Category: Luke

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Here twice Jesus opens up the Old Testament to His disciples revealing what it teaches about Himself. The Old Testament is for Christians. We are to be Bible Christians, not New Testament Christians!

SJA Notes

* God Above, thank You for this day, and for Your word to us. Please open our hearts to trust and obey.

“But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.”

In that sliver of time this is a sad thing – Because Jesus _was_ the one, and they didn’t recognise Him.

In that moment.

But praise God, because their eyes were opened! They saw!

“The Lord has risen indeed, …”

How merciful God is to us too, that even though our eyes are blind, He opens them for us. He calls us, breaks our hard hearts, gives us hearts of flesh, brings us from darkness into light, makes our dead hearts alive.

“But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.”

Hallelujah, praise God that Jesus did bring redemption, for Jew and Gentile!

* Gracious and Merciful Father in Heaven,

Thank You that Jesus was the one to redeem Israel. God’s people across all time, space and bloodline – The promise to Abraham, blessing to all nations.

Thank You for opening our eyes to Your wonder and glory.

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

The women rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment of God. Sometimes it seems hard and ridiculous to do things God’s way, to obey the Scripture. Let us consider this testimony about these women who were given the privilege of seeing the empty tomb!

SJA Notes

* Dear Lord God, please show us Your wisdom today.

“… Who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.”

It is striking that the truth of the resurrection was shown first to a group of women who wanted to tend to Jesus’ dead body (with spices and ointments), and that their excited witness was not believed.

The apostles were the eleven men (Judas having killed himself) who had spent the last three years in ministry with their Lord Jesus.

The apostles were the group of men God used to start a fire that flamed across all the world and continues on to this day, the new church born, the Holy Spirit quickening the hearts of unbelieving Jews and Gentiles alike.

God’s word tells us the truth of us, not the perception we might want people to think.

The apostles did not believe (at the time) the eye-witness account of believers who had been spoken to by angels!

We know from the other gospels that various intertwining stories were happening around the same time. Jesus speaking to Mary. Peter and John running to the tomb.

It is good for us to be reminded that our earthly spiritual leaders are not the source of righteousness or wisdom.

We are all fallen humanity, fallible and prone to err.

But we worship the sovereign God Above, infallible and without error – Our King Jesus!

It is His righteousness that matters, His wisdom we seek and work to implement in our lives.

Let us be, all of us, people of THE BOOK! God’s word written on our hearts.

* Mighty God,

Thank You for that day of resurrection, the first day of the week, the third day – When You in the Person of the Son rose from the dead. You came back to life.

Hallelujah! What a hope we have in You!

Amen.

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

Consider the several sayings of Jesus on the cross. What He said at that time is well worth our perusal. His words of warning to the sorrowing women should give us pause as to the belief in any magical protection we have as His people from the terrors of life. Will we walk with Him? That is the question.

SJA Notes

* Dear God, please write Your word on our hearts today.

“And their voices prevailed.”

This is a statement of weight and importance, of great sorrow.

While Pilate desired to see Jesus freed, he didn’t desire it over the weight of public opinion.

“So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted.”

In the end Pilate did what the people wanted. He caved to the pressure they exerted, and condemned an innocent man. More, he condemned the Son of God, the King of Glory who had come down and taken on human form.

Luke points us to the balancing of the scales, in a sense. That while Jesus the RIGHT MAN was condemned, Barabbas the WRONG MAN was freed.

In a way, we are like Barabbas. Enemies of God, the unrighteous – Made friends of God and standing within the righteousness of Christ. He took our punishment, our shame, the eternal weight of our sin – He bore it. And so we stand in His righteousness.

Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

* Father God,

Please aright our hearts and minds this day. Teach us from Your word what it is You want us to know. Sink us in self that we might rise in You.

We thank You for Jesus, that through Him we are freed.

Thank You great God above.

Amen.