Archive for June 2021

2 Kings 8-9, Psalm 119:129-136, Luke 5:17-26, Philippians 2:1-11 Luke 5:17-26: One of the most well-known stories about Jesus, and also one of the most important—though not always for the reasons most commonly thought. Jesus is teaching. And “the power of the Lord was with him to heal.” What does this mean? We will discover in a moment…

2 Kings 6-7, Psalm 119:121-128, Luke 5:12-16, Philippians 1:21-30 Luke 5:12-16: “But he would withdraw to desolate places to pray.” In the midst of all the hurly burly of ministry, of a life that was supremely busy beyond our comprehension, of intense demands upon him, and pressure, infinite pressure, of being nothing less than the Savior of the…

2 Kings 4-5, Psalm 119:113-120, Luke 5:1-11, Philippians 1:12-20    Luke 5:1-11: As Jesus calls the first disciples, several points are worth underlining for us today. First of all, note how the crowd is pressing in on Jesus to hear the Word of God. Let us be like that! Let us press in, seek, work towards, seek out,…

2 Kings 1-3, Psalm 119:105-112, Luke 4:38-44, Philippians 1:1-11 Luke 4:38-44: We see Jesus healing again—note the distinction between a healing (4:38-39) and demon possession (4:40-41)—and this time he is in the home of Simon and heals his mother-in-law. They appealed to him, and at a word of command she is healed. “Immediately.” When God says the word,…

1 Kings 21-22, Psalm 119:97-104, Luke 4:31-37, Ephesians 6:10-24  Luke 4:31-37: Jesus’ teaching is marked by a characteristic note throughout all the Gospels, and here in this passage it is emphasized. He teaches with “authority.” That word “authority” is interesting: it suggests, in English, the key to the issue. He teaches with authority because he is the Author.…

1 Kings 21-22, Psalm 119:89-96, Luke 4:13-30, Ephesians 4:13-30 Luke 4:13-30: The devil’s temptation has finished—for the moment. Note: when we pass one set of temptations, we are not to think that thereby such temptations will not return. While we are in this world, temptations will come. We are, as William Gurnall, the great Puritan commentator on the…

1 Kings 17-18, Psalm 119:81-88, Luke 4:1-12, Ephesians 5:22-33 Luke 4:1-12: Jesus now, fulfilling the calling of being the perfect Son, the son that Israel failed to be, goes into the desert, as Israel did for forty years, and fasts as Moses did for forty days, and yet was entirely and completely without sin—so that in his life,…

1 Kings 15-16, Psalm 119:73-80, Luke 3:21-38, Ephesians 5:1-21 Luke 3:21-38: Jesus is baptized too—but his baptism is unlike any others, and yet a template of all of us in Christ by faith, united with him. The heavens are open, the Holy Spirit descends on him in bodily form, like a dove. An extraordinary, miraculous sign that defies…

1 Kings 13-14, Psalm 119:65-72, Luke 3:1-20, Ephesians 4:25-32 Luke 3:1-20: There is much to learn from John the Baptist, in many ways the archetypal preacher and witness to Jesus Christ. Note how Luke not only places John in a clear historical context (3:1-2), but also prioritizes the work of the Word. Among all these great things, it…

Luke 2:41-52, Ephesians 4:17-24, Psalm 119:57-64, 1 Kings 12 Luke 2:41-52:Themes What a rare, precious gift of insight into the development of not just a godly man, but the God Man! At 12 years old, many a boy of talent verges on the preciousness, plain spoken, if not presumptuous and arrogant. Do we see these traits in Jesus,…