What Jesus Did! 'They Hung on Every Word' — Luke 19:45-48

Monday, November 13, 2023

Then Jesus entered the Temple and began to drive out the people selling animals for sacrifices. He said to them, "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be a house of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves."

After that, he taught daily in the Temple, but the leading priests, the teachers of religious law, and the other leaders of the people began planning how to kill him. But they could think of nothing, because all the people hung on every word he said.

— Luke 19:45-48 NLT

Key Thought

Those in power wanted to shut Jesus up; they were so adamant about it, they plotted to kill him. However, the everyday folks heard the voice of God in Jesus' words, and they hung on every word he said. Our trip through the Gospel of Luke this year is based on our need to hear the voice of Jesus and to know his ministry firsthand. So often in our world today, people will read a bestselling Christian author before they will read their Bible. They will read books about Jesus rather than reading the Gospels that the Holy Spirit provided us to know the story of Jesus. I want to issue you a challenge: Join me in using the remainder of this year to read through each of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) at least once. [1] Hang on to Jesus' every word. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you know Jesus more so you can become like him more completely.

[1] The four Gospels combined have 89 chapters. There are 48 days left in the year, so reading just two chapters per day would be more than enough to read through the Gospels once before the end of the year. Four chapters per day would allow reading them twice.

Today's Prayer

O righteous and holy Father, God of all creation, please reveal your Son to me and in me as I seek to learn more about him during the closing weeks of this year. Please help me to mold my life to be like him. In his name, I pray. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

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Illustration

Illustration of Luke 19:45-48 NLT — "The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be a house of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves."

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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.

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