27 October

Bible in 365 Days

Luke 8-9

Luke 8

Luke here refers to our Lord's journeyings, and reveals the interesting and beautiful fact of how women of wealth provided for him on the material level, ministering to Him of their substance.

At this point Luke records the parable of the sower, which forever divides into four sections those who hear the proclamation of the Word: first, those in whom His truth can produce no results, wayside hearers; second, those whose power of hearing is superficial, rock hearers; third, those in whom other forces impede and check the development of truth, thorny hearers; fourth, those who are responsive.

Following the parable we have the account of a memorable voyage over the sea and back. First came the time of quiet for Himself; He slept. The storm did not wake Him. The disciples woke. He calmed the wind, hushed the sea, and rebuked the disciples.

Reaching the country of the Gadarenes He restored to true life a demon-possessed man, and at the same time destroyed an unholy and forbidden traffic. A deputation of the inhabitants besought Him to depart from their coasts, and He went. He never forces Himself on unwilling hearts.

Our Lord's quick sensitiveness to need which ventures in faith is seen in His consciousness of the touch of a trembling woman as He traveled to the house of Jairus. Again His keen appreciation of the hour of greatest trial is revealed in His words to Jairus, "Fear not, only believe." His supreme authority was revealed as He put the scorners out of the chamber. His sweet, human sympathy is seen in the command to give the little one something to eat.

Luke 9

As He sent His apostles out, He gave them power and authority. They went forth without any provision for the journey other than the things of spiritual equipment. Rumors of the ministry and power they exercised reached Herod, and he was filled with fear. The apostles returned from their fist mission, and our Lord took them to Bethsaida, where He performed the wonder of feeding the crowd. In a remarkable way, that feeding is a parabolic illustration of the method by which those who serve Him are to reach the needs of humanity. Their duty is to yield all they have to Him, and then to obey Him, no matter how mere prudence and worldly wisdom may question the method.

At this point our Lord began the second stage in the disciples' training. In answer to His inquiry, one of their number confessed in full the glory of His Messiahship. He then began to show them the necessity for the Cross. They failed to grasp the significance of the revelation.

The next scene we have is of three of them being taken to the mount, and beholding Him in His transfigured glory, and finding that there, in converse with Moses and Elijah, He was speaking of that self-same Cross.

Descending to the valley, we see first the disciples beaten by demon possession, and then the Lord exercising His authority and power in freeing the child from that possession.

The chapter closes with illustrations showing that in following Jesus there must be no compromise and no delay.