Exploring the Scriptures Together
Matthew 28:1-8; Mark 16:1-8; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-13;Matthew 28:9-15; Mark 16:9-11; John 20:14-18 If you have not already read the passages of Scripture we have for today, please do so now. I’ll wait… Now, consider honestly: what is your reaction to this reading in this current moment? I’m guessing that “surprise” is not part of …
Continue reading “November 19 / Matthew 28:1-15; Mark 16:1-11; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-18”
Matthew 27:32-56; Mark 15:21-41; Luke 23:26-49; John 19:17-37;Matthew 27:57-66; Mark 15:42-47; Luke 23:50-56; John 19:38-42 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this He breathed His last. Luke 23:46 (cf., Matthew 27:50, Mark 15:37, John 19:30) Is this the final whimper of …
Continue reading “November 18 / Matthew 27:32-66; Mark 15:21-47; Luke 23:26-56; John 19:17-42”
Matthew 27:1-26; Mark 15:1-15; Luke 23:1-25; John 18:28-40;Matthew 27:27-31; Mark 15:16-20; John 19:1-16 Jesus answered, “… Everyone who is of the truth listens to My voice.”Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” John 18:37-38 Though coming from a wildly different background, Pilate is just like the Pharisees in that He cannot perceive Truth. The Truth …
Continue reading “November 17 / Matthew 27:1-31; Mark 15:1-20; Luke 23:1-25; John 18:28-19:16”
Matthew 26:57-75; Mark 14:53-72; Luke 22:54-71; John 18:12-27 And He said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23 Today’s reading, as dark as it is, should shed some light on the above verse, giving us a graphic illustration of …
Continue reading “November 16 / Matthew 26:57-75; Mark 14:53-72; Luke 22:54-71; John 18:12-27”
John 17;Matthew 26:36-56; Mark 14:32-52; Luke 22:39-53; John 18:1-11 How would you define “eternal life”? Would you say, “living forever” or “not dying” or perhaps “going on living, even after dying”? Or maybe it’s “going to heaven (and not hell)”. We could build a pretty good case for any of these notions from various Bible …
Continue reading “November 15 / John 17:1-18:11; Matthew 26:36-56; Mark 14:32-52; Luke 22:39-53”
John 14-16 Once again the Gospel of John overwhelms us, like trying to get a drink from a firehose. I would therefore urge us all to spend some extra time — quite a lot of extra time — on these few chapters of John (and the next), prayerfully reading and rereading what Jesus has to …
Matthew 26:17-29; Mark 14:12-25; Luke 22:7-30; John 13:18-30;John 13:1-17, 31-35;Matthew 26:30-35; Mark 14:26-31; Luke 22:31-38; John 13:36-38 In today’s readings, Jesus employs two tremendous physical activities to build up and instruct His disciples (including us). He establishes the Sacrament of Holy Communion, feeding us with His body and blood, and He washes the disciples’ feet. …
Continue reading “November 13 / Matthew 26:17-35; Mark 14:12-31; Luke 22:7-38; John 13”
John 12:20-50;Matthew 26:1-16; Mark 14:1-11; Luke 22:1-6 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. …
Continue reading “November 12 / John 12:20-50; Matthew 26:1-16; Mark 14:1-11; Luke 22:1-6”
Matthew 24:36-25:46; Mark 13:32-37; Luke 21:34-38 Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. Matthew 24:44 (cf., Luke 12:40) Are you ready for Christ’s return? Are you awake and watchful? No? Why not? Perhaps you think that since He has delayed thus far …
Continue reading “November 11 / Matthew 24:36-25:46; Mark 13:32-37; Luke 21:34-38”
Matthew 24:1-35; Mark 13:1-31; Luke 21:5-33 As He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?” Matthew 24:3 The remainder of Matthew 24-25 is Jesus’ response to …
Continue reading “November 10 / Matthew 24:1-35; Mark 13:1-31; Luke 21:5-33”