Most of us have not-so-fond memories of some authority figure sitting us down to explain “the way it is.” We’d rather live in our own fantasy than in what we see as someone else’s reality, but Jesus has unique authority when he speaks of reality. Before he sent his disciples out on their first ministry assignment, he gave them (and us) a reality check. Some of what he told his disciples doesn’t fit well with the fantasies by which people prefer to live.
Read More discipleship, family, priorities, follower, conflict, rewardsJesus seems awfully hard on his family in this text. Of course, when your mother and brothers are calling you the instrument of Satan, it might put a strain on the relationship.
We say that “blood is thicker than water” by which we mean that family is the most important relationship of our lives. That might depend upon the quality of one’s family. In my case, the saying seems appropriate, but in families where there has been abuse and abandonment, it might ring a little hollow.
Read More family, adoptionChapter 17 starts with Jesus praying for himself, then for his disciples, and ends with his passionate prayer for all who believe in him. He gives priority to praying for their unity. Jesus knew that one of Satan’s frequent tools of battle is conflict. Jesus wanted his followers to stay together; to exhibit such brotherly love that the outside world would be attracted to their lifestyle.
Read More family, Unity, loveJesus addresses both his mother Mary and the beloved disciple who is most likely John. John may have been a cousin of Jesus but the family pictured here is a new family, brought about through the death and resurrection of Christ. As a member of this new family, Jesus makes provision for the care of Mary. This is not a momentary thing to help Mary through her grief and time of loss with the death of her son.
Read More family, careAs a journalist, I love stories. One reason why I enjoy reading the Bible is because I discover in its pages the stories that the first Christians told about themselves. What did it mean for them to follow Jesus in everyday life? How were Christians different from others in their culture? Luke has begun to paint a picture that I recognize, and yet some details puzzle me.
Read More generosity, family, Temple, sharing
While historically, Zion was a physical place, it has come to mean so much more than a mark on a map. It is a symbol of God’s church – His people. And, as Psalm 132 tells us, it is where God chooses to dwell.
As human beings, we often place a lot of stock in where we were born.
Read More family, Zion, birthplace
What makes a person – a woman, a man – good and noble is their character, not how much money they have in the bank or what designer clothes they wear or even what other people say about them. Let’s let God change the way we think – then we can please him (Romans 12:2).
Read More family, character, charm, honouring God
