John 6:11Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. Sometimes all we have is a “little boy’s lunch.” Our need is great, and our resources are small. If we give, it won’t make much difference. If we give, what will we have left over? Whether it be tithes and offerings, or talent and ability. It may not be much, but if you pass it through ...  Read More

John 5:10It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed. Now the Old Testament law did prohibit normal work on the Sabbath. But the Pharisees got so steeped in the law that they lost the heart. And when there’s no heart all you have is a mold. So, they had their mold for what the Sabbath should look like. But here comes Jesus breaking the mold and claiming divinity. And he’s s...  Read More

John 4:4He had to pass through Samaria. He had to pass through Samaria? Was it the only way to go? No. He had to pass through Samaria, because he was compelled to do so. Jesus desired to reach ALL KINDS of people. And he was willing to cross cultural lines to get to them.  The typical route for the Jew of Jesus’ Day was around Samaria. The typical route was avoidance. Those who are radically diffe...  Read More

John 3:26Look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him. What happens when you’re pretty good at something, and somebody else comes along and does it better? I think it’s an established fact that Walmart is the new Kmart. And maybe we should say that Chick-fil-A is the new KFC? At any rate, no body likes being out done. Not even John the Baptist’s disciples, as you can see here in verse 26. Yet, ...  Read More

John 2:24-25Jesus did not entrust himself to them… for he knew what was in man. People love you when times are good but when times get tough they seem to duck out. People can be flighty and undependable. People change their minds and switch loyalties. They bounce from one thing to another. And this can be said of us all. And, as we can see in this passage today, Jesus knew it all too well.    Ther...  Read More

John 1:30After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me. No one typically likes to come in second place. However, back in 2008, a guy in the car battery industry started a little movement that went international. It’s called “I Am Second.” If you’re interested in checking them out, you’ll see that their website is full of videos made by people giving testimony for why Jesus Chr...  Read More

Luke 24:32Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road?Sometimes we can become enamored. So much so that our hearts are set on fire.However, there’s a difference between smoke and heat. There’s a difference between human fire and godly fire. One doesn’t have much substance and therefore producesa lot of smoke. The other has sustainable fuel and produces a healthy flame. You ...  Read More

Luke 23:34Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. There’s Jesus suspended by nails, scanning the scene below. Soldiers sporting. Crowds gawking. Rulers pontificating. Criminals haranguing. Bearers of God’s image with really no clue. Flashes of pain. Waves of nausea. The taste of death. Sin crouching at the door. Murder, Jealousy, Hypocrisy, and Spite – mingling in and around the peop...  Read More

Luke 22:24A dispute also arose among them, as to which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. Are you kidding me? Jesus just gets done predicting his own betrayal and subsequent murder, and the disciples are posturing for promotion? The timing couldn’t have been worse. And why are they concerned about it in the first place? Yet Jesus didn’t blast them for their insensitivity. Rather he told t...  Read More

Luke 21:4The widow put in all she had to live on. I find it interesting that Jesus would even let her do this. She had nothing and he watched her give even the little she had away. He idly sat by and observed the scene. He didn’t offer any help in the moment. From a human perspective that could seem callous. From a heavenly perspective, he’s doing her the greatest honor in the world, and allowing ...  Read More

Luke 20:23But he perceived their craftiness. Tricky, tricky, tricky. Throughout chapter 20, the various leaders of the Jewish establishment were pretty slick, seeking ways to catch Jesus in an indiscretion. They were crafty, devising questions that would proffer needed evidence. Jesus was going down. They just needed to figure out a way of pulling it off. But Jesus wasn’t thrown off in the least. ...  Read More

Luke 19:41When Jesus drew near and saw the city, he wept over it. When’s the last time you wept? To weep is a powerful thing. A full surge of emotions that occurs all at one time. And the force of it can sometimes take you by surprise. Is it surprising to think that Jesus wept? A full surge of emotions happening all at once. He looked at Jerusalem and knew the suffering she would endure. I believe...  Read More