Prayer for the Week: “Fear not,” says the Lord, “for I am with you.” This declaration from scripture resonates within our spirits, Merciful God. We hear these words; we desire to embrace them; we seek to believe them and own them for our daily lives. Yet claiming to live a life without fear and actually living a life without fear are not the same. Such a life, as
Scripture: Luke 24:39 Look, I’m sending to you what my Father promised, but you are to stay in the city until you have been furnished with heavenly power. Thought for the Day: This will be the last of the devotionals from Luke, at least for now. This is the bridge to the Book of Acts where, in 40 days, the church will be born with the gift of
Scripture: Luke 24:41-43 Because they were wondering and questioning in the midst of their happiness, he said to them, “Do you have anything to eat?” They gave him a piece of baked fish. Taking it, he ate it in front of them. Thought for the Day: We often, incorrectly, assume there was just “One Christianity” in the years after Jesus. In fact, there were many different strands and
Scripture: Luke 24:36 While they were saying these things, Jesus himself stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Thought for the Day: The Greek word we translates a peace is: Eirene. When this Greek word appears in the New Testament, and it does almost 100 times, it is usually translated as peace. But on occasion, it has been translated as tranquility, harmony, rest or one. Is it
Scripture: Luke 24:33-35 They got up right then and returned to Jerusalem. They found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying to each other, “The Lord really has risen! He appeared to Simon!” Then the two disciples described what had happened along the road and how Jesus was made known to them as he broke the bread. Thought for the Day: Two men wandering along
Scripture: Luke 24:12 But Peter ran to the tomb. When he bent over to look inside, he saw only the linen cloth. Then he returned home, wondering what had happened. Thought for the Day: After the women gave witness to the resurrected Christ, Peter hightailed it to the tomb where he found an empty burial cloth. I chuckle every time I read what occurred next: Peter returned home
Scripture: Luke 24:13-16 Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. Thought for the Day: A lot of folks are ready to
IT IS EASTER Scripture: Luke 24:1-3 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. Thought for the Day: Who is this “they” referenced in the passage? It is, of course, the women –
Scripture: Luke 22:53-54 Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid. It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning. Thought for the Day: I only once preached a Saturday Holy Week service, and let me be very honest, it was a challenging thing to do. On what is