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Category Archives: Luke

Luke 4:14-30

26 Jan

14 Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. 15 He taught regularly in their synagogues and was praised by everyone.

16 When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. 17 The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written:

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
    for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released,
    that the blind will see,
that the oppressed will be set free,
19     and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.[f]”

20 He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. 21 Then he began to speak to them. “The Scripture you’ve just heard has been fulfilled this very day!”

22 Everyone spoke well of him and was amazed by the gracious words that came from his lips. “How can this be?” they asked. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?”

23 Then he said, “You will undoubtedly quote me this proverb: ‘Physician, heal yourself’—meaning, ‘Do miracles here in your hometown like those you did in Capernaum.’ 24 But I tell you the truth, no prophet is accepted in his own hometown.

25 “Certainly there were many needy widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the heavens were closed for three and a half years, and a severe famine devastated the land. 26 Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them. He was sent instead to a foreigner—a widow of Zarephath in the land of Sidon. 27 And many in Israel had leprosy in the time of the prophet Elisha, but the only one healed was Naaman, a Syrian.”

28 When they heard this, the people in the synagogue were furious. 29 Jumping up, they mobbed him and forced him to the edge of the hill on which the town was built. They intended to push him over the cliff, 30 but he passed right through the crowd and went on his way.

Luke 4:14-30

Dear God, I’m not sure where my head is going today. I have a lot of disparate thoughts. I’m thinking about the couple my wife and I are meeting with later and what you might need from us in their lives. I’m thinking about the attacks I feel on both of us right now as we prepare to meet with this couple. I’m thinking about the ministry my wife is doing this morning and how I hope you bless her through this as much as she is blessing others. I am thinking about some concerning news at work that isn’t tragic, but simply attention-getting. Actually there is one other thing at work that is really frustrating me as well. Of course, there is my constant sorrow. And that’s just the stuff that is on my heart at the moment. There are also pains in our country and our world that make me ache and lament. There is extreme brokenness in faith and relationship with you, even among those who say they call on your name.

So, with all of that being said, I come to you this morning asking that you be in each situation as I think about these people 2,000 years ago who sat there one morning and heard “Little Jesus” come back home and read Isaiah to them. They went in with one set of expectations of him. They expected to be proud of him. To feel like they had a part of him, and maybe even feel responsible for having helped Mary and Joseph raise him here and there. But he damaged their self-esteem. He didn’t only make them feel less than they wanted to feel as people from his hometown. He intimated that they weren’t even any better than Gentiles. In fact, in some ways, they were worse! They went from warm fuzzies to rage in almost an instant. What was it in them that got so incensed? Is there any of that attitude in me?

Father, Holy Spirit, Jesus, be with me today. My Triune God, be with me today. Love others through me. Reach them through me. Let that start with my wife. Love her through me. Comfort her. Guide her. Show me how to parent my children. Show me how to love and honor my parents. My siblings. My nieces and nephews. My friends. My coworkers. The people you put in my path. Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Although I’m a Gentile, as a Christian, in a lot of ways I can relate to the arrogance of the people in that room with Jesus that morning. Help me to be humble and kind to those who disagree with me. Help me to be loving. And use me to draw them closer to you, and use them in my life to draw me closer to yourself as well.

I pray to the Father in Jesus and with the Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on January 26, 2025 in Luke

 

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Luke 19:11-15

23 Jan

11 The crowd was listening to everything Jesus said. And because he was nearing Jerusalem, he told them a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away. 12 He said, “A nobleman was called away to a distant empire to be crowned king and then return. 13 Before he left, he called together ten of his servants and divided among them ten pounds of silver, saying, ‘Invest this for me while I am gone.’ 14 But his people hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We do not want him to be our king.’

15 “After he was crowned king, he returned and called in the servants to whom he had given the money. He wanted to find out what their profits were. 

Luke 19:11-15

Dear God, I want to spend some time with this parable this morning because I learned something about it yesterday that, if I ever knew it, I had forgotten. Basically, Jesus is comparing himself with Herod for those who are listening. When he said a nobleman went to have himself crowned king and there were people who protested his appointment, he was referencing Herod and how he came to power, but in this case, he was putting himself in the place of Herod and letting them know that 1.) there would be a delay between the present time and what they wanted and 2.) his rule and his edicts would be as final as Herod’s were. To quote the commentary I used this morning: “Jesus is telling a contemporary story in veiled terms. In the parable, the nobleman was given the kingdom and he returned to slay those who didn’t want him in power. A Christians, we believe that Jesus is the King and that in the last days He will return to His Kingdom. Whether you are an atheist, a skeptic, or one who practices any brand of non-Christian religion doesn’t change that reality. Jesus tells us through this parable, “Right now you are free to debate and argue, but when the final curtain is closed, I am Lord!” (Communicator’s Commentary: Luke by Bruce Larson)

I guess this whole thing challenges me because, at some level, I do want to see you as a “pushover God.” I want to put you in my box and have you do what I want you to do and behave how I want you to behave. I don’t want to think of Jesus as exercising authority the way Herod would. I’ve sometimes wondered what it would have been like to be around Jesus a lot like the disciples were. I don’t think I would have liked it. I think I prefer to have the ideas in my head but then make my own rules and live by my own opinions throughout each day. Even though a lot of those rules and opinions are wrong.

Father, I’m not sure exactly what to take from this except to be more in awe of you and more sober about how I interact with you. Even these times of prayer should not be approached lightly. I am address the God of the universe. My God. Can I possibly be as casual as I normally am? I’m sorry for ever treating you as less than you are. You are my God. I am your servant. Thank you for your loving heart towards me.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on January 23, 2025 in Luke

 

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Luke 3:15-22

12 Jan

Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come soon, and they were eager to know whether John might be the Messiah. John answered their questions by saying, “I baptize you with water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.” John used many such warnings as he announced the Good News to the people.

John also publicly criticized Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee, for marrying Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for many other wrongs he had done. So Herod put John in prison, adding this sin to his many others.

One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.”
Luke 3:15-22

Dear God, there is so much here. I think I want to just do a bullet-point list of what I see:

  • “They were eagerly expecting the Messiah to come soon.” Aren’t we all? Isn’t it interesting that we are always looking towards what hasn’t happened yet instead of living our lives in the moment today? What we don’t realize is that we are waiting for the wrong things. In their case, they were waiting for a conquering, killing machine who would eliminate their enemy and restore their power. In our case, we are looking to leave the pains and frustrations of our current situation so we can have it easier. I would posit that we don’t want to be with you. We just want to get out of here and to a place that is easier for us. It isn’t about longing for you. It is about our comfort. I’m sorry for that.
  • The chaff and wheat analogy by John reminds me of the wheat and tares in Matthew 13. Don’t tear up the weeds now. It’s too late (or too early). They’ve been sown. It’s too late to stop them. It’s too early because we will destroy some good wheat accidentally. Since it is different Gospel writers who make this reference and in different ways, it makes me wonder if this was a common analogy/parable that was used in the later church when talking about evangelizing in the world. They were both written decades after Jesus. Was this just a metaphor everyone knew?
  • There’s a bit of editorializing here from Luke when it comes to Herod: “…adding this to his many other sins.” There was a lot of blame towards Herod. He participated in killing Jesus, after all. But he was a corrupt king. Marrying his brother’s wife. Ultimately killing John. Killing Jesus. And the “many other wrong things he had done.” This is just occurring to me, but I think it might be one of the few times we get some “voice” from a Gospel author.
  • I can’t even begin to describe how you must have felt through this. You broke your personal silence after 400+ years and audibly spoke to the crowd. Not to a prophet. Not to Jesus individually. Not through angels. You showed up to the crowd. I don’t have time to look it up now, but it seems like one of the other Gospels records this as the crowd only hearing what sounded like thunder. But I kind of like this image of the crowd hearing you speak. But you had to. You loved him. And maybe he needed your encouragement in that moment.

Father, as I sit here this morning, I just simply love you. I’m not waiting for tomorrow. I love you now. I have some challenges in front of me. Be with me and make my path straight. For your glory, oh, Lord.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on January 12, 2025 in Luke

 

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Luke 6:20-23

09 Jan

20 Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said,

“God blesses you who are poor,
    for the Kingdom of God is yours.
21 God blesses you who are hungry now,
    for you will be satisfied.
God blesses you who weep now,
    for in due time you will laugh.

22 What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. 23 When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way.

Luke 6:20-23

Dear God, I was recently talking with a pastor friend who is leading a Bible study through Luke, and we talked about this other “sermon” in Luke that is similar to Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount in Matthew. This one is shorter, but I suspect, when put side by side, will hit a lot of the same beats. So I thought I would at least start with the beginning of Luke’s version today and see where you take me with it.

In this case, I obviously notice there are fewer beatitudes here, and they are a little more succinct. But the part about being hated and persecuted for following Jesus is there. What a weird thing to emphasize to the crowds. Was it Jesus’s way of making people count the cost in following him? And how were they interpreting it? Did they think people would hate them because they were on the road to revolution? Did they have any idea Jesus would be hated because he was too merciful and loving?

We all live in such a fog day to day. We have no idea what is going on at any given time. It’s amazing that we struggle so hard to figure it out, when, in actuality, I cannot tell you what will happen in this room in the next second. Even as I typed that sentence, the grandfather clock tried to chime to let me know it’s 7:45. I didn’t know that would happen.

Father, I don’t know what suffering for you looks like in this day and age. Especially in my community where faith in you is rewarded. But I know that you lay convictions on my heart, and ask me to stand up or represent you in ways that even some who are faithful might not like. The hard part is that I know sometimes I might be wrong and they might be right. Or it might be okay for us to disagree. The biggest thing, I suppose, is that I need to carry your love into every situation regardless. That is what Jesus did. He challenged. But he also loved. Help me to have the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. All for your kingdom, your power, and your glory, forever!

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on January 9, 2025 in Luke

 

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Joy to the World by John Piper – Advent Day 13

13 Dec

25 At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him 26 and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. 27 That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, 28 Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying,

29 “Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace,
    as you have promised.
30 I have seen your salvation,
31     which you have prepared for all people.
32 He is a light to reveal God to the nations,
    and he is the glory of your people Israel!”

33 Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. 34 Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, “This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. 35 As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul.”

Luke 2:25-35

Dear God, this isn’t actually the the verse from Piper’s book for today. He used the same verses as yesterday (Hebrews 8:1-2), so I decided to break from his pattern and spend a little time with Simeon this morning.

If Simeon were here right now my question to him would be, “Simeon, what did you know and when did you know it?” He is the first person to give Mary and Joseph any bad news about this baby. Until now, it’s all been wonderous and awesome, but he is seemingly the only person who can see that this isn’t a Make Israel Great Again situation. This baby won’t be about getting rid of Rome. He will cause many in Israel to fall while others rise (last shall be first?). He will be a sign from God that many will oppose. He will reveal the thoughts and hearts of the people. And Mary’s soul will be pierced.

Interestingly, when Anna comes up while Simeon is talking she gets all excited and starts telling everyone, and the description Luke gives us about the people’s mindset is that were waiting for you to come and rescue Jerusalem. The people were looking for a physical savior. Zechariah and Elizabeth were looking for a physical savior. Mary and Joseph were expecting a physical savior. The shepherds were thinking they wanted a physical savior. But it was Simeon who had a level of relationship with you that went beyond what had been taught about the Messiah coming to return Israel to its physical glory among the nations. You whispered something different into his heart, and he had ears to hear and eyes to see. He probably didn’t completely understand this, but it made enough of an impression upon Mary that she remembered it and held onto it later when things started not going how she expected them to during Jesus’s ministry, death, and resurrection. As her soul was pierced by both Jesus’s death and then his ascension.

Father, give me ears to hear. Give me eyes to see. Help me to look beyond the preconceived notions I have either been taught or developed on my own. Help me to see through the lies and temptations that Satan lays in front of me. Help me to see what you need me to see. I know I cannot see or understand everything you are doing. When I don’t understand, help me to let go and simply trust in you. And I’ll say that I’ve been experiencing some success in certain areas recently, but I know you are the author of that success. Thank you. Really, Father, thank you. And for my sorrows that are always present, I trust you in them.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 13, 2024 in Advent 2024, Luke

 

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Joy to the World by John Piper – Advent Day 6

06 Dec

8 That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. 9 Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, 10 but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. 11 The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! 12 And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

13 Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in highest heaven,
    and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

15 When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

Luke 2:8-15

Dear God, I just read Piper’s commentary on verses 12-14, the ones on which he focused today’s entry and which I highlighted above. He leaned into the “peace” the angel promised. He noted the angel did not offer peace to the whole world. It was peace for those with whom God is pleased. Of course, I talk about peace a lot in reference to the fruits of the Spirit from Galatians 5:22. Of the nine fruits Paul lists there, I feel like peace is the one I cannot fake or will myself to. Peace only comes from you.

For me, when I read this story, I wonder why these guys? Why go to them at all? They weren’t told to do anything. They weren’t told to go check Jesus out. They were just told about him. Were they the only ones the angel(s) appeared to that night? Are they just the only ones who went and told Mary and Joseph about it so it go recorded later by Luke. If they had just gone back to sleep, we’d never have known about this angel visit.

I like the idea that these guys were part of a bigger plan on your part. They were no threat to anyone, including Mary and Joseph, so they wouldn’t try to take the baby away from them like other more prominent people might have tried to do. And they were a source of encouragement to Mary and Joseph as they sat there in the place where Jesus was born, trying to make sense of their lives. They didn’t know it, and they probably never knew it, but you used them to bless Mary and Joseph that night because, in my opinion, they needed a little encouragement and a little blessing.

Father, use me today. Love others through me today. Help me to understand exactly what you have for me to do in the lives of everyone I encounter, including the donors I write letters to. I will be spending time with family later. Help me to be exactly what you need them to have from me. Love them well through me. Be glorified through me. Make me a servant to them.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 6, 2024 in Advent 2024, Luke

 

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Joy to the World by John Piper – Advent Day 5

05 Dec

6 And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. 7 She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

Luke 2:6-7

Dear God, as I read this passage this morning and tried to remember back to the time in the hospital after our son was born, I had one specific memory. I remember holding our son, looking at him, and just wondering how I would mess up. Oh, how I didn’t want to mess up. In those first few moments of his life, I knew they would be the only moments in which I hadn’t made a mistake raising him. But to some extent, I was destined to fail him. I didn’t want to, but I did. I mean, I’m human, right? There is no way to not fail. We have all failed as parents in some way or another. None of us do it all right.

So as Mary and Joseph sat there and looked at their new baby, what must they have been thinking. I’m sure they both felt incredible pressure, knowing who he was. This was God’s son, for crying out loud. Your son! You, incarnate! And they were now responsible for him. How would they raise him? Were they really up to it?

Oh, and they were poor. How would they provide for him? How would they educate him. He was never easier to take care of than when he was in Mary’s womb. But now he was here, and he had to be dealt with. His needs had to be met. What unique needs would he have.

Then there might have been some doubt on Joseph’s part. What was he doing here? Was Mary really telling the truth? Did your angel really appear to him in a dream, or was it just a dream? As Joseph looked around the room they were in, whether it was a stable or a tent, I’m sure he wondered a lot of things. It reminds me of the 4Him song “Strange Way to Save the World.” The chorus:

Why me? I’m just a simple man of trade
Why him? With all the rulers in the world
Why here? Inside this stable filled with hay
Why her? She’s just an ordinary girl
I’m not one to second guess what angels have to say
But this is such a strange way to save the world

So before the shepherds get here tomorrow, I want to just sit in this uncertainty. The insecurity. I’ve been hearing the phrase “imposter syndrome” a lot lately, and I’m sure Joseph and Mary felt it in that moment. How could they not?

Father, I failed my children in a minimum of hundreds of ways over the last 28 years. My wife did too. And they failed us as well. We fail each other. I’m sorry. I did my best. I know Mary and Joseph did their best as well. Most parents do. But from Adam and Eve through today, we all make mistakes. Give us your grace. And give us grace for each other. Give me grace for my wife and children, and give them your grace for me.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 5, 2024 in Advent 2024, Luke

 

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Joy to the World by John Piper – Advent Day 4

04 Dec

2 At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. 2 (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. 4 And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. 5 He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.

Luke 2:1-5

Dear God, I like that John Piper paused here before Jesus was born just to spend a little time with Mary and Joseph before Jesus was physically in their presence.

I remember the time before our first son was born. There was so much anticipation. I told my wife over and over again, “I just can’t wait to meet him.” He was so close and yet so far. I can’t imagine what Mary’s and Joseph’s anticipation was like. What would it be like to meet your son? The Messiah? Sure, they didn’t understand the purpose of his incarnation, but they understood who he was. What would he look like? Would he glow? How would they raise him? What were their responsibilities in educating him? So many questions for this young couple.

And then there might have been doubts–at least on Joseph’s part. Did he really hear the angel right? He had been asleep after all. Was it just a dream? Was he being played by Mary? I would have doubted if I had been him.

So they traveled to Bethlehem as a newly married couple and found a place to live for the short-term. Where was that? I have imagined it was a camp for the others like them on the edge of town. They were poor. They probably couldn’t afford regular lodging. Well, we know they couldn’t because we will find out later that while they were there and Joseph tried to find a reasonable place for her to give birth there was nothing available. So they had to use the unreasonable. Their tent with a manger brought in as a crib? Maybe. Maybe it was in a barn, but that seems like a weird choice given their options. Either way, they were solving problems as a couple for the first time. They were ignorant. They had no idea what they had gotten into or what was ahead of them. They just knew they were seemingly part of something extraordinary.

How does this apply to my life? Well, I remember the ignorance of that time in my life. Thinking back on it reminds me that I am still ignorant. I think I know so much, but I don’t. I don’t know what you are doing right now. I look around my life, and I celebrate a lot of it, but there are parts I lament as well. I don’t know how it all fits together. I don’t know what you are doing in my little, insignificant life that is just one of over 6 billion in this world right now. What this story about Mary and Joseph makes me think about this morning is that it was okay that they were ignorant, and it is okay that I am ignorant now. I don’t have to know what is going on. They didn’t either. They just had to be faithful. I just have to be faithful. What is it you have me to do today?

Father, I give this day to you. Love through me. Live through me. Heal me and those I love from our sorrow. Comfort us. Let your truth reign. Bring to light what is hidden so that we might all be healed, and then take that healing and offer it to others who need the healed version of us. But I also want to thank you for how you are not wasting this pain. Thank you for using it to shape me into something that is more humble, compassionate, and loving.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 4, 2024 in Advent 2024, Luke

 

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Joy to the World by John Piper – Advent Days 1, 2, and 3 (Luke 1)

03 Dec
Joy to the World by John Piper

Dear God, I am getting a late start on Advent, but this book (Joy to the World by John Piper) just came in yesterday, so I am going to look at the first three days of it this morning. I want to be very intentional about this Advent season.

Day 1: Luke 1:16-17

11 While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. 12 Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. 13 But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. 14 You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth. 16 And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. 17 He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly.”

What a good and hopeful prophecy. I wonder how Zechariah would have felt had he known how this would all play out. A son who appeared a little crazy out in the wilderness. Ultimately beheaded. Yes, all of these prophecies came true, but the package and what the eyes would see would certainly have disappointed him and Elizabeth. It would have broken their hearts. I am sure this prophecy from the angel planted visions in their head of how this would look. Perhaps that’s why they were older when this happened. Maybe you didn’t want them to live to see it. Maybe you didn’t want them to accidentally stop it from happening. Perhaps that’s why John didn’t have siblings as well. By the time he was living out this prophecy thirty years from now, there were no immediately family members to get in his way. Perhaps Elizabeth’s barrenness for so long was also calculated. All of the lamenting she did for all of those years about not being able to have a child might just have been a necessary part of your plan. My wife and I were praying about something together just fifteen minutes ago. Something that brings us heartache every day. But maybe this situation is exactly what you need it to be. Maybe our influence on something would get in the way of what you are trying to do. Perhaps you are protecting something from me.

Day 2 Luke 1:46-55

42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. 43 Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? 44 When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45 You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”

46 Mary responded,

“Oh, how my soul praises the Lord.
47     How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!
48 For he took notice of his lowly servant girl,
    and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
49 For the Mighty One is holy,
    and he has done great things for me.
50 He shows mercy from generation to generation
    to all who fear him.
51 His mighty arm has done tremendous things!
    He has scattered the proud and haughty ones.
52 He has brought down princes from their thrones
    and exalted the humble.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things
    and sent the rich away with empty hands.
54 He has helped his servant Israel
    and remembered to be merciful.
55 For he made this promise to our ancestors,
    to Abraham and his children forever.”

56 Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back to her own home.

When I read this passage just now, it reminded me of Hagar and her angel visit in Genesis 16:13: 13 Thereafter, Hagar used another name to refer to the Lord, who had spoken to her. She said, “You are the God who sees me.” She also said, “Have I truly seen the One who sees me?” What it feels like to be seen by you! For Mary, something even more extraordinary is going on. She is coming to terms with what her path forward will be like. With who this baby will be. She probably spent the days between her angel visit and her arrival at Elizabeth’s going over everything in her head. Had she told Joseph already? Had she told anyone? But then, arriving at Elizabeth’s and getting the affirmation that Elizabeth knew what was going on and knew it was good just helped her explode with joy into this song, mixing in a little Psalm 146.

It can be amazing to feel your affirmation. I have to say, I have felt it in several work-related things over the last year. I’ve seen you answer prayers. Even this morning, I was thinking about ow much better something is now than it was in January, and then I realized it was probably you saying, “Yes,” to my prayers. Thank you. Really, Father, thank you!

Day 3: Luke 1:68-71

67 Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy:

68 “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel,
    because he has visited and redeemed his people.
69 He has sent us a mighty Savior
    from the royal line of his servant David,
70 just as he promised
    through his holy prophets long ago.
71 Now we will be saved from our enemies
    and from all who hate us.
72 He has been merciful to our ancestors
    by remembering his sacred covenant—
73 the covenant he swore with an oath
    to our ancestor Abraham.
74 We have been rescued from our enemies
    so we can serve God without fear,
75 in holiness and righteousness
    for as long as we live.

76 “And you, my little son,
    will be called the prophet of the Most High,
    because you will prepare the way for the Lord.
77 You will tell his people how to find salvation
    through forgiveness of their sins.
78 Because of God’s tender mercy,
    the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us,
79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
    and to guide us to the path of peace.”

80 John grew up and became strong in spirit. And he lived in the wilderness until he began his public ministry to Israel.

Ironically, it looks like these first three days are all about Luke 1, so I guess it worked out anyway. I realized several years ago that Zechariah actually has the wrong idea about what you are going to do through John and Jesus. He thinks that the physical domination by Rome and others is about to end. But that’s not what you have in mind. John is here. Jesus is coming. But even Zechariah doesn’t really understand what that means.

Father, as I sit here at the beginning of Advent, I find that I really don’t understand any more about what is going on around me than Zechariah did. Than Mary did. So what am I to do? Worship. I am to worship. I am to comfort those who mourn. I am to be gentle and a peacemaker. I am to forgive. I am to trust in you and have faith in you. I am to be your worshipper, and accept that you are God and I am not. Help me to live into what you need me to be.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on December 3, 2024 in Advent 2024, Luke

 

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Luke 20:27-40

23 Nov

27 Then Jesus was approached by some Sadducees—religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. 28 They posed this question: “Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man dies, leaving a wife but no children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name.[c] 29 Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children. 30 So the second brother married the widow, but he also died. 31 Then the third brother married her. This continued with all seven of them, who died without children. 32 Finally, the woman also died. 33 So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her!”

34 Jesus replied, “Marriage is for people here on earth. 35 But in the age to come, those worthy of being raised from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage. 36 And they will never die again. In this respect they will be like angels. They are children of God and children of the resurrection.

37 “But now, as to whether the dead will be raised—even Moses proved this when he wrote about the burning bush. Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, he referred to the Lord as ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ 38 So he is the God of the living, not the dead, for they are all alive to him.”

39 “Well said, Teacher!” remarked some of the teachers of religious law who were standing there. 40 And then no one dared to ask him any more questions.

Luke 20:27-40

Dear God, I really love my wife. I mean, she is unbelievably important to me. I enjoy her. I like her. I cannot imagine life without her. After 35 years of knowing each other, we still spend huge amounts of time talking and sharing with each other. And it breaks my heart to know that the odds are that one of us will die before the other. So I am one of those who would want to know what our relationship will be like on the other side of our earthly existence. Will she be my wife in your kingdom? The idea that she won’t disappoints me a little. But then I read passages like the one I did a couple of days ago in Revelation 4, about the 24 elders worshipping you and I think, “Of course! Anything I know now won’t even be enough to pale in comparison to what I know then! She will be there, but our existence will be on a completely different level than I can comprehend.”

So that leads me to the trap of getting distracted by tomorrow. I start to get defensive about the things that I like about my life and try to protect them from ending instead of staying in the moment. What you have for me is completely different than what the world has for me. What you have for me in this moment might be compromised by my desire to preserve what I think I want in the next moment. I make decisions out of self-preservation all of the time. And sometimes, they might get in the way of what you want me to do.

I was watching a movie last night, and I watched characters take principled stands against injustice. It is possible that I might be asked to take a principled stand against injustice one day soon that will cost me. Am I willing to pay that price? Do I truly consider my life worth nothing to me (Act 20:24)?

Father, I don’t know where all of this is going or how it all works out. I don’t know when you might need me to stand up for others and sacrifice myself in the process. And I don’t know what that sacrifice looks like. But I know that you are so–and I mean SO–much more than I can imagine or my situations. You are SO much more than my earthly or even eternal life. You are God. I don’t need to be equal to you. I don’t have any standing to even ask anything of you, much less demand anything. I am grateful for what I have in this moment. I am sad about the things I want that I don’t have, but I will not let that sadness or disappointment keep me from recognizing you, worshipping you, and offering all that I am for all that you are.

I offer this feeble, humble prayer to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on November 23, 2024 in Luke

 

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