MONDAY- 24^th  WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Luke 7:1-10: Not even in Israel have I found faith like this.

I Reading: 1 Timothy 2:1-8: There should be prayers offered for everyone to God, who wants everyone to be saved.

Jesus Finds Great Faith in a Soldier: Great Faith, What it Is, 7:1-10

Jesus Christ meets the needs of every one-Gentile or Jew, rich or poor, leader or follower, ruler or slaves. He bridges the gaps, prejudices and divisions between people. The one essential for securing His help is faith. A person must have faith in Christ and His power which is demonstrated what happened between the soldier and Jesus in this passage.

1. Jesus returned to Capernaum (v.1)

2. Great faith cares deeply for people (v.2)

3. Great faith feels unworthy in approaching Jesus Christ (v.3)

4. Great faith seeks God in Jesus Christ (v.4-5)

5. Great faith is centred in Jesus Christ (v.6-8)

a. In Jesus as Sovereign Lord

b. In Jesus supreme power and Word

6. Great faith stirs the great power of Jesus Christ (v.9-8)

a. Jesus marvelled

b. Jesus commanded the soldier

c. Jesus healed the servant

Thought: Willingness, obedience and great faith were essential for Jesus to raise the dead son.

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SUNDAY- 24^th  WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Mark 8:27-35: You are the Christ. The Son of Man is  destined to suffer grievously.

I Reading: Isaiah 50:5-9: I offered my back to those who struck me.

II Reading: James 2:14-18: If good works do not go with faith, it is quite dead.

The Great Confession of Peter: Who Jesus is, Mk 8:27-30

The first reading and the gospel explain about the suffering servant. In the second reading St James assets that faith without works is dead. In the gospel Jesus predicts about his suffering, passion and death and encourages his disciples or followers to follow his way by renouncing oneself and taking up his own cross. The passage further discovers the identity of Jesus. Who is Jesus? Jesus is the Christ and the Son of God, the suffering servant and the saviour of the world.

Jesus deliberately set out to make sure that the disciples saw Him as God’s Messiah and not man’s Messiah and a way of power and pleasure. He had to make sure they understood God’s way of salvation and plan that God was after victory over death and a life that lasted eternally, not just for seventy or so many years.

The present passage is one of the most dramatic  revelations ever made and the most demanding questions ever asked. The answer given determines one’s eternal destiny and requires a single answer: “You are the Christ.”

1. Jesus in Caesarea Philipi (v.27):

The Greek God of nature is PAN, the God being called PANIAS. Herod the great had built the temple in worship of Caesar. Herod’s son Philip who adorned the temple with the magnificence for which it was known world-wide. It was Philip who changed the name of the city from Panias to Caesarea and added his own name calling the city Caesarea Philipi. It was against this background of religion Jesus asked the question, “who do people say I am? Who do you say I am?” and Peter made is great discovery  and confession: Jesus is the Christ, the real Messiah.

a. He visited the village

b. He questioned the people’s belief about himself

2. The confession of men: He is a great man like: John the Baptist, Elijah and one of the prophets (v.28)

3. The confession of his disciples: He is the Christ, the true Messiah, Son of the living God (v.29)

4. The need: To learn about God’s Messiah (v.30)

Thought: Confession is just the beginning of our spiritual journey. We must be accurate in what we study and we must we accurate in what we share, making certain that we share the truth.

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SATURDAY- 23^rd WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Luke 6:43-49: Why do you call me, “Lord, Lord” and not do what I say?

I Reading: 1Timothy 1:15-17: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.

Jesus Teaches Two Foundations of Life:

Genuine vs. Counterfeit Discipleship, 6:46-49

There is only one foundation for every life: Jesus Christ (1Cor 3:11). He is the Rock upon which both individuals and churches are to build (Mt 16:18). Jesus teaches that there are two kinds of builders.

a. A wise builder: hears and obeys (v.47-48)

b. A foolish builder: hears and does not obey (v.49)

1. The foundation of discipleship is obedience (v.46)

2. The true disciple: lays a foundation (v.47-48)

a. he comes and hears and does

b. he is like a builder

            1) he builds a house

            2) he digs deep

            3) he lays a rock foundation

c. results: it stands

3. The false disciple: lays no foundation (v.49)

a. he hears but does not obey

b. he is like a builder

            1) builds a house

            2) does not dig

            3) lays no foundation

c. Result: a great fall

Thought: The Lord is not a lifeless rock, but “the living stone” (1Pet 2:4). A man person must build upon Jesus Christ. There is no other foundation that can withstand the coming storms of trouble, problems, afflictions, evil and death.

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FRIDAY- 23^rd WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Luke 6:39-42: Can blind man guide another?

I Reading: 1Timothy 1:1-2.12-14: I used to be a blasphemer, but the mercy of God was shown to me.

Jesus Teaches His Rules for Discipleship: The Need to Watch, 6:39-45

Man is to watch how he lives. Both the quality and fate of his life depend upon it. God cares about the quality and destiny of a man’s life. He wants every man to receive the fullest life and the eternal life.

There are four rules, four warnings that must be watched if we are to live life to the fullest and be assured of eternal life.

1. Watch blindness: One’s leader and how one leads (v.39)

a. If both are in darkness

b. Both stumble and fall

2. Watch the Teacher (Lord) (v.40)

a. Student (disciple) must submit

b. He must be like his teacher

3. Watch hypocrisy and criticism of others (v.41-42)

a. Both have a problem

b. The criticizer has the biggest problem

c. The criticizer is a hypocrite

d. Judging oneself enables one to see clearly and to see how to help others

4. Watch the fruit that a man brings forth (v.43-45)

a. Every tree is known by its fruit

b. Every tree reproduces after its nature or kind

c. Every man reproduces what is in his heart

Thought: A man’s words expose five things about him:

1) his true nature

2) his motives, desires and ambitions or lack of initiative

3) his true character: good or bad, kind or cruel

4) his mind, what he thinks; pure or impure thoughts, dirty or clean thoughts

5) his spirit, what he believes or purses: the legitimate or illegitimate, the intelligent or ignorant, the true or false, the beneficial or wasteful.

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THURSDAY- 23^rd WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Luke 6:27-38: Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate.

I Reading: Colossians 3:12-17: Put on love

Jesus Teaches the New Principles of Life, Lk 6:27-38

The principles spelled out by Jesus are shocking. They go every grain of society and every fiber of a man’s being. Man rebels by nature against what Jesus is saying; however the new principles must be heeded, for they are the salvation of society and the hope of man for life.

1. The principles of life (v.27-31)

a. Governing relationship

          1) love and do good

          2) bless and pray

          3) offer the other cheek

b. Governing property

          1) deprive not

          2) give

          3) do not demand material goods

c. Governing behaviour

2. The argument: A disciple’s behaviour must surpass a sinner’s (v.32-34)

a. in love

b. in doing good

c. in lending

3. The reward for living right (v.35-36)

a. shall be great

b. shall be the children of the Most High

c. shall be acting as God’s children

4. The promise: Reciprocal behaviour-you will receive what you give (v.37-38)

a. in relationships

b. in property

c. the principle: a person receives what he/she gives

Thought: Believers are to love all people, even enemies which is the true teaching of Jesus Christ.

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WEDNESDAY- 23^rd WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Luke 6:20-26: How happy are you who are poor. But alas for you who are rich.

I Reading: Colossians 3:1-11: You have died with Christ. That is why you must kill everything in you that belongs only to earthly life.

Jesus Teaches the Perils of the Material World, Lk 6:20-26

This is a shocking passage to the world, for Jesus switches the world’s values completely around. He rejects entirely the materialism (things) of the world and warns the worldly and materialistic that severe judgement is coming.

1. The Promise to those who reject materialism (v.20-23)

a. The poor: Will inherit the kingdom of God

b. The hungry: Will be filled

c. The sorrowful: Will laugh

d. The persecuted for Jesus’ sake

1) The persecuted described: The hated, the ostracized, and the rejected

2) The attitude to have while being persecuted: Rejoicing

3) Reward: To be great

2. The Judgement of those who follow materialism (v.24-26)

a. The rich: Will want

b. The full: Will hunger

c. The merry: Will weep

d. The prideful and compromising: Will have earthly approval only

Thought: All people need a Saviour for salvation, seeking His righteousness.

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TUESDAY- 23^rd WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME –B

Gospel: Luke 6:12-19: Jesus spent the whole night in prayer and he picked twelve whom he called “apostles”.

I Reading: Colossians: The Lord has brought you to life with him, he has forgiven you all your sins.

Jesus chooses His Men: Who is Chosen and Why? Lk 6:12-19

Jesus need people who will carry out His message of salvation to the world. This passage is a picture of how Jesus goes about choosing people to serve Him.

1. He chose them after prayerful consideration-after praying all night (v.12)

2. He chose them from among his disciples (v.13)

3. He chose them to be apostles (v.13)

4. He chose diverse personalities (v.14-16)

5. He chose them to minister with him (v.17-19)

a. They ministered to two distinct groups

1) To followers

2) To the crowds

b. They had a threefold ministry

1) To preach

2) To heal

3) To lead people to touch Jesus

Thought: The believer is the ambassador for Christ, one who goes forth representing Christ Himself both by life and word. The believer is to reflect the very life of Christ. (2Cor 5:19-20)

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