^“One of the lawyers answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us too.” And he said, “Woe also to you lawyers! For you load people with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not lift a finger to ease them. Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets whom your ancestors killed. So you are witnesses and approve of the deeds of your ancestors; for they killed them, and you build their tombs. Therefore also the Wisdom of God said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and persecute,’ so that this generation may be charged with the blood of all the prophets shed since the foundation of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, it will be charged against this generation. Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge; you did not enter yourselves, and you hindered those who were entering.” When he went outside, the scribes and the Pharisees began to be very hostile toward him and to cross-examine him about many things, lying in wait for him, to catch him in something he might say.” Luke 11:45-54

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” (The Serenity Prayer)

This reading from Luke ends with words indicating the scribes and the Pharisees are waiting for Jesus to say something so that they can arrest him. They appear to hang on every word, hoping that he will give them some reason to take Jesus away from the crowds who are so influenced by him. Jesus of course knows what is in their hearts.

Have you ever known someone who likes to wait to catch you saying something wrong just so they can correct you? Some wait to parse your words so they can persecute and belittle you, especially those of us in the church. While these people are frustrating, we can only implore the Lord to give us patience to endure and disappoint their evil purposes. Of course, if people are so interested in what we say, is this such a bad thing? We should take comfort in knowing they are listening – so they will hear what they like and what they don’t. What we do know is that Christ commands us to love – love even those who seek to belittle us and belittle the church.

Pastor Dave

“When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting place, but not finding any, it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’  When it comes, it finds it swept and put in order.  Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and live there; and the last state of that person is worse than the first.” While he was saying this, a woman in the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts that nursed you!”  But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!” Luke 11:24-28

“It takes a man of God, with the Word of God, and the Spirit of God, to make the children of God, for the glory of God.” (Jack Wellman)

“Blessed are those who hear the word of G-d and obey it.”  Sounds easy enough, doesn’t it? As Jesus continues his ministry throughout Galilee, he  heals many and continues to get criticized for his actions; people hear the word and yet do not allow it to penetrate their very being. One woman raises her voice above the din of voices and calls him blessed to which he deflects that comment from himself to the Father. 

Will we be the lone voice raising our voice to call him blessed – among the other voices around us? This is our calling. This is the word that we hear, to be a witness for Jesus Christ, and we are to share the love of G-d through Jesus Christ with others.  Will we obey? As Jack Wellman says, “It takes a man (or woman) of God, with the Word of God, and the Spirit of God, to make the children of God, for the glory of God.”

Pastor Dave