Monday, February 13, 2012

Bible Reading Challenge - Week 7 Day 1 Luke 21-24

Our reading challenge for the day is Luke 21-24. I'll hit a few highlights. You make comments too and fill in the gaps. What strikes you as specially significant?

Luke 21 - All our earthy possessions, even very valuable earthly possessions such as a temple, will pass away with the coming of Christ in his glory. These earthly things, though they are important, are temporary.

Luke 22 - The events of Jesus' death are set in progress quite clearly as Jesus shows himself to be the Passover sacrificed for his people. We can see Jesus' statements here being fulfilled. I question why so many are so quick to deny Jesus' the ability to speak clearly and literally about the nature of communion as he institutes it. Either God is supernatural or he is not. We confess he can do what he wishes.

Luke 22-23 - Jesus is betrayed and arrested. He does not try to evade any of the charges brought against him, though they are false and contradictory. Despite the nature of the evidence brought, Jesus is condemned. See how people weep for him and are sorry for him but he says rather they should be sorry for themselves. The biblical account of the death of Jesus is much less graphic than anything we see in movies or television programs these days. Yet the events are clear and straightforward. It seems Luke is more interested in showing that Jesus died to redeem his people from death than in showing how terrible the death on a cross is.

Luke 24 - The account of post-resurrection appearances of Jesus is very brief. We learn in Acts that Jesus was appearing to people for forty days before he ascended to heaven. Yet we have only brief accounts in Luke, all on the day of the resurrection. See how Jesus' appearance to his people is unexpected. We may not believe that he will accomplish his purposes, but when he does so he still graciously receives us.

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