April 19 / Matt. 19:1-15

Matthew 19:1-15 The Chronological Study Bible makes the point that we are now shifting our geographical location, that Jesus is back in Judea and we will not see Him in Galilee again. Luke had made that point specifically in Luke 9:51, that Jesus had “set His face to go to Jerusalem”. Much of the reading …

April 17 / Luke 17:20-37

Luke 17:20-37 RTNT 2021. …He answered them, “The kingdom of God is not coming in ways that can be observed, nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.” (vv. 20b-21) In the book Heaven the author, Randy Alcorn argues extensively that …

April 16 / Luke 17:1-19

Luke 17:1-19 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” (v. 5) This verse has always struck me as somewhat funny. It’s what the apostles said after Jesus had told them to forgive their brother seven times if he repented seven times! Yeah, I can relate to the apostles. If someone keeps offending me …

April 15 / Matt. 18:15-35

Matthew 18:15-35 Repentance and forgiveness… Which is easier, to repent or to forgive? Maybe a better question is – which is harder? And where am I, where are you, on repentance and forgiveness? Repentance and forgiveness… I’m trying to think of any bigger item between us and God than repentance – our need for sincere, …

April 13 / Luke 15:11-32

Luke 15:11-32 Yesterday, in reading the parables of the Lost Sheep and the Lost Coin I spoke about Carol and me “finding” my brother, Ron, after his three-year absence from the family. I did not know that we would be reading the parable of the Prodigal Son the next day, another parable that had serious …

April 12 / Matt. 18:10-14, Luke 15:1-10

Matthew 18:10-14 and Luke 15:1-10 Today as I read these parables of “the lost” I thought of my own brothers and sisters. I have seven still living; all but two of them profess Christ – and exhibit their love for Him in various ways. And of the other two, Dick and Ron, Carol and I …

April 11 / Luke 14:15-35

Luke 14:15-35 It’s interesting to weave today’s two separate sections into one. That is, the first ten verses talk about the great banquet, where those who were initially invited made excuses for not attending and were then excluded from the banquet altogether, while …the poor and crippled and blind and lame… enjoyed the feast. The …

April 10 / Luke 14:1-14

Luke 14:1-14 I am intrigued by the “parable of the great banquet” at the end of today’s reading. Most of us have friends who are in the same “social standing”. Incomes may differ dramatically, but we find common ground with our race, religion, nationality, etc. Frankly, for many of us, our church is our social …