Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. (Luke 23:34) This is a true story, told to me by a young seminary student I met years ago. I’ll call him Aaron (not his real name). Late one spring Aaron was […]
Read MoreTag Archives: Luke
What Does Following Christ Cost?
Following Christ as His disciple is a costly, unselfish decision. It calls for a radical examination of our self-centered lifestyles. Whew! That’s one of those easy things to say but tough to carry out.
Read MoreThe Reality of Hell
A particular story Jesus once told comes to my mind every time I think of life after death. Because it is descriptive and brief, we are able to get a fairly uncomplicated picture in our minds of this subject of hell.
Read MoreIs Fatigue Next to Godliness?
Now here’s a rhyme I’ll never understand: Pussy-cat, pussy-cat, where have you been? / I’ve been to London to look at the queen. / Pussy-cat, pussy-cat, what did you there? / I frightened a little mouse under the chair.
Read MoreTwo Perspectives on Stress
There is an old Greek motto that says: YOU WILL BREAK THE BOW IF YOU KEEP IT ALWAYS BENT. Wise words, but how do we loosen the strings? Even when we make every effort to slow down and relax, others place high demands on us. Their “shoulds” and “oughts” and “musts” hit us like strong gusts of wind, driving our lives onto shallow reefs of frustration—and even despair.
Read MoreCommitted Disciples
“So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.” (Luke 14:33) I must confess that I misunderstood the teaching of Jesus in Luke 14 for many years. Within the context of declaring the extreme terms of discipleship, He slips in two stories that explain why the terms are so costly. The first […]
Read MoreLooking at the Big Picture . . . and Finding Hope, Part 1
The Christmas story has been so sanitized and romanticized over the centuries that even Hollywood—as jaded a culture as can be found anywhere—fails to capture the gritty pathos that surrounded Jesus’s arrival. Truth be told, even some churches annually idealize the birth of our Savior. Yet it was anything but ideal.
Read MorePersistence, Part Two
Yesterday, we focused on Philippians 1:6, noting that God “who began a good work . . . will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” And, since we are to be “imitators of God” (Ephesians 5:1), it seems to me we oughta be about the business of persistence. It sure is easy to bail out theologically. You know, the age-old sovereignty cop-out. “If God wants such-and-such to happen, He’s gonna have to do it all.
Read MorePeter’s Failure
At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter. Suddenly, the Lord’s words flashed through Peter’s mind: “Before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.” And Peter left the courtyard, weeping bitterly. (Luke 22:61–62) Hope. It is something as important to us as water is to […]
Read MoreA Model for Us
And when all the crowd that came to see the crucifixion saw what had happened, they went home in deep sorrow. —Luke 23:48 (NLT) Our Lord has modeled the art of dying. Though mercilessly tortured, He refused to retaliate. Though seared by pain from thorns thrust on His head and iron spikes nailed through His […]
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