth He took on the form of man, just as any other man.  But after the resurrection, He was fully revealed for who He truly was, the promised Messiah, the Son of God.  However, the kingdom will not be fully revealed until the consummation of all things. 

Then next he says, “If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.” Mark 4:23. And then Mark clarifies what He meant. “And He was saying to them, “Take care what you listen to. By your standard of measure, it shall be measured to you; and more shall be given you besides.” Mark 4:24. Jesus was telling them to listen carefully to what they are taught.  However, they were not simply to learn themselves, but they were called to teach others what they learned.  Because the mere hearing and receiving cannot be seen as measuring out, what He is saying is that as you teach others the truth, the more diligence you give in this teaching then their knowledge will also increase, which will allow them to teach even more.  Basically, the willingness and effort that are necessary for paying close attention to Jesus’ parables will be proportionately rewarded. The next phrase and still more will be given you underscores the positive, rich reward that comes from careful consideration of Jesus’ parables.

In closing, Jesus came as a light to this world.  When He left, He placed that office upon us.  Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16.  The disciples were taught by Christ the truth of the gospel and were then called to go out and spread it.  We are now those who are called to tell our world the gospel message.  “And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20.  We are now the ones to reveal the truth of Jesus to all we come to.  Are we diligent in this work? 

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries. 

Matthew 25:1

Verse of the Day Devotion Matthew 25:1 

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom. ” – Matthew 25:1

Today we will look at the Parable of the Ten Virgins.  Here is this parable as found in Matthew’s gospel.

Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.  Then all those virgins rose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the prudent, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.  But the prudent answered, saying, No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves. And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. And later the other virgins also came, saying, Lord, lord, open up for us. But he answered and said, Truly I say to you, I do not know you. Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.” Matthew 25:1-13.

In this parable, we are not looking at faithful/unfaithful or good/evil.  In this one we are looking at wise/foolish.  The “then” at the beginning of this parable links back to Jesus’ talk regarding the end of this age.  This is not a description of the Kingdom of Heaven in general but refers to what will happen when God’s sovereign purpose is fulfilled at the return of Christ.

The imagery of the parable accurately reflects typical customs of first-century Palestinian wedding festivities. A welcoming processional escorts the newly married couple from the bride’s home to a great banquet at the bridegroom’s home, some unspecified time after the legal wedding took place. Torches light the way in the darkness, so all the bridesmaids have to take enough oil to keep them burning for as long as might be necessary. The two groups of women are described as exactly alike in everything except their preparations. Thus, the fact that five fall in each category does not teach that there will be the same number saved as lost. The wait proves longer than all have anticipated, and everyone falls asleep.  

Then around midnight, probably when least expected, the ten virgins wake up to the call that the groom is coming. “But at midnight there was a shout, Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.” Matthew 25:6. Paul speaks of this in his first letter to the church in Thessalonica.  “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God; and the dead in Christ shall rise first.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16.  At this point the five foolish bridesmaids realize their mistake and ask the others to share their oil with them. The five wise young women refuse, since they realize that all may run out of oil, leaving everyone in the dark. On festive nights such as this, the shops stayed open as long as people might need them, so the girls should go there and purchase extra oil for themselves. Jesus apparently wants to teach that spiritual preparedness may not be transferred from one individual to another. All people are responsible for themselves.

However, this going to buy oil takes too long, and thus these five bridesmaids miss the arrival of the groom, the processional, and the entry to the banquet.  Those who were prepared, had enough oil and thus entered in.  “And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut.” Matthew 25:12. The fact that Jesus said the door was shut no doubt is a hint that the door was probably locked.  The five truant girls finally arrive later and beg permission to enter. “Lord, lord, open up for us.” Matthew 25:11.   Their cry and the answer given closely resembles the appeal stated earlier in Matthew where Jesus taught,  “Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.” Matthew 7:21-23. 

The meaning of this parable is that Jesus is giving a warning to His disciples, which also includes us.  “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.” Matthew 25:13.  This verse is referring to the idea put forth by Paul when he said, “but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him.” 1 Corinthians 8:3.  God knows those who truly love Him, contrary to those who simply state they do.  What a surprise and a warning to many.  It tells us that it is all too possible to be often in church and in Christian company and yet be a stranger to the Holy Spirit. It is possible to have a lamp that looks good but has no oil in it, or as mentioned in the Sermon on the Mount, is hidden under a basket where it cannot be seen. This will be a glorious day for the true Children of God, but a terrible day for those he tells, I never knew you.  Let us all devote ourselves to Christ, being diligent to do what He has called us to do and reading His word so we can learn more about this Christian walk.  And with this, living this Christian life until the day of His return.   

William Funkhouser MDiv, ThD, Founder and President of True Devotion Ministries.