THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 4:22-30 “Do here… what we have heard that you did (there)!” (Luke 4:23) Have you ever asked Jesus to do for you what He did for others? ‘Lord, heal or help me like you healed or helped them!’ Have you ever doubted Jesus because a miracle didn’t happen? If Jesus cannot heal…
The Spirit of the Lord is on me too!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 4:14-21 “The Spirit of the Lord… has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.” (Luke 4:18) Jesus is God’s promised messiah (‘anointed one’), anointed to do God’s work. And this is God’s work… to help the poor, weak, suffering and oppressed. Human history is a litany of misery and injustice,…
Sharing Jesus as a senior!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Psalm 71 “Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God…” (Psalm 71:18) As we reach retirement, we can lose our sense of value and purpose. The old may begin to feel displaced by the young. Some older people may feel lonely, unappreciated, forsaken. Do we ever lose or…
How my heart yearns within me!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Job 18-21 “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.” (Job 19:25) These are powerful words, especially coming from Job. They are also made famous through Handel’s Messiah. When you think of the desperation and misery Job was going through. This expresses the deep…
My security to the end!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Job 15-17 “Give me the pledge you demand. Who else will put up security for me?” (Job 17:3 NIV) Job does not know what is going on, why he is suffering. He feels that this is not punishment, but that God is behind it. God wants something from him, but he doesn’t know…
Satan still up to his tricks!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 4:1-13 “The devil… left him until an opportune time.” (Luke 4:13) Like Adam and Eve, Jesus was sinless, but able to be tempted to sin. Jesus is tempted like they were, only now in a wilderness, not a garden. Adam and Eve should have responded as Jesus did, by quoting what God…
Adam restored!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 3:21-37 “Jesus… the son of Adam, the son of God.” (Luke 3:38) What does it mean to say that Jesus is the son of God? I always assumed it meant that Jesus was divine, not human. Son of man equals human; son of God means divine. But here Luke shows us that…
Eager to change?
THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 3:10-20 “What should we do then?” the crowd asked.” (Luke 3:10) John is speaking to those he baptized, challenging them to change. Two questions come up: how do we change, and how can we change. To the first question John speaks into their lives personally. What does it mean for the wealthy,…
Life beyond baptism!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Luke 3:1-9 “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance.” (Luke 3:8) Did John say this to them before they were baptized, or after? I always assumed it was before, but what if it was after? In my experience, we say this to people before they’re baptized. But baptism symbolizes God’s grace BEFORE we produce…
Any time now, Lord!!!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Psalm 70 “I am poor and needy; come quickly to me, O God.” (Psalm 70:5) Though I am not going through the same issue, I can relate. As a deeply relfective person, I am painfully aware of my weaknesses. And Satan loves to magnify these, to ruin me with them. I feel what…