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

Tuesday, August 8, 2023

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

A Year with Jesus
A devotional to help reclaim Jesus as the daily Lord of our lives.
''The Last Straw''
"Dear Disciple, After My triumphal entry, Jerusalem was a tangle of tension and evil plotting. Look at a few excerpts from Luke's descriptions of the...."
Quotemeal
A daily dose of Christian quotes to inspire and encourage.
Quote by Bishop Charles H. Brent:
"Pray hardest when it is hardest to pray."
Praying with Paul
Features the apostle Paul's writings turned into daily, powerful prayers.
'The Holy Parade' (1 Co. 4:8-13)
"Dear Father, king of the ages, Would that your people were already filled! Would that they were already rich! Would that they were already kings and...."
Unstoppable!
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
'Asked!' (Acts 6:12-13, 7:1)
"[The lies of the false witnesses against Stephen] aroused the people, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and..."

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!