The Gospel of Luke

This devotional is written by Sadie Windsor-Richards. Sadie is a Primary Art specialist teacher. She's been a regular member of St Mary's church for the last 20 years and is married to Matthew. They have two sons; Luke 14 years and Isaac 12 years.
Luke 19:45-48
Jesus at the Temple
45 When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. 46 "It is written," he said to them, "'My house will be a house of prayer'; but you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"
47 Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. 48 Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.
45 When Jesus entered the temple courts, he began to drive out those who were selling. 46 "It is written," he said to them, "'My house will be a house of prayer'; but you have made it 'a den of robbers.'"
47 Every day he was teaching at the temple. But the chief priests, the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. 48 Yet they could not find any way to do it, because all the people hung on his words.
Reflection
In this passage we see Jesus challenge the merchants because his Father's temple is being misused. People were selling goods for sacrifice, rather than meeting with God in prayer.
Jesus' popularity at the time was dangerous for the religious rulers. It attracted the attention of Rome which they did not want. So they wanted to kill him.
The popularity of Jesus strikes me as being extremely poignant in verse 47-48:
".......the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. But they could not find a way to do it, because all the people hung on his words."
This last line stands out to me. It sums up:
• The fervour that Jesus automatically created in the hearts of those that heard him.
• The beauty and dynamism that Jesus exuded.
• The power that was in every word he spoke.
I find myself regularly needing to hang onto the words of Christ with my fingertips! The promises of God in scripture are an anchor for us in times of uncertainty. When I'm at my lowest, it is usually these times that I find the words of Christ to be the most powerful in my life, bringing hope in the midst of my unpredictable emotions. At the times when I'm tempted to panic, I need to call those emotions into line. Lao Tzu wrote;
'Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become character.'
It's good to lay our emotions before God and despite how we're feeling, choose to speak out the promises of God. His truth fills our minds and replaces panic and fear. We can hang onto the words of Christ, the sword of the Spirit, because they are life transforming.
Jesus' popularity at the time was dangerous for the religious rulers. It attracted the attention of Rome which they did not want. So they wanted to kill him.
The popularity of Jesus strikes me as being extremely poignant in verse 47-48:
".......the leaders among the people were trying to kill him. But they could not find a way to do it, because all the people hung on his words."
This last line stands out to me. It sums up:
• The fervour that Jesus automatically created in the hearts of those that heard him.
• The beauty and dynamism that Jesus exuded.
• The power that was in every word he spoke.
I find myself regularly needing to hang onto the words of Christ with my fingertips! The promises of God in scripture are an anchor for us in times of uncertainty. When I'm at my lowest, it is usually these times that I find the words of Christ to be the most powerful in my life, bringing hope in the midst of my unpredictable emotions. At the times when I'm tempted to panic, I need to call those emotions into line. Lao Tzu wrote;
'Watch your thoughts, they become words.
Watch your words, they become actions.
Watch your actions, they become habits.
Watch your habits, they become character.'
It's good to lay our emotions before God and despite how we're feeling, choose to speak out the promises of God. His truth fills our minds and replaces panic and fear. We can hang onto the words of Christ, the sword of the Spirit, because they are life transforming.
Recent
Archive
2021
January
The Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of Matthew
February
The Gospel of MatthewTeach me how to prayThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewAsh WednesdayThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of Matthew
March
The Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of MatthewThe Gospel of Matthew
2020
January
New YearNew YearNew YearThe Path to Spiritual GrowthEvery Night with MattThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Path to Spiritual GrowthThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeHow to PrayThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
February
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeHow to PrayThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
March
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
April
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekLent: The Final WeekThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeHow to PrayThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of Luke
May
The Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukeThe Gospel of LukePentecostal PrayerPentecostal PrayerPentecostal PrayerPentecost PrayerPentecost PrayerPentecost Prayer
June
July
August
September
EvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismEvangelismPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPrayer for the City
October
Prayer for the CityPrayer for the CityPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansPhilippiansHow to read the bibleConquering ComparisonThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy SpiritThe Holy Spirit
November
Elijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaElijah and ElishaHow to PrayPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPraying with PaulPhilemonIntro to Advent
2019
January
John the Baptist prepares the wayJesus announces the good newsJesus heals manyJesus forgives and healsJesus heals on the SabbathParable of the sowerLamp on a standJesus restores a demon possessed manJesus raises a dead girl and heals a sick womanA prophet without honourJohn the Baptist beheadedJesus feeds the five thousandJesus walks on waterThat which defiles
February
Faith of the Syro-phonecian womanFeeding 4000Jesus heals a blind man at BethsaidaTransfigurationJesus heals a boy possessed by an impure spiritJesus predicts his death a second timeDivorceThe rich and the kingdom of GodJesus predicts his death a third timeBlind Bartimaeus receives his sightJesus comes to Jerusalem as kingJesus curses a fig tree and clear the templeThe authority of Jesus questionedPaying tax to CaesarThe greatest commandmentThe destruction of the temple
March
June
July
A Fellowship of DifferenceLove your neighbourLove your enemyNeither Jew nor GentilePray for PrideEphesians 6:10-13Ephesians 6:14Ephesians 6:15Ephesians 6:16Ephesians 6:17Ephesians 6:18-20LoveLove, for the day is nearLove is patientGod is loveCreationSabbathThe Lord does not grow wearyPsalm 23Come all you who are wearyBe stillJesus asleep in the boatQuiet you with love
August
Proverbs 1Proverbs 2Proverbs 3Proverbs 4Proverbs 5Proverbs 6Proverbs 7Proverbs 8Proverbs 9Proverbs 10Proverbs 11Proverbs 12Proverbs 13Proverbs 14Proverbs 15Proverbs 16Proverbs 17Proverbs 18Proverbs 19Proverbs 20Proverbs 21Proverbs 22Proverbs 23Proverbs 24Proverbs 25Proverbs 26Proverbs 27Proverbs 28Proverbs 29Proverbs 30Proverbs 31
September
October
A Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleA Brief Skim Through the BibleBack very soonSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the MountSermon on the Mount
November
Sermon on the MountSermon on the MountOpen to the SpiritOpen to the SpiritOpen to the SpiritOpen to the SpiritLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the ThessaloniansLetters to the Thessalonians
No Comments