'Good News' Tagged Posts (Page 4)
Daily Devotions
So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people.” vs. 18 Luke 3:15-18 After recounting John’s vivid description of the brood of vipers and the burning of chaff Luke concludes by calling John’s message “good news” for the people. Now some might wonder how such harsh language could be good news for anyone, mostly because religious folks have gotten used to a less costly notion of grace. We’ve been so anxious to get to forgiveness and…
Daily Devotions
As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, ‘Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!’” vs. 1 Mark 13:1-4 The disciple wasn’t wrong–the temple buildings were impressive. Herod the Great had wanted the structure to rival the temples seen in Rome and he had spared no expense. And even though the buildings have been destroyed, the foundation stones are still visible, and they are massive. For Galilean fishermen this would have been…
Daily Devotions
So they said to him, ‘What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing?’” vs. 30 John 6:28-35 The people were asking a good question. They did understand that Jesus was a teacher and that he had a message, but how were they to know whether he was sent from God? They thought that a sign might give him credibility–and we can’t blame them for asking.…
Daily Devotions
He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.” vs. 7 Mark 6:7-13 Jesus practiced what he preached. When he was rejected by the people of Nazareth he intensified his outreach and sent out his disciples to mirror his mission and his message in other villages of Galilee. He had known there would be setbacks, but he also knew that there were hundreds of hurting, needy people who…
Daily Devotions
Let sinners be consumed from the earth, and let the wicked be no more. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Praise the Lord!” vs. 35 Psalm 104:24-34, 35b Psalm 104 is a beautiful song of praise to the creation. Verse 24 describes its intent well, “O Lord, how manifold are your works! In wisdom you have made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.” The psalmist knows that God has created all things and that the spirit of…
Daily Devotions
I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.” vs. 6 John 17:6-10 We live in two realms, the kingdom of God and the kingdom of this world. They occupy the same physical space, but have vastly different values and operating systems. The world focuses on external and material desires and seeks our allegiance with promises of beauty, wealth…
Daily Devotions
Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord, and proclaim his deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying that he has done it.” vss. 30-31 Psalm 22:25-31 Twenty-five hundred years ago the psalmist declared to his congregation that future generations would be told about the Lord and hear the good news of their deliverance. And he was right! The good news of our gracious and merciful God continues to be heard all around the globe in…
Daily Devotions
As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, ‘Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?’” Acts 8:32-40 The Ethiopian had been reading Isaiah 53, a passage that early Christians believed told them everything they needed to know about Jesus, which is exactly what Philip proceeded to do. By the end of Philip’s explanation the eunuch is convinced and asked to be baptized. Philip, unencumbered by denominational restrictions,…
Daily Devotions
There are many who say, ‘O that we might see some good! Let the light of your face shine on us, O Lord!’” vs. 6 Psalm 4:5-8 Twenty-five hundred years ago there were people wandering around Jerusalem, shaking their heads in disgust at the constant stream of bad news that daily came their way. They longed for good news–and so do we! There are daily reports of political scandals, international tensions, and the continuing effects of the global COVID shutdown.…
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 20:19-25 The gospel writer John understood that the Holy Spirit could not be contained and said that it was like the wind. We could hear the sound of it but not know where it was coming from, or where…
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 15:1-11 Toward the end of his letter to the Corinthians, after having touched on any number of topics that were causing dissension in the congregation, Paul takes time to review…
Daily Devotions
But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.” vs. 5 Isaiah 52:13-53:12 When the prophet wrote these words about the Servant, he likely had in mind the nation of Israel, and the horrible suffering that had been endured by his people. They’re powerful words, and likely helped his readers come to terms with the punishment their ancestors had endured–perhaps there had…