What Jesus Did! 'Fury, Disinterest, Rationalization, or Obedience?' — Luke 11:53-54

Tuesday, August 8, 2023

Today is #GivingTuesday

We appreciate & depend on the generosity of people like you. Thank you!

 Thank You
As Jesus was leaving [after his accusations against the religious leaders], the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees became hostile and tried to provoke him with many questions. They wanted to trap him into saying something they could use against him.
— Luke 11:53-54 NLT

Key Thought

We can have any one of at least four different reactions to Jesus' demands in our lives:
  1. We can respond to his convicting truths with harsh anger and fury, even becoming aggressive toward his disciples.
  2. we can ignore Jesus' words and treat them as irrelevant,
  3. we can rationalize away those demands so that we can play like we are Jesus-followers without really being disciples, or
  4. we can obey, and show by our lives that we truly believe he is Lord.
What do you do with Jesus' words?

Today's Prayer

Father, thank you for sending Jesus to speak and reveal your truth. Keep my heart open to that truth so that it will flourish and bring changes to my life as I obey the Lord Jesus, in whose name I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

Have thoughts on this devotional? Leave a comment

Illustration

Illustration of Luke 11:53-54 NLT — They wanted to trap him into saying something they could use against him.

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Tuesday, August 8, 2023

Unstoppable!
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
'Paul's Background' (Acts 26:4-8)
"[Paul continued his defense before the Roman governor, Festus, and Agrippa, who was the Roman-appointed king:] "As the Jewish leaders are well aware,..."
Praying with Paul
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
'Preparing for the End' (Ph. 4:7-11)
"Dear Father, victorious deliverer, May I be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own, based on rule-keeping but that which is through trust..."
Today's Verse
A daily devotional featuring a Bible verse, thought and prayer.
Matthew 1:20-21
"But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your..."
Morning & Evening
The classic twice-daily devotional from Charles H. Spurgeon.
Evening Thought: Ecclesiastes 1:14
"Nothing can satisfy the entire man but the Lord's love and the Lord's own self. Saints have tried to anchor in other roadsteads, but they have been..."

About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

More What Jesus Did!