Tag Archives: Jesus

October 16

Mark 8:11-31-9:1; Matthew 16:1-28; Luke 9:18-27; John 6:60-71

Jesus asks, “Who do you say I am?” Peter’s confession: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” is the foundation of the church. Peter, who not too long after that, was called Satan because he refused to even consider the possibility that Jesus was going to die. Did he still believe the Messiah was going to establish that earthly kingdom?

Jesus is beginning to reveal his mission to the Twelve. He wants them to recognize that he is truly God’s Son and that in order for the kingdom of God to come in power, he will die and in three days rise again. It must have been pretty confusing for his followers to hear.

Who do you say Jesus is? Can you, with Peter, proclaim without a doubt that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, Messiah, God with us? Do you believe what we read about him is true? Is he Lord of your life, Savior of your soul?

If you are reading these passages for the first time you have just met God Himself. Whether or not you believe it doesn’t change the fact. This Jesus is God. And he lived and died and rose again to give you life.

Dearest Jesus, Lord God, Savior, we bow before you today in awe and wonder. We recognize that you created the world we live in, you know and love each of us intimately, that you died in our place so that we can walk with you in this life and in eternity. May we, with Peter, proclaim you with confidence. And may you find us faithful to share your Truth with others today.

October 13

2 Replies

Mark 6:14-29, 30-44; Matthew 14:1-12, 6:12-13, 14:13-21; Luke 9:7-9, 6, 10-17; John 6:1-15

I wonder what it was like to be one of the twelve the day 5,000 men plus women and children were fed with five loaves of bread and two fish. Could they see the broken pieces morph into more broken pieces? Imagine the rush of excitement they must have felt as they fed one person, then another, and another. If they wondered before if Jesus was God, I have to believe they got it after that day. Or at least they knew they were a part of something truly amazing.

But after Jesus fed the multitude he left. He got off by himself and hid for a while, knowing that had he stayed, the people would have made him king of their flesh and blood nation. That’s not why God was here in human form.

He knew that if he stayed, people would be following him for what he did and what they would receive from him in terms of health and wealth and freedom from bondage. They wouldn’t be following him because of WHO is was. They weren’t ready to accept a spiritual king of their hearts quite yet.

I am reminded that the same is true yet today. Some people still consider Jesus a heavenly Santa Claus who gives them the things on their wish list if they can conjure up the right kind of faith, if they say the magic words in a prayer. That’s not why Jesus came and that’s not why he wants us to come to him.

As we read on in the New Testament this year, I pray that we will see Jesus for Who he truly is, that we will love him because he first loved us, that we will serve him out of grateful hearts for his work on Calvary. And that we will make him Lord of our lives, King of our hearts.

October 12

4 Replies

John 5:16-47; Mark 6:6b-11; Matthew 9:35-10:42; Luke 9:1-5

Judas was a believer, a follower of Christ. He was one of the twelve who was given power to heal the sick, drive out demons, and raise the dead. He, along with Peter, James and John, went into cities and shared the good news of Jesus.

I wonder what that trip was like for Judas. Is this where his heart began to change from wanting to follow Christ to wanting something else?

God is asking me today what it is that I want? Matthew 5:34-39 says following Jesus is serious business. His is not an easy road to travel. It certainly is not always peaceful.

And Jesus is very demanding. On one hand the Bible tells husbands to love their wives. But in 5:37 Jesus warns that if you love her more than you love God you aren’t worthy of him. If I put anything or anyone above my love for Jesus I am not worthy of him.

What does that even mean?

Jesus demands that he be our life’s focus. That all the things we do, the jobs we have, the people we love, are to come second to our relationship with The Lord. None of these things are wrong and we are to be busy doing what God intends for us to do, loving each other, serving each other.

But somewhere along the way Judas lost his focus. And we know how that story ends.

May we keep our eyes on Jesus. May we love him more today than we did yesterday. And may we serve him with joy.

October 8

1 Reply

Luke 7:18-35, 36-8:3, 11:14-26; Matthew 11:1-19, 12:22-45; Mark 3:20-30

Luke 7:23 always puzzled me.

Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me.

Jesus was talking about the things he was doing like healing the sick, raising the dead, preaching the good news. Wouldn’t people be drawn to him because of those things? Why would he express concern that some would “fall away” because of him?

As I sit here and think about that this morning it occurs to me that people still stumble because of Jesus. In the New Testament times the Jews were looking forward to the Messiah who would take the throne and return them to their former glory. They just knew their enemies would get what’s coming to them. Many of those Jews rejected Jesus when it became clear that was not his purpose. There are people yet today looking for that material kingdom.

People like to hear that God wants them to be healthy and wealthy. They like to believe that if they do good things God will accept them. They get tripped up when they hear Jesus calls his people to take up a cross and follow him, that he is the only way to the Father. They reject God because they refuse to humble themselves and accept Jesus as their Savior.

Blessed are we who confess our sin and enjoy fellowship with God through his Son.

October 3

2 Replies

John 4:27-42, 43-46; Mark 1:14-15, 21-28, 1:29-39, 40-45; Matthew 4:12-17, 8:14-17, 1-4; Luke 4:14-15, 16-20, 31-37, 38-44, 5:12-16

Jesus prayed. He found a quiet place and spent time alone, talking to his Father. I wonder what those prayers were like. Did he pray for himself? For strength and safety? For health? Did he pray that Satan would be defeated so Jesus’ ministry would know success? Did he pray for Nicodemus and Peter and the woman at the well? For the leper he healed in one of the towns? And when he prayed for them did he pray for their physical health or their eternal souls? Or both?

We don’t know the words Jesus used when he prayed. But just the fact that he prayed speaks to me today. His example shows me that I, too, need to find that quiet place and talk to my Heavenly Father. Jesus prayed before continuing on to other towns. I think he’s telling me I need to pray before continuing my day, too.

The other thought that comes to me today is that Jesus is still praying. He is our mediator, our high priest who goes to the Father on our behalf. Jesus prays for me!

Father, forgive me when I neglect prayer. Thank you for reminding me today how important it is that I quiet myself in your Presence. Hear my prayers and answer them according to your will. Use this time alone with you to draw me close and strengthen me for what you have in store for me today. In Jesus’ name and because of his example, I pray. Amen.

October 2

1 Reply

John 2:1-4:26

Do you know anyone who believes Jesus was a prophet and not the physical Son of God? Some people believe he was a good man, a gifted preacher, just one more person pointing us to God along with Buddha, Mohammed, or the Dalai Lama. How do you talk to those who reject Jesus as God in the flesh?

The book of John is full of proof. Jesus’ loving conversation with Nicodemus is a gentle introduction of God’s plan through the Son. Jesus spoke of our need to be born again, he foretold about the crucification, he explained that God so loved the world that whoever believes in the Son will have eternal life. Even John the Baptist testified in 3:36 that eternal life only comes through the Son.

We who know the end of the story know that those words were about Jesus. But Jesus was careful not to reveal himself as the promised Messiah to too many people at the beginning of his ministry. He had a lot to do in a short time and he knew if the Jews recognized him as the Promised One they would want to make him King. And that is not why he was there.

Jesus protected his identity to most. But he revealed himself to a Samaritan woman. Not a Jewish priest or powerful king. A Samaritan woman who had been married multiple times and who was living with a man she wasn’t married to. She was, however, looking forward to the coming of the Messiah. I am so thankful for the words Jesus spoke to her that day because there can be no mistake. There needs to be no interpretation. The woman spoke of the Messiah and the fact that he would explain everything when he comes. Jesus answered her:

I who speak to you am he.

Is Jesus the Messiah? Is he God in the flesh? How much clearer could he be?

Dear Jesus, Son of God and Son of Man, Eternal One, Creator, the Word who became flesh, we bow to you today as our Holy God in human form. Thank you for your plan of salvation and for coming to us, to walk with us, to feel what we feel and experience what we experience. Thank you for those who recorded your stay on earth so that there can be no mistake as to who you are. Thank you that because of your written word, we can get to know you a couple of thousand years later. And thank you that because of you we can know the forgiveness of sin and fellowship with you right this minute. May we be faithful to share you, the truth of your life on earth, with people who don’t as yet know you. May you be glorified in all we do and say today.

September 30

September 29

3 Replies

Matthew 1:1-25; Luke 2:1-40, 3:23-38

I can never read Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth without hearing the voices of little children. When my nieces and nephews were first graders they took part in their school’s Christmas tradition. The teacher helped the students memorize Luke 2:1-20 every year and the first graders would recite it together at the Christmas concert. Dressed in their white robes and big red bows, their little voices would rise and fall, pause and crescendo at just the right time. Twenty years later they could still recite these precious verses. And I can say with thankfulness my nieces and nephews grew up to love the One who was born in that manger.

Jesus was God at conception. We saw how Elizabeth’s baby reacted to being in his presence before he was born. Today we see where Simeon and Anna recognized this baby would change the world.

What about us? When we read about this baby do we step back and say, “Ah, isn’t he adorable?” like we do when we’re standing in the checkout line behind a stranger’s newborn in a stroller? Or do we gaze into his face, study the shape of his head and the color of his eyes like we do when we look at our own newborn or a grandchild? Do we try to see ourselves in the shape of his nose or chin? How personal is the baby Jesus to you?

This baby does what no other baby can do. He loves you totally. This baby in the manger will grow up to suffer and to die a horrible death because of that love. This baby was born so that you can live. You.

I’m not sure we can grasp the extent of the true meaning behind the birth we read about today. Our holy God who demands holiness of us became a human being so that he could fulfill all of his own demands. He loves us that much. And all he asks of us is that we love him, too. Accept his grace. And live eternally with him with in glory.

I want to see myself in this baby’s face. But not because he looks like me. I want to look like him!

Dear God, as we consider your Son as an infant today, I pray that we would have a personal connection, understanding that Jesus was born that day because of love for each of us. For me. Thank you for this baby, God with us. It’s an amazing truth I pray we will each hold on to as we recognize how intimate our relationship with you can be. You came to change the world, it’s true. But my prayer is that you will change me. May I look like Jesus, walk like him, talk like him, so others will know him, too.

alighttomyway

LOVING God's Word, LISTENING to God's voice, LEADING others to God's Son, Jesus Christ