'resurrection' Tagged Posts

'resurrection' Tagged Posts

Daily Devotions

For dominion belongs to the LORD, and he rules over the nations. To him, indeed, shall all who sleep in the earth bow down; before him shall bow all who go down to the dust, and I shall live for him.” vss. 28-29 Psalm 22:25-31 The psalmist had an expansive sense of the Lord’s dominion. In his estimation no part of the universe was outside God’s control and rule. Even all the people who had died, all those who slept…

Daily Devotions

I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.” vs. 16 John 12:16-18 We can’t be sure what is intended by this reference to sheep of another fold. Like other obscure verses in scripture though, people have had a field day making various speculations. Some say it refers to the original inhabitants of North America, an idea popular…

Daily Devotions

So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.’” vs. 25 John 20:19-25 Thomas missed out. He wasn’t with the other disciples when Jesus appeared and breathed his spirit on them. And rather than accepting their testimony, he added tension by adamantly…

Daily Devotions

For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’” vs.23-24 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 After Jesus’ crucifixion, reports immediately began to spread of his resurrection, a few of which are recorded in our gospels. Convinced by…

Daily Devotions

After he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this; and they believed the scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.” vs. 22 John 2:19-22 As he concludes the story of how an angry Jesus cleansed the temple precincts by chasing off the merchants and the moneychangers, the gospel writer John gives some clues about how the gospels were written. First he reminds us that it was after the resurrection that the disciples remembered…

Daily Devotions

For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.” vs. 25 1 Corinthians 1:22-25 When Jesus was crucified, as far as the Jewish leaders were concerned, that was the end of his claim to be the messiah. But they hadn’t reckoned with the resurrection! As far as the disciples were concerned, his crucifixion was all part of the divine plan, and the cross became their rallying cry. They gloried in the message of…

Daily Devotions

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth…” vss. 10-11a Isaiah 55:10-11 The prophet had made some bold promises to the exiles in Babylon. Speaking for the Lord, he tells them that they will return to their native land…

Daily Devotions

No longer present your members to sin as instruments of wickedness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and present your members to God as instruments of righteousness.” vs. 13 Romans 6:12-16 Paul implies here that the folks in Rome had an option to present themselves either to sin as instruments of wickedness or to God as instruments of righteousness. His words resonate with our own observations of the world and our…

Daily Devotions

The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” vss. 10-11 Romans 6:6-11 Paul has some large expectations for those who have been baptized into Christ and who dare to call themselves his followers. We are not to be content with muddling along in life and blindly following the ways of the world.…

Daily Devotions

Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.” vs. 4 Romans 6:1b-5 During the Jesus Revolution of the 1960’s, thousands of searchers responded to the proclamation of God’s unconditional love by being immersed in the waters of the nearest stream, lake, or sea. For many it was a life-changing experience and signaled…

Daily Devotions

Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” vss. 21-22 John 20:21-23 There are many passages in our scriptures about the Spirit or the Wind of God. It  animates every living creature and energizes believers with wisdom and understanding. The Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness and filled him with a passion…

Daily Devotions

After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.” vs. 20 John 20:19-20 Luke tells us that after the resurrection Jesus was revealed to two of his disciples in the breaking of bread. John, on the other hand, reports that Jesus was known to the disciples in the revealing of his scars. These two very different stories are a great gift to us as we struggle to see…