Daily View Devotions
A Source for: * Sunday School Lessons * New Testament Devotionals * Sermon Ideas * Bible Studies *
The Daily View is a five day-a-week devotion. Read one KJV chapter each day and learn something from what was read. It is also an ideal source for Sunday school lessons for adults, teens, and sermon ideas.
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Daily Devotion in Luke 19
Daily Nugget:
“And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.” Luke 19:46-47
The world, and unfortunately many Christians, have the wrong idea how a Christian should behave. Somehow, many are convinced that a Christian should be tolerant of those doing wrong, be polite, and never voice his opinion. Nowhere in the Bible is tolerance to evil suggested.
Here, in Luke 19:46-47, we see a contrary example of the pathetic, polite, and “proper” image that most think marks the behavior of a Christian. In this example, the person who did the opposite was the Saviour Himself – Jesus.
Jesus saw what man had done to the house of God. Some wanted to make money (see also Matthew 21:12-13), so they devised enterprising ideas to make a “buck” using the religion. They knew the Jews attending the temple were supposed to present animal sacrifices to the priest so that their sins were temporarily “covered” and “paid for.” The attendees themselves were to bring their own sheep, doves, oxen, and offerings.
These exploiters saw an opportunity to make some quick cash from lazy Jews. They set up tables in the back of the Temple and sold these animals to those wanting to give them to the priests. Soon the back of the temple was teeming with wildlife and vendors.
The house of God had been turned into a “den of thieves.” Jesus saw what was happening. He did not walk quietly and timidly up to the vendors and politely told them, “Please, gentlemen, take your ambitious enterprise outside the gate where you can enjoy the sunshine.”
No, sir, He did not. He went up to the tables, threw out the moneychangers, and overturned the tables. Jesus knew what was right, and this was not the right thing to do in the house of prayer. There was no hint of polite “tolerance” anywhere in this account or in the other accounts in Matthew 21:12-13 and Mark 11:15-18.
In another account, possibly three years before this event, Jesus did even more to the “thieves” (John 2:14-16). He not only pushed over their tables, but chased them out with a whip of chords.
Tolerating sin is not mentioned in the Bible. When a Christian sees something is wrong, it is his duty to speak out. We are supposed to be the “salt” to change the flavor of this world that naturally will not do right in God’s eyes. A Christian must also be the “light” in this sin-darkened world. A Christian would make more changes to this world if they stopped putting up with sin and stood against it.
Tolerating sin and turning “the other cheek” is often a cowardly act when one is afraid to make a stand! This world has gotten wicked because most Christians have not stood up against what is wrong. If we do not stand against sin, who will? It is our responsibility.
Today’s Thought:
“Give Satan an inch, and you will make him a ruler.” — Author Unknown
Words to Understand:
Austere: strict; self-denying; very plain
Publicans: collectors of tributes and/or taxes
Today’s Reading:
Luke 19
1 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.
3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.
4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.
5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.
8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
11 ¶ And as they heard these things, he added and spake a parable, because he was nigh to Jerusalem, and because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear.
12 He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.
13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.
14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us.
15 And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
16 Then came the first, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.
17 And he said unto him, Well, thou good servant: because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authority over ten cities.
18 And the second came, saying, Lord, thy pound hath gained five pounds.
19 And he said likewise to him, Be thou also over five cities.
20 And another came, saying, Lord, behold, here is thy pound, which I have kept laid up in a napkin:
21 For I feared thee, because thou art an austere man: thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow.
22 And he saith unto him, Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow:
23 Wherefore then gavest not thou my money into the bank, that at my coming I might have required mine own with usury?
24 And he said unto them that stood by, Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds.
25 (And they said unto him, Lord, he hath ten pounds.)
26 For I say unto you, That unto every one which hath shall be given; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him.
27 But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me.
28 ¶ And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem.
29 And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,
30 Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither.
31 And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.
32 And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them.
33 And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt?
34 And they said, The Lord hath need of him.
35 And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon.
36 And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way.
37 And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;
38 Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
39 And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.
40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
41 ¶ And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,
44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
45 And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought;
46 Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.
47 And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him,
