Today’s reading is Luke 5:1-6:49.

It was tough to decide what to write about in today’s reading. As I was going through it several things jumped out at me. Not the least of which were some questions I’m still not convinced I know how to answer. However, as I got to the end of the reading one statement outshone them all.

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” (Luke 6:46).

It is one thing to call Jesus Lord. It is another thing to actually let Him be Lord. Sadly, for too much of my life, I’ve been willing to simply call Jesus “Lord” but then still try to run my own life. My Christianity was one of half-measures, trying to do enough to get to go to heaven but still pursuing my own ways on the side. All that does is lead me on a path of self-destruction–in this life and the next.

There are lots of arguments today about how we should read the Bible. Folks act like if we emphasize obeying Jesus we must be teaching a works salvation. The fact is, I can’t work my way into heaven. No matter how much I obey Jesus I won’t deserve heaven. I can’t earn it. I’ve already blown that.

However, if I want to go to heaven, I have to let Jesus be Lord. This is not because if I let Him be Lord enough, I’ll be good enough to go to heaven. It’s because Jesus knows the way. His Lordship is not some set of arbitrary commands testing me to see if I can make the grade and therefore graduate into heaven. His Lordship is merely the guidance into the eternal kingdom. I need to let Jesus be Lord because His way works and my way won’t. His way will get me to eternal life. No other way will (cf. Matthew 7:13-14). 

What this means for me today is I must surrender my life to Jesus. As Galatians 2:20 says, I must live by faith in Him. That is more than just believing He is Lord. That means because I believe He is Lord, I believe what He says and do it. I don’t just say He is Lord. I let Him be Lord.

“Today, Jesus, I invite you to be Lord of my life. I surrender to You. Let me simply find Your will for my life that I might do the next right thing in Your service.”

Keep the faith and keep reading,

ELC

P.S. What did you get out of today’s reading?

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you enjoy your family time and your feast. Most of all, I hope you remember the reasons you have to be grateful.

Today, I’m grateful we get to read God’s word and I’m grateful I got to read John 8:31-32.

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, ‘If you abide in my word you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free’“(ESV).

The truth. We need to know it. However, not for the reason for which I searched for it so long. For the longest time, I pursued the truth in order to know all the rules so I could be good enough to go to heaven. I’ve realized something. I can’t be good enough to go to heaven. When I go to heaven it will be because of God’s goodness, not mine.

Now I search for the truth because the truth is what will set me free. I can’t be set free if I’m following error. I can’t be set free if I’m satisfied with pidgin approach to religion. I need to love the truth, seek the truth and then live by the truth. Yes, Jesus is the truth, but in this specific context we are living in Jesus and the truth when we are abiding in His word. Of course, I know some people today want to say that doesn’t actually equal the Bible. However, I guess I’m still wondering where I’m going to get the word of Jesus apart from the Bible.

Here’s the deal. If I’m searching the truth to be better than everyone else and be good enough to go to heaven, I’m always going to come up short. If I recognize I can only be set free by the truth and therefore, hunger and thirst for it, then I will grow like God wants me to and I’ll go to heaven.

Perhaps it is a subtle difference, but it has made a major difference in my life.

What did you get out of today’s reading?

Keep the faith and pass the word along,

ELC

I can hardly fathom how it happened. The Jewish crowd had two men in front of them. One of those men had really and truly been involved in rebellion and insurrection. One had actually killed people. The other one had preached a message of peace and submission to others. One had brought people back to life. Just days earlier these very same crowds had been proclaiming this miracle worker was the descendent of David. He had never done anything worthy of death and even Pilate realized that.

Pilate gave the crowd an option. He could release Barabbas, the insurrectionist and murderer, or he could release Jesus, the man they had praised just days earlier. The other one would be delivered for a torturous death by crucifixion. How on earth could the crowds ever be stirred up to release Barabbas and pick Jesus to be crucified? How could they look at Jesus, a man who had taught in their synagogues, who had healed their sick, cast out demons, raised the dead and in so many other ways demonstrated Himself to be the Messiah for whom they looked, and pick Him to die. Nevertheless, that was the choice they made.

I can hardly fathom how it happened. God had two men in front of Him. One of those men had really and truly been involved in rebellion and sin. He had lied, stolen, cheated, lusted, committed immorality, coveted and pursued his own arrogant path of self-service in many other ways. The wages of his sins were death. The other one only ever lived to please the Father. He submitted and obeyed. He had never done anything worthy of death and God realized that.

But, God had an option. He could free and give life to me, the sinner and rebel, or He could leave Jesus alone. The other one would be delivered to a torturous spiritual death of separation from the Father. How in heaven could God ever be stirred to set me free by picking His only begotten Son, Jesus, for death? How could God look at Jesus, a Son who had only ever faithfully served Him, and put Him on the cross and then turn His face from Him? 

The crowds made their choice because of selfish envy. God made His choice because of selfless love. I have always been intrigued by the fact that Barabbas’ name means “son of the Father.” Because of Jesus’ death, I am now a son of the Father. I do not know how the Father, Son and Spirit could have so much love to let Jesus take my place. I just know I’m glad God did.

I don’t know how Barabbas turned out. Was he changed by this experience? Or did he simply go back and plot more rebellion? I can’t answer how Barabbas responded. I can only determine how I will respond. God put Jesus on the cross where I should be. Will I just keep on sinning and rebelling, spurning the sacrifice God offered for me? Or will I strive to become like Jesus who sacrificed Himself for me?

Keep the faith and keep reading.

ELC