Leawood, Kansas, United States - The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Thursday, 27 March 2014 "He determined to go to Jerusalem"

Leawood, Kansas, United States - The United Methodist Church of the Resurrection Daily Guide grow. pray. study. for Thursday, 27 March 2014 "He determined to go to Jerusalem"
Daily Scripture:  Luke 16:1 He also said to his disciples, “There was a certain rich man who had a manager. An accusation was made to him that this man was wasting his possessions. 2 He called him, and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’
3 “The manager said within himself, ‘What will I do, seeing that my lord is taking away the management position from me? I don’t have strength to dig. I am ashamed to beg. 4 I know what I will do, so that when I am removed from management, they may receive me into their houses.’ 5 Calling each one of his lord’s debtors to him, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe to my lord?’ 6 He said, ‘A hundred batos[a] of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 Then he said to another, ‘How much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred cors[b] of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’
8 “His lord commended the dishonest manager because he had done wisely, for the children of this world are, in their own generation, wiser than the children of the light. 9 I tell you, make for yourselves friends by means of unrighteous mammon, so that when you fail, they may receive you into the eternal tents. 10 He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much. He who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 If you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? 13 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 aren’t able to serve God and Mammon.”[c]
14 The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they scoffed at him. 15 He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God. 16 The law and the prophets were until John. From that time the Good News of God’s Kingdom is preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it. 17 But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away, than for one tiny stroke of a pen in the law to fall. 18 Everyone who divorces his wife, and marries another, commits adultery. He who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery.
19 “Now there was a certain rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen, living in luxury every day. 20 A certain beggar, named Lazarus, was laid at his gate, full of sores, 21 and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Yes, even the dogs came and licked his sores. 22 The beggar died, and he was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died, and was buried. 23 In Hades,[d] he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far off, and Lazarus at his bosom. 24 He cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue! For I am in anguish in this flame.’
25 “But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you, in your lifetime, received your good things, and Lazarus, in the same way, bad things. But now here he is comforted and you are in anguish. 26 Besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, that those who want to pass from here to you are not able, and that no one may cross over from there to us.’
27 “He said, ‘I ask you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house; 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, so they won’t also come into this place of torment.’
29 “But Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’
30 “He said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’
31 “He said to him, ‘If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if one rises from the dead.’”
Footnotes:
a. Luke 16:6 100 batos is about 395 liters or 104 U. S. gallons.
b. Luke 16:7 100 cors = about 2,110 liters or 600 bushels.
c. Luke 16:13 “Mammon” refers to riches or a false god of wealth.
d. Luke 16:23 or, Hell
Reflection Questions:
From Luke 9:51 on, Jesus was purposefully going to Jerusalem. (He arrived there in Luke 19:28, on Palm Sunday.) Like the gospel of John, Luke wanted it to be clear that Jesus was not a victim who stumbled unknowingly into hostile Jerusalem (cf. John 10:17-18). Luke framed every event from 9:51 on in this light: Jesus was going to Jerusalem, where the cross awaited. Yet Satan was falling. This was a march to victory, not defeat.
Jesus had a vital talk with the seventy-two (or seventy—ancient copies of Luke differ on this minor point) after their mission ended. They were thrilled with their outward, visible success, but Jesus re-directed their thoughts. In 10:20, how did he turn their eyes to the true basis for Christian joy and confidence, regardless of outward appearances?
Some people find 9:57-62 (like Luke 8:19-21) troubling. Was Jesus opposed to family love and loyalty? No (cf., for example, Luke 2:51-52). He used hyperbolic language to get people (including us) to check our priorities. Has loyalty to family, company, school or anything else ever tugged you in a different direction than your loyalty to God? If that ever happens in the future, which loyalty will you choose?
Today's Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you knew where you were going, and you knew why. Give me an inner compass that discerns the key directions and movements of the course you are calling me to follow with my life. Amen.
Insight from Janelle Gregory
Janelle Gregory serves on the Resurrection staff as a Human Resources Specialist.
“Janelle, can you unload the dishwasher?” my mom  once yelled from the other room when I was young. As soon as I heard this, I realized that I had somehow slipped up. I had spent years perfecting my ability to know where the dishwasher was in its cycle so as to conveniently be in my room when it came time to unload.
Panicked, I froze when I heard the request. How could I have let down my guard?! What was I going to do?! With nothing better to do than to sit there and continue to watch television, I felt as if defeat was inevitable.
But before I threw up the white flag and helped my mom, I just had to try something, anything, that would get me out doing this chore. From out of my mouth, with very little hope of success, came the words, “But mom, I’m too cute to unload the dishwasher.”
Once I had given the outrageously stupid argument, I did the only thing I knew to do next – nothing. I sat there waiting to hear, “Janelle Yvonne Baker,” (because being in trouble meant using my full name), “you get in here and unload this dishwasher. RIGHT. NOW.”
But I never heard those words. Nor did I hear any other words from my mom. The only thing I heard was the sound of the plates clapping together and silverware jingling as my mom put away each and every dish all by herself.
A song of victory echoed in my heart. I couldn’t believe that I had managed to pull that off! I was a genius!!
But looking back now, I can’t seem to see anything really smart about what I did to my mom that day. And I wish I could say that it only happened that one time, but unfortunately I used this free-ticket phrase to get out of anything undesirable so often that my parents still call me “Cute Girl” to this day.
I don’t feel justified in my actions. In fact, I feel far removed from it. I’m ashamed that I was so lazy and inconsiderate that I continually talked my way out of doing what was right and helpful to someone I deeply care about.
But excuses are so easy to throw out there, aren’t they? I keep a stocked arsenal ready for every occasion. “I’ve got a deadline I have to meet.” “I think I might have plans that weekend.” “It’s just too cold out.”
There are times that these excuses are legitimate when it comes to not attending an event or missing a meeting, but when it is a matter of following Jesus, I’m guessing they sound a lot more like, “I’m too cute to unload the dishwasher.” And not just in the sense of following Jesus as it refers to becoming a Christian, but in really following the instructions he’s given us to love, to forgive, and obey.
It’s that day-to-day following where the excuses flow more easily. “I would give more, but I am saving for retirement.” “I would be more regular in worship, but our lives are so busy right now with the kids.” “If I tell her that I’m sorry, she will think that I’m weak.” Let’s face it… those are all just really “I’m too cute” statements.
I fight a constant battle to not go into excuse mode when it comes to my spiritual life. But I have to remind myself of my priorities – what is really important to me. Because I  don’t want to get to the end of my life and look back to see I had given up opportunities for joy and blessings because I had told Jesus that I was just too cute to follow him.
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