John the Baptist was both the fulfillment of prophecy (v 3) and a prophet himself (v 11). His attire, diet and lifestyle link him to Elijah (2 Kings 1:8) and his words to the Pharisees and Sadducees, – “You bunch of Snakes!,”” – link him to Jesus (Matthew 23:33).
John’s call to repentance was heard and heeded by many.
Read More Holy Spirit, repentance, baptismJohn bursts onto the scene at a precise moment of history, in an exact locale: during the reign of Tiberius Caesar, along the banks of the Jordan River. Luke does everything short of giving us a fixed date and geographic coordinates.
Read More repentance, forgivenessIt’s funny how things change over time. Growing up as a young child I was taught that it was a sin to ride my bicycle on Sunday. But now that I’m older and a bit wiser it strikes me that back then we spent so much time arguing about what was right or wrong that we actually overlooked the true devastating impact of genuine sin—deliberate disobedience to God.
The Bible is clear about what sin is.
Read More sin, repentance, mistakes“It’s only snow. You need to apologize to your son!” I was too furious to listen to my wife’s words. My son had just arrived at our house. I was halfway through snow-blowing the driveway. Without thinking, he tried to get his truck up the drive and got stuck. All the maneuvering that came next tore up my lawn. It also packed down the remaining snow, making it impossible to clear with the snow-blower.
Read More confession, sin, repentanceJohn bursts onto the scene at a precise moment of history, in an exact locale: during the reign of Tiberius Caesar, along the banks of the Jordan River. Luke does everything short of giving us a fixed date and geographic coordinates.
Scripture never deals in vague, historical musings, but in hard, detailed realities.
Read More repentance, forgivenessHave you ever lost anything? Keys? Glasses? Cell phone? Tax receipt?
Do I need to ask? If some of the stories in this gospel need a bit of background information, this chapter certainly doesn’t.
Notice the way that Luke introduces these parables.
Read More repentance, lost things, joy
Everyone has a life story. It is interesting that at the end of David’s life story we read the people were happy and they celebrated at the altar of God. Every life story includes the passing of time as it did with David but it is not the years that matter as much as what happened in those years. David, despite his failures, lived a life which was a tribute to the faithfulness of God and his service and obedience to God. If he could have put his own title on his life story, I wonder what it might have been?
Read More repentance, faithfulness, end of life, life storyIn today’s reading Isaiah continues with the LORD’s prophetic accusation of Jerusalem. The city has become unfaithful and turned away from God. But rather than rail against idolatry which was prevalent, Isaiah points to the injustice found within the city. Instead of administering justice the rulers chase after bribes and enrich only themselves. Widows and orphans never get a fair trial (Isaiah 1:23).
Read More repentance, selfishness, injustice, fairnessUnaware that this is Jesus’s last meal, the disciples celebrate Passover with him. In the privacy of the upper room, they listen eagerly as Jesus teaches the way to live. But, they are somber tonight. Jesus has frightened them lately with dark words of the end looming. Jesus is in danger from the crowds who have turned on him.
Read More repentance, forgiveness, Judas, evil, betrayalThe CEV’s “fat cows” may be in step with modern idiom, but it lacks the class of “The cows of Bashan” (4:1 NIV) The poetry of the putdown. The lush plains of Bashan yield the fatted calf. The imagery of waddling udders and cow bells satirizes the wives of the wealthy, indulgent, drunken, selfish, servant-beating women of Israel.
Read More sin, trouble, repentance