'Jesus' Tagged Posts (Page 4)
Daily Devotions
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing!” vs. 34 Luke 13:34-35 Like all Jews of his time Jesus had a deep and abiding love for the city of Jerusalem. For centuries it had been the site of the temple, which, during Jesus’ lifetime, had been completely rebuilt…
Daily Devotions
“He said to them, ‘Go and tell that fox for me, “Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures today and tomorrow, and on the third day I finish my work.’” vs. 32 Luke 13:31-33 Luke reports that King Herod had become aware of Jesus’ ministry and saw his work as a threat to his rule. Some Pharisees even reported to Jesus that Herod wanted to kill him. Jesus wasn’t intimidated. He kept on doing what he had been…
Daily Devotions
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” vs. 7 1 Corinthians 11:7-11 From the beginning it has been enormously difficult for humans to recognize that life is communal, particularly when the culture has been taken captive by the curse of individualism. Some actually begin to believe that everything is up to them, and that any talk of the common good is misguided. Our spiritual ancestors would have found such notions ridiculous. For them it…
Daily Devotions
No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.” vs. 18 John 1:15-18 From the beginning humans have engaged in speculation about the nature of God, with many religious leaders claiming to have special insights or inside information. Sometimes their descriptions have been compelling enough to gain massive numbers of adherents for their movements. But ultimately, John is right! No one has even seen God!…
Daily Devotions
He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God,” vss. 11-12 John 1:10-14 Sometimes we wonder why people are reluctant to acknowledge Jesus as the Incarnate Word of God, particularly when those persons are members of our own families. Yet that’s how it is—and that’s how it’s been from the moment that Jesus began his…
Daily Devotions
And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.” vs. 45 Luke 1:43-45 Elizabeth not only rejoices in Mary’s visit and the leaping of the child in her womb, she pronounces a blessing upon Mary. Because, not only had Mary heard the word of the Lord, she had believed it! Luke’s point has implications for us too. Almost all have heard the good news of the gospel in…
Daily Devotions
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.’” vss. 41-42 Luke 1:39-42 We don’t know how often babies actually leap in their mothers’ wombs, but there’s no doubt that they do move, and those first movements, especially the ones that can be felt by others, are a welcome sign of…
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 5:2-3 Micah lived near Jerusalem during the time Judah was being threatened by the massive Assyrian Empire. Their armies had already ravaged the northern kingdom of Israel and thousands of refugees had fled south. As a prophet Micah not…
Daily Devotions
Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you Iwait all day long.” vs. 5 Psalm 25:1-10 The psalmist didn’t have the convenience of artificial intelligence or social media, so when he wanted to know the truth he turned to the Lord. The question is, if we wanted to do the same thing, where would we go and what would we do? Would we pore over scripture? Since many of us…
Daily Devotions
He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums.” vs. 41 Mark 12:41-44 It’s fascinating to read in Mark that while he was in Jerusalem Jesus took time away from his teaching to sit down by the treasury and watch people give. He knew that there is no better way to gauge what is in a person’s heart than to observe their giving habits. That’s one of…
Daily Devotions
Jesus said, ‘Take away the stone.’ Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, ‘Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days.’” vs. 39 John 11:38-44 Ever the pragmatist Martha objected when Jesus ordered the stone to be rolled away. She knew how long Lazarus had been dead, and she knew that his body would have begun to decompose. The stench would have been overwhelming. That’s how it was with death and Martha…
Daily Devotions
When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.’” vs. 32 John 11:32-37 Mary’s words should not surprise us. They reflect a desire to assess blame in the face of death or some other calamity. Some of us have done the same thing. When things don’t go our way, the first impulse is to find a reason, and we…