“But the tax collector stood at a distance
and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed.
Instead,
he beat his chest in sorrow,
saying,
‘O God, be merciful to me,
for I am a sinner.’
I tell you,
this sinner,
not the Pharisee,
returned home justified before God.
For those who exalt themselves will be humbled,
and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Luke 18:13-14
Then the Lord said,
“Learn a lesson from this unjust judge.
Even he rendered a just decision in the end.
So don’t you think God will surely give justice
to his chosen people
who cry out to him day and night?
Will he keep putting them off?
I tell you,
he will grant justice to them quickly!
Luke 18:6-7
The apostles said to the Lord,
“Show us how to increase our faith.”
The Lord answered,
“If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed,
you could say to this mulberry tree,
‘May you be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’
and it would obey you!”
Luke 17:5-6
When he finally came to his senses…
…he returned home to his father.
And while he was still a long way off,
his father saw him coiming.
Filled with love and compassion,
he ran to his son,
embraced him,
and kissed him.
…his father said…
We must celebrate…
for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life.
He was lost,
but now he is found.
So the party began.
Luke 15:17, 20, 22, 23-24
One Sabbath day as Jesus was teaching in a synagogue,
he saw a woman who had been crippled by an evil spirit.
She had been bent double for eighteen years
and was unable to stand up straight.
When Jesus saw her,
he called her over and said,
“Dear woman, you are healed of your sickness!”
Then he touched her,
and instantly she could stand straight.
How she praised God!
Luke 13:10-13
He may come in the middle of the night
or just before dawn.
…be ready all the time,
for the Son of Man will come when least expected.
Luke 12:38, 40
“And when you are brought to trial
in the synagogues
and before rulers and authorities,
don’t worry about how to defend yourself
or what to say,
for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time
what needs to be said.”
“The seed is God’s word…
And the seeds that fell on the good soil
represents honest,
good-hearted people who hear God’s word,
cling to it,
and patiently produce a huge harvest.”
(2020 garden)
The young man who had died was a widow’s only son,
and a large crowd from the village was with her.
When the Lord saw her,
his heart overflowed with compassion.
“Don’t cry!”
he said.
Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it,
and the bearers stopped.
“Young man,”
he said,
“I tell you,
get up.”
Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk!
Luke 7:12-15
Early the next morning
Jesus went out to an isolated place.
The crowds searched everywhere for him,
and when they finally found him,
they begged him not to leave them.
But he replied,
“I must preach the Good News
of the Kingdom of God in other towns,
too,
because that is why I was sent.”
Luke 4:42-43
