Creative Space for Wanderers
Read: Just a short segue between stories, Luke adds some interesting detail about the preaching and teaching tour of Jesus. Back in the old days, even before my time, the idea of circuit-riders or itinerant preachers modeled their ministry based on this idea: Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the …
Read: Affirmation. We all need to be affirmed by qualified sources, those whom we esteem to be an authority in our particular ministry. A car mechanic might not think working on the fuel injection system is a ministry, but I beg to differ! Everyone is a minister, each is an evangelist for that which they …
Read: Love your enemies, don’t judge others, the mouth speaks what the heart is full of, here the words and do what Jesus commanded. Somewhere there’s a sign for the wall with these short phrases that summarize so much of Jesus’ teaching. The original audience that heard these words for the very first time were …
Read: Luke’s version of the Sermon on the Mount is probably another time when Jesus preached to a large group, this time on a level place, a plateau, if you will. This passage provides both blessings and woes in comparison, first the blessings, then the woes. Luke leaves us with the opportunity to sense Jesus’ …
Read: “They said to Him…” begins the reading for today and one of my recurring nightmares: will I be counted as one of them? Am I in the “they” group? Jesus wants us all to be part of His family, but He is not about checking boxes to gain acceptance, that would be easy, He …
Continue reading “Luke: Legalism Concerns – Fasting and the Sabbath”
Read: Consider two phrases in the passage we read today: Lord if you are willing and when Jesus saw their faith. Both demonstrate an unusual faith in a man they hardly knew. They had heard about this preacher that was going from village to village, town to town, teaching good news, adding wisdom to wise …
Read: The readings this morning jump around a bit as I attempt to collect Luke’s writing about Jesus calling His disciples. Luke chose to weave the story of how Jesus called Peter (Simon) with the Zebedee brothers, James and John, and Matthew (Levi) in chapter 5, then provides a pivotal moment in chapter 6 when …
Read: Without a doubt, this passage is one of my all time favorites. I can still close my eyes and see myself as a pre-teen reading this in front of Church of The Way Presbyterian in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (a very long time ago). Luke’s masterful writing of Jesus’ birth is a wonderful work of …
Read: As I continue to ponder what Zechariah did during his 9+ months of silence as Elizabeth managed her high-risk pregnancy, I read this incredible section in the NIVAC (NIV Application Commentary). I hope you’ll read this and consider your leadership role in the church. Whether you’re on staff or occasionally attend a gathering of …
Continue reading “Temptation to be Relevant, Popular, and Powerful”
Today we begin to read through Luke’s gospel account of the life of Jesus. Here’s an overview of where we will venture over the next several weeks: The Preface (1:1–4) The Births of John the Baptist and Jesus (1:5–2:52) The Preparation of Jesus for His Public Ministry (3:1–4:13) His Ministry in Galilee (4:14–9:9) His Withdrawal …