Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional as we continue in our Luke, Exploring Who Jesus is series. Today, from Luke 14:15, we reflect on how a vision of eternal life or eternal death empowers, joy, prayer and compassionate mission.
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‘When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”’ (Luke 14:15)
Malala Yousafzai, a young girl from Pakistan, was driven by a powerful vision of girls' education. Despite the Taliban's threats, she advocated for girls' right to go to school. In 2012, at just 15 years old, Malala was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman while riding the bus home from school. She survived the attack and became a global symbol of courage and determination. Malala’s vision of education for all girls led her to become the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate, inspiring millions worldwide to fight for education and equality, even in the face of great danger.
Vision is, maybe, the most powerful thing that there is. If we will allow God to give us a picture of what He can and wants to do, we can find the courage and compassion that’s required to do amazing things. If Malala, a non-Christian as far as I know, can be prepared to give her life for a vision, how much more the children of God!
In our text, we are reminded of the vision of feasting in the Kingdom of God. Such people are ‘blessed’ - they will be supremely happy forever. This is a vision of death and the fulness of the Kingdom when Jesus returns. Although, in our text, this is said, most probably, in pride and with a desire to lift the awkward atmosphere at this meal, nevertheless, Jesus does want us to live a true vision of the feast so as to be ready and help others to be ready.
Christians are to be filled with a vision and the hope of eternal life when they die. Christians are to be filled with a vision of the renewed creation in which they will live when Jesus comes. Such a vision is to cause us, firstly, to worship and excited.
Following on from our own joy, security and hope that this vision gives, we are to be filled with compassion for those who don’t have this vision of hope in Christ. Those who are most ‘heavenly minded’ should be of the most earthly good! Those who have one foot in heaven will have both feet in this earth in order to help to bring others to Jesus and this blessed hope.
Let’s pray together
“Lord Jesus, I thank you for the hope that you give to us - the hope of being with you in your eternal Kingdom. Fill me afresh with a vision of this hope, and may this vision inspire and lead me to help others to come to know this hope in you. Amen.”
Community Group Notes
1. Notices
It might be good to begin with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News.
2. Icebreaker
How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week, or maybe from our week of prayer, and how has this helped you?
3. Worship together
Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.
4. Study and pray together
Sunday’s message from our Luke series was about how: ‘Those who experience God’s promotion will offer God’s promotion.’
In our message on Sunday from Luke 14:1-24, we see how we are to have a massive impact on this fallen world. Christians and the church are to offer God’s ‘promotion’ - His healing and salvation to this fallen world, but we will only do this, and do this effectively, if we are amazed at how how God has ‘promoted us’ from the lowest place, to the top of the table as a member of His family in Christ.
Please read Luke 14:1-24 and discuss:
Did God speak to you about anything from Sunday’s message?
What does 14:1-11 teach us about the types of people who will and won’t respond to the gospel? And what is the 'promotion' that God speaks over all who humble themselves to receive the gospel? And How is a Christian is to behave?
What does 14:12-14 teach us about hospitality and how does God want us to become better at generous hospitality?
SIV - What does 14:15-23 teach about the various responses to the gospel, and whom we are to invite into the Kingdom?
SIV - Do we have any stories of how we have ‘Served, Invested, and inVited’ recently?
SIV - Spend some time together talking and praying about who and how you are seeking to bring your community to Jesus.
Let’s pray together: Pray for one another out of our study together and for anything else for which people would like prayer.
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