Kingdom Keys - Luke Series

So maybe you’ve heard it said, ‘read your bible’ so you tried and failed. Our hope as leaders is that all of us will pick up God’s word and come to understand the true nature of God. After all, the bible is God’s Word curated over centuries detailing His nature, His will, the meaning of life and humanity’s historical interactions with Him. The Bible details the hidden keys to the Kingdom. Hence, the reason we are reviewing a new book each week.

This week we move to the second of the four gospels entitled “Luke.” As the video highlights, the book’s larger message is to provide an orderly account of the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. It must have been a best seller because there is a sequel written called the “acts of the apostles.” The book is written to explain the larger story of Jesus and the ramifications for a world in need of a Savior. The book looks to expand the reach of the good news of God’s incarnate presence in Jesus beyond the Jews to the rest of the world. It is written more like a story than the other three gospels in an attempt to help the readers, who weren't raised Jewish, to understand the ramifications of God’s inbreaking into the world. It leaves the reader wanting to know more of what happens after Jesus’ ascension to heaven.

Before we get into the scriptures today, I’d like to share a story with you.

There was a woman named, Ruth. She went to her mailbox and there was a letter. She picked it up and looked at it before opening, but then she looked at the envelope again. There was no stamp, no postmark, only her name and address.She read the letter:

Dear Ruth:

I`m going to be in your neighborhood Saturday afternoon and I’d like to stop by for a visit.

Love Always,

Jesus

Her hands were shaking as she placed the letter on the table. ‘Why would the Lord want to visit me?I’m nobody special. I don’t have anything to offer..’ With that thought, Ruth remembered her empty kitchen cabinets. ‘Oh my goodness, I really don’t have anything to offer. I’ll have to run down to the store and buy something for dinner.’ She reached for her purse and counted out its contents. Five dollars and forty cents. Well, I can get some bread and cold cuts, at least..’

She threw on her coat and hurried out the door. A loaf of French bread, a half-pound of sliced turkey, and a carton of milk…leaving Ruth with a grand total twelve cents to last her until Monday..

Nonetheless, she felt good as she headed home, her meager offerings tucked under her arm.

‘Hey lady, can you help us,lady?’

Ruth had been so absorbed in her dinner plans, she hadn’t even noticed two figures huddled in the alleyway. A man and a woman, both of them dressed in little more than rags.

‘Look lady, I ain’t got a job, you know, and my wife and I have been living out here on the street, and, well, now it’s getting cold and we’re getting kinda hungry and, well, if you could help us. Lady, we’d really appreciate it.’

Ruth looked at them both. They were dirty, they smelled bad and frankly, she was certain that they could get some kind of work if they really wanted to..

‘Sir, I’d like to help you, but I’m a poor woman myself. All I have is a few cold cuts and some bread, and I’m having an important guest for dinner tonight and I was planning on serving that to Him.’

‘Yeah, well, okay lady, I understand. Thanks anyway.’

The man put his arm around the woman’s shoulders, turned and headed back into the alley.

As she watched them leave, Ruth felt a familiar twinge in her heart.

‘Sir, wait!’ The couple stopped and turned as she ran down the alley after them.

‘Look, why don’t you take this food? I’ll figure out something else to serve my guest.’

She handed the man her grocery bag.

‘Thank you lady. Thank you very much!’ ‘Yes, thank you!’ It was the man’s wife, and Ruth could see now that she was shivering. ‘You know, I’ve got another coat at home. Here, why don’t you take this one.’ Ruth unbuttoned her jacket and slipped it over the woman’s shoulders. Then smiling, she turned and walked back to the street….without her coat and with nothing to serve her guest. ‘Thank you lady! Thank you very much!’

Ruth was chilled by the time she reached her front door, and worried too. The Lord was coming to visit and she didn’t have anything to offer Him. She fumbled through her purse for the door key. But as she did, she noticed another envelope in her mailbox. ‘That’s odd. The mailman doesn’t usually come twice in one day.’