Posts from 2022 (Page 22)
Daily Devotions
He asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ The reply came, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.’” vs. 5 Acts 9:4-6 Saul was a proud practicing Jew. He had studied the precepts and the commandments of the Law since his youth and believed that it gave the Jews an advantage over the other religions of the time. It was a moral code that covered every part of life; nothing was left unregulated. Worship in the temple was at the core of…
Daily Devotions
Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.” vs. 3 Acts 9:1-3 Saul was on a mission. He was so full of contempt for the little band of disciples known as the Way that he volunteered to hunt them down. As he headed for Damascus he was likely itching to confront and capture them. Ironically, as he was on the way to catch members of the Way, he was confronted by…
Daily Devotions
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book.” vs. 30 John 20:30-31 By the time John wrote his gospel toward the end of the first century there were doubtless many stories about Jesus circulating among the congregations. Some were oral traditions but it’s likely a good number were in book form. Most of these documents have been lost to us, but for John there were a wide variety of…
Daily Devotions
Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.’” vss. 28-29 John 20:26-29 While John does make mention in his gospel of the anonymous “Beloved Disciple,” the disciple most beloved by many Christians is Thomas. After all it’s his story that most closely resonates with their own as they seek to make sense of Jesus’ resurrection.…
Daily Devotions
When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’” vss. 22-23 John 19:20-25 After the resurrection the disciples were amazed and uncertain. They didn’t know what to do with the good news that had exploded into their lives, and they didn’t know if Jerusalem was safe for them. Isolated by their…
Daily Devotions
‘I am the Alpha and the Omega,’ says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” vs. 6 Revelation 1:4-8 John was moved by his extraordinary vision of the Risen Christ to write letters to seven congregations scattered through the western part of present day Turkey. It had been a powerful experience, a glimpse of the heavenly precincts, and an encounter with the Divine Presence. Vocabulary fails us in such circumstances and John…
Daily Devotions
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” vs. 24 Psalm 118:24-29 Over the last decades praise songs have been slowly making their way into the worship services of most congregations. At first they were resisted by liturgical purists who insisted they lacked the depth of the old chorales. Because of their repeating choruses they were called by some, “the songs without an end.” Often the words for praise tunes come…
Daily Devotions
The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.” vss. 22-23 Psalm 118:14-23 We don’t know what has happened, but the psalmist is celebrating a great victory. Against great odds he has prevailed over his enemies and he gives all the credit to the Lord. As he enters the temple to offer thanksgiving his mouth is filled with songs of praise. The words used to describe this…
Daily Devotions
But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than any human authority.’” vs. 29 Acts 5:27-32 The religious authorities hadn’t gotten rid of their Jesus problem by killing him. In fact the movement, in the days following the crucifixion, blossomed anew, only this time there wasn’t just one leader, but many. And they were uncontrollable, preaching and teaching in the temple, healing the sick, doing exactly the same things that Jesus had done. And when ordered to…
Daily Devotions
But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.” vs. 11 Luke 24:1-12 The gospels indicate that when the women returned from the tomb with their report of a missing body and an angelic message, the male disciples did not believe them. And we can understand that! The story defies logic and seems irrational. Experience tells us that death is the ultimate ending and that there is nothing beyond it. But like Peter, having…
Daily Devotions
Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” vs. 4 Romans 6:3-11 For Paul the crucifixion of Jesus was the central part of the gospel, and as he pondered it through his life he realized that unless believers embraced Jesus’ death, their lives would likely remain unchanged. In fact he saw the…
Daily Devotions
Good Friday When Jesus had received the wine, he said, ‘It is finished.’ Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.” vs. 30 John 18:1-19:42 Each of the gospel writers had different sources for their accounts and, as a result, their stories emphasize different aspects of Jesus’ life and ministry. It’s particularly interesting to see how each deals with his betrayal, trial, sentencing, and death. While the basic facts are the same, the details, as should be expected,…