boldness – Be Still…

Matthew 8:5-13 – Faithfulness

What surprised you about today’s reading? Was it that a Roman officer approached Jesus for help? Was it that a Roman soldier surprised Jesus with his faith? Was it that a child was healed without Jesus even being present? This story is full of amazing details like that.

It is a story of faith. Bold, unquestioning faith. The officer knew that Jesus had power. Because of the power he had in his line of work, he knew what it was to give an order and have it be accomplished. This Roman officer transferred this knowledge and knew that Jesus’ power could heal his child. Jesus was so powerful that his word from afar would do the trick. That is a great example of faithfulness!

Hebrews 4:14-5:10 – Our High Priest

Read Hebrews 4:14-5:10

The verse that spoke loudest to me today was v. 16, “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” I have read that over and over several times. What an honor! We can come boldly before God. Jesus has made that possible. Before Jesus, our access to God was limited by communication through another human, a high priest.

Only those chosen by God could serve as a high priest. What a great honor. With this great privilege came quite a responsibility to the people. High priests were to go before God with the prayers and sacrifices of the people, only to turn around and go to the people with a blessing from God. It all changed when God appointed his Son, Jesus, to be our high priest. We now have access to God and can come boldly. Continue reading “Hebrews 4:14-5:10 – Our High Priest”

Luke 10:1-20 – Bold Witness

Read Luke 10:1-20

This is the second time Jesus sends out his disciples here in Luke. This time, however, there are more than just the twelve, and it is likely that the original twelve are not part of this new group of 72.

It is clear that there have been more than just twelve surrounding Jesus, hanging on his every word, and following him where ever he goes. It is now their turn to see the power of God at work. It is now their turn to be obedient and be God’s missionaries. Continue reading “Luke 10:1-20 – Bold Witness”

Luke 9:10-17 – Hungry?

Read Luke 9:10-17

Never underestimate the power of God! Period.

I’ve loved this story since I was a child. It may be my first memory of Sunday School. Remember the felt boards? If you’re scratching your head, it was a great way to tell Bible stories. Felt boards, Bible characters, other cutout props for each story. Felt animation!

I can see it playing out, can’t you? The disciples are just back from their mission. You may recall just a few verses before Jesus had sent them out with NOTHING to teach about the Kingdom of God and to heal. Imagine the stories they came back with, eager to share with Jesus their wins! Actually, that would be God’s doing, they were just there. Continue reading “Luke 9:10-17 – Hungry?”

Luke 3:1-20 – Prepare the Way

Read Luke 3:1-20

Today we have a snapshot of John the Baptist. Just several short verses ago we learned how an angel brought the Lord’s message to his aging parents, telling them their son would prepare the people for the coming Messiah. We see that prophecy, as well as Isaiah’s words from the Old Testament, coming alive before our eyes.

John is quite a character. We are told he was living in the wilderness. I suppose that elicits a certain image in your mind, doesn’t it? He would have been very resourceful to maintain that lifestyle. He listened to God’s call on his life and gave it his all. Continue reading “Luke 3:1-20 – Prepare the Way”