Jesus entered Jericho and made his way through the town. There was a man there named Zacchaeus. He was the chief tax collector in the region, and he had become very rich. He tried to get a look at Jesus, but he was too short to see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and…
Category: Luke
From and For
Jesus has come to redeem our broken lives from sin. But He did not come just to save us from something. Redemption also involves a purpose…a saving for, if you will. Zechariah concludes his prophetic hymn of praise for Christ with these words, “He has given us the privilege, since we have been rescued from…
On Recycling and Redemption
I have a love-hate relationship with recycling. Our local trash company has gone to extreme measures to help families with the task. They provide a box for containers as well as a roll-out dumpster with a helpful label inside the lid to help families classify their recyclable items. In the words of Kermit the Frog,…
Sweet Baby Jesus
I think babies are great! Lisa and I had three, and we enjoyed being parents of newborns. Holding each of my children was a very gratifying experience, and if I were to be confessional, there was a feeling I had with each that wished they could stay that way. Realistically, however, if a baby stays…
The Mystery of Christmas:: 4
When I was a kid, my mother went through a phase where she was “into” jig saw puzzles. She would purchase a puzzle and spread the pieces face up on the table. Then, she would prop the box up across the workspace which displayed the picture that the puzzle was to make. Working those puzzles…
The Mystery of Christmas:: 3
When God speaks, He expects us to believe his word even though we may not fully understand all of the implications of His word. Mary’s story continues like this, “You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the…
The Mystery of Christmas:: 2
God’s word always precedes his movement, and when God speaks, we don’t need to be afraid. Consider this—“Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. ‘Don’t be afraid, Mary,’ the angel told her, ‘for you have found favor with God!’” (Luke 1:29-30, NLT) “Don’t be afraid.” Fear is a tricky…
The Mystery of Christmas:: 1
Christmas is a season of mystery and wonder. I think we see it most clearly in the eager eyes of children. From waiting for Santa to shaking brightly wrapped presents, there is a sense of wonder and amazement as they celebrate the season shrouded in mystery. But then they grow up like we did, and…
When God Speaks
In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” Confused and…
Introduction to Acts (part 3)
The introductory verses of Acts, 1:1-11, serve as Jesus final briefing on the mission that he gave to the disciples. Yesterday I posted the first two portions of the briefing, that being the objective (implement the Kingdom) and the resources (the risen Lord and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit). The third item covered…
