High Steppin

 Christians have long received hope from passages like Luke 6:17-26. Perhaps we should be reading the passage as an indictment on our self-interest driven lives instead of as a secret password for entering paradise. What do you want to be doing when Jesus returns? Will you be loving in Word or deed (Jn 3)?

Breaking News - I want attention

 When feeling helpless during difficult times, we often look for 'signs' of a great change. We cling to hope based on unique interpretations of current events and passages like Luke 21 to foster a belief that we will soon be saved. Maybe if we spent less time trying to interpret the news, we would have more time to look for ways to be Jesus to those around us. How do you spend your "Jesus" time?

Awesome Sword of Fire

 

Christians have used Christ's teaching from Luke 12 to maliciously defend attacks on non-Christians. By skewing what Jesus tells us is inevitable to say that these divisions are desirable, we miss Christ's central teachings on humility and self-sacrifice. Do you create divisions to serve others and defend the persecuted, or do you divide by persecuting others?

Sure, I'll repent...of what?

 John the Baptist condemned his audience for their sins and called them to repent (Luke 3). While the sins are not named, the remedy is to remember God and who He is. How had they forgotten God? Do we consider the great sin of Israel their lack of temple attendance, or do we recognize the Old Testament prophet's call through John as a need to cast off greed and provide relief to those suffering around us?

Trash the people

 When confronted with the question of divorce, Jesus surprised the religious leaders by undermining their interpretation of the Law and their understanding of who God is (Mark 10). Jesus asserted that God did not allow the arbitrary removal of support for a wife through divorce. We might consider how our interpretations of God and His word affect how we care for vulnerable people.

Why is it so hard to see Jesus?

 in Mark 6:45-52 the disciples are caught in a storm while crossing a body of water. When Jesus responds to their fear by walking over to the boat, they don't recognize Him and become even more afraid. Were they so fixated on the storm and waves that they missed the one they called "master." What troubles or contexts cause you to miss seeing Jesus in your situations? Are you fixated on your problems or on Jesus?

Prioritizing God's work

When asked to heal a very important man's daughter (Mark 5), Jesus allowed Himself to be diverted by a powerless woman who also needed healing. Although Jesus was on-task to help someone who was in a more dire situation with a more impressive family, Jesus noticed the woman and took time to confront her and provide the words she needed to hear. How do you prioritize your helpfulness? 
 

When your belief is more important that your Lord

 Jesus's teachings were so radical that even the best teachers were left baffled. In John 3 Jesus seems to confound Nicodemus. We might wonder if part of the confusion came from the way Nicodemus understood scripture and his apparent inability to shift that thinking. What ideas or interpretations have you latched onto that have become more important than Jesus?

What is Jesus doing HERE?

 When Jesus entered an 'unclean' place, he encountered a man besieged by a legion of demons (Luke 8). These spirits controlled him and they could not be constrained, but Christ was able to name the man's afflictions and channel them out of his life. Can you think of a surprising place you have met Jesus? Can you name the underlying afflictions you carry and can you give yourself permission to let them go?

Be Afraid, be very afraid

 Many Christians deem certain actions or beliefs as necessary and then use fear to scare others into obeying those actions. When Christ appears to His disciples, He tells them NOT to be afraid (John 20:19-31). He even reassures the group by offering to let them touch His wounds. How do you dispel fear from those you encounter? Do you show them a God who reassures them?

BigGuy gets 'snaked'

Numbers 21 relates the story of God's people being plagued with a snake infestation that resulted in many sicknesses and deaths. The remedy was to simply look at a replica of the problem, a snake. Looking at the bronze image brought immediate relief and healing. Maybe the Church needs to look at Jesus and what He taught so that healing can come. How can you look to Jesus for the love that you need to give today?

Fishers of Men

 Jesus promises to make His disciples 'Fishers of Men (Mark 1).'  We might be tempted to use this phrase as an excuse to treat our relationships as a sport or as a means to an end. Christ's relationships encourage a change of perspective. Asking Christ to save us should change our orientation from selfishness to honest concern and care for others. How have you changed your perspective to others.

How do you make room?

The famous story of how Christ was born in a manager (Luke 2) is often used to illustrate how we don't make room for God and His word in our lives. But, we might also be reminded of the Old Testament stories of hospitality. If the family knew that Mary was about to give birth to the King of Kings, it seems they would have provided better accommodations. How do you accommodate others in order to make room for Jesus? 

 

Big Guy did it

 Our need to explain why bad things happen, can lead us to place blame on others. David felt the pain of being the 'scapegoat' when his army's city was destroyed and the people taken hostage (1 Sam 30). Who do you blame when you experience 'bad' things? Do you blame those closest to you, or maybe someone who looks different from you? What would it be like if we accepted that we don't have the answers?

Jesus and way the world works

Jesus often taught ideas that are contrary to our typical way of doing business. One example might be found in  Matthew 5:33-37, where Jesus undermined His community's method of doing business by pointing out the fallacy and illogical nature of their oaths. Jesus knew that promises are empty if the soul is untrustworthy. What business practices do you think Jesus would stand against today?

Loving in-bounds

 Most Christians believe that they are called to love. In his letter, John compares the kind of love we should have to the love Christ showed us (1 John 4:7-12). We might remember that Christ gave His love to everyone, including those who were not behaving in the ways He prescribed. What limits your love for others? What gender, political, or personal expectations do you require to love another?

Losing that special place

 

Sometimes Christians seem to believe that they have special favor with God and become angry when others share that feeling. When Jesus reminded the synagogue that God had demonstrated His love to those who might be considered unworthy, the crowd became so angry that they sought to kill him (Luke 4). Can you think of anyone you might feel is unlovable to God?

It's not what, but who is at the table

 Christians are known to scrutinize everyone's behavior in order to point out sin and wrong-doing. This kind of judgmental faith is more interested in appearing holy than in caring for those around us. Paul seems to be more interested in loving well than in abstaining from food used in idolatrous worship (I Corinthians 10). Ca you think of ways you can love others who may not fit into your ideology?

Baptism Ends with Resurrection

 Christ's baptism signified His death, burial, and resurrection (Lk 3). Understanding the order, that the pain of death had to come before the joy of resurrection, might bring us comfort in our darker experiences. When you are experiencing pain and discouragement, can you find hope for healing in knowing that God still loves, cares, and plans to pull you back to joy?

Have you lost Jesus?

 The popular story of Mary and Joseph losing Jesus (Luke 2) often leads to discussions on how Christians seem to forget (or lose) the teachings of Jesus. While we might not always feel God's presence, we can always rehearse or return to the teachings of Christ and practice His commands to love God and to love our neighbor. How do you search for Jesus?