Scripture: Luke 4:2 There he was tempted for forty days by the devil. He ate nothing during those days and afterward Jesus was starving. Thought for the Day: This is a portion of scripture from Sunday’s sermon. This verse suggests that Jesus was tempted by the devil. The Greek word we translate as devil in this case is Diabolos. What’s interesting is how the word is not a
Scripture: Luke 4:1 Jesus returned from the Jordan River full of the Holy Spirit, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. Thought for the Day: So often we have thought of “the wilderness” as a dangerous and frightening place. It might be both of those things, but so often in scripture, it is also the place where people come to encounter and build a relationship with
Scripture: Luke 3:38 …son of Enos son of Seth son of Adam son of God. Thought for the Day: Continuing from yesterday, I share the final line from Luke’s Genealogy. Matthew takes it back to Abraham, the Father of Israel. Luke takes it all the way back to God. For Luke, the genealogy offers us a story of new beginnings. It sounds a little like what Paul was
Scripture: Luke 3:23b-26 People supposed that he was the son of Joseph son of Heli son of Matthat son of Levi son of Melchi son of Jannai son of Joseph son of Mattathias son of Amos son of Nahum son of Esli son of Naggai son of Maath son of Mattathias son of Semein son of Josech son of Joda… Thought for the Day: This is only a
Scripture: Luke 3:23aNow Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry… Thought for the Day: How many of you had something important happen in your life between the ages of 12 – 30? There are some stories of Jesus as a young person in the apocryphal Gospels, including the Infancy Gospel of Thomas written in the second century after Jesus, but material is scant
Prayer for the Day: May both the Living Word and Living Water be for me my hope, my healing and my dream of the possible. O God of yesterday, today and all the tomorrows, I give you thanks for the Living Word that springs forth from scripture, from the community of faith and from the companionship of your Spirit. Too often I have fought change; pushed back any
Scripture: Luke 3:18-20 With many other words John appealed to them, proclaiming good news to the people. But Herod the ruler had been criticized harshly by John because of Herodias, Herod’s brother’s wife, and because of all the evil he had done. He added this to the list of his evil deeds: he locked John up in prison. Thought for the Day: Let’s be honest with one another
Scripture: Luke 3:15-16 The people were filled with expectation, and everyone wondered whether John might be the Christ. John replied to them all, “I baptize you with water, but the one who is more powerful than me is coming. I’m not worthy to loosen the strap of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Thought for the Day: How many people would have
Scripture: Luke 3:10-14 The crowds asked John, “What then should we do?” He answered, “Whoever has two shirts must share with the one who has none, and whoever has food must do the same.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized. They said to him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He replied, “Collect no more than you are authorized to collect.” Soldiers asked, “What about us? What should
Scripture: Luke 3:7-8 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Thought for the Day: