Lessons from Luke 19:28–40 | Light House Bible Study, Part 3
When was the last time you spent time praising the Lord without asking Him for anything?
Not thanking Him for an answered prayer. Not celebrating a blessing. Not asking Him to open another door.
Just worshiping Him because of who He is.
That question became one of the most meaningful parts of our recent Light House Bible Study as we continued through Luke 19.
What began as a study of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem developed into a wonderful conversation about obedience, faith, our relationship with God, and the true meaning of worship.
1. When God Gives Instructions, Will We Follow?
In Luke 19:28–34, Jesus instructed two of His disciples to go into a village and retrieve a colt.
He told them where they would find it, what condition it would be in, and what to say if anyone questioned them.
The disciples went and found things just as Jesus had said.
During our discussion, we considered something important about this encounter.
The disciples didn’t have to figure everything out themselves.
Jesus had already given them the instructions.
Their responsibility was to obey.
How often do we struggle with that?
We want to know what will happen next. We want reassurance that everything will work out. We want to see the results before we take the first step.
But faith doesn’t always come with a complete explanation.
Sometimes the Lord gives us the next instruction, and we have to trust Him enough to follow it.
We don’t always have to see the entire path to take the next step in obedience.
2. Jesus Didn’t Enter Jerusalem on a Horse
One of our community members raised an interesting observation about Jesus choosing a colt rather than a powerful horse.
This led us to consider the significance of His entrance into Jerusalem.
A king riding a magnificent horse might communicate military power and earthly conquest.
But Jesus entered in humility, fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9.
His entrance revealed something about the kind of King He is.
Jesus wasn’t simply following the expectations people might have had for an earthly ruler.
He was accomplishing the Father’s purpose.
And this reminded us that God’s ways don’t always match our expectations.
Sometimes we have a picture in our minds of how God should accomplish something.
But we must learn to trust His wisdom rather than insist on our own understanding.
3. Do You Know God, or Do You Just Know About Him?
As our conversation continued, we began exploring the difference between knowing about someone and truly knowing them.
There’s a tremendous difference.
You can know someone’s name, where they live, what they do, and even some of their history without having a personal relationship with them.
But when you spend time with someone, communicate with them, and walk through experiences together, your knowledge becomes more personal.
The same principle applies to our relationship with the Lord.
We can read about His power, His love, and His faithfulness.
But as we walk with Him, trust Him, and experience His presence in our lives, our relationship deepens.
We discussed Peter’s declaration that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Jesus explained that this understanding hadn’t come simply through human reasoning. It was revealed by the Father.
There is a spiritual intimacy that develops as we grow in our relationship with the Lord.
Knowing Scripture is important, but we must also come to know the God revealed through Scripture.
4. Are We Praising God Only for What He Does?
This became one of the central questions of our Bible Study.
We often praise God for His blessings.
And we should!
We thank Him for His provision, protection, healing, mercy, and the many ways He has cared for us.
But what happens when the blessing we are waiting for doesn’t come?
What happens when our circumstances remain difficult?
What happens when God doesn’t answer in the way we expected?
Will we still praise Him?
During our discussion, we considered how easy it is to focus primarily on what God does for us rather than simply loving Him for who He is.
He is holy.
He is righteous.
He is faithful.
He is merciful.
He is the great I AM.
His worthiness doesn’t depend on whether our circumstances are favorable.
God is worthy of worship because of who He is, not merely because of what He gives.
5. True Worship Comes From Relationship
Think about someone you deeply love.
You don’t love that person only because of the things they do for you.
You appreciate their character, their presence, and who they are.
During our discussion, we considered how that same principle helps us understand worship.
Our relationship with the Lord should be more than a continual exchange of requests and answers.
There should be time when we simply enjoy being in His presence.
Time when we express our love.
Time when we honor Him.
Time when we acknowledge His goodness without asking for something in return.
The more we truly know Him, the more meaningful our worship becomes.
6. Can You Still Praise Him in Difficult Times?
Our conversation also challenged us to consider the strength of our faith.
It’s one thing to praise God when everything is going well.
It’s another thing to praise Him when we’re facing disappointment, suffering, rejection, or persecution.
We reflected on Job and his determination to trust God despite his suffering.
We also discussed the reality that following Christ may bring opposition.
Jesus never promised that everyone would understand or accept our faith.
But our worship cannot depend entirely on whether others approve of us or whether life is comfortable.
True worship is rooted in who God is, even when we don’t understand what He’s allowing.
That kind of faith grows through a personal relationship with Him.
7. What Is Your Worship Really Based On?
As we reflected on the discussion, several questions emerged.
Do we only seek the Lord when we need something?
Do we spend time getting to know Him?
Do we trust His instructions even when we cannot see the outcome?
Can we praise Him when things aren’t going our way?
These aren’t questions meant to condemn us.
They’re opportunities to examine our hearts and grow.
And that’s one of the beautiful things about studying God’s Word together.
We don’t simply want more information.
We want transformation.
A Challenge for This Week
Set aside some time this week to be with the Lord without beginning with a list of requests.
Instead, begin by praising Him for who He is.
Tell Him why you love Him.
Thank Him for His character.
Reflect on His faithfulness, holiness, mercy, and love.
And ask Him to help you know Him more deeply.
Because ultimately, our greatest blessing isn’t simply what God can give us.
Our greatest blessing is knowing Him.
Join Our Bible Study
We invite you to continue studying God’s Word with us as we journey through the Gospel of Luke.
Light House Bible Study
Wednesdays at 6:00 PM Eastern
With Samuel & Karen Stewart
The Light of the Lord shines on me, lives in me, and passes through me to others.
