The Vineyard Church

Here are some questions to consider as you read Luke 8 today…

How is the soil of your heart right now? Is it hard or rocky? Is your heart ready to receive God’s word...and put it into practice? Is there a storm in your life that you need God to calm? What foundation is your life built on? Is there a broken area of your life that you would like for God to heal? Have you ever reached out to touch Jesus for healing?

When a demon-possessed man was changed through his personal encounter with Christ, immediately he began telling people what Jesus had done for him. Revelation 12:11 states, “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” Who did they overcome? The “accuser of the brothers” (the devil or Satan). Something happens in our lives when we tell others what God has done in our life. It releases power, faith and the truth of God’s word.

It’s amazing to me how many different things Jesus did and taught as he went along his way. In this one chapter of Luke Jesus healed the demon possessed man, taught the parable of the sower and the seed, calmed a storm, and a woman was healed simply by touching Jesus’ coat as he passed by while on his way to raise someone’s little girl from the dead!

John chapter 21:25 says that, “Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” Based just upon this one chapter in Luke, I think that must be true!

Now shift from the Gospel of Luke to another of Paul’s letters, this one to the churches in Galatia (located in modern day Turkey). Note that Paul expresses his concern for his friends who have slipped back into legalism. (They were attempting to keep the law versus walking by faith or in the Spirit). Paul equates living under the law to slavery. The law didn’t bring freedom it brought bondage. It didn’t bring life it brought death. It is the Spirit that brings life!

Paul then compares two lists: The acts of the sinful nature and the fruit of the Spirit. Take special note of the differences in these two lists…

Paul wraps up his letter by telling his friends to restore someone caught in sin…to carry each other’s burdens and to do good. Galatians 6:10 states, “As we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.”

God really does want us to be “do-gooders!”

Scott Sliver