In today’s lesson, we will see some people asking Jesus about current events of their time.  Often, we look around us at things which are happening, and we try to make sense of tragic and horrifying things and we may even bring those questions to God, seeking answers that make sense.  But sometimes, bad things happen in the world, and we cannot explain them in terms of what is fair or what someone deserves.  This is the crux of today’s lesson.

The second half of Luke 12 is focused on the subject of watchfulness.  Jesus taught on this subject often, advising that His return would come like a thief in the night (1 Thess 5:2) with no one knowing the hour it would happen.  We must always be ready and watching.

In our previous lesson, we saw Jesus having supper with some Pharisees discussing legalism in their religious practices.  At the close of Luke, chapter 11, He had just come outside after having that supper.  Today’s lesson picks up in chapter 12.  Verse 1 tells us that while He was eating His supper, a crowd of thousands had gathered, a crowd so big that they were trampling on each other.  Nevertheless, it was His disciples to whom Jesus chose to speak.

Our three previous lessons were focused around a certain sermon Jesus gave.  Today’s lesson picks up at the point where Jesus had just finished that sermon.  Read today’s text at Luke 11:37-54.

Our two previous lessons were both focused on the same sermon of Jesus.  It was a longer sermon, so it was broken into two lessons.  Today’s lesson happened at that same time, but it was not part of that sermon.  It is an event which occurred while Jesus was giving that sermon. 

Today’s lesson is very much a continuation of our previous lesson on Jesus and Beelzebub.  If you have not yet reviewed that lesson, I strongly recommend that you do so now, before reviewing this lesson.

Today’s lesson will once again center around Jesus casting out a demon.  This was something Jesus was called upon often, in His ministry, to do.  Read today’s text in Matt 12:22-37.

I love the story that we are about to study today.  It is about a woman whose life was changed by Jesus.  It is a dramatic story, and we must dive deep into the culture of the time to truly understand it.  Read today’s text in Luke 7:26-50.

Doubt.  Such a troubling thing.  If you have been a Christian for a while, you probably have a good head knowledge of Jesus Christ.  You will have some real roadside experience of the things He can do and does do.  You know He is real and you aren’t troubled too much with doubt.  But here we are talking about head-doubt.  Not too much of a problem for those of us with long-standing relationships with the Lord.  What I want to talk to you about today is heart-doubt.  That deep-down… not can He?, but will He?  Jesus promises to meet our needs and answer our prayers if we love Him and don’t doubt, if we serve Him and obey.  Do I trust Him enough?  Do I believe Him enough?  He can heal me, but He hasn’t yet.  Does He love me?  My aunt is still dying, will He let her?  Is there an area where I haven’t done enough to serve Him?  Have I let Him down?

We have just seen Jesus heal the centurion’s servant in Capernaum.  Now, He is going to another place called Nain.  It is 25 miles southwest of Capernaum.  Quite a walk!  And as they are arriving there, they come upon a funeral procession.  Read today’s text and compare the two miracles.

When Jesus finished delivering the Sermon on the Mount, He went to Capernaum.  There in Capernaum was a centurion, whose servant (slave) was sick and about to die.  Now, the Roman government had been ruling Palestine for about 100 years.  A centurion was a soldier who was in charge over 100 men and most Roman soldiers were known for being cruel and harsh.  Some, however, had been influenced by the Jewish religion in the area and had learned kinder ways, which we will see in our lesson today.  The centurion in our story today was kind to the Jews and had built the synagogue in Jerusalem.  This was the synagogue where Jesus had taught and had healed the demoniac (Mark 1:21-23).