Author: Brian

Follower of Jesus, Husband, Dad, Grandpa, and Pastor

Passion Points

On By BrianIn PASSION Points

Here are some good thoughts on our Savior for the weekend:

He is the Radiance of the Glory of God – Jared Wilson
Considering the glorious radiance of Jesus.

The Cross as the Scepter – Leo the Great (via Trevin Wax)
An interesting take on Jesus carrying his cross.

On the Third Day – Jim Hamilton (via Crossway)
And interesting look at the pattern of the third day through Scripture.

Only Christ Can Provide Real Comfort – J. C. Ryle Quotes
“There is a gulf in your heart which nothing but Christ can fill.”

Hope you have a great Lord’s Day celebrating our radiant, reigning, risen Savior!

Family Quotes To Ponder

On By BrianIn PASSION Quotes

The joy of marriage: To be loved well and known deeply by one
is far more fulfilling than being adored by many and truly known by none.
– Gary Thomas

How soon marriage counseling sessions would end
if husbands and wives were competing in thoughtful self-denial.
— Walter Chantry

Some say, “I can’t love my spouse because he/she is so different than me.”
Then how will you ever love God? Is He just like you?
– Gary Thomas

Begin early to teach, for children begin early to sin.
— C.H. Spurgeon

Easter Weekend

On By BrianIn Holidays

Last week I shared some past posts on Passion Week.  Here are three past posts on Easter:

Questions for Easter Gatherings – Great questions to ask at your Easter gatherings to lead into discussions of the cross and resurrection.

Easter Week Reflections – Reflections for Easter and following week.

Christ The Lord Is Risen Today – An investigation into the hymn that many will sing on Easter Sunday.  I can’t wait!

 

Passion Points – Easter Weekend

On By BrianIn Holidays, PASSION Points

Here are some posts on the death and resurrection of our Savior for your weekend reading:

His Death

Go To Dark Gethsemane – Kevin DeYoung

The Cross Offers A Glimpse Into The Heart Of God – Trevin Wax

May Christ’s Shed Blood Make Me… – Puritan Prayer (via Trevin Wax)

His Resurrection

The Resurrection: The Reason For Hope – D. A. Carson (via Crossway)

The Neglected Resurrection – Matthre Barrett (via The Gospel Coalition)

Easter and the Great Wedding To Come – Jason Johnson (via The Gospel Coalition)

Hope you have a great Lord’s Day celebrating the resurrection of our Savior!  He Is Risen!

Consider His Compassionate Promise

On By BrianIn Book of Luke

In Luke 23:39-43, one of the thieves on the cross joins the soldiers and rulers in mocking Jesus.  But the other thief rebukes him.  He acknowledges his sin, and expresses faith in Jesus.  And Jesus makes him an incredible compassionate promise: “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”  Truly.  No doubts, no questions – it is certain.  And today.  The moment the thief dies, he will be in Paradise with Jesus.

And when we acknowledge our sin and believe in Jesus, he makes that compassionate promise to us.  We need not fear death.  Yes, death is horrible – just ask Jesus.  Yes, death is a result of the Fall.  But on the other side of death is Paradise.  That word has the idea of a garden, which brings our minds back to Eden, and forward to the new earth which is a new Eden.  It speaks of a perfect place of peace and harmony and love.  It speaks of a place with no more pain or sickness or death or sin.  And we will one day be there with Jesus forever.

And he calls us to share this compassionate promise with others.  Others need to hear it.  They need to know that judgment is coming for their sins.  They need to know that Jesus died to pay for their sins and take them to paradise if they will simply trust in him.  How can we keep this to ourselves?

Consider His Compassionate Forgiveness

On By BrianIn Book of Luke

They have beaten him.  Whipped him.  Falsely condemned him.  Now in Luke 23:32-38, they hang him on the cross.  The rulers scoff at him.  The soldiers mock him.  And Jesus responds with…forgiveness.  Forgiveness!  That he would ask the Father to forgive them speaks of his own heart of forgiveness.  No bitterness.  No wrath.  No anger.  No reviling.  No malice. No hate.  Just kindness.  Compassion.  Forgiveness.

And he shows that compassionate forgiveness to us.  He hung on that cross for my sin and your sin.  He hung there for our rebellion, our rejection.  He hung there for all the times we fail to love and serve our Creator.  He hung there for all the times we become so self-absorbed and fail to love those around us.  He hung on that cross so we might be forgiven of all of our sins.

And he calls us to show compassionate forgiveness to others.  When someone hurts us, our tendency is lash out or run away.  But Jesus calls us to forgive.  To forgive as we have been forgiven.  To put away all bitterness, wrath, anger, reviling, malice, and hate.  To rather show kindness, compassion, forgiveness (Ephesians 4:31-32).  Jesus told us to love our enemies, do good to those who hate us, bless those who curse us, and pray for those who hurt us (Luke 6:27-28).  And in this most extreme situation on the cross, Jesus lives out these instructions, and calls us to follow in doing so too.  What a challenge!  We can’t do this on our own.  We need to stay so close to Jesus.  And how convicting!  How easily we fail, and need to run back to the cross to find his compassionate forgiveness again.

Consider His Compassionate Care

On By BrianIn Book of Luke2 Comments

In Luke 23:26-31, Jesus is on the road to the cross.  He is bleeding from the lashes and the thorns.  He is bruised from the beatings.  He is exhausted from the torture and lack of sleep.  Every step is utter pain.  And he is too weak to carry his own cross, so the soldiers grap Simon from the crowd to do it for him. 

Here then we see the depths of his compassion, as he looks not to his own great needs but to the needs of others.  He stops to show compassionate care to a group of weeping women.  He cares enough to warn them of the coming judgment.

And does he not show this compassionate care to us?  Does he not comfort us in our weeping?  Did he not warn us of coming judgment and call us to himself?  And as we came, did he not forgive us, embrace us, and celebrate over us?  Did he not endure the cross for us?

And he calls us to follow in his steps.  He calls us to show compassionate care to others.  To comfort the weeping.  To warn the sinner.  Even in the midst of our own suffering.  In our trials, we can become so self-focused that we see only our needs.  We disolve into self-pity.  We expect others to minister to us.  And certainly we need care in our suffering.  But Jesus shows us that we can care for others even in the midst of our own suffering.  What a challenge!  And how convicting.  How often we fail in this and must run back to the one whose compassionate care provided a way to be saved at such great expense to himself.