Sleight of Hand
The Gospel of Luke
Luke Chapter 18
Scripture= Luke chapter 18 {THE WHOLE CHAPTER}
Observations and Applications=
Do you like to watch sleight of hand magic tricks. You know the type: Now you see it now you don’t. The coin disappears only to come out of someone’s ear, a wand turns into a bouquet of roses, a chosen card pops up out of the deck? I love that stuff and do you know why? Because you know that it is a trick. It’s not real. The magician gets you to look at a distraction and then is able to perform the trick. The switch or transfer takes place and viola, magic! I love it because I want to figure out how the magician did it! You know that what you are seeing isn’t true it is just an illusion and I want to know how the trick was performed.
So many times the way that we live is really a sleight of hand trick. What is apparent outwardly is an illusion. What is taking place in our hearts is really the truth. Who we are on the inside is who we really are. We distract one another by our actions so that we are able to hide what is really taking place in our lives.
In chapter 18 of the Gospel of Luke we see several instances of this sleight of hand; were we see one thing outwardly but something else is actually happening. The chapter opens up with a story of a widow who bugs a judge long enough to illicit a response from him. He responds to her so that she will get off his back. Jesus ties this story to prayer and at first you might think that he is saying to bug God until he answers you. I think however, that if you look at the sleight of hand you will see that the woman was persistent with the judge because he was the only one who could help her. I believe that Jesus is telling us to go to God and only God because he is the only one who can answer our petitions.
When we look closer at this story and then read the rest of the chapter, we see that it is important to pray honestly from our hearts and to cry out to God who IS FAITHFUL to hear our prayers. He alone is our source. He is the one we should take everything to. The Pharisee looks outwardly holy but it is a slight of hand for the tax collector’s humility is really the indication of a holy life.
Children seem to be of less consequence than adults because of what they seemingly can contribute to society but it is a sleight of hand for children still have their life ahead of them and they have both the innocence and faith to believe on and trust in God.
The religious leader in the next part of chapter 18 seemed to have his act together. He had obeyed all the commandments and was wealthy too. This was a sure sign to everyone that he was blessed and favored by God. Those around Jesus were shocked when it was revealed to be simply a sleight of hand trick. Outwardly this religious leader appeared to be perfect but Jesus knew his heart and where his faith had been placed. Jesus challenged him to trust God completely with all that he had.
The truth about Jesus dying was something that his disciples could not handle; the truth would not even sink in. The Messiah couldn’t die, after all he was supposed to be their king and restore the throne of David. Even this was a sleight of hand because we know that without the death of Jesus we could never be free. The whole point of Jesus’ life was to die and to be our sacrifice.
The last sleight of hand is seen in the healing of the blind man. What a contrast from the rich young man this blind man was. He was a beggar and to the crowd he was simply an outcast and had no worth to society. But this blind man cried out to God and God heard him. Jesus ordered the blind man to be brought to him and Jesus healed him. This outcast was a man of faith on the inside and his faith enabled him to be healed.
In what ways do we live out a ‘sleight of hand existence?’ God told Samuel in I Samuel 16:7, “that man looks on the outward appearance but God looks at the heart.” Our slight of hand lives can’t fool our God. What is God speaking to you about as you have read this? Are you judging others only by their outward appearance? Do you ask the Holy Spirit to reveal Scripture to you or do you simply try to figure it out on your own? And finally, while outwardly your life looks like you’ve surrendered everything to God are their any areas that you are keeping under your own control? Is your walk with God simply a sleight of hand trick?
Prayer= Lord, I want to be sold out. I don’t want to hold out. Show me where I am self deceived. Teach me to keep my eyes on the things that are important to you.
