Posts

What Manner of Spirit

-
Image
  Luke 9:46-56 In Luke chapter nine, Jesus reveals who He is to His Apostles. He demonstrated to them that He is God. Along with this revelation, Jesus says something that confused and troubled the Apostles. He said: Luke 9:22 (NKJV) The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Jesus told them repeatedly that He was going to Jerusalem to die. However, they did not understand. Luke tells us: Luke 9:45 (NKJV) But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying. The Apostles could not understand what Jesus was telling them. Matthew tells us that when Jesus started telling them He was going to die at the hands of the chief priest and scribes, Peter rebuked Jesus. Matthew 16:22 says: Matthew 16:22 (NKJV) Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “ Far be it from Y
Post a Comment
Read more

Let These Words Sink In

-
Image
Luke 9:23-45 Who is Jesus? When we say that He is the Son of God, what do we mean? Jesus said of Himself: John 14:6 (NKJV) I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If this is true, and it is, then nothing is more important than knowing who Jesus is. Jesus spent three years with twelve men teaching them the truth about who He is. He did this so the world can know who He is. Jesus gives anyone who comes to Him free access without cost or charge. And yet in what seems like a contradiction, knowing Him cost everything. Jesus put it to His disciples as follows. He said: Luke 9:23–24 (NKJV) 23 If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. Who is Jesus that He should demand such devotion? How can He promise that losing one’s life for His sake means saving that life? Indeed
Post a Comment
Read more

Who Do Men Say That I Am?

-
Image
Luke 9:18-27 The Father sent Jesus to do His will. In His short, thirty-three year life, Jesus accomplished all the Father gave Him to do. Luke tells us that he accurately followed everything that Jesus did and wrote an orderly account. Much of Luke's account is devoted to the teaching and preaching work that Jesus did. The Gospel of Luke is notable for its parables and Jesus' proclamation of the good news concerning the kingdom of God. As Jesus' ministry grows, Luke 8:1 tells us: Luke 8:1 (NKJV) Now it came to pass, afterward, that He went through every city and village, preaching and bringing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with Him, The twelve were with Him. These men observed all that Jesus did. As Jesus traveled throughout the country, teaching the people the truth, His twelve Apostles watched how He did what He did. Through this process, Jesus trained His disciples. Staying with Jesus day and night, they learned both His message and
Post a Comment
Read more

After Samuel Died

-
Image
1 Samuel 25:1 When Saul became king, he was a young man. By the time David was anointed, Saul’s son Jonathan was a capable warrior. So, Saul might have been king for fifteen or more years before the incident of disobedience with the Amalekites. In the incident with the Amalekites, Samuel told Saul the Lord was taking the kingdom away from him and giving it to another. And it probably was at least another four years until David was anointed. Soon after he was anointed, David was involved in a battle with a giant. Since David was still considered a boy when he killed Goliath and was a warrior by the time Saul tried to kill him, some scholars suggest that David served in Saul’s favor for more than nine years after he was anointed.  The timing and dates are somewhat tricky. However, the commentaries I consulted suggested that Samuel was 57 when Saul became king and 89 when he died. During the 32 years from the time he anointed Saul until he died, Samuel stayed busy, but he had no co
Post a Comment
Read more