| Have you ever found yourself taking someone or | | | | Kingdom of God NOW! Don't take that for |
| something for granted? Were there | | | | granted! |
| consequences or did you get it corrected before | | | | Wages of Rejection - Luke 17:25-32 |
| it became a serious problem? | | | | Jesus now warns His disciples that they will not |
| In Luke 17:11-37, Jesus is traveling towards | | | | always have Him around. When He is gone, they |
| Jerusalem from the border between Galilee and | | | | should not be fooled by people trying to tell them |
| Samaria. He will spend some time here and in | | | | where He is or how to get closer to Him. They |
| Perea before heading to Jerusalem for the | | | | will all be wrong. Since His Kingdom is in us, He can |
| Passover and His pending crucifixion. As He enters | | | | be like how a bolt of lightning lights up the entire |
| a small village in His travels, He is approached by | | | | sky as opposed to being one man in one small |
| ten lepers who ask Him to heal them. There is a | | | | location. |
| lesson in this encounter for us about the dangers | | | | This is why I reject most of the stories that I |
| of taking God for granted. | | | | hear about the second coming of Christ. They all |
| Ten Healed, One Grateful - Luke 17:11-19 | | | | mean well and are well studied in their view. They |
| As Jesus is about to enter a village on the border | | | | have searched the Scriptures, but too much is |
| between Samaria and Galilee, ten men who have | | | | being made of some future coming and not |
| leprosy, a contagious, degenerating and deadly | | | | enough is being placed on Him living in us. We need |
| skin disease, approach Him and ask to be healed. | | | | to remember that we are in His Kingdom NOW |
| Jesus tells them to go show themselves to the | | | | and you and I need to be ready NOW! |
| priest who can confirm that they are healed and | | | | Jesus also talks about His being rejected by |
| allow them to again worship in the local | | | | people (Christians included) who are taking Him for |
| synagogue. As they go to do as they were told, | | | | granted. We become complacent and routine and |
| they are immediately healed. One of them, who is | | | | don't always think about what we are doing or |
| not a Jew, turns back and thanks Jesus. The | | | | why we are doing it. Some will become so |
| others (Jews) take Him for granted. Jesus tells | | | | careless as to step outside of God's grace. They |
| the grateful Samaritan that his faith has saved | | | | will take their salvation so much for granted that |
| him. | | | | they return to their life of sin while still attending |
| How much do we go to church and do our | | | | church and thinking that they are Christians. |
| religious routine without considering what God has | | | | You and I should constantly remind ourselves of |
| done in our lives? In what ways have you taken | | | | who God and Jesus are, what they have done to |
| God for granted? Of course, God wants us to call | | | | win our love. We should also examine our |
| on Him when we need healing or help, but | | | | behaviors to make sure that we are taking His |
| shouldn't we also notice the beautiful things He has | | | | salvation and our relationship with Him seriously |
| created and praise Him? Wouldn't it be appropriate | | | | and not get careless about fighting temptation. It |
| to praise God for all of the good things that have | | | | is the giving in to temptation out of carelessness |
| happened in your life? | | | | that will destroy us. |
| The Kingdom of God - Luke 17:20-24 | | | | You Must Lose to Win - Luke 17:33-37 |
| Jesus has quite a crowd traveling with Him at this | | | | Jesus makes one more comment that we want |
| time, plus the people from the village. A Pharisee | | | | to look at. The only way we can attain eternal life |
| asks Him when the Kingdom of God will come. | | | | is to give up trying to keep this life. We can't earn |
| Jesus advises him that the Kingdom of God is not | | | | our way to heaven. We can't be good enough to |
| like an earthly Kingdom, but is one that resides in | | | | get God's favor. We must surrender and trust |
| the heart of all who believe in Jesus as their Lord | | | | God's grace and promises to do what He says He |
| and Savior. It is internal and personal. | | | | will do. One person will trust God and be taken |
| We get into all sorts of speculation about the | | | | with Him. The other will try to earn their way to |
| second coming, Kingdom of God and Jesus | | | | Heaven and be left behind (for Hell). |
| reigning on earth. What Jesus is saying here is | | | | Often times, the only way we can get our way is |
| that He reigns NOW (not in some future event). | | | | to quit trying to get our way. This is true in love. |
| His Kingdom is within all who believe in Him. That is | | | | You can't make another person love you. You can |
| why no government can overcome or suppress | | | | only let them go and if they choose to love you, |
| it. The Kingdom of Christ is not like the | | | | then you are loved. If they choose not to love |
| government of the United States or any other | | | | you, then there is nothing you can do to make |
| country. There is no "capitol city", no legislature, | | | | them change their minds. With God - salvation is |
| no place to go or physical person that constitutes | | | | on His terms, not ours. We can't win our way to |
| the Kingdom of God. It exists inside of and is | | | | heaven unless we lose our power to do it |
| comprised of all believers. You are a part of the | | | | ourselves. God bless you and have a great week! |