Category: Daily Prayer

Our scripture this week is Luke 21:5-19.

Some of his disciples were remarking about how the temple was adorned with beautiful stones and with gifts dedicated to God. But Jesus said, “As for what you see here, the time will come when not one stone will be left on another; every one of them will be thrown down.” “Teacher,” they asked, “when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?” He replied: “Watch out that you are not deceived. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The time is near.’ Do not follow them. When you hear of wars and uprisings, do not be frightened. These things must happen first, but the end will not come right away.” Then he said to them: “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven. “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name. And so you will bear testimony to me. But make up your mind not to worry beforehand how you will defend yourselves. For I will give you words and wisdom that none of your adversaries will be able to resist or contradict. You will be betrayed even by parents, brothers and sisters, relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death. Everyone will hate you because of me. But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life.

When the disciples praise the beauty of the Temple, Jesus tells them that the day will come when it all will be destroyed, a sign that Israel itself will fall. I’m sure that was hard for them to hear and many likely shook their heads in disbelief. Naturally they are concerned and ask what will be the warning signs that it is coming.

We are often proud of the things we have built, but Jesus warns no matter how magnificent we believe them to be, they are only temporary. I returned to my home town after 20 years away with the Air Force and found things quite different, old landmarks gone and new unfamiliar things (or sometimes nothing) in their place. Jesus warns us that we will experience calamitous change as a result of our faith.

The scriptures say that the changes will come according to God’s schedule and plan. In Acts 1:7 Jesus tells His disciples “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.” He taught us to follow His commandments and trust in God always so that we can face the changes that come in faith.

Loving Lord, You warn us that following You will be a challenge, that there will be hardship along the way. May we be firm in our faith and strong in Your love to withstand the changes that come. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 20:27-38.

During His discussion with the Sadducees in this passage, Jesus teaches us several valuable lessons. He shows us how to respond in love when we encounter those with contrary beliefs. He shares that eternal life will not be like earthly life and that no human comparisons can explain how wonderful it will be. Finally, He promises us there is a resurrection for those deemed worthy.

At the beginning of this reading the Sadducees ask Jesus an involved but outlandish question to try to trap Him regarding the resurrection. Jesus could have responded angrily to their tactics or attacked them personally in retaliation. Instead, He listened to their question and answered in a way that taught about eternal life without directly shaming those who had asked. We would do well to follow His example of hearing those with whom we disagree and giving only a loving, factual reply, even when provoked.

The Sadducees primary error in their question to Jesus is assuming that eternal life will be like what we experience here on earth. Jesus tells them that the age to come will be much different, that we will have resurrection bodies made perfect by God’s love and we will live in God’s presence forever. Human understanding is incapable of describing the wonder we will experience then, and using earthly examples only confuses the issue.

Jesus says”those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come”, indicating that there are conditions for being included in the resurrection. We know what Jesus has called us to do – love God, love neighbor and make disciples. If we are focused on these tasks, using the gifts God has given to accomplish them, we are working for the kingdom and can expect God’s mercy and blessing when the last day comes. Jesus calls us all to be part of the resurrection, and He shows us the way into eternal life.

Loving Lord, we are weak when we act alone, but strong when we accept Your grace and go to do the work You have for us. Help us to share Your truth with others, especially in difficult circumstances. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 20:27-38.

Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. The second and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. Finally, the woman died too. Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?” Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection. But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”

The Sadducees approached Jesus with a question they hoped would discredit Him. Jesus knows what they are trying to do, but instead of sending them away, He answers honestly, hoping they will see the wonderful gift of resurrection God has promised for those who love Him.

He teaches that our Heavenly Father is the God of the living, that having been created in His image, God wants us to be with Him eternally. The Sadducees believed that death was the end. Jesus came to show us all that it was not, that God had more for us after our mortal lives.

This scripture passage doesn’t tell us if the Sadducees changed their minds, but it was a lesson for all who heard it then, and for us today. Death does not destroy us. We can live for God now with His assurance we will be united with Him at the resurrection.

Gracious God, we are grateful for the gift of eternal life with You. Help us to live in ways that honor Your blessing to us and share Your love with the world. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 20:27-38.

But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”
Luke 20:37-38

As we have heard, the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection. Jesus uses an Old Testament quote that they would know well to prove His point to them. Perhaps they don’t accept Jesus’ scriptural authority, but since they began their argument using Moses as their guide, Jesus gives them a response from Moses.

Jesus was a wise teacher, knowing that people have to have something relatable before leading them to a new or different way of thinking. He wasn’t intentionally trying to make the Sadducees look foolish, He merely brought up something familiar and led them to see it in a new way. His way of arguing wasn’t competitive, He wasn’t out to “win” the debate, but to win people back to a relationship with God.

We can find new ways of looking at the world through His teaching, and a much better way of interacting with each other. Jesus advocated a rational sharing, seeing each other as God’s children, not adversaries to be defeated. If we discuss to understand and teach, rather than to shame and win, we will be better able to reach our brothers and sisters for Him.

Patient God, we often behave in ways that sadden You, not respecting Your children and Your creation. Forgive us and show us how to love each other as You love us. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 20:27-38.

Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.
Luke 20:34-36

Jesus shares the truth about the resurrection, which shows the foolishness of the Sadducees question. Our understanding is so limited that the reality of God’s love and eternal life overwhelm us. When the resurrection comes, we will be changed (1 Corinthians 15:51) and then our knowledge will be different than that which we know here on earth.

There is both a condition and a promise in the rest of Jesus statement. He says that only “those considered worthy of taking part in the age to come” will see the resurrection. There are expectations placed on our lives in order to live with God in eternity – being in relationship with Him and each other and sharing the Gospel message.

For those who do follow Jesus and keep His commandments, He says “They can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection.” What a wonderful promise this is! When we live as Jesus calls us to live, we may live with Him in the age to come!

Loving Lord, we are unable to grasp the enormity of Your blessing to us. Help us to live now as Your children that we may someday be the children of the resurrection. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 20:27-38.

Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. The second and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. Finally, the woman died too. Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”
Luke 20:29-33

The Sadducees pose what sounds like a riddle to Jesus, hoping to catch Him in a statement that contradicts His teaching. Jesus listens patiently, not interrupting them to protest the silliness of their question. As we shall see, He also gives them an answer that doesn’t demean them for asking, but shows how the kingdom of God really works.

There are two things we can learn from this passage. We see the Sadducees projecting human concepts and practices onto heavenly existence. We can’t conceive of what it will be like in human terms, heaven is so completely different from anything we can know that we are unable to adequately describe it.

The second is how Jesus treats and responds to them. Rather than interrupting them to say how foolish their question is, He lets them finish, and as we will learn later in this passage, He responds sincerely. Jesus is the model for civil discourse, a lesson to us all.

Gracious God, help us to treat all our brothers and sisters with respect, even when they frustrate us. May we accept that heaven is beyond our human understanding and seek to live in ways that bring us closer to each other and You. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 20:27-38.

Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.
Luke 20:27-28

This passage may sound strange to us. The idea that a man is required to marry his deceased brother’s widow in order to continue the family line was a very old custom dealing with tribes and inheritance practices. Most scholars indicate it rarely happened at the time this group approached Jesus with the question, but is part of the Law, found in Deuteronomy 25:5-6.

They ask this question of Jesus to see how He responds to a legal issue, but as we see they have an ulterior motive, as most who questioned Jesus did. They are trying to get Him to give an answer that will support their beliefs and make Him look foolish. Many have debated with Jesus over petty issues, avoiding the hard question that Jesus coming had posed to them.

Jesus always listened patiently, and He always responded, no matter how convoluted or downright silly the argument seemed. Jesus is ready to do the same for us, waiting for us to share our worries and frustration, ready to hear every request we may have. If He cared enough to listen to those who tried to discredit Him, how much more will He hear the prayers and petitions of the faithful?

Loving Lord, we know You are waiting to hear from us. Help us realize we can bring any issue we have to share with You, confident that You will hear us. Amen.

Our scripture this week is Luke 20:27-38.

Some of the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus with a question. “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first one married a woman and died childless. The second and then the third married her, and in the same way the seven died, leaving no children. Finally, the woman died too. Now then, at the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?” Jesus replied, “The people of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are considered worthy of taking part in the age to come and in the resurrection from the dead will neither marry nor be given in marriage, and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God’s children, since they are children of the resurrection. But in the account of the burning bush, even Moses showed that the dead rise, for he calls the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for to him all are alive.”

Once again Jesus is engaged in discussion with the teachers of the Law, this time a group known as the Sadducees. They were Jewish religious leaders who believed in strict application of the written law with no allowance for circumstances. They are attempting to trap Jesus regarding the resurrection of the dead with an absurd situation.

Jesus has been debating with the Jewish elders since He was old enough to worship in the Temple. Luke 2:41-49 relates the story of the boy Jesus staying behind in Jerusalem after Passover, in discussion with the teachers, and “everyone who heard Him was amazed at His understanding and His answers” (Luke 2:47). Jesus shows us that God’s word is essential to our lives, and that our understanding and application are based on our relationship with God.

Jesus knew exactly what was right. His understanding of scripture is not based on human experience or personal desires. Jesus knew that reading God’s word, discussing our reactions, and asking God in prayer what His will is for us was the way to connect with God and obey His commandments.

Gracious God, you have given us Your word in scripture. Bless us to study, learn and apply Your law in our lives to Your glory and for the good of Your people. Amen.

Today is All Saints Day on the Liturgical Calendar. Take time to remember those who’ve have gone before us in faith, who have been our examples and taught us what a life dedicated to God means.

Our scripture for this week is Luke 19:1-10.

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Luke 19:1-10

The Lord changed lives on His visit to Jericho. Zacchaeus proclaims his new way of living, but others were affected as well. Some would be the recipients of the “tax rebate” Zacchaeus offered, but all were touched by the lesson the Lord taught there.

Jesus shows us that no matter what we may think of people or a situation, no one is beyond God’s love and redemption. He taught us that people can change based on that love, and that our opinion of them is not what gives or denies salvation. God alone is the judge of that.

Luke 23:42-43 tells of the thief crucified with Jesus who asks to be remembered when He comes into His kingdom, and the Lord replies “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise”. Would any of us have expected such a promise to a thief justly condemned to death? If we are truthful with ourselves, we are all condemned to death and only the promise of Jesus can save us.

Loving Lord, we are too quick to judge others and not look at ourselves. Help us to change our lives and gladly accept Your promise of salvation. Amen.

Our scripture for this week is Luke 19:1-10.

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Luke 19:9-10

When Jesus calls us lost, He is speaking of more than just being separated from our brothers and sisters and from God. When we lose our way, we lose our identity as children of God. We forget who and whose we are.

Jesus tells us that this is His primary mission, “to seek and save the lost”, and when He turns His ministry on earth over to us, it becomes our primary mission. Only Jesus can grant salvation, but it is up to us to make sure everyone has the opportunity to know Him and the chance to choose to be saved. Nothing else we do is more important than this.

Jesus showed us by His example that no one is beyond God’s reach or His everlasting love. The lost can be found and returned to a relationship with Him. His commission to us that we are to “Go and make disciples of all the world” (Matthew 28:19) makes us His representatives to help find the lost of our world.

Gracious God, You sent Your Son to be the model for our connection to You and our brothers and sisters. Help us to follow Him earnestly and energetically, sharing Your love with all the world. Amen.