Luke 16:1-12
Here the Lord gives a parable about an unwise steward. The steward "had wasted his goods." Upon rebuke, the steward corrects some of his behavior, performing his stewardly duties. The Lord tells us that "the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light."
The children of that generation were a people who, by and large, didn't have the gospel among them. They were just emerging from an apostasy, broken by the advent of the ministry of the Savior himself. The children of light obviously refers to those who have the gospel and have taken upon themselves the name of Christ.
The message, then, to us is to be very careful with the stewardship that we have been given, lest those who have had less than us do better than us. Perhaps this might apply in this way: We have been blessed with the Book of Mormon and the fullness of the gospel. Do we use it, study it, apply it? Before the restoration of the gospel men and women had only the words of Bible, mingled with incorrect tradition and false doctrine. Yet they lived by the word as they understood it, according to that which they had been given. It is easy to find ourselves being less wise with the greater things which we have been given than those who have had less, but lived it with great zeal and piety.
Luke 16:19-31
The parable of Lazarus and the rich man is one that helps us to understand a little bit about the situation that we will find ourselves in in the next world. It is clear from the parable that the Savior wanted us to understand that the things of this world will not be with us in the next world. Lazarus, who was full of sores, was no longer full of sores and pain and sorrow. The rich man was no longer rich, nor had the comforts and pleasures he had enjoyed so lavishly. It is only who we have become that goes with us.
I also think that this parable has strong allusions to the reality that our desires will not change when we move from this world into the spirit world and then to resurrection. The rich man was tormented by those things that he wanted most, but couldn't have: water. He craved water, but could not have it. What a terrible thing it will be to reach the other side of the veil addicted to something and never again able to have it; consumed with the need for worldly wealth or position; wanting to make peace with a family member but unable to reach them...
The Savior was giving us a gentle warning and reminder to watch who we become, what we work for, and the things we choose to make part of our life.
Luke 17:11-19
The cleansing of the ten lepers is one of the widely know events told from the life of Christ. The ten call out to the Savior as he comes near to them. They entreat him to heal them. He tells them to go and t show themselves the Priests. This was the common custom of the time that would allow them to return into the culture from their segregation from the community because of their leprosy. As they turned from the Savior, their faith allowed Christ to heal them.
There is a great similarity in the experience of the lepers and the experience that those who are very sick spiritually must also experience. As we trust the savior, and those whom he has called to serve as common judges. Just as the lepers were required to go and show themselves to the priest, so too, those who are spiritually sick are called to go and "show ourselves" to the bishops. I believe that in the same way that the exercise of faith allowed the Savior to heal the lepers, our own turning to Christ, especially in trusting him enough to follow the pattern he has set up, offering a broken heart and a contrite spirit.
Luke 18:1-8
An unjust judge... Why does the Lord share this parable? I think that perhaps Christ shares this parable because he wanted to illustrate to us that, though things are not going to seem fair to us all the time, God is aware of us, and God is capable and willing to make things right for us. When the time is right, all our wrongs will be swiftly avenged and corrected in the best, most appropriate way.
Luke 18:9-14
The parable of the publican and the pharisee. We learn from this parable that earthly position or outward appearance does not determine who we really are. A fresh reminder that the Lord looks not on the outward appearance, but on the heart.
Don't forget your daily dose of Scripture!
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