Tag: Jesus

Passion Week Good Friday

On By BrianIn Holidays

Morning: Plot – The Plans of God and Men

Read Luke 22:1-6, 22:47-53, 22:63-23:16

Prayer: Father, how shamefully they treated your Son. Judas plotted against him and betrayed his friend. The religious leaders plotted against him and made a mockery of justice to have their own way. And yet all their plots were part of your bigger plot to save me. Thank you for my Savior. Amen.

Noon: Pardon – In My Place

Read Luke 23:16-25

Prayer: Father, Barabbas should have died that day, but Jesus died in his place. The cross should have been mine, but Jesus died in my place. He died for my sins, for my rebellion. He who was perfect paid the penalty for my sins that I might go free. Jesus, thank you for taking my place. Amen.

Evening: Passion – Remember the Cross

Read Luke 23:26-49

Prayer: Father, words are so cheap, but thank you for the cross. Thank you for forgiveness. Thank you for the hope of paradise. Thank you for Jesus. Amen.

Reflect/Discuss: How does reflecting on Christ’s passion fuel your love for him?

Praise: Spend some time singing songs about the cross.

Passion Week Thursday Reflections

On By BrianIn Holidays

Morning: Passover – The New Covenant

Read Luke 22:7-23

Prayer: Father, thank you for the new covenant you have made with me through Jesus Christ. Thank you that his body was broken and his blood poured out to pay for my sins that I might walk with you. Thank you for the regular reminder given to us in the Lord’s Supper. Amen.

Noon: Perfect Servant – Follow His Example

Read Luke 22:24-30

Prayer: Father, your Son came to serve, and too often I join the disciples seeking to be the greatest, seeking to exalt myself. Help me to humbly serve as Jesus served. Help me to be a servant to my family, to your church, wherever I go. Amen.

Evening: Prayer – God’s Will, Not Mine

Read Luke 22:35-46

Prayer: Father, like the disciples I too am weak, and I need your help to overcome temptation. Awaken me from my spiritual slumber that I might pray. Let me join my Savior in seeking your will. Too often my way is not your way. Help me to submit to your way no matter what the cost. Dear Father, not my will, but yours be done. Amen.

Reflect/Discuss: In what current situations do you need to submit to his will?

Praise: Sing “Have Thine Own Way Lord”

Passion Week Wednesday Reflection

On By BrianIn Holidays

Wednesday: Prophecy – Be Alert

Read Luke 19:41-44, 21:5-38

Prayer: Father, your Son predicted the Fall of Jerusalem, and it happened. Your Son predicted his return – help me to be ready. Help me to be alert. While I wait, help me to be ready and watchful for opportunities to bear witness for Christ. Help me not to get so weighed down with the cares of this life that I fail to be alert to your opportunities and your return. Even so, come Lord Jesus! Amen.

Reflect/Discuss: What keeps us from being more alert to his coming?

Praise: Sing “Christ Returneth!”

Note: Reflections for Thursday and Friday will be in three parts – morning, afternoon, and evening.

Passion Week Tuesday Reflection

On By BrianIn Holidays

Tuesday: Predictions – Take Up Your Cross

Read Luke 9:18-27, 18:31-34

Prayer: Father, your Son knew what was coming, yet he willingly gave himself up for me. He was rejected, mocked, shamefully treated, spit upon, flogged, and killed for my sins. Let me give myself for him. Help me deny myself – stop living for myself, and take up my cross – be willing to suffer for Christ, and follow him wherever he leads. Amen.

Reflect/Discuss: What are some practical daily examples of what it might look like to deny yourself for Christ?

Praise: Sing “Am I A Soldier of the Cross”

Passion Week Monday Reflection

On By BrianIn Holidays

Monday: Preaching – Give all to Him

Read Luke 19:45-21:4

Prayer: Father, they dragged buying and selling even into your house. How easy it is for me to get caught up in the buying and selling of our culture. Help me be like the widow who willingly gave all to you. All that I have is from you; it is yours – do with it as you please. Even my life is from you, and you made me in your likeness, so help me give myself to you – even as your Son gave himself for me. Amen.

Reflect/Discuss: What would it look like to live according to this prayer?

Praise: Sing “Take My Life”

Passion Week Palm Sunday Reflection

On By BrianIn Holidays

Palm Sunday: Praise – Rejoice in the Messiah

Read Luke 19:28-40

Prayer: Father, before the rocks cry out, let me lift up my voice and praise you. Thank you for your mighty works – your beautiful creation, your sustaining hand, your great salvation. Thank you for saving me. Awaken my soul to give you the glory and praise that is due you today. Amen.

Reflect/Discuss: For what mighty works can you praise the Lord?

Praise: Sing some of your favorite songs of praise to the Lord.

Good News!

On By BrianIn Book of Luke2 Comments

Of all the people God could have announced the birth of Jesus to, he chose to announce it to shepherds.  Shepherds watching sheep that would probably be used as sacrifices at the temple.  Even as Jesus would one day offer himself as a sacrifice.

The angel appears and announces good news of great joy.  What is this good news?  A Savior has been born!  We sin and sin and sin and sin, and Jesus was born to save us from our sins.  Again and again, the people would sacrifice the shepherd’s lambs for their sins, but Jesus came to save us from our sins once for all.  A Savior has been born.  Indeed this is good news of great joy!

Notice the response of the shepherds.  First they went to investigate.  They wanted to see this Savior.  Do we have the same desire?  To see our Savior.  To know him better?  To investigate further and deeper the glorious good news of great joy?

Second, they went about proclaiming the good news that they had heard and seen for themselves.  Do we have that same tendency?  No one told the shepherds to witness.  They just naturally did.  Are we so excited about our Savior that we just naturally tell others?

Third, they went home praising God for the good news they had heard and seen and proclaimed.  The good news of great joy filled them with joy.  Do we have the praises of God on our hearts and in our mouths?

Father, thank you for the good news of a Savior.  Grant us the desire to investigate, the passion to proclaim, and the joy to praise you.  Amen.

(Taken from Luke 2:1-20)

Promise of Christ

On By BrianIn Book of Luke1 Comment

After John is born, Zechariah breaks forth into praise (Luke 1).  What is the content of his praise?  The Promise of Christ.

First, there is the promise of hope in Christ (v68-75).  Zechariah speaks of salvation from enemies.  He speaks of the house of David – a reference to the kingship.  All of this was foretold by the prophets.  And so Christ is coming again to reign as king, to put every enemy under his feet, to bring about the paradise the prophets foretold.  What a glorious promise of hope we have in Christ.

Second, there is the promise of forgiveness in Christ (v76-78).  John will prepare the way for Jesus, making known the salvation and forgiveness of sins found in Jesus.  Through Christ’s death, all of our sins can be forgiven.  We can be clean and pure.  This is the glorious promise of forgiveness we have in Christ.

Third, there is the promise of light in Christ (v78-79).  Jesus is a light in the midst of our dark world.  Instead of blundering around in the darkness, we can come to the light.  In the darkness of our trials, we can look to the light.  This is the glorious promise of light we have in Christ.

Finally, there is the promise of peace in Christ (v79).  In the midst of a chaotic world filled with trials and hurts and losses and troubles, we need a source of peace.  In Christ, the Prince of Peace, we can find peace.  And one day he will usher in perfect peace over the entire world.  This is the glorious promise of peace we have in Christ.

May we remember the promises we have in Jesus!

Now Marriage Is A Picture

On By BrianIn Family/Single Life, Sermon Songs1 Comment

Now Marriage Is A Picture

The Church’s one foundation, is Jesus Christ her Lord
She is His new creation, by water and the Word
From heaven He came and sought her, to be His holy bride
With His own blood He bought her, and for her life He died.

Now marriage is a picture, of Jesus and his bride
May our vows remain secure, may we in love abide
For Christ will never leave us, forsake us never he
As he is faithful to us, so faithful we must be

May sacrificial giving, be in our homes today
And true humble forgiving, and grace in all we say
For Jesus died to save us, forgive those gone astray
He pours his grace upon us, with more grace every day

Each husband love his own wife, and leading for her best
As Jesus gave his own life, to give us hope and rest
Each wife respect her husband, and joyfully submit
As we before the Lord stand, and gladly do commit

May each and every marriage, shaped by the gospel be
Forsake the gods of this age, worship the Lord only
All praises we would give you, for all that you have done
Forever we’ll adore you, Great God the Three in One

(First verse by Samuel J. Stone from the hymn The Church’s One Foundation, to the same tune by Samuel S. Wesley, Public Domain.  I wrote verses 2-5 to go with the Gospel Shaped Marriage sermon which I just blogged.  All rights reserved.  Copyright 2010.)

Hope Is Dawning

On By BrianIn Book of Luke1 Comment

For 400 years the people of Israel had been waiting for the coming of the Messiah.  The prophets had foretold his coming, and the people waited, longing for his coming.  Would he come in their lifetime?  In their children’s?  Grandchildren’s?  How long?

Finally, the fist glimmers of light appear.  Their hope dawns as an angel appears to Zechariah.  Zechariah and his wife will have a son in their old age.  Their son will prepare the way for the Messiah.

The Messiah came, lived, died, rose again, and ascended into heaven.  Now we wait for the Messiah to come again as foretold by the prophets, and the apostles, and the Messiah himself.  Are we longing for his coming?  Might he come in our lifetime?  In our children’s?  Grandchildren’s?

And as we wait for our hope to dawn, are we as his church preparing the way for his coming?  Are we a proclaiming the good news of Jesus, preparing people for his return?

(From Luke 1)