Slow down, Luke, slow down. One of the hallmarks of reading a passage a day, in this case, a chapter a day, is that there are times when what we read is just "full of stuff". I know we talked about this when we read Mark and Matthew, and here again, there is much we … Continue reading Luke 5.
Luke 4.
I'm struck by the speed with which the crowd in Nazareth turns on their homeboy. 21 Then he began to tell them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled even as you heard it being read.”22 All were speaking well of him, and were amazed at the gracious words coming out of his mouth. They said, “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” Luke 4:21, 22 … Continue reading Luke 4.
Luke 3.
As I read this chapter, I was thinking about who might have been the John the Baptist in my life, preparing the way for Messiah. I remember a camp I was invited to ... not the point of decision, but a time to hear the need for decision.
Luke 1, 2.
Got behind on my reading and had to use the weekend catch-up to complete the first part of Luke. Still didn't get the writing done. Until now. Hope you are all staying current as we've passed the halfway point of the year. We know these first few chapters of Luke so well, reading through them … Continue reading Luke 1, 2.
Philemon.
The main purpose of this brief letter is to convince Philemon to take in his runaway slave, Oenisimus. A couple of things stand out to me in Paul's appeal. One is that Paul is pretty insistent that Philemon do as Paul requests concerning Oenisimus, while still giving Philemon room to do it voluntarily. A second … Continue reading Philemon.
Colossians 4.
These personal greetings from Paul as he finishes his letter to the Colossians make reality out of this old text. To hear the names of his fellow workers, and some of the details of their situation, and Paul's advice to them ... it's like stepping into their lives and seeing God's hand at work in … Continue reading Colossians 4.
Week 25.
Twenty five weeks. Surely someone has a summary comment for the week just past.
Colossians 3.
There are so many good exhortations from Paul in this chapter -- both what not to do and what to do. From them, I'll just highlight this section: 15 Let the peace of Christ be in control in your heart (for you were in fact called as one body 0to this peace), and be thankful. 16 Let the word … Continue reading Colossians 3.
Colossians 2.
In verses 20-23 we get a pretty clear picture of the deceitful philosophies Paul is referring to in verse 8: "8 Be careful not to allow anyone to captivate you through an empty, deceitful philosophy that is according to human traditions and the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ." That picture is of an ascetic … Continue reading Colossians 2.
Colossians 1.
This first chapter of Paul's letter to the Christians in Colossae contains this great statement about Christ that the NET translation titles "The Supremacy of Christ". I just want to repeat it here. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation,16 for all things in heaven and on earth were created in … Continue reading Colossians 1.