'Jesus' Tagged Posts (Page 30)
Daily Devotions
But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified; and their voices prevailed.” vs. 23 Luke 23;13-30 According to Luke, Pilate had conducted some sort of judicial examination of Jesus and had found no reason to keep him imprisoned–he was not guilty of the charges against him. But that made no difference to the crowd–they had been convinced by the lies of the religious leaders and demanded that Jesus be crucified. That’s still how it is…
Daily Devotions
The Lord God has given me the tongue of a teacher, that I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. Morning by morning he wakens—wakens my ear to listen as those who are taught.” vs. 4 Isaiah 50:4-9a According to Luke, after Jesus entered Jerusalem he went directly to the temple and raised a ruckus with the money-changers. He then spent his days in the temple precincts teaching the people and debating with the scribes and Pharisees.…
Daily Devotions
Now Peter and his companions were weighed down with sleep; but since they had stayed awake, they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him.” vs. 32 Luke 9:28-32 Luke doesn’t say anything about what the transfiguration meant to Jesus. While he does report that the two men, Moses and Elijah, were talking to Jesus about his departure, there is no reference to details. It could even have been the sort of thing Jesus experienced regularly in…
Daily Devotions
They had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured.” vs. 18 Luke 6:17-19 According to Luke there was no great mystery about the crowds that followed Jesus throughout Galilee. He was a teacher, a healer, and an exorcist, and in an age with few doctors and no hospitals, people were desperate for relief of every kind. In this instance a huge multitude gathers in a level…
Daily Devotions
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; for the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.” vs. 5-6 Psalm 1 When the Pharisees that Jesus encountered made distinctions between the sinners and the righteous, and encouraged strict separation, they weren’t just making stuff up. Those ideas had been around for a long time and were even embedded in their holy scriptures.…
Daily Devotions
But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Go away from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man!’…Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.’” vss. 8, 10b Luke 5:6-11 As Luke tells the story, when Simon saw the magnificent catch of fish, he recognized that he was in the presence of holiness, and, like Isaiah, felt an immediate and overwhelming sense of unworthiness. Evidently…
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
Then he began to say to them, ‘Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.’ All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, ‘Is not this Joseph’s son?’” vss. 21-22 Luke 4:21-24 Initially Jesus got positive reviews from the folks at the synagogue in his hometown. They knew him as Joseph’s son, and had heard that he had begun to develop a reputation as a healer and teacher.…
Daily Devotions
On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding.” vss.1-2 John 2:1-5 The opening prayer in the Lutheran marriage service begins with these words, “Eternal God, as you gladdened the wedding in Cana of Galilee with the presence of your son, so by his presence now bring your joy to this wedding.” What it doesn’t say is that Jesus…
Daily Devotions
And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.” vs. 14 John 1:1-14 Christmas Day There was just something about Jesus! It wasn’t that he had magic powers or was more handsome than anyone else. From the little we know, he was probably quite ordinary, hardly distinguishable from any other Galilean. But some saw something in him–a passion that guided his…
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
But you, O Bethlehem of Ephrathah, who are one of the little clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to rule in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days.” vs. 2 Micah 5:2-5a When we read the books of the prophets in our scriptures the meaning of the verses is often obscure and virtually inaccessible. But when Micah drops the name of a little village near Jerusalem into his oracle, his…