Luke, Chapter 12
Welcome to week twelve of Luke/Acts 2020. My name is Tessa Priem, and I'm a solo dance artist. I'm also a mommy who studied theology! Thus, for the year of 2020, we're doing a year-long Bible Study. This week, our structure is the same as week eleven: 1) I give an introduction to the reading, 2) there's a recording of me reading the chapter, 3) followed by questions & an explanation; 4) I'll post a hymn that you can read if you'd like, and 5) we'll close with a prayer. If you have a Bible, please open it to Luke, chapter twelve. If not, you can find Luke chapter twelve online. Let's get started! And if you have questions or thoughts at the end, leave a comment or send me an email. Many blessings!
1) Introduction: Greetings, dear friends. In the event that many others get a chance to do this Bible study someday, I want to mentioned that this specific study of Luke 12 is being prepared during the coronavirus outbreak. I cannot count how many times in my life when God's word seemed to align perfectly with my life experience, almost as if God planned for me to read that very verse or text at that very moment. This is one of those times. I could not have planned this myself, for Luke 12 fits almost perfectly with the present struggle. May you be comforted by God's word as we read this week. Let's dig in.
2) Recording: Here is a recording of Luke, chapter twelve. Note: in it, I get after my children. Sorry about that, but I opted to keep it part of the recording because that's life!
| luke_12.m4a |
3) Explanation & Questions: Did you notice anything from this reading that is particularly applicable to today? Were you comforted by anything, or troubled by specific verses? In previous weeks, I've mentioned Law & Gospel, how I would like to unpack those terms. This is the week for doing that. We are experiencing "law" right now as we struggle with the potential devastation from this disease. And there are many instances in life where we experience "law," feeling like God is on our back, out to get us, or like the Evil One is prevailing. During such times, it is vital to have the Gospel -- comfort, good news -- to know that God IS for us. In Luke 12, Jesus gives us a lot of direction on how we are to live. And it is his words of compassion that give us the courage to listen and follow. While these words were penned LONG ago by Luke, who was a doctor himself who surely witnessed ailments, this Gospel has the utmost relevance. For Luke recorded timeless words, the very words of Christ that can guide us today. Please consider Digging Deeper with me; see my Google Doc that discusses specific verses and terms. Be sure to scroll down to Chapter Twelve.
4) Hymn: Here is the hymn "Lord, It Belongs Not to My Care." The lyrics are below if you'd like to read along :)
| lord_it_belongs_not_to_my_care.m4a |
Lord, it belongs not to my care
Whether I die or live;
To love and serve Thee is my share,
And this Thy grace must give.
If life be long, I will be glad
That I may long obey;
If short, yet why should I be sad
To soar to endless day?
Christ leads me through no darker rooms
Than He went through before;
He that unto God's kingdom comes
Must enter by this door.
Come, Lord, when grace has made me meet
Thy blessed face to see;
For if Thy work on earth be sweet,
What will Thy glory be!
Then shall I end my sad complaints
And weary, sinful days
And join with the triumphant saints
Who sing my Savior's praise.
My knowledge of that life is small,
The eye of faith is dim;
But 'tis enough that Christ knows all,
And I shall be with Him.
Whether I die or live;
To love and serve Thee is my share,
And this Thy grace must give.
If life be long, I will be glad
That I may long obey;
If short, yet why should I be sad
To soar to endless day?
Christ leads me through no darker rooms
Than He went through before;
He that unto God's kingdom comes
Must enter by this door.
Come, Lord, when grace has made me meet
Thy blessed face to see;
For if Thy work on earth be sweet,
What will Thy glory be!
Then shall I end my sad complaints
And weary, sinful days
And join with the triumphant saints
Who sing my Savior's praise.
My knowledge of that life is small,
The eye of faith is dim;
But 'tis enough that Christ knows all,
And I shall be with Him.
5) Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for warning your disciples to be aware of hypocrisy from religious leaders; please help us not to be hypocritical ourselves. Thank you for telling us not to fear, and for letting us know that we are worth so much to you (you know everything about us!). Help us not to be afraid to confess Christ, especially when the opportunity arises. And guide us to be rich towards You (to be about kingdom work, versus trying to stock up treasure for only this earthly existence). We know that you will provide for our needs, even during this challenging time, so help us not to worry. As your disciples have always been preparing, please help us to be ready when you come back. Until then, guide us in following your teaching every day of our lives, whether healthy or sick, being comforted by You and Your faithful love for us. We love you, Lord. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.
Disclaimer: I should mention I do not have copyright permission regarding the particular Bible I'm using. I am reading an ESV edition in this recording. The majority of hymns I choose are in the public domain as this one is, and I reference the Lutheran Service Book a lot. I will be posting these devotions each Friday, throughout the year 2020. May they be a blessing to you. If you'd like to follow me and learn more about what I do, especially dance-wise, you can find me on Facebook, Instagram & YouTube. Enjoy the journey! Have a wonderful week. -Tessa
P.S. If you'd like to learn about my solo dance show, click here. It's my life story danced out. I am also currently writing my autobiography, and you can read some of it here.
P.S. If you'd like to learn about my solo dance show, click here. It's my life story danced out. I am also currently writing my autobiography, and you can read some of it here.