'Jesus' Tagged Posts (Page 9)

'Jesus' Tagged Posts (Page 9)

Daily Devotions

Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a deserted place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns.” vs. 13 Matthew 14:13-14 John the Baptist had been killed while in the custody of King Herod at Machereus, a palace east of the Dead Sea, and it didn’t take long for the news to travel to where Jesus was doing ministry at the north end of the…

Daily Devotions

For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my own people, my kindred according to the flesh.” vs. 3 Romans 9:1-5 Midway through his letter to the Romans, after having described justification by faith in excruciating detail, Paul offers a section on Israel’s election as the chosen people of God. He tells the church in Rome that it breaks his heart that so many of his kindred, according to the…

Daily Devotions

And he said to them, ‘Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.’” vs. 52 Matthew 13:44-52 Jesus closes out this series of parables with an enigmatic saying that can be understood to describe what he had been doing in his teaching. He certainly did not disdain the law and the prophets that were a part…

Daily Devotions

He told them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened.’” vs. 33 Matthew 13:31-33 Jesus was not only familiar with the ways of farmers; he evidently knew his way around the kitchen too. At least he knows the properties of yeast and uses this simple single-celled micro-organism to teach an important lesson about the kingdom of heaven. So often as the…

Daily Devotions

But as for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” vs. 23 Matthew 13:18-23 Even though Jesus used parables to describe the Kingdom of God, most people did not understand what he was talking about… and the parable of the sower, as he explained it to his disciples, was a way to…

Daily Devotions

Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘Listen! A sower went out to sow.’” vss. 2-3 Matthew 13:1-9 According to scripture Jesus regularly made use of parables as he spoke to the crowds who gathered to hear him teach. The form wasn’t necessarily unique to him, but he polished it for regular use. Parables differ…

Daily Devotions

Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” vss. 28-29 Matthew 11:25-30 Let’s face it! There are times when life is not easy! We all know the symptoms and the feelings! Our bodies fail, cracks appear in foundational relationships, dread diseases stalk us, employment…

Daily Devotions

Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.” vs. 40 Matthew 10:40-42 When Jesus sent out his disciples to expand his ministry to the towns and villages of Galilee, he warned them that there would be suffering involved. But he also let them know that there would be blessings for those who welcomed them. Through them, people would experience the Divine Presence; through them they would be welcoming Jesus. Those encounters still take…

Daily Devotions

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” vs. 36 Matthew 9:35-38 Jesus had been overwhelmed by the crowds that he encountered as he began his ministry in Galilee. Everywhere he went they flocked to hear his words and be touched by his healing hands, and his heart was filled with compassion. If we’ve ever wondered about our mission as his followers, there really can be no…

Daily Devotions

Now therefore, if you obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession out of all the peoples. Indeed, the whole earth is mine, but you shall be for me a priestly kingdom and a holy nation.” vss. 5-6a Exodus 19:2-8a The ancient Hebrews had what some might call an elevated sense of their importance. They fervently believed that they had been set aside by God for a special purpose. Out of all peoples of the…

Daily Devotions

While he was saying these things to them, suddenly a leader of the synagogue came in and knelt before him, saying, ‘My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live.’” vs. 18 Matthew 9:18-26 When his daughter died, the leader of the synagogue, presumably a Pharisee, wasn’t the least bit concerned about Jesus’ association with sinners. Instead this righteous man humbled himself, knelt down at Jesus’ feet, and pleaded with him to…

Daily Devotions

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with all of you.” vs. 13 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 It would be another 300 years or so before church leaders would get together to formalize a primitive notion of the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. And some would argue that we’d be better off if those ecumenical creeds had not been formulated. After all, in their attempt to compose one statement…