There have always been penalties in place for law-breakers. And there should be. Rules and consequences for breaking them are necessary for a civil society. In Jesus’ time, adultery was against the law; the penalty: death by stoning. I would consider the threat of that consequence a pretty good deterrent!…
Jesus would depart. He would go to the cross, He would suffer and die, He would CONQUER THE GRAVE, and then He would return to His Father. But He wouldn’t leave those who’d trusted in Him alone and empty. His Spirit would come and fill each of His believers. The…
Jesus spent a lot of time during the Feast of the Tabernacle teaching and preaching in the temple. His authority and knowledge astounded some people, confused others, and angered still more. He invited the Jewish people, who were familiar with the prophecies about the coming Messiah, to see Him for…
HYMN DAY! A copyright of 1959 means “His Name Is Wonderful” by Audrey Meir isn’t an “old” hymn, but oh, these words! Sing them with hands raised high in adoration. His name is Wonderful, His name is Wonderful, His name is Wonderful, Jesus, my Lord; He is the mighty King,…
As we discovered last Friday, many of those who trailed after Jesus decided His message was too hard to accept and left. Jesus then asked the Twelve if they were leaving, too. Peter’s answer is so profound, so full of trust, so full of truth, that it leaves me breathless.…
There’s something about this simple verse that gets me right in the middle of my heart. I can imagine the Twelve—Jesus’ closest earthly friends—watching the crowd disperse. All those people returning to their homes and their “regularly scheduled lives,” while these chosen ones remained without a shelter, without the assurance…
How heartbreaking it must have been for Jesus to have spent so much time with these people—pouring His heart into them, putting their needs before His own—and then be abandoned. We’ve probably all encountered those who stick around when we’re the givers, but when we need something in return, they…
HYMN DAY! If you’ve ever sung, “Breathe on Me, Breath of God” by Edwin Hatch, you know the tune is softly flowing–a good one to have as an “ear worm.” I hope the words linger in your mind and heart today. Breathe on me, Breath of God, Fill me with…
Hoo boy, it sure is easy to offend these days, isn’t it? Jesus knew that some of those following Him were complaining about His message, and He asked the question, but you know what? I don’t think He was all that concerned about whether or not He offended. What concerned…
The multitudes of people who followed Jesus had seen Him perform miracles. They’d heard Him speak in ways that held them spellbound. They realized there was something special about Him, but they needed to understand that following Him wasn’t about being entertained—truly following Him was a commitment. So Jesus was…
