Archive for August 2021

Ezra 7, Proverbs 5, Luke 14:15-24, 1 Timothy 3:11-18 Luke 14:15-24: Jesus’ teaching about dinners and banquets, and the seats of honor at such celebrations, causes one of his listeners to offer a pious exclamation. “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” (14:15) No doubt expecting his well-worn piety to be met with…

Ezra 6, Proverbs 4, Luke 14:1-14, 1 Timothy 3:1-10   Luke 14:1-14: (14:1-6) It’s another Sabbath encounter. Some background here may help. Because the Israelite people had been sent into exile for breaking God’s law, worshipping idols, and breaking the Sabbath, the Pharisees—known for their purity—were focused on ensuring that such liberalization of God’s intention could not happen…

Ezra 4-5, Proverbs 3, Luke 13:22-35, 1 Timothy 2 Luke 13:22-35: (13:22-30) A person comes to Jesus with an apparently important and genuine question: will only a few be saved? But while it is an important question, it could be used to hide from the yet more important question: are you yourself saved? Jesus will not let this…

Ezra 3, Proverbs 2, Luke 13:10-21, 1 Timothy 1:12-21 Luke 13:10-21: (13:10-17) A woman who is disabled has been so for 18 years. Can you see her? Bent over, unable to straighten herself, pain etched into the lines on her face, brought low in her broken body. Jesus speaks, lays hands on her, and she is “immediately” healed.…

Ezra 1-2, Proverbs 1, Luke 13:1-9, 1 Timothy 1:1-11 Luke 13:1-9: (13:1-5) Jesus is confronted by a very real human tragedy of barbaric proportions. Pilate had not only killed some Galileans, but in some symbolic, gross fashion, had mingled their own blood with the blood of the ritual religious sacrifices. It was a way of attempting to not…