Luke 19:47-48
Every day Jesus was teaching at the Temple. But the chief priests,
the teachers of the law and the leaders among the people were trying to kill
him. Yet they could not find any way to do it because all the people hung
on his words. (NIV)
Sometimes I wish that I had a time machine and could go back
to the days when Jesus was teaching in the Jerusalem Temple. His lessons and
stories must have been captivating. His understanding of the mysteries of God
and what life is all about must have been profound. I know that the Gospels
contain lots of what He preached and taught, but I get the feeling that we only
have the tip of the iceberg of His ministry. There must have been other
parables and perspectives that were never written down. Perhaps, then, when we
all get to be with Him in Heaven, Jesus will tell and teach us things that we
have never known.
For me, the purpose of Church is to keep repeating the
lessons and stories of the Bible, as well as those of Christ’s ministry, to
every generation that comes along. Even though the scriptures are thousands of
years old, they still contain relevant truths, wisdom, and guidance that we all
need for our everyday lives. We all go through good times and bad moments; we
all can feel lonely and powerless in different situations. Christ’s stories and
His teachings can penetrate the pain we feel, recognize the uncertainties we
experience, and augment the hopes we harbor in our hearts. If we make the time
to hear and re-hear, or read and re-read those lessons and parables from Jesus,
we will build up a spiritual storehouse of godly guidance and divine wisdom which
we can readily use no matter what we face or are confronted with.
So, today, take the time to read and ponder a Gospel
passage and this weekend set aside enough time to worship God at a church in
order to glorify Jesus and receive an effective blessing from His Word.
Point to ponder
What are my favorite stories of Jesus? How have they
helped me in my daily life?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, we often thank You for being our
Savior, but we are also grateful that You are our Teacher and Guide. Allow us
to seek Your presence this day and to look to Your words to help us on our way.
In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.
John Stuart is the pastor
of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. You can read the church
website at this link: www.erinpresbyterian.org.
You can also email John at Traqair@aol.com.
Today’s image is one of
John’s ‘Doctor Who’ drawings called “Doctor Window.” If you would like to view
a larger version, please click this link: Window.
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