Luke 14:25-35 (winter, AD 29) Many moons ago an evangelism team came to the school run by our church. After a clear and engaging gospel message, the speaker called for a show of hands: ‘Who wants to accept Jesus into their hearts today?’ (not that Jesus ever told us to do that, but moving on…). … More Day 84: Hands up if you love Jesus
Luke 14:1-24 (winter, AD 29) Imagine the scene in the Pharisee’s house (v.3-6). Jesus, seemingly energised rather than cowed by the presence of a hostile audience, confronted the religious leaders with a couple of questions. Sympathetic members of the public were mixed with Jesus’ opponents as they scrutinised him. Faced with a seemingly straightforward legal … More Day 83: Dumb(struck) Pharisees
Luke 13:22-35 (winter AD 29) A paraphrase: Will only a few people have their sins forgiven and go to heaven? Make every effort to approach God in the less popular way. The way that involves admitting you cannot be good enough for God, and cannot do anything to earn your ticket to heaven. The way … More Day 82: Making God in your own image
John 10:22-42 (winter AD 29) Many people say that Jesus never claimed to be God. Islamic doctrine states it. Muslims respect Jesus as a great prophet, the way Christians might respect Elijah – a man who did great things and never suggested he was more than a man. This is one of many passages showing … More Day 81: Jesus claimed to be God
Day 80: Luke 13:18-21 (AD 29) Jesus had just ‘humiliated’ his opponents (v.17) through showing the hypocrisy of the synagogue ruler who was trying to prevent people from being healed by Jesus. It was abundantly clear to the crowd in the synagogue that Jesus was on the side of righteousness, and the religious leaders were … More Day 80: Of mustard seeds and yeast
Luke 13:10-17 (AD 29) What makes you feel ‘indignant’? What gives you the feeling of, ‘This should not be’, ‘This is an offense against what is right and good’. Not merely, ‘I’m not sure this is the best’, but ‘Yuck, no’. The OED defines it as, ‘feeling or showing anger or annoyance at what is … More Day 79: Hard-wired hatred
Luke 13:1-9 (AD 29) You are not here on a divine whimsy. You do not exist under the shrug of a creator who doesn’t care you do with your life. You are alive because God gave you breath and the opportunity to become reconciled to him. You are the fig tree of verses six through … More Day 78: Repent
Luke 12:49-59 (AD 29) “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (angels in Luke 2:14). “Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division” (Jesus, in Luke 12:51); after which, Jesus went on to talk about families … More Day 77: Peace and division through Jesus
Luke 12:13-48 (AD 29) A right view of eternity is what links the three sections of today’s reading. The Rich Fool in the parable ignored God and eternity, and was only interested in pleasing himself in the here and now (v.13-21) We give in to worry when we forget the great love and care God … More Day 76: An eternal perspective
Luke 12:8-12 (AD 29) Sometimes you bump into a Bible verse or passage that stops you short and – when you take it seriously – can look kinda scary. Such as this one, which seems to refer to the possibility of God refusing to forgive a certain type of sin. That would contradict the rest … More Day 75: Blaspheming the Holy Spirit
Paul T Reynolds 