Puzzling verses in a masive chunk of Scripture...

The gospel of Luke is a wonderfully rich narrative. I have chosen to preach next weekend on Luke 11:14-12:12. Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem and the hostility towards him is on the rise. In this chunk of Scripture Jesus doesn't hold back. He has super Jesus like insight into their hearts and proceeds to pulverize the Pharisees and the crowds with his truthful rhetoric.

Near the end of this section of Scripture are these words in Luke 12:8-12...

8"And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God, 9but the one who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. 10And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. 11 And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, 12 for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."

Questions I have about these verses:

1. Is he speaking to the disciples or should we assume that his words now reaching the ears of the Pharisees?
2. What does it look like to blaspheme the Holy Spirit? Are the Pharisees guilty of this? Surely, they are already guilty of blasphemous words against the Son of Man (cf. Luke 11:14-28). What else do they need to do to blaspheme agaist the Holy Spirit?
3. Is this a danger for the disciples; and do we see an example of both blaspheming the Son of Man, and blaspheming the Holy Spirit in the testimonies of Peter and Judas??

Genesis 1 Wordle

At the request of Justin...

The Wordle Game

Justin is playing the Wordle game. The challenge was to Wordle your sermons @ Wordle.net

Here are my last 2 talks:

Luke 10:1-24



Luke 10:25-42

Indo Memories - Gili Meno

Spotlight on Burma

As the news regarding the situation in Burma drift from the front pages of our newspapers it is so easy to forget the harsh realities that many are still facing in Burma. Hope Myanmar Partnership, working for the sake of the gospel in Burma, is still receiving news from the front lines...

As we read this chapter in Psalms, we see the most beautiful character of our God: the powerful protector who cares for his people and comforts them despite the devastation around them. During this time of devastation in Myanmar, one thing is clear - God is present. God is comforting his people. “Be still, and know that I am God”, he says. Sometimes it takes such tragedy for people to be still. But those who take a moment to be still and seek God will surely be met by a God who is compassionate, gracious and abounding in love.

Let us pray for those in Myanmar that have been so shaken. Let us pray that they will call on the name of God; that they would come to learn that Jesus has made it possible for them. May this bring them real hope at a time when they feel so hopeless.

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