THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 23:50-56 “He himself was waiting for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 23:51) What does it mean to ‘wait for the kingdom of God’. If I wait for the bus, I sit at the bus stop and anticipate that it is coming. If I wait for the light to turn green, I am…
Author: Norm
All creation sings!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Psalm 104 “Lord my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.” (Psalm 104:1) This song is an ode to the greatness and goodness of God. The psalmist is reflecting on the greatness of what he sees and knows. He looks into the sky, and sees the heavens, the…
Ways that I refuse to listen?
THE STORY OF JESUS: Jeremiah 44-46 “We will not listen to the message you have spoken in the name of the Lord!” (Jeremiah 44:16) We live in very different times than the days of Jeremiah. Their world sounds very foreign, and frightening to us. We don’t relate to worshiping idols or offering incense to the ‘Queen of…
Even when its hard or scary?
THE STORY OF JESUS: Jeremiah 41-43 “Whether it is favorable or unfavorable, we will obey the Lord our God.” (Jeremiah 42:6) The Jews were afraid to stay in Israel because of the Babylonians. Running away to Egypt looked wiser, safer, further from the Babylonians. But they wanted God’s guidance, so thy asked Jeremiah to seek God’s will….
I am a child of God!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 23:44-49 “Surely this was a righteous man.” (Luke 23:47) Were you surprised when you read these words, “a righteous man”? I’ve always thought that this soldier said “the Son of God!” In fact, this is what Matthew and Mark record (Matthew 27:54, Mark 15:39). This is not a typo; in fact these words mean…
Paradise gained!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 23:39-43 “Today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43) Jesus came as a new Adam to restore God’s creation paradise. By refusing Satan’s lies (unlike Adam and Eve), Jesus beats Satan. He reclaims Adam’s position (Genesis 1:26-28), and therefore God’s kingdom. Jesus now reigns over all creation, though Satan is not…
My Saviour!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 23:32-38 “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34) These words describe all of us: we do not know what we’re doing. We make boastful claims about what we know, yet look at what we do. There is something terribly wrong in the world – and…
Darker days to come?
THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 23:26-31 “If people do this when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?” (Luke 23:31) Jesus knows that things can only go from bad to worse in our world. If innocent people are crucified by religious leaders, things do not look good. If living trees are cut down…
Telling yourself to focus on God!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Psalm 103 “Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” (Psalm 103:2) When I am discouraged, overwhelmed, scared, or troubled, what should I do? In moments like these, tell yourself to focus on God. In this Psalm David is engaging in ‘self-talk’, telling his soul to praise God. He recalls…
Serving a questionable leader?
THE STORY OF JESUS: Jeremiah 39-40 “Serve the king of Babylon, and it will go well with you.” (Jeremiah 40:9) I am trying to figure out how this message fits for Jesus followers. Through history there have been ungodly rulers in charge of our world. What does it mean to “serve the king”, when that kings is…