And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:31-32 ESV) 5 episodes in the life of Jesus are recorded in the fifth chapter of Luke. Two of those involve incidents where […]
Read More A Look at Luke 5 – Up In Your BusinessAnd when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them, but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was […]
Read More A Look at Luke 4 – Testing and PurposeAnd the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.” (Luke 3:10-11 ESV) Zechariah and Elizabeth’s miracle son established the call to repentance in simple and yet radical ways. Mountains made […]
Read More A Look at Luke 3 – The Way PreparedShepherds, Simeon, Anna and the teachers in the temple all had something in common. They got to celebrate greatness even in the early stages of the life of Jesus. All four episodes are fascinating in terms of the backstory we get for each encounter. Of all the people to be alerted to the birth of […]
Read More A Look at Luke 2 – Blessings and HonourLuke 1 is a very long chapter. Sometimes I get the impression there are books in the Bible shorter than this chapter! It may be long, but it’s not boring. On the contrary this is a gripping narrative providing the context of the arrival of the letter’s main character. It’s a brilliant prelude. So much […]
Read More A Look at Luke 1 – Zechariah’s JourneyThe sayings of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him. (Proverbs 31:1 NIV) Proverbs 31 is usually highlighted for what it says about the virtuous wife from verse 10 to 31. What’s fascinating to me is the chapter as a whole – the final chapter of the book on wisdom is given to the […]
Read More 16MTP 31 – What The Royal Mum Says To Live WellFour things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise: (Proverbs 30:24 NIV) There are some who subscribe to the ethos that size matters. The thinking is that the bigger the better. Thankfully the wisdom seen in Proverbs suggests otherwise. The sayings in Agur in chapter 30 are, as with a lot of the proverbs, […]
Read More 16MTP 30 – Learning Large From The SmallThe righteous care about justice for the poor, but the wicked have no such concern. (Proverbs 29:7 NIV) The effort and sentiment behind the bid to make poverty history is rooted in a tremendous compassion for the poor. Whether humanity will ever reach the stage where the impoverished is a distant memory is open to […]
Read More 16MTP 29 – Justice for the PoorWhoever conceals their sins does not prosper, but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy. (Proverbs 28:13 NIV) It is like a grip clamped on the heart that squeezes in and chokes any life out of it, slowly, remorselessly and effectively. The sense of embarrassment, the fear of retribution, the anxiety over a […]
Read More 16MTP 28 – Expose and Get RidThe one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit, and whoever protects their master will be honored. (Proverbs 27:18 NIV) Among the positive things to say about David the king of Israel is his incredible loyalty to his predecessor King Saul. It’s incredible because to be hounded by your boss because of their […]
Read More 16MTP 27 – Protected by Loyalty
