'forgiveness' Tagged Posts (Page 4)
Daily Devotions
When his disciples James and John saw it, they said, ‘Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?’” vs. 54 Luke 9:51-55 When the Samaritan villagers refused to receive Jesus as he made his way to Jerusalem, James and John were filled with indignation. They wanted to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them–they wanted to kill them all. Jesus of course rebuked them and simply went on to…
Daily Devotions
But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.” vs. 27 Revelation 21:10, 21-27 As the book of Revelation draws to a close, its writer describes the holy city of Jerusalem as the center of God’s new creation. The vision brings to mind the great castles of Fantasyland, a place where there is no night, death will be no more, and everything is suffused…
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
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.” vs. 1 Psalm 51:1-17 There are likely few people who believe they never do anything wrong. Aside from the narcissists scattered among us most of us are deeply aware of our own sins and transgressions. We know that we have injured ourselves and others with hurtful words and deeds and are often troubled with feelings of guilt and remorse. Certainly…
Daily Devotions
Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called on his name. They cried to the Lord, and he answered them…O Lord our God, you answered them; you were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings.” vss. 6, 8 Psalm 99:6-9 Moses, Aaron, and Samuel were great heroes of Israel. Through them this wandering people, freshly removed from Egypt, had become a nation founded on the Law of God, a country…
Daily Devotions
For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures…” vss. 3-4 1 Corinthians 15:1-6 Paul has had a lot to say to the Corinthians and the nature of their life together. He’s told them the kinds of things that they should be focusing…
Daily Devotions
And it is by God’s will that we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” vs. 10 Hebrews 10:7-10 The writer of Hebrews recognized that the whole sacrificial system as laid out in the law had been invented by humans. Their intentions had been good; they had wanted to provide a way for people to receive forgiveness of sins. The guilt of sin had been debilitating and the periodic offerings had provided…
Daily Devotions
He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins…” vs. 3 Luke 3:3-6 John may not have been a member of the Essene Community at Qumran but he was undoubtedly influenced by its practice of ritual immersion for cleansing and renewal, a practice that became the central feature of his ministry. For him the baptism was a sign of repentance and was connected to the forgiveness of sins. It was…
Daily Devotions
Unlike the other high priests, he has no need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for those of the people; this he did once for all when he offered himself.” vs. 27 Hebrews 7: 27-28 The writer of Hebrews used familiar imagery (for his readers anyway) to convey the truth of the gospel. For any who were wondering how they could possibly atone for their sins now that the temple was gone, he…
Daily Devotions
Consequently he is able for all time to save those who approach God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.” vs. 25 Hebrews 7:23-25 After the death and resurrection of Jesus his followers continued to go regularly to the temple and make full use of the sacrificial system. After all they were faithful Jews and this is what they were accustomed to do. But after the temple was destroyed in 70 AD they were flummoxed–they needed…
Daily Devotions
He is able to deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is subject to weakness; and because of this he must offer sacrifice for his own sins as well as for those of the people.” vss. 2-3 Hebrews 5:1-10 During the days of Temple worship in Jerusalem, the high priest was in charge of the whole sacrificial system. He was the one who organized the days on which sacrifices could be made, made sure there were always…
Daily Devotions
Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain. When you make his life an offering for sin, he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days; through him the will of the Lord shall prosper.” vs. 10 Isaiah 53:10-12 While it may once have seemed logical to understand the death of Jesus as a fulfillment of Isaiah 53, such a notion is now regarded by many Christians as untenable. For one thing the prophet…