Week of 3 Epiphany - C
This is a Three-Year Lectionary based on the Lutheran Book of Worship
3-year Lectionary (for public worship), "Prayers of the Day..."
(Propers), p. 13-41, Augsburg Publishing House, Minneapolis, 1978. It
is based, with only minor variations, on the Revised Common Lectionary,
used by many denominations, including the Episcopal, Lutheran,
Presbyterian, and Methodist churches:
http://www.commontexts.org/
and:
http://www.commontexts.org/rcl/usage.html
The daily readings are the Propers (Lections) for the following Sunday,
so that the daily devotions can prepare us for worship. Additional
Lections are from Common Service Book of the Lutheran Church, "Scripture
lessons for Matins and Vespers," United Lutheran Church of America,
General Rubrics VIII. Scripture lessons for Matins and Vespers, p. 299 -
304, Philadelphia, 1918.
The previous 2- year Bible Study based on the Lutheran Book of Worship,
Daily Lectionary for personal devotions p.179-192, Augsburg Publishing
House, Minneapolis, 1978, is available at:
http://shepherdboy.byethost12.com/
This 'blog is mirrored at:
https://shepherdboysmydailywalk.wordpress.com/
http://shepherdboy-mydailywalk.blogspot.com/
.mp3 Podcasts via Linux Festival Text-to-speech are available at:
Daily Walk 2 Year C Weekly Lectionary
This ‘blog is now available in mobile-optimized format:
http://winksite.mobi/shepherdboy/MyDailyWalk/
Free
to distribute; for personal use, Bible Study Groups, and Adult
Christian Education. Disk Image and/or .zip file to burn the complete
Bible Study to CD are available at:
http://shepherdboy.byethost12.com/#Burn_Site_to_CD
Please Note:
To get the most from these studies, it is suggested that you first
read the scripture texts for the entry, and then the paraphrase and
commentary. It is also recommended that you look up the scripture
references, unless you recognize and recall them from memory.
I will post weekly by Saturday, noon, (God willing), Pacific time
(UTC-8:00) for the week of the Church Season which begins on Sunday.
Please scroll down for the desired day, or save the week to your
desktop/hard drive.
Podcast Download: Week of
3 Epiphany - C
Sunday
3 Epiphany - C
First posted 01/24/2010;
Podcast: Sunday
3 Epiphany - C
Isaiah 61:1-6 – The Spirit of the Lord;
Psalm 113 – Helper of the Humble;
I Corinthians 12:12-21, 26-27 – Body and Members;
Luke 4:14-21 – The Spirit of the Lord;
Isaiah Paraphrase:
God has anointed his servant with the Spirit of the Lord so that the
servant can proclaim good news to the poor and afflicted. The Lord's
servant has been sent to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim
freedom to the captives, to release those who are bound, to announce
the year of the Lord's favor, and the day of God's vengeance. To
those who mourn in Zion, he gives them a garland (of celebration)
instead of ashes (of sorrow), the oil of gladness instead of
mourning, the cloak of praise, instead of a faint spirit. They shall
be called the planting of the Lord, oaks of righteousness, so that
God will be glorified. They will rebuild ancient ruins and restore
what had formerly been destroyed. The ruins of cities and
devastations of many generations they will repair.
Foreigners will be the servants who feed Israel's flocks, plow their
fields and dress their vines, But Israel will be priests of the
Lord. People will acknowledge them as ministers of the Lord God.
They will feast on the wealth of nations and will exalt in their
riches.
Psalm Paraphrase:
Let us praise the Lord all his servants! Let us praise the name (the
character and person) of the Lord!
From now on for all eternity may we bless his name! Let his name be
praised from sunrise to sunset! The greatness of the Lord is above
all nations, and his glory (honor; his goodness and righteousness)
is higher than the heavens!
Who can compare to the Lord our God? He is enthroned on high above
heaven, but he sees far down to earth. He lifts the poor and needy
from the dust and from the ash heap and makes them sit among princes
of the people. To the barren woman he gives a home and children, so
that she can rejoice in them! Praise the Lord!
1 Corinthians Paraphrase:
Paul uses the analogy of the human body to describe the relationship
of the Church and its members. Just as a human body, though composed
of many members is one unified body. So it is with Christ. We are
all baptized into Christ by one Spirit into one body, both Jew and
Greek, slave and free, and we all participate in the one Spirit.
The body doesn't consist of a single member, but many. The members
have different functions, but one member cannot deny its part in the
body just because it doesn't have a certain gift. The body needs the
participation of every member to function properly. As God has
designed the various members of a physical body work together, so it
is in the Church. Neither can the body decide that it has no need
for a certain member. The suffering of one member is shared by all,
and all rejoice when one is honored.
The Church is the body of Christ, and believers are individual
members of it.
Luke Paraphrase:
After Jesus had been tempted in the wilderness, he returned to
Galilee, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. He went
throughout Galilee teaching in synagogues, and was held in honor by
all.
In Nazareth, where he had grown up, he went to the synagogue on the
sabbath, as had been his custom. He stood up to read the Scripture,
and the book (scroll) of Isaiah was given to him. He opened it to
the passage in Isaiah 61:1-6, and read, “The Spirit of the Lord is
upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of
sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to
proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:18-19).
Closing the book, Jesus sat back down, and every person in the
synagogue was looking at him. Jesus began to speak, saying that they
had just witnessed the fulfillment of this text.
Commentary:
This text in Isaiah is believed to have been written around 530-510
B.C. Babylon had been conquered in 539 B.C. by Cyrus of Persia, who
allowed the Exiles to return to their Promised Land during the
following generation. God had promised that the Exiles would return
after seventy years (Jeremiah 25:11-12), which is counted from the
destruction of the temple in 587 B.C. by King Nebuchadnezzar of
Babylon until dedication of the rebuilt temple in 517 B.C..
Isaiah was a fulfillment of the Lord's servant, who by the Holy
Spirit announced good tidings of release for the Exiles and the
“year” of the Lord's favor, compared to the “day” of God's
vengeance. He changed their mourning to gladness and praise. They
would rebuild the ruins of Jerusalem and the temple.
Before the coming of Jesus Christ, only a few people at any time who
were called by the Lord to be his prophets were “anointed” with the
Holy Spirit. God had established a concept of “anointing” prophets,
priests and kings with olive oil as a symbol of God's selection and
approval. Anointing of kings was tantamount to coronation. Anointing
with oil was also used for healing, and for a sign of hospitality
and celebration. The “anointing” of the Holy Spirit is characterized
as the “oil of gladness.”
Jesus came to make it possible for all of God's people to be
“anointed” with the Holy Spirit (Numbers 11:25-29; John
7:37-39; 14:15-17). Jesus is the only one who “baptizes” (“anoints”)
with the Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only his disciples who trust
and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and
guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians
1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).
The Church is the heir to the ministry of John the Baptizer, to call
people to repent and be baptized with water as spiritual cleansing,
by faith (obedient trust) in Jesus, to prepare them to receive Jesus
in the “anointing” of the indwelling Holy Spirit (the Spirit of God;
the Spirit of Christ; Romans 8:9). The “anointing” with the Holy
Spirit began to be fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost, the “birthday”
of the Church (Acts 2:1-13).
God's Word is eternally true, and is fulfilled over and over, as the
conditions for its fulfillment are met. Christians are by definition
disciples of Jesus Christ (Acts 11:26c) who have been “born-again”
(John 3:3, 5-8) by the “anointing” of the indwelling Holy Spirit,
and then are guided and empowered by the Holy Spirit to fulfill the
Great Commission which Jesus gave to his disciples (Matthew
28:19-20), to be carried out only after they had received the
“anointing” of the Holy Spirit (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8). Each
“born-again” Christian is a fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy of the
Lord's Spirit-filled servant. Each one is called to be a minister of
the Lord.
Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. Jesus is the
Messiah, (Christ; both words mean “anointed” in Hebrew and Greek,
respectively) The Gospels testify that Jesus was doing the things
foretold by Isaiah of the Lord's servant.
When John the baptizer had been imprisoned, he sent his disciples to
Jesus, seeking reassurance that Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus told
them to report to John what they had seen Jesus doing that very
hour: the blind, the deaf, the lame, and lepers are healed, and the
poor hear good news, the Gospel of forgiveness of sin, salvation
from eternal condemnation, and restoration of fellowship with God
which was broken by sin, through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus
(Matthew 11:2-5).
Jesus promises his disciples, his servants, that he will give them
the “anointing” of the Holy Spirit if they will keep his
commandments (John 14:15-17). But he wants to be sure that we're
committed, before he does, because it is unrepeatable (Hebrews
6:4-6).
By the indwelling Holy Spirit we personally experience the love and
joy of the Lord's presence. We become one body in Christ by the Holy
Spirit. The Holy Spirit guides and empowers each member individually
so that together our work fulfills Christ's mission of forgiveness
and salvation.
I attend a “mega-church,” where I only participate in worship,
because my internet requires my full time. I'm delighted to see how
what I'm doing online and what my pastor preaches are so in
agreement, but I realize that we are each led independently by the
one and the same Holy Spirit.
John was given a visible sign to reveal who the Messiah was, and
John testified that he had seen the sign of the Holy Spirit in the
form of a dove descend and stay upon Jesus.
So John was able to point people to Jesus as the Messiah, who
“baptizes” with the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34).
Jesus was going from synagogue to synagogue in Galilee and his
teaching was highly regarded by the people, except in Nazareth where
Jesus grew up. They thought they knew so much about Jesus (Luke
4:22b) that they couldn't accept him as the Messiah. Jesus gently
confronted them with their spiritual problem, but they got so angry
they tried to throw Jesus off a cliff, since the town was built on a
hill (Luke 4:23-30).
Jesus came to show us how to be servants of the Lord. That is what
God's people are called to be. The people of Nazareth thought Jesus
was making himself appear to be better than they. We are all born
into this world physically alive but spiritually “unborn” and this
lifetime is our only opportunity to be spiritually “reborn” to
eternal life. Otherwise we will die eternally in hell with all evil.
Jesus was speaking the truth in love. The way he said it wasn't
combative, but the people of Nazareth weren't willing to be
confronted with the truth. They rejected the only one who could heal
their spiritual need and give them eternal life.
There is a day coming when we will all be accountable to Jesus for
what we have done in this lifetime. In that day Jesus will command,
and we will have no choice but to obey. Those who have accepted
Jesus as their Savior and Lord will have been spiritually
“born-again” in this lifetime and will enter God's eternal kingdom
in Heaven, a New Creation restored to paradise before the corruption
of sin. Those who have rejected Jesus and have refused or simply
failed to trust and obey Jesus will be condemned to eternal death
and destruction in Hell with all evil (Matthew 25:31-46; 2
Thessalonians 1:5-10).
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus'
disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John
14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first
truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ
and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew
28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity
(1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
Monday 3 Epiphany - C
First posted 01/25/2010;
Podcast: Monday
3 Epiphany - C
Psalm 71:1-6, 15-17
Paraphrase:
I take refuge in the Lord; he will never let me be put to shame. He
will rescue and deliver me because of his righteousness. He will
hear my cry and save me. The Lord is my rock of refuge; a strong
fortress to save me.
The Lord will rescue me from the wicked; from the grasp of the
unjust and cruel he will save me. I have depended upon the Lord from
my birth. It is the Lord who brought me forth from my mother's womb.
I will praise him continually.
I will declare the Lord's righteous acts, his deeds of salvation all
day long. They are more than I can count. By the power of the Lord I
will declare his righteousness, his alone.
From my youth the Lord has taught me, and I will continue to
proclaim his great deeds.
Commentary:
When I've had tribulations, I've turned to the Psalms. For new
believers they are the testimonies of mature believers who have
experienced God's help and faithfulness. The Lord wants us to claim
the promises of his Word for ourselves so that we can learn by
personal experience his power and faithfulness to save and deliver
us from adversity. Then we can add our own testimony to that of the
Psalmists.
The Lord wants us to seek him and his Word. When we do so with our
whole heart, he will reveal himself to us (Deuteronomy 4:29 RSV).
The Lord has given us his Word and his plan for Creation in the
Bible and in Jesus Christ, the “living Word,” the fulfillment,
embodiment and example of God's Word lived in human flesh in this
world (John 1:1-5, 14).
Jesus is the “picture” of God's plan for Creation. Jesus came to
show us what it is like to be in human flesh but filled, guided and
empowered with the Holy Spirit. Jesus came to be the one and only
sacrifice acceptable to God for forgiveness of our sin and cleansing
so that we could be temples of the Holy Spirit. Jesus came to
demonstrate that there is existence after physical death, and that
he can raise us up from death to eternal life.
God has a plan for each of us, which he wants to reveal to us, but
not if we're just “window-shopping.” We must be willing to trust and
obey the Lord without reservation. The place to begin is to read the
entire Bible. God reveals his plan for us in his Word, and he wants
us to seek it one day at a time (Matthew 6:11, 34). We can't expect
the Lord to hear and answer prayer if we're not willing to hear,
trust and obey his Word.
The Lord brought us forth in physical birth into this world, whether
we realize and acknowledge that or not. He intends for us to be
“born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) spiritually during our lifetime in this
Creation.
We have all sinned (disobeyed God's Word; (Romans 3:23, 1 John
1:8-10), and the penalty for sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23). God
loves us and doesn't want any of us to perish eternally (Romans 5:8;
John 3:16-17). Jesus is God's only provision for our salvation from
eternal death, restoration to fellowship with God which was broken
by sin, and rebirth to eternal life (Acts 4:12; see God's Plan of
Salvation, sidebar top right, home).
Jesus is the only way to know divine eternal truth, the only way to
come to know and have fellowship with God our Creator, and the only
way to be reborn to eternal life by the “baptism” of the indwelling
Holy Spirit (John 14:6). Only Jesus “baptizes” with the Holy Spirit
(John 1:31-34), only his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John
14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in
Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14;
Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).
The indwelling Holy Spirit will teach us all things, and recall all
Jesus' teachings to us (John 14:26). The Holy Spirit is the Spirit
of (divine) truth (John 14:16-17). The Holy Spirit gives Jesus’
disciples what to say at the moment it is needed (Mark 13:11; Luke
12:11-12). It is only by the indwelling Holy Spirit that we can
praise the Lord and declare his righteousness. We cannot carry on
Christ's mission to bring forgiveness and salvation to the world
except by the power and guidance of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Luke
24:49; Acts 1:4-5, 8).
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus'
disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John
14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first
truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ
and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew
28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity
(1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
Tuesday 3 Epiphany - C
First posted 01/26/2010;
Podcast: Tuesday 3 Epiphany - C
Jeremiah 1:4-10 – Jeremiah's Call;
Paraphrase:
The Lord spoke to Jeremiah saying that he had known Jeremiah
before Jeremiah's conception and had consecrated Jeremiah before
he was born. The Lord had appointed him to be a prophet to the
nations.
Jeremiah replied that he was just a youth and not a public
speaker. But the Lord told Jeremiah not to let his youth bother
him. Jeremiah was to go to wherever God would send him and say
whatever God commanded. Jeremiah was not to fear those to whom
he was sent, because God promised to be with Jeremiah to deliver
Jeremiah.
Then God touched Jeremiah's mouth and said that he had put God's
words in his mouth. God told Jeremiah that God had given him
authority over nations and kingdoms, “to pluck up and to break
down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant”
(Jeremiah 1:10).
Commentary:
Prophecy is not like fortune-telling. Prophecy is declaring
God's Word; the fact that it is God's Word is why it is always
fulfilled (Deuteronomy 18:21-22). God's Word contains both great
promises and ominous warnings. We can either trust and obey
God's Word and receive the promises, or disregard it and receive
the penalties the warnings were intended to help us avoid.
Unlike fortune-telling, we determine the outcome ourselves by
our response to God's Word.
Worldly fortune-tellers are demonic counterfeits. It is tempting
to some to consult such sources because it is easy. There are
astrology charts in every newspaper and many internet portals,
but God forbids his people to consult “mediums” and astrologers
and such (Deuteronomy 18:10-12). God wants us to be led by his
Holy Spirit, not by those who are demonic.
Before Jesus came, only a few chosen people, called to be God's
prophets, like Jeremiah, had a personal relationship with God.
Jesus' sacrificial death on the cross made it possible for God's
people to be cleansed and consecrated and filled with the
indwelling Holy Spirit (Numbers 11:25-29), to be guided and
empowered to declare God's Word to all the nations and peoples
of the world. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Church
on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13) began the fulfillment of
Numbers 11:29: “Would that all the Lord's people were prophets,
that the Lord would put his spirit upon them.”
Christians are, by definition, disciples of Jesus Christ who
have been “born-again” by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit
(Acts 11:26; John 3:3, 5-8). Only Jesus gives the gift
(“baptism;” “anointing”) of the indwelling Holy Spirit (John
1:31-34), only upon his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John
14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is
in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians
1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).
Jesus gave his disciples the Great Commission, to go into the
World to make disciples of Jesus Christ in all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit (note the Trinity), and teaching them to trust and obey
all that Jesus teaches, and promising to be with them always to
the close of the age (the end of time; this world). Note
carefully that Jesus also commanded his disciples to wait in
Jerusalem (the Church is the modern equivalent) until they had
been “born-again” by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit
before going into the world with the Gospel (Luke 24:49; Acts
1:4-5, 8).
Every truly “born-again” Christian is the heir to the call of
Jeremiah. The Lord has promised to put his Word in our mouths by
the indwelling Holy Spirit within us. We are to go wherever he
leads us and say what he commands, because the Holy Spirit will
speak through us (Mark 13:11; Luke 12:11-12).
In many instances the nominal Church is not following the Great
Commission, and not teaching its members to wait for the
“baptism” of the Holy Spirit. Some mainline denominations are
teaching that the “baptism” of the Holy Spirit is automatically
conferred with water baptism. This is not only not helping their
members, but actually doing spiritual harm, because the teaching
actually discourages and prevents the members from seeking the
baptism of the Holy Spirit (see False Teachings, Spiritual
Rebirth, sidebar top right, home).
Many of these same nominal Churches also teach “Cheap Grace,”*
the doctrine that salvation is by grace (unmerited favor; a free
gift, which is true), without the obligation of discipleship and
obedient trust (which is not true; see False Teachings, “Cheap
Grace,”sidebar, top right, home).
The only way to protect oneself from false teachers and false
teachings is to read the entire Bible for oneself. An average
reader can easily read the entire Bible in one year. There are
several 1-year Bible reading plans available. I prefer one that
includes both Old Testament and New Testament readings each day
(see Free Bible Study Tools, sidebar, top right, home).
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus'
disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John
14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you
first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of
Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands
(Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will
spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
*See: The Cost of Discipleship, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Collier Books, Macmillan Publishing Co., NY 1963 ISBN 0-02-083850-6
Wednesday 3 Epiphany - C
First posted 01/27/2010;
Podcast: Wednesday 3 Epiphany - C
1 Corinthians 12:27-13:13
Paraphrase:
Paul had just described the Church in an analogy of a human body, a body composed of various members with different abilities that work together. He lists various examples of abilities (gifts given by the Holy Spirit) in descending order: First, apostles (messengers; of the Gospel); second, prophets; third, teachers; then miracle-workers, healers, helpers (like deacons), administrators (such as bishops), then speakers of various tongues. The members of the Church don't each possess all the spiritual abilities (including interpreters of various tongues). But we should all earnestly desire the higher gifts (like prophecy).
But these gifts must be used with love to be effective. If we have the ability to speak earthly or spiritual languages our ability is no more useful than the gongs and cymbals (that characterize pagan worship), if not used lovingly. If we have great prophetic powers, understand all mysteries, have all knowledge, and have great, mountain-moving faith (Matthew 17:20b), but without love, we are nothing. The greatest acts of charity and self-sacrifice are for nothing if not done in love.
“Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
The spiritual gifts we are given will not endure forever, because our knowledge and prophecy are imperfect. Our spiritual development is similar to our physical development. When we were children we talked, thought, and reasoned like children. But when we became adults we no longer used childish ways because we had matured and learned adult ways. In this lifetime we see spiritual things dimly, as though reflected in a shiny metal surface. But in the world to come in eternity we will see face to face. Now we only have partial knowledge but in the hereafter we will understand fully as God understands us now (better than we understand ourselves).
Commentary:
Spiritual rebirth is a growth process. New believers should be discipled by mature, “born-again” disciples until the new believers are “born-again.” Then the new disciples should be taught to set aside a time each day to read the Bible, meditate, and pray. First one should read the entire Bible, and I recommend that each daily reading should include Old Testament and New Testament portions. There are several One-Year Bible reading plans available (see Free Bible Study Tools, sidebar, top right.
When the new believer has been “born-again” he is discipled further by the Holy Spirit within him. After reading the entire Bible, the new believer should carry on the daily “quiet time” (personal devotions), using a devotional schedule, perhaps a quarterly booklet of devotions published by their church denomination, or some other devotional like this “My Daily Walk.”
New disciples need to learn to be led by the daily devotional text and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The Lord will emphasize a portion of the text or commentary. When the disciple thinks the Lord is showing him something in the text, he should "pray it back" to see if he's understood. Remember that God will never tell us anything contrary to the Bible, nor anything which will harm ourselves or others.
The Lord wants us to seek and be guided by his will one day at a time (Matthew 6:11, 34). As we begin to be led by God's Word and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, we will grow in faith (obedient trust) as we experience personally the truth and reliability of God's Word and the Holy Spirit.
Instead of trying to identify our spiritual gift after we have been “born-again” we need to learn to recognize the still, small inner voice of the Lord. We need to seek God's will, and God's will for us is going to change as we grow spiritually. When we know the will and call of God, we can be sure that he will provide the spiritual gifts we need to accomplish that call. As we begin to walk in obedience to that call he will reveal and supply the gifts we need.
Perhaps God's will for us is first as students in small group Bible Study and Adult Sunday School, as was my own experience. The Lord began showing me things in scripture as I prepared for weekly Bible Study and Adult Sunday School, so that I was able to make a spiritually useful contribution and I grew in faith.
As I grew spiritually, the Lord led me to chair the Social Ministry Committee, and later I chaired the Evangelism Committee. Through those calls, the Lord began to lead me outside of Church and into the world. I had numerous opportunities for spiritual growth. The latest example is my internet ministry, “My Daily Walk.”
In my growing devotional life, the Lord led me to the devotional lectionary (schedule of Bible readings) which became the first, two-year Bible study I published on “My Daily Walk.” I had been growing spiritually for about twenty-five years, and I was only then just ready to attempt it, and only by the help of the Lord which I relied upon and experienced daily.
Using the gifts of the Holy Spirit must be done in love, the love of God, not what the world falsely calls love, not carnal love or romantic love. We experience the love of God through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and because he first loved us, we love him, and want to please him by keeping his commandments (John 14:15)
It is important to note that what is done in love is not always perceived as love by others. Jesus loved the world so much that he gave is life on the cross as a sacrifice for our sin (Romans 5:8; John 3:16-17), so that we could receive forgiveness of our sin (disobedience of God's Word Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10), salvation from eternal death and condemnation (the penalty for sin; Romans 6:23), fellowship with God which was broken by sin, and eternal life in God's kingdom in Heaven (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; see God's Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right, home). The response of worldly, ungodly people was to crucify him.
The preaching of John the Baptizer was done in love for God and for God's people, but the religious leaders refused to accept John's preaching (Matthew 3:7-9). Let us ask ourselves if we would be more willing to hear that message today. The Apostle Paul (Saul of Tarsus) prophesied that the time was coming when people would not endure sound teaching, and would get teachers who would tell them what they wanted to hear (2 Timothy 4:3-4). That day has certainly come.
Paul is intended by God to be the prototype and example of a “modern, "post-resurrection," "born-again" disciple and apostle of Jesus Christ. Paul loved his fellow Jews and mourned for them because they refused to listen to Paul's preaching of the Gospel and accept Jesus as their promised Messiah. Paul endured great suffering from persecution by the Jews (Acts 9:17-25; 13:45-47; 21:27-36; 2 Corinthians 11:24-25).
Worldly people persecuted Jesus and his disciples, including Paul. Worldly people hate the Gospel of Jesus Christ today and increasingly so in America.
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
Thursday 3 Epiphany - C
First posted 01/28/2010;
Podcast: Thursday 3 Epiphany - C
Luke 4:21-32 – Rejected in Nazareth;
Paraphrase:
Jesus attended the synagogue in Nazareth at the beginning of his public ministry, and was asked to read from the book (scroll) of Isaiah. He chose to read Isaiah 61:1-2; the prophecy of the Messiah, the Lord's servant, anointed with the Holy Spirit to preach the “good news” (the Gospel) to the poor, to free the imprisoned, to heal the blind, to restore the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.
Everyone in the synagogue waited for Jesus to say something, and Jesus began, saying that this prophecy of Isaiah had been filled that day in their hearing. Everyone thought that Jesus' words were gracious, and they said “is this not Joseph's son” (Luke 4:22b)? Jesus told them that they would probably quote the proverb “Physician, heal thyself” (Luke 4:23); that Jesus should do in his hometown the miracles he had done in Capernaum.
Jesus said that “no prophet is acceptable in his own country” (Luke 4:24). Jesus said that in the time of Elijah, when there was a drought for three and a half years, and a severe famine, there were many widows in the land of Israel but Elijah was sent to none of them, but to a widow in Sidon, in Phoenicia (north of Galilee; 1 Kings 17 :1, 8-16; 18:1). So, also, there were many lepers in Israel when Elisha was a prophet, and only Naaman, the Syrian, was cleansed (2 Kings 5:1-14).
When the people of the synagogue heard what Jesus was saying, they were furious, and they seized Jesus, carried him outside the city and took him to the brow of the hill on which Nazareth was built, intending to throw Jesus over the cliff, but Jesus passed through them and went away.
Commentary:
The people of Nazareth could not accept Jesus because they had known him growing up among them. They knew his family, and they thought they knew that Joseph was his father. They knew that Jesus had no formal training (Mark 6:2b, 3a) At first they were willing to “indulge” him a little; they weren't expecting too much. It wasn't like he was a formally trained Biblical expert from Jerusalem. When they heard Jesus' message they grew furious.
The Jews regarded themselves as God's “chosen” people, and they regarded themselves as “righteous” (doing what was good, right and true) according to the Law of Moses. They didn't recognize their spiritual famine and sickness.
Leprosy was a disease which was visible and which marked the leper as a social and spiritual outcast, cut off from the religious community. We are all living in a time of spiritual famine. People are seeking spiritual fulfillment, but in all the wrong places. The Bible is the last place they are willing to look for spiritual sustenance. We are all spiritual lepers, because we are all sinners (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10). We are all cut off from God because of sin, and as sinners are all under condemnation of eternal death in God's judgment.
Jesus, the promised “Messiah” (“Christ;” God's “anointed”), the eternal Savior, came to Israel, but they refused to acknowledge and accept him as their Messiah, their Savior and eternal King. Gentiles accepted and received Jesus and received spiritual feeding and healing, but the Jews did not.
No place in Israel was more in need of Jesus' message than Nazareth that day. Jesus' words were gracious (Luke 4:22) and loving, not angry and intentionally hurtful. The people reacted to Jesus' words in anger because they were unrepentant sinners. As a result, they lost the spiritual feeding and healing that Jesus did in other places in Israel, such as Capernaum, and for Gentiles.
The basis for receiving the forgiveness of sin and salvation from eternal destruction, which only Jesus can give (Acts 4:12), is by faith (obedient trust) in Jesus (Matthew 13:58; Mark 6:6). Salvation is not by being born into and attending church, nor by being a “good” person, nor by believing “hard enough” that when we die we will go to a “better place.”
There are many people in our world today, in our societies, and even in our (nominal) Churches, who get angry when the Gospel is proclaimed, and blame their anger on the messenger. It is not loving to know the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and not share it in a loving way with people who are perishing.
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
Friday 3 Epiphany - C
First posted 01/28/2010;
Podcast: Friday 3 Epiphany - C
Luke 4:21-32 – Rejected in Nazareth;
Paraphrase:
Jesus attended the synagogue in Nazareth at the beginning of his public ministry, and was asked to read from the book (scroll) of Isaiah. He chose to read Isaiah 61:1-2; the prophecy of the Messiah, the Lord's servant, anointed with the Holy Spirit to preach the “good news” (the Gospel) to the poor, to free the imprisoned, to heal the blind, to restore the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.
Everyone in the synagogue waited for Jesus to say something, and Jesus began, saying that this prophecy of Isaiah had been filled that day in their hearing. Everyone thought that Jesus' words were gracious, and they said “is this not Joseph's son” (Luke 4:22b)? Jesus told them that they would probably quote the proverb “Physician, heal thyself” (Luke 4:23); that Jesus should do in his hometown the miracles he had done in Capernaum.
Jesus said that “no prophet is acceptable in his own country” (Luke 4:24). Jesus said that in the time of Elijah, when there was a drought for three and a half years, and a severe famine, there were many widows in the land of Israel but Elijah was sent to none of them, but to a widow in Sidon, in Phoenicia (north of Galilee; 1 Kings 17 :1, 8-16; 18:1). So, also, there were many lepers in Israel when Elisha was a prophet, and only Naaman, the Syrian, was cleansed (2 Kings 5:1-14).
When the people of the synagogue heard what Jesus was saying, they were furious, and they seized Jesus, carried him outside the city and took him to the brow of the hill on which Nazareth was built, intending to throw Jesus over the cliff, but Jesus passed through them and went away.
Commentary:
The people of Nazareth could not accept Jesus because they had known him growing up among them. They knew his family, and they thought they knew that Joseph was his father. They knew that Jesus had no formal training (Mark 6:2b, 3a) At first they were willing to “indulge” him a little; they weren't expecting too much. It wasn't like he was a formally trained Biblical expert from Jerusalem. When they heard Jesus' message they grew furious.
The Jews regarded themselves as God's “chosen” people, and they regarded themselves as “righteous” (doing what was good, right and true) according to the Law of Moses. They didn't recognize their spiritual famine and sickness.
Leprosy was a disease which was visible and which marked the leper as a social and spiritual outcast, cut off from the religious community. We are all living in a time of spiritual famine. People are seeking spiritual fulfillment, but in all the wrong places. The Bible is the last place they are willing to look for spiritual sustenance. We are all spiritual lepers, because we are all sinners (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10). We are all cut off from God because of sin, and as sinners are all under condemnation of eternal death in God's judgment.
Jesus, the promised “Messiah” (“Christ;” God's “anointed”), the eternal Savior, came to Israel, but they refused to acknowledge and accept him as their Messiah, their Savior and eternal King. Gentiles accepted and received Jesus and received spiritual feeding and healing, but the Jews did not.
No place in Israel was more in need of Jesus' message than Nazareth that day. Jesus' words were gracious (Luke 4:22) and loving, not angry and intentionally hurtful. The people reacted to Jesus' words in anger because they were unrepentant sinners. As a result, they lost the spiritual feeding and healing that Jesus did in other places in Israel, such as Capernaum, and for Gentiles.
The basis for receiving the forgiveness of sin and salvation from eternal destruction, which only Jesus can give (Acts 4:12), is by faith (obedient trust) in Jesus (Matthew 13:58; Mark 6:6). Salvation is not by being born into and attending church, nor by being a “good” person, nor by believing “hard enough” that when we die we will go to a “better place.”
There are many people in our world today, in our societies, and even in our (nominal) Churches, who get angry when the Gospel is proclaimed, and blame their anger on the messenger. It is not loving to know the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and not share it in a loving way with people who are perishing.
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
Saturday 3 Epiphany - C
First posted 01/28/2010;
Podcast: Saturday 3 Epiphany - C
Luke 4:21-32 – Rejected in Nazareth;
Paraphrase:
Jesus attended the synagogue in Nazareth at the beginning of his public ministry, and was asked to read from the book (scroll) of Isaiah. He chose to read Isaiah 61:1-2; the prophecy of the Messiah, the Lord's servant, anointed with the Holy Spirit to preach the “good news” (the Gospel) to the poor, to free the imprisoned, to heal the blind, to restore the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.
Everyone in the synagogue waited for Jesus to say something, and Jesus began, saying that this prophecy of Isaiah had been filled that day in their hearing. Everyone thought that Jesus' words were gracious, and they said “is this not Joseph's son” (Luke 4:22b)? Jesus told them that they would probably quote the proverb “Physician, heal thyself” (Luke 4:23); that Jesus should do in his hometown the miracles he had done in Capernaum.
Jesus said that “no prophet is acceptable in his own country” (Luke 4:24). Jesus said that in the time of Elijah, when there was a drought for three and a half years, and a severe famine, there were many widows in the land of Israel but Elijah was sent to none of them, but to a widow in Sidon, in Phoenicia (north of Galilee; 1 Kings 17 :1, 8-16; 18:1). So, also, there were many lepers in Israel when Elisha was a prophet, and only Naaman, the Syrian, was cleansed (2 Kings 5:1-14).
When the people of the synagogue heard what Jesus was saying, they were furious, and they seized Jesus, carried him outside the city and took him to the brow of the hill on which Nazareth was built, intending to throw Jesus over the cliff, but Jesus passed through them and went away.
Commentary:
The people of Nazareth could not accept Jesus because they had known him growing up among them. They knew his family, and they thought they knew that Joseph was his father. They knew that Jesus had no formal training (Mark 6:2b, 3a) At first they were willing to “indulge” him a little; they weren't expecting too much. It wasn't like he was a formally trained Biblical expert from Jerusalem. When they heard Jesus' message they grew furious.
The Jews regarded themselves as God's “chosen” people, and they regarded themselves as “righteous” (doing what was good, right and true) according to the Law of Moses. They didn't recognize their spiritual famine and sickness.
Leprosy was a disease which was visible and which marked the leper as a social and spiritual outcast, cut off from the religious community. We are all living in a time of spiritual famine. People are seeking spiritual fulfillment, but in all the wrong places. The Bible is the last place they are willing to look for spiritual sustenance. We are all spiritual lepers, because we are all sinners (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10). We are all cut off from God because of sin, and as sinners are all under condemnation of eternal death in God's judgment.
Jesus, the promised “Messiah” (“Christ;” God's “anointed”), the eternal Savior, came to Israel, but they refused to acknowledge and accept him as their Messiah, their Savior and eternal King. Gentiles accepted and received Jesus and received spiritual feeding and healing, but the Jews did not.
No place in Israel was more in need of Jesus' message than Nazareth that day. Jesus' words were gracious (Luke 4:22) and loving, not angry and intentionally hurtful. The people reacted to Jesus' words in anger because they were unrepentant sinners. As a result, they lost the spiritual feeding and healing that Jesus did in other places in Israel, such as Capernaum, and for Gentiles.
The basis for receiving the forgiveness of sin and salvation from eternal destruction, which only Jesus can give (Acts 4:12), is by faith (obedient trust) in Jesus (Matthew 13:58; Mark 6:6). Salvation is not by being born into and attending church, nor by being a “good” person, nor by believing “hard enough” that when we die we will go to a “better place.”
There are many people in our world today, in our societies, and even in our (nominal) Churches, who get angry when the Gospel is proclaimed, and blame their anger on the messenger. It is not loving to know the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and not share it in a loving way with people who are perishing.
Is Jesus your Lord (Matthew 7:21-23; Luke 6:46)? Are you Jesus' disciple (John 8:31)? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus (John 14:21)? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?
