First of all in Luke 21 Jesus compares the rich contributing out of their wealth to the temple treasury with a poor widow who gave two copper coins which was all she had. Jesus says the widow contributed more! Jesus then made reference to the destruction of the temple and the disciples asked when this would be? Jesus answered talking about false Christs appearing and wars and revolutions before the end would come. Other signs before the end will include "nations rising against nations, earthquakes, famines, pestilences, fearful events and signs from heaven... you will be persecuted... and speak to kings and governors... all men will hate you because of me... and when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies the desolation is near... and pregnant women will suffer... and many will be taken prisoners... there will also be signs in the sun, moon and stars... men will faint from terror... and at that time they will see the Son of Man coming with power and glory... then stand up because your redemption is drawing near... and like the fig tree sprouts leaves in summer so you will know that the kingdom is near... that day will come unexpectedly... so watch and pray!"
Sunday, 23 August 2026
Luke 20 (résumé): The Authority of Jesus questioned
In Luke 20 the chief priests questioned Jesus' authority so Jesus replied with another question about John the Baptist and they dodged the answer. Hence Jesus also dodged the original query in exchange. Then Jesus told the Parable of the Tenants in which a landowner rented out his vineyard, but when he sent his servants to collect the rent the farmers beat them up and on one occasion killed them. So the landowner send his son to sort it out and they killed him too. So the man killed the tenants and rented it to others, and the chief priests were angry and sought to kill Jesus because they know the parable was against them. Next came a trick question about whether is was right to pay tax and Jesus said: "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's... they were astonished by his answer". Then the Sadducees asked Jesus who would a woman be wife of in eternity if she had married 7 times? Jesus answered none of them because in the resurrection we are like the angels. Jesus then quoted Psalm 110:1 "The Lord said to my Lord; sit at my right hand". This was to show that as David calls the Christ Lord, the Christ cannot just be David's son. He then goes on warn against the teachers of the law who are just for show and "will be severely punished".
Luke 19 (résumé): Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
Jesus was passing through Jericho and there a wealthy chief tax collector called Zacchaeus wanted to see him but couldn't because of the crowd as he was short. Zacchaeus ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree but Jesus spotted him and told him to come down because he was going to stay at his house! Zacchaeus immediately declared that he would give half his possessions to the poor and repay fourfold anyone he had cheated. Then Jesus declared: "Today salvation has come to this house... for the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost". Then Jesus told the Parable of the Ten Minas. (a mina was about 3 months' wages) Jesus said a man was to be appointed king in a different county but he faced opposition. He left minas (10, 5 and 1) with his servants to invest in his absence and rewarded them according to their success, but he punished the one who did nothing and took everything away from him. He then had the opposition to his kingship executed. Then Jesus made a joyful and triumphant entrance into Jerusalem mounted on a borrowed colt. People spread their cloaks on the road before him and joyfully praised God saying: "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord"! The Pharisees objected to this, but Jesus said: "If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out". Jesus however wept over Jerusalem because destruction was imminent because they "did not recognize the time of God's coming". Then Jesus entered the temple driving out those selling there and making it a "den of thieves" and not "a house of prayer". Jesus then carried on teaching in the temple, but the leaders plotted to kill him.
Seventy-Five Percent
I have now concluded 75% of Luke's 24 chapters. Luke is the longest of the Gospels as the chapters are long. I especially love the exclusive Parable of the Good Samaritan in chapter 10 with the Jewish religious priest and the Levite doing nothing for the neighbour-victim, but a non-Jewish Samaritan cared for him, saved him, put him on his own donkey, and paid for all his treatment! 🙌Then the one leper who returned to thank Jesus out of the 10 healed was a Samaritan too in chapter 17!
Yesterday we held our monthly sports morning at our Pastor Frank Dyer School led my Michael and Michelle. There were over 30 teenagers there who used to be our pupils at the primary school and we pray for the salvation of all of them.
QPR drew at home to Bolton yesterday 0 x 0 and so are now in 5th place in the Championship. Rangers had a lots of chances but didn't take them.
Alex Souto, our site technical man, has now brought all my résumés of the Bible published up-to-date on the EAB website. Please take a took at my hard work: www.eabrazil.org which I hope to complete in the next few months having finished 83% of the Bible to date. I am thoroughly enjoying the work for the glory of God.
Liz went to the Pastor Frank Dyer School yesterday evening's special monthly service and says it was really good. I was busy preparing to preach in Patos tonight.
Edson and Camila at Queimadas Community in the municipality of Tavares are very happy with their new chicken run and 20 chickens which gives a boost to their income. This is part of our 2-Wings Project. (Camila gets around doesn't she?! 😉)
Saturday, 22 August 2026
Luke 18 (résumé): More Parables
Jesus starts Luke 18 with the Parable of the Persistent Widow which shows that people "should always pray and not give up". The Parable tells of a judge who didn't fear God or care about man, and a widow kept coming to him asking for justice but he couldn't care less! However she kept coming so much that he granted her wish just to get some peace. So Jesus says "God will bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night". Next comes the Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. In the Parable the Pharisee prayed exalting himself... I'm not a robber or an adulterer... and I pay my tithes and fast... whereas the tax collector humbly cried God, have mercy on me a sinner... this man went home justified, said Jesus, for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled". Then people were bringing babies to Jesus for a blessing, but the disciples rebuked them. Jesus however welcomed the children because "of such is the kingdom of heaven". Then a rich young ruler enquired about eternal life and Jesus told him to keep the commandments which he said he already did. Then Jesus added that he should sell everything and give to the poor. This saddened the man as he was wealthy. Jesus then remarked how difficult it was for the rich to enter the kingdom of God... but all things are possible for God... but those who leave all for the kingdom will be rewarded. Jesus then explained to the 12 about his imminent mocking, insulting, killing and rising from the dead, but they could not take it in. Finally Jesus healed a blind man sitting by the road near Jericho. The man became a follower of Jesus and praised God profusely.
Luke 17 (résumé): Sin, Faith, Duty
Jesus said "watch yourselves... and don't cause one of these little ones to sin... if your brother sins , rebuke him, if he repents, forgive him... seven times in a day... the apostles asked for an increase in faith... and Jesus said they needed faith the size of a mustard seed... we are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty". Then Jesus healed 10 lepers but only one of them came to thank him and he was a foreigner... a Samaritan. Jesus then taught that "the kingdom of God doesn't come visibly... the kingdom of God is within you... and the Son of Man must be rejected by this generation... but will be like flashing lightening... just as it was in the days of Noah, so also will it be in the days of the Son of Man... so it was too in the days of Lot with everything normal till came the destruction of Sodom... but remember Lot's wife and don't go back after anything on the day of the Son of Man... one person will be taken and the other left behind... and where there is a dead body, there the vultures will gather".
Luke 16 (résumé): The Parable of the Shrewd Manager
Now Jesus tells the Parable of the Shrewd Manager who was accused of wasting the possessions of his rich boss and was to be sacked. The manager thought quickly what to do to make his jobless life viable and proceeded to give discounts on people's debts so as to gain their favour for the future. "The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly... but no servant can serve two masters... and you cannot serve both God and money". Money is a tool to be managed faithfully and not a master to be worshipped. The manager was commended for shrewdness and not for his dishonesty. Then Jesus tells the story of two men who both died. Lazarus, the beggar, had laid at the gate of the rich man who had lived in luxury. The rich man went to hell and Lazarus went to be with Abraham, and the rich man asked for help from Abraham. Abraham said here was an unsurmountable gap between him and hell, so the rich man asked that a messenger be sent to his 5 brothers, but Abraham said they had Moses and the Prophets and that is sufficient.