Posts by Josh Moody
Luke 16:1-9: The Dishonest Manager
Nehemiah 1-2, Proverbs 9, Luke 16:1-9, 1 Timothy 6:1-10 Luke 16:1-9: Many people have wrestled with the meaning of this parable, but the important point to remember is that it is a parable. That is, as most parables (though not all), it has one main point which the story is used to illustrate. It is not an allegory, where…
Read MoreLuke 15:11-32: Come Home
Ezra 10, Proverbs 8, Luke 15:11-32, 1 Timothy 5:16-25 Luke 15:11-32: In this famous story, there are three characters: a father and two sons. Let us examine the story from the perspective of each of them to see what we can learn about the nature of God and his love for us. First, the younger son. He treats…
Read MoreLuke 15:1-10: Eating with Sinners
Ezra 9, Proverbs 7, Luke 15:1-10, 1 Timothy 5:1-15 Luke 15:1-10: Jesus is criticized for eating with “sinners.” There are always people ready to criticize those who go out of their way to reach out to people who are on the margins of society, but there is more going on here than simply that. First, the Pharisees are…
Read MoreLuke 14:25-35: Count the Cost
Ezra 8, Proverbs 6, Luke 14:25-35, 1 Timothy 4 Luke 14:25-35: Jesus is surrounded by all the markings of great success because “great crowds” accompanied him. With such popularity, you would have thought that he would do all that he could to keep in the good favor of the people. He would lace his words with carefully designed…
Read MoreWork to Live or Live to Work: Is There a Better Way?
by Dr. Josh Moody One of the more common tropes of our day is the importance of work life balance. We are presented with those who spend their days thinking about work, planning to work, dreaming about work, planning work, and generally organizing their life and days around work. Think of Elon Musk, say, famously…
Read MoreLuke 14:15-24: A Great Banquet
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!” (Luke 14:15) No doubt expecting his well-worn piety to be met…
Read MoreLuke 14:1-14: The Paradoxical Virtue of Humility
Ezra 6, Proverbs 4, Luke 14:1-14, 1 Timothy 3:1-10 Luke 14:1-14: (Luke 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…
Read MoreLuke 13:22-35: Blessed Is He Who Comes in the Name of the Lord
Ezra 4-5, Proverbs 3, Luke 13:22-35, 1 Timothy 2 Luke 13:22-35: (Luke 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…
Read MoreLuke 13:10-21: Glorious Things
Ezra 3, Proverbs 2, Luke 13:10-21, 1 Timothy 1:12-21 Luke 13:10-21: (Luke 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”…
Read MoreLuke 13:1-9: Fruit in Keeping with Repentance
Ezra 1-2, Proverbs 1, Luke 13:1-9, 1 Timothy 1:1-11 Luke 13:1-9: (Luke 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…
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