'Mystery' Tagged Posts
Daily Devotions
For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eyewitnesses of his majesty.” vs. 16 2 Peter 1:16-18 When Peter and the other apostles began to proclaim the gospel throughout the Roman Empire, they were regularly accused of just making stuff up about Jesus. The Jews and pagans who were their audience likely thought that these new teachings were an adaptation of…
Daily Devotions
Although I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given to me to bring to the Gentiles the news of the boundless riches of Christ, and to make everyone see what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God….” vss. 8-9a Ephesians 3:1-12 Paul was well-versed in the scriptures and believed that he understood the nature and will of God, but an encounter with the Risen Christ wiped all that confidence from his…
Daily Devotions
Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.” vs. 42 Matthew 24:40-44 As technology and science have progressed we have become more adept at predicting the future. We’ve even gotten pretty good at predicting the weather and can be fairly confident about when the next storms will be moving in. But there are some things that remain a mystery, and that happens most frequently as we try to figure out endings. Jesus’ words…
Daily Devotions
The Lord is king! Let the earth rejoice; let the many coastlands be glad! Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.” vss. 1-2 Psalm 97:1-2 A long time ago, as our faith ancestors began to articulate their image of God they were adamant in claiming that the Lord was greater than all the gods of the nations. They believed that it was foolish for people to worship idols made of…
Daily Devotions
Then from the cloud came a voice that said, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!’” vs 35 Luke 9:32-36 In the church calendar the Transfiguration has been situated on the threshold of Lent as a foretaste of what will be coming at Easter. In Luke’s recounting of the mountaintop vision there is a mixture of light, glory, and fear that anticipates the wonder of resurrection. But there is even more than that. Luke chooses words that echo…
Daily Devotions
The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?’” vs. 52 John 6:51-53 As John tells this story it’s pretty obvious that he has Holy Communion in mind–for him the story of the feeding of the 5000 was a prelude to the meal that would later become crucial for the life of believers. Even early on there were questions about what was happening as the bread and the wine were consumed in…
Daily Devotions
Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.” vss. 11-12 1 John 4:7-13 Religious folks love to complicate matters of faith. We develop intricate rituals and profound doctrines designed to standardize worship practices and unveil the mystery of the Trinity. Not only do our efforts fail to draw us close to God,…
Daily Devotions
Romans 16:25-27 “Now to God who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but is now disclosed…” vss. 25-26a There are a lot of secrets floating around at this time of year. Gifts are being purchased, buyers hoping that their choices match the secret desires of those they love. Children are wondering what’s in the packages that are…
Daily Devotions: February 7, 2020
February 7, 2020 For full passage click: 1 Corinthians 2:6-12 … “But we speak God’s wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.” vs 7 Whenever we try to wrap our heads around the Gospel it doesn’t take long to discover that there is a great mystery involved. What may have seemed simple at one point in our lives is actually deeper than we had ever imagined. It’s not that the message is enormously complicated–Paul…
Daily Devotions: November 22, 2019
November 22, 2019 For full passage click: Colossians 1:17-20 … “He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell…” vs. 18-19 The Christ who was in the beginning, who is the image of God imprinted in every human, is seen fully in Jesus of Nazareth. In Jesus we…