Advent - Luke Chapter 8
- Jeffrey A. G. Slater
- Dec 9, 2023
- 2 min read
This is part of a series exploring Luke’s Gospel for the Advent season. One chapter a day for the first 24 days of December. (We’ll see how we go!) I hope you enjoy and that you know God near this season :)
- Jeff
There is a lot in this chapter, but there are two parts that I think I want to focus on in today’s reflection. These are from the beginning, and near the middle: that is, a list of people who walked with Jesus and supported his ministry (Luke 8:1-3), and the little story where it says that his family (at least some of them and at least at that stage) didn’t (Luke 8:19-21).
I wonder if maybe you have ever felt like that. It seems as though the people who are cheering you on (if there are any) are not the ones that you would’ve expected. On the other hand, the people who you’d hoped would be your biggest fans aren’t. They might be nowhere to be seen, or maybe they’re actively not supporting you. That’s hard.
We’re told in the Bible that Jesus went through every temptation that we do (Hebrews 4:15). That means that surely He was also tempted to despair.
If we think that He had it easy at this stage - well, at least He still had the crowd supporting Him, even if His family didn’t - we need to read on in the story. Even His closest friends and followers abandon Him at darkest need (Luke 22-23). In this way Scripture was fulfilled, but this way was also a way of suffering for Our Lord.
He’s been there. If you’re facing Christmas alone, He’s been there. If you’re being discouraged by people who should know better dampening your calling, He’s been there. He’s been there and He’s been through it, and He’s with you now in it - whatever it is you’re going through.
“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
Hebrews 4:14-16 KJV
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