By Mike Peek

Luke 8:1-56 Not only were the twelve going around from village to village, preaching with Jesus, but there was a contingent of women as well. Jesus told two parables: First, the parable of the sower and the four soils; it is only the seed that falls on good soil that produces fruit, but the seed that falls on falls on the road, the rocky soil, or among thorns does not produce fruit. The second parable was of a lamp being put on a lamp-stand and not hidden from sight. Jesus said that to be a member of his family, one must hear the word of God and do it. After this, Jesus and his disciples crossed the sea, on which Jesus demonstrated power over the wind and the sea and the waves. Jesus healed a demon possessed man, his desire was to accompany Jesus, but Jesus told him to go tell what God had done for him in Jesus Christ. A woman was healed when she reached out to touch Jesus by faith. When questioned, she proclaimed before all present, her condition, and her reason for reaching out to to...

Luke 7:1-50 Jesus healed a centurion’s slave from dying and raised a widows dead son to life. John the Baptist sent a delegation to ask if Jesus is the expected one and Jesus answered by quoting from the prophets. Jesus called John the greatest of all proceeding messengers but that John is by no means greater than anyone in the kingdom of God. No matter if a prophet fasts or feasts, the men of this age slander him. While dinning in a Pharisee’s house, a woman who was a known sinner, washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and hair, anointed his feet with perfume, and kissed them; however, the Pharisee had contempt. Jesus explained that all our sinners, some greater than others; however, the difference between the saved and the unsaved is faith evidenced by love.  The measure of a person’s faith is love. Do you love little because you have been forgiven little, or do you love much because you have been forgiven much. The centurion understood that he had no right to favor. Not only was he ...

Luke 6:1-49 The Pharisees were concerned with keeping the letter of the law of Moses, to the point of making additional laws, to keep the people from breaking the Sabbath. They were legalist in every since of the word. They had an excessive observance of law. They did not understand the purpose or meaning of the law. They were so caught up with the letter of the law, that they did not even know that they were breaking the law.  Christians do not observe the Sabbath, though some will call Sunday the Sabbath; however, the Sabbath is the seventh day of the week and Sunday is the first day of the week. The Sabbath was observed in honor of the Lord who created all things in six days and rested on the seventh day. We call Sunday the Lord’s day, because it was on the first day of the week that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. The early Christians meet on the first day of the week. (1 Cor. 16:2)  The law of Christ is not like the law of Moses. The law of Moses was a written law to be ...

Luke 5:1-39 Jesus was teaching the people in the region of Galilee and having compassion. He taught from Simon’s (Peter) boat on the western shore of the sea of Galilee. There, he gave Simon and his partners a great catch of fish; they left their business, and their family, to follow Jesus. Jesus healed a man covered with leprosy and told him to go and make an offering to the priest, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them. The Pharisees and teachers of the law had heard about Jesus, so they came to see for themselves. They called it blasphemy when Jesus told a paralyzed man that his sins were forgiven. In answer, Jesus healed the paralyzed man, though he was carried in on a stretcher, he walked out on his own two legs. A tax collector named Levi (Matthew) began to follow Jesus and Jesus with his disciples, ate and drank at Levi’s house, with a great crowd of tax collectors and other people. The Pharisees and the scribes could not understand why Jesus associated with men that t...

Luke 4:1-44 After Jesus was Baptized by John in the Jordan river he was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. The text records for us three temptations but indicates that he was being tempted by the devil for forty days. The devil departed him until an opportune time. The first opportunity came when Jesus began his public ministry, teaching in the synagogues and was praised by all. When he taught in Nazareth, he did not capitulate to the demands of the crowd, so that he might be praised in his hometown, but spoke truth, at which they were enraged. The apostle John summarized this in his prologue: “He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.” (Jn 1:11) The people of his hometown did not receive him, but only wanted to see a sign. He told them that Isaiah 61:1-2 had been fulfilled in their hearing, but they did not believe, they only wanted him to preform a sign. However, Jesus did not do as they wanted, but told th...

Luke 3:1-38 Luke mentions a specific period of time, by mentioning the governmental leaders of the time, in which, John came into the district, around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The people came to John for baptism  and he preached to flee from the wrath to come and bear fruits in keeping with repentance. Though the people wondered if he was the Christ, John himself, said:  As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. (Lk 3:16, 17)  Like all that represented the old covenant, the law and the prophets, Isaiah and Jeremiah who prophesied Messiah (Christ) and a new covenant; John proceeded the Christ in ministry.  The law pr...

Luke 2:1-52 All that we know of Jesus’ childhood is contained within this passage and Matthew 1:18-2:23; however, I will limit my comments to this passage alone. Joseph took with him, to Bethlehem, Mary, to whom he was engaged, but had not yet known intimately, for she was with child; she gave brith to her firstborn son, and she wrapped him in cloths, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. An angel of the Lord appeared to some shepherds, keeping watch over their flocks in the field by night. The angel announced the birth of the Savior for them and all people. They did not ask for a sign, but the angel gave them one: “you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” After this, a multitude of heavenly host came praising God. The shepherds believed, so they went to go see, and told the child’s parents what the angel told them. Jesus was the name given through the angel before he was conceived; therefore, after eight days, he was circumcised...