Gospels (40) - Luke 16:14 - 17:10

Teacher: Rusty Kennedy
Series: Gospels

Rusty's Notes

Luke 16

• We just finished the parable of the Rich Man and the unrighteous steward.
• The Pharisees were bad stewards of the Mosaic Law.
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KINGDOM VALUES
14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and scoffing at him. 15 And he told them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the sight of others, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly admired by people is revolting in God’s sight.

• 1 Chronicles 17:16 - 16 Then King David went in, sat in the Lord’s presence, and said,
• Who am I, Lord God, and what is my house that you have brought me this far? 17 This was a little thing to you, God, for you have spoken about your servant’s house in the distant future. You regard me as a man of distinction, Lord God. 18 What more can David say to you for honoring your servant? You know your servant.[1]
• God is not interested in your checkbook or all your worldly possessions because He already knows your heart.
• Those “things” may indicate where your heart is for the rest of the world… but God truly knows your heart.
• You go into my office (or closet) and you’d think that I worship the game of baseball.
• But everything in my office has a name and a memory attached to it.
• I didn’t just buy it… it was time spent with people.
• I enjoy baseball… but I love Jesus.

16 “The Law and the Prophets were until John; since then, the good news of the kingdom of God has been proclaimed, and everyone is urgently invited to enter it.
 - The mystery form of the kingdom.

• The Jews have already rejected the Messianic kingdom.
• The had already rejected the Mosaic Law.
• The written law has more authority than the oral law.
• The oral law is a reinterpretation of the written law.

17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter in the law to drop out (fail).

• You can’t add or take away from the Mosaic Law.
• It was fulfilled through Jesus completely.

18 “Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and everyone who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.

• Most Jewish debate on divorce centered on what the expression “something indecent” in Deut 24:1 meant.
• Hillel (oral law) interpreted this broadly and permitted divorce in such cases as a wife burning supper or if a husband found another woman more attractive.
• Shammi (Mosaic Law) interpreted this more narrowly and permitted divorce only in the case of sexual unchastity on the wife’s part.[2]
• Through the centuries the church has struggled with the meaning of Jesus’ sayings on divorce.[3]
• Deeper teaching on divorce in a few weeks when we cover Matthew 19:1-12.
  
  

THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS

• This is never referred to as a parable.
• It is Jesus explanation of how wealth is not the determining factor for who enters heaven.

19 “There was a rich man who would dress in purple and fine linen, feasting lavishly every day. 20 But a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, was lying at his gate. 21 He longed to be filled with what fell from the rich man’s table, but instead the dogs would come and lick his sores. 22 One day the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 And being in torment in Hades, he looked up and saw Abraham a long way off, with Lazarus at his side.

• Hades (Greek) / Sheol (Hebrew)
• The underworld where the spirit/soul went after death.
• Waiting place for redeemed and unredeemed.
• Two sides: 1) Abraham’s Bosom, Paradise – redeemed/saved side of Hades 2) Hell – unredeemed/lost side of Hades.
• At the cross: the redeemed side resurrected with Jesus and the unredeemed stayed in Hell.
• Today, the redeemed go straight to heaven.
• 2 Corinthians 5:8 - In fact, we are confident, and we would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.[4]
• The unredeemed stay in Hell and wait for judgment where one day they will be cast in the Lake of Fire.

24 ‘Father Abraham!’ he called out, ‘Have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this flame!’
25 “‘Son,’ Abraham said, ‘remember that during your life you received your good things, just as Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here, while you are in agony. 26 Besides all this, a great chasm has been fixed between us and you, so that those who want to pass over from here to you cannot; neither can those from there cross over to us.’
27 “‘Father,’ he said, ‘then I beg you to send him to my father’s house--28 because I have five brothers—to warn them, so they won’t also come to this place of torment.’
29 “But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; they should listen to them.’
30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said. ‘But if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

• Lazarus is resurrected in John 11 and the Pharisees did not repent.

31 “But he told him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they will not be persuaded if someone rises from the dead.’”

WARNINGS FROM JESUS
Luke 17
1 He said to his disciples, “Offenses will certainly come, but woe to the one through whom they come!
 - The Pharisees taught incorrect theology.
2 It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to stumble. 3 Be on your guard. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. 4 And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and comes back to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

• We are quick to pass judgment on whether or not a person is repentant.
• I can’t talk about one public specific situation in this room because of differing opinions.
• No matter what my theology, beliefs or statements made I will be in opposition of someone’s theology, beliefs or statements.
  
  

FAITH AND DUTY
5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”
6 “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,” the Lord said, “you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.

• Having vision takes great faith.
• It is living on the edge.

7 “Which one of you having a servant tending sheep or plowing will say to him when he comes in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? 8 Instead, will he not tell him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat, get ready, and serve me while I eat and drink; later you can eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank that servant because he did what was commanded? 10 In the same way, when you have done all that you were commanded, you should say, ‘We are worthless servants; we’ve only done our duty.’”[5]

• Open your eyes to the things bigger than you can imagine. Then trust the Father (have faith).

[1] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (1 Ch 17:16–18). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[2] Stein, R. H. (1992). Luke (Vol. 24, p. 419). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[3] Stein, R. H. (1992). Luke (Vol. 24, p. 420). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
[4] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (2 Co 5:8). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.
[5] Christian Standard Bible. (2017). (Lk 16:1–17:10). Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.