Category: Bible Reading & Meditation

READY, GET SET, GO

Jesus “set His face toward Jerusalem.” —Luke 9:51 Jesus “firmly resolved to proceed toward Jerusalem” (Lk 9:51). This was one of the most important decisions in human history. This decision to go to Jerusalem was a crucial moment in God’s plan of salvation, for it ended in Jesus’ saving death and glorious Resurrection. Immediately after making this decision, Jesus was opposed by Samaritans and had to rebuke James and John to deliver them from the evil one (Lk 9:53, 55). We likewise face serious problems after we make our most important decisions for Jesus. How many people have been rejected...

WELCOME MAT

“Whoever welcomes this little child on My account welcomes Me, and whoever welcomes Me welcomes Him Who sent Me.” —Luke 9:48 In the world, we don’t welcome people because we don’t welcome competition. We see other people as a threat. If they take their cut, there’s less for us. We tend to be jealous, possessive, and contentious. We compare ourselves with others to see who is greatest (Lk 9:46). In Jesus’ kingdom, it should be the opposite. We welcome people with open arms. Other people are not “them”; they’re “us.” We’re all members of the same body. “If one member...

HELL, NO!

“I am tortured in these flames.” —Luke 16:24 Jesus told a parable about a rich man who was in the netherworld — an allusion to what we would call “hell.” The rich man was in hell not because he was rich or because he refused to help the poor man, Lazarus. The rich man went to hell because he was insensitive to Lazarus. He didn’t even notice the poor man at his door, although even dogs noticed Lazarus (see Lk 16:20-21). The rich man was not only insensitive to Lazarus but also to Moses and the prophets, that is, the...

QUESTION GOD

“They failed, however, to understand this warning; its meaning was so concealed from them they did not grasp it at all, and they were afraid to question Him about the matter.” —Luke 9:45 We often question God concerning disappointments, sufferings, and failures. We ask: “Why me?”, “How long?”, “What’s wrong?”, “What can I do?” Yet we are afraid to ask the Lord other questions. He wants us to ask Him about our daily cross (Lk 9:23), not to get out of it but into it. Jesus calls us to ask how we can die to self to bear fruit for...

TRIPLE CROWN

“The word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: Tell this to the governor of Judah, Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and to the high priest Joshua, son of Jehozadak, and to the remnant of the people.” —Haggai 2:1-2 The Lord in His perfect plan of salvation put a prophet, a governor, and a priest together to rebuild the Temple, restore God’s people, and renew the world. Historically, prophets were often persecuted by government authorities and priests. Sometimes governors or kings tried to usurp the rights of the priesthood. Then prophets railed at the government for its sin, sacrilege, and...