A Compassionate Call to Discipleship

(Luke 21:5-38)

First Course:God Directs the Outcome of Human History toward His Great Ends,

VV 1-13          Course #2: God Provides Healing and Redemption for all who desire it, VV 14-23

Luke 13:16-17 (ESV) And ought not this woman, a daughter of

Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” 17 As he said these

things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all

the glorious things that were done by him.  

Satan has Great Power

Acts 26:18 (ESV) (Paul, I am sending you to the world) to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place

among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’  

“Satan” = Accuser, Adversary

2 Timothy 2:25-26 (ESV) God may perhaps grant them (the unsaved) repentance leading to a

knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from

the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

 

Satan controls our World

Acts 5:3 (ESV) But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the

proceeds of the land?  

Satan is the Great Tempter of Mankind

2 Corinthians 11:14 (ESV) And no wonder, for even Satan disguises

himself as an angel of light.  

Satan is the Great Deceiver of Mankind

2 Thessalonians 2:9-10 (ESV) The coming of the lawless one (Antichrist) is by the activity of Satan with all power

and false signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who

are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

 

Satan is the Great Deceiver of Mankind

 Second Course:

God Provides Healing and Redemption for all who desire it,

VV 14-23

Daniel 7:9-14 (ESV) “As I looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; his clothing was white as snow,

and the hair of his head like pure wool; his throne was fiery flames; its wheels were burning fire. 10 A stream of fire issued and came out from before him; a thousand

thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened. 11 “I looked then because

of the sound of the great words that the horn was speaking.

Daniel 7:9-14 (ESV) “And as I looked, the beast was killed, and its body destroyed and given over to be burned with fire. 12 As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but their lives were

prolonged for a season and a time. 13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a

son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and

glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion,

which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.

 

Hebrews 8:6-13 (MSG) But Jesus' priestly work far surpasses what these other priests do, since he's working from a far better plan. 7 If the first plan—the old covenant—had worked out, a

second wouldn't have been needed. 8 But we know the first was found wanting, because God said, Heads up!

The days are coming when I'll set up a new plan for dealing with Israel and Judah. 9 I'll throw out the old

plan I set up with their ancestors when I led them by the hand out of Egypt. They didn't keep their part of

the bargain, so I looked away and let it go.

Hebrews 8:6-13 (MSG) This new plan I'm making with Israel isn't going to be written on paper, isn't going to be chiseled in stone; This time I'm writing out the plan in them, carving it on the lining of their hearts. I'll

be their God, they'll be my people. 11 They won't go to school to learn about me, or buy a book called God in Five Easy

Lessons. They'll all get to know me firsthand, the little and the big, the small and the great. 12 They'll get to know me by being kindly forgiven, with the slate of their sins forever wiped clean.

13 By coming up with a new plan, a new covenant between God and his people, God put the old plan on the shelf. And there it

stays, gathering dust.  

2 Corinthians 3:14-18 (ESV) “But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when

they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15

Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. 16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image

from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

 

 Third Course:

God Reveals Human motives and Heart Conditions to help us Grow,

VV 24-38

Philippians 2:3-8 (ESV) “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count

others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests

of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of

God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

 

Job 1:6-11 (ESV) Now there was a day when the sons of God came to

present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, “From where have you come?” Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and

from walking up and down on it.” 8 And the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and

upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?”

Job 1:6-11 (ESV) Then Satan answered the LORD and said, “Does Job fear God for no reason? 10 Have you not put a hedge

around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and

he will curse you to your face.”  

Hebrews 4:11-16 (NKJV) Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone

fall according to the same example of disobedience (Israel’s hard hearts in the desert). 12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged

sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts

and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and

open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.

Hebrews 4:11-16 (NKJV) Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God,

let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in

time of need.