Nana Karlsson

6. Jesus told the parable of the soils for two reasons : One is to encourage the seed sower ( believers) to share the good news of the Gospel by faith and also to have an understanding that the word will not grow in all those who hear it but only in those who receive it eargerly and whole heartedly. The second reason is to stimulate hearers to diagnosis their own quality of hearing the word. The process of self examination and an attempt at self diagnosis, help us disciples take more seriously our role as hearers and learners, self deceived dabblers in religious matters.

For most people, Jesus preaching hardened their hearts and these are the fallen mankind who do not want change and so will not embrace the truth of the gospel that points out sin and calls for repentance. What we can do for those who hardened their hearts is to pray and plead to the father constantly for the salvation of their souls.

The content of Jesus message in Luke 8: 1 . Jesus proclaimed the good news of the Kingdom of God. Jesus travelled to many towns and villages with His team teaching about the Kingdom of God not as a far away place but present and powerful. He demonstrated the power of the Kingdom and love of God through miracles, healings of all kinds of diseases, deliverance and wholeness. He spoke of the reign of God so real that you could feel it.

Simon probably was shocked, disgusted and irritated by the woman touching Jesus feet. As a religious leader bound by his customs and traditions, he was probably thinking about his own reputation too since a scandalous scenario was taking place under his roof by an uninvited sinful guest. The scenarìo must have drawn attention and people would wonder how Simon could allow a prostitute to come to his home to create such a scene .He must have been frustrated and disappointed even more because his honourable celebrity guest Jesus did not rebuke the sinful woman but rather allowed her to carry on.

The people especially the pharisees and their religious leaders were stuck up in the law and their traditions and so were critical of John the Baptist and Jesus. John's ascetic ways and his preference of locust and wild honey to the traditional bread and wine and regular fasting was something way out of the ordinary for the people. Jesus on the contrary socialised with sinners and tax collectors, enjoying meals and drink with them even in their homes. This earned him criticism and was called a glutton and a drunkard. Neither John nor Jesus way of life pleased the people. They were skeptical and hardened their hearts and so rejected the good news about God's Kingdom and God's purpose and plans for their lives. What we can learn from this is to accept the fact that people will always criticise us, but we should never be moved by it. We should stand firm no matter what, never to compromise the things of God, never to please people but rather seek God earnestly so we do not miss His purpose for our lives.

Acting out of compassion does not mean acting out of whim. It is being sensitive and responding to a person's situation through love and a deeper understanding. We cannot be true disciples and dispassionate toward people in need. We are to follow the example of Jesus and display the love and compassion of Jesus and the father.

1. I think Jesus was refering to judgemental gossip. 2.The point Jesus was making about the speck and the plank is that we need to deal with our own sins first (which could be greater than the sins we see in others) so we can see to help others rather than overreact.

1. The real test of Agape love for our enemies is a must for every believer in my opinion. Although being able to love your enemies who seek to hurt, destroy, shame and afflict you is the most difficult thing to do by our human nature. But with the love and mercy of God through Jesus and with the help of the Holy Spirit it can be done. As true disciples of Jesus we are to follow His example, to love our enemies, to forgive them and to pray for them. We are to demonstrate the Agape love that Jesus demonstrated towards his enemies when He died on the cross for us. 2. It is a hyperbole that Jesus used to make a point. The point was to refuse retaliation, to avoid hitting back, that is, the natural human reaction.

A good man brings out the good things stored up in his heart and an evil man brings out the evil things stored up in his heart. A persons regular outward expression determines what is like inside of them.

Jesus did not speak against fasting in this passage. The point Jesus was making was that it was not necessary for his disciples to fast as long as he was here with them on earth. Jesus said" but the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, in those days they will fast.( Luke 5:35) Jesus was refering to his crucifixion and death when he said this.

There are different kinds of situations globaly that will make all night prayers appropriate, for example persecution of Christians, global pandemic, political unrest,etc, etc. I think the reason why we tend to assume that miracles won't happen today is first of all people limit the God that we serve. Secondly they do not believe miracle is for modern day christianity.They believe in medical doctors, science and technology more than the supernatural healing power of God.

There is nothing in being rich as long as it does not interfere with our relationship with God. Unfortunately people who pursue riches often fall in love with the riches they acquire because they somehow experience power, control and even fame in being rich. They tend to put their trust in and honour and worship their riches instead of God. The fear of God is replaced by the love of material wealth, hence they easily sin against God. The Bible tells us that people who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. ( 1 Timothy 6:9). God and Kingdom business should be our priority. We should love and trust and honour God with everything that we are and have. The Bible tells us " seek ye first the Kingdom of God and all it`s righteousness and all other things shall be given to you". Mathew 6:33. I am trying to live according to this very scripture, and i have a great expectation of what God has in store for me.

In the past i would look for reasons to accuse people, especially people who do not share my faith, but lately as i study the word of God daily i have learnt to see people from a different perspective, to love and understand them as they are and even help them when necessary. The danger in finding reasons to accuse people is that we tend to push them away and discourage them from knowing the love of the God that we serve. We can also be blind to our own misstakes and become prideful believing that we know best.

In light of the lessons of this passage,we should follow Jesus example and love the unloved, the outcasts, the sick, unbelievers, people with addiction problems, prostitutes, people branded as social misfits, the hurting and broken hearted etc.etc. I believe Christians feel uncomfortable around blatant sinners because often times some of us are judgemental and consider ourselves righteous having a " holier than thou" mindset. We miss the whole point of being Christ-like and having the mind of Christ. Jesus suceeded in making Himself at home in the presence of the blatant sinners because He loves the unloved and the outcasts. He does not make a difference between people, does not play favourites. His mission is to rescue the perishing, the lost, to heal the sick, the oppressed, to set the captives free, to call sinners to repentance. etc, etc. Jesus did not come for the righteous.

I personaly think it is easier to say your sins are forgiven because some how you can make people to understand that if they repent of their sins they can be forgiven. Praying for physical healing requires a stronger faith ( most of the time) which most christians do not have and so would not dare to pray fearing that their lack of faith would not produce any healing. At present I feel like one of the four friends of the paralytic because i feel burdened to see the sick healed, people in bondage set free and lost souls saved. There are so many people plagued by sickness and diseases and my desire is to lead them to the master healer himself who will heal and make them whole.