Talk of JESUS .com

Tag: Luke

  • Happy are you…

    Happy are you…

    Happy Birthday.  Thanks.

    Happy Anniversary.  Thanks.

    Did you have a happy birthday?  … Hmmm… Quite a different question.

    By “Happy,” do you mean “BLESSED?”

    If that is your question, my answer is YES.

    Aren’t happiness and blessedness the same?   How does Jesus measure blessedness?

    Jesus Christ gives us an insight into blessedness and happiness you may not have considered or may hesitate to embrace.

    You will find Jesus’ measure of “blessed” the Beatitudes in two of the Gospels.

    We may see more of Jesus’ paradox of blessedness in the Young’s Literal Translation (or a contemporary rendering like The Message Bible):

    • Happy the poor

    • Happy those hungering now

    • Happy those weeping now

    • Happy are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you, and shall reproach, and shall cast forth your name as evil, for the Son of Man’s sake

    (In case you seek a little more “blessedness”) Mathew’s Good News adds a little more to the paradox than Luke:

    • `Happy the poor in spirit
    •  `Happy the mourning
    • `Happy the meek
    • `Happy those hungering and thirsting for righteousness
    •  `Happy the kind
    • `Happy the clean in heart
    • `Happy the peacemakers
    • `Happy those persecuted for righteousness’ sake
    • `Happy are ye whenever they may reproach you, and may persecute, and may say any evil thing against you falsely for my sake

    Jesus said to His disciples – His followers: “You are my friends if you do what I command.” – John 15:14

    Is Christ Jesus your friend?  (Take a look at His ‘To Do List’ for “Happiness.”)

    Blessed are we IF we DO these things.

    “And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. – Luke 14:27

    Blessed are you: beloved brother, beloved sister in our Lord.

    Have a blessed day. :{)+

  • #Share Follow Me – Jesus

    #Share Follow Me – Jesus

    FOLLOW ME – The Social Networking of Jesus

    Luke 5:

    10 His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.

    Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” 11 And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.

    27 Later, as Jesus left the town, he saw a tax collector named Levi sitting at his tax collector’s booth.“Follow me and be my disciple,” Jesus said to him. 28 So Levi got up, left everything, and followed him.

    “Jesus followed no man.  Yet in just three years our Lord connected to thousands and convinced many followers.

    I’ve been giving much thought and listening to considerable advice recently about how to reach readers who also follow Christ.  This is crucial for Christian authors.

    IF we seek followers of Christ to read our book (or our blog), where will our journey take us in three years?

    (Jesus must have had a plan and strategy for Jews and gentiles to receive the gospel of the Cross before the sacrifice of the Cross.)

    How did He do it?  What was His strategy?

    Although Jesus followed only God, our Lord pursued faithfully those who sought to follow him.  Matthew, Zacchaeus, Mary Magdalene, a Samaritan woman at the well and Nicodemus are just a few examples.

    Jesus was connected to a Mentor Circle.  (You know the other Two.)

    His Followers, Apostles, Paul, Timothy and others all built their churches in the same way – Mentors from the One original AND Followers of each new closely connected group of believers.

    His followers he then added and pursued any who followed with love for their souls.

    Therefore my intent is to follow some of your wise counsel from our inner circle of Christian authors. Yet my advice to us:

    “Walk among the circles of our READERS.  Show them Christ.  See who will follow.

    Do you have any specific directions for us?

    Please comment. AND please… #SHARE on http://talkofJesus.com AND share our community of Christian Social Witness for Jesus Christ. #FOLLOW us on your SOCIAL PAGES.   May our Lord bless you.

     

  • Act Accordingly – Acts 1:

    Act Accordingly – Acts 1:

    It’s a big important event.  The many details and much planning are well beyond our comprehension.

    We know the time is near.  The clock of our daily existence counts down toward a moment of Highest importance which we do not fully understand.  We watch and wait.

    This is the setting of the beginning of Acts.  Luke has set the scene, one we can understand more in a 20th c. context of waiting for a launch of men to the moon.  We are most uncertain of the outcome.

    We will discover more about the author of Luke-Acts, a two-part book, later in Acts.  Doctor Luke begins with a summary of his Gospel as describing about Jesus until the time “he was taken up into heaven…” 

    The Apostles have received their instructions after Jesus’ crucifixion, death and resurrection to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit.  This same Holy Spirit had descended on Jesus at the beginning of His three-year journey toward the Cross.

    ‘What do we do now, just watch?’ they must have thought. The risen Christ Jesus gives his first orders as King.  He needs to populate His Kingdom. GO find faithful followers who will be baptized – changed permanently – and receive the Holy Spirit.

    Our risen Lord affirms: Acts 1: 8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.

    And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

    9 After saying this, he was taken up into a cloud while they were watching, and they could no longer see him.

    10 As they strained to see him rising into heaven, two white-robed men suddenly stood among them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why are you standing here staring into heaven? Jesus has been taken from you into heaven, but someday he will return from heaven in the same way you saw him go!”

    Here is their dear friend and teacher, who they thought had been taken from them by death.  He is risen in great power over sin and death!  His Kingdom begins: but not on earth (for now), but in Heaven.

    Who will be subject to the righteous rule of love and grace by the risen Christ Jesus,

    King and Lord?

    Our Lord Christ Jesus will return once more for His servants.  Who do you serve? Are you willing?  Are you ready?

    What must you do?