Posts with the category “2026-bible-in-a-year”

Just a note that there will be about a week break in my little "notes" for the Bible in a Year.  We'll resume with Wednesday, May 20!  ...  Read More

Samson's story - women once again are just objects in these stories and honestly there's a growing struggle for me to see how God's hand is at work in these.   Notice that John doesn't tell the story of Jesus being baptized - there are elements of it but it is not specifically told that it happenedv39 - My favorite invitational thing for people - "come and see" - not pushy, not judgy, just come an...  Read More

The story of Jephthah's daughter is often referred to as one of the "texts of terror" for women in the Bible.  Just an awful story.  And why would God honor that kind of vow?  And the cycle continues Think of this as another "creation story" - it is telling a different idea of creation - who was involved and what it was.  Not necessarily one of how all things came to be but who was present and wor...  Read More

Where is God in all of this?9:55 - "When they saw that Abilmilech was dead, they all went home"9:56-57 - The death of Abimilech is attributed to God as punishmentAnd the cycle continues to continue Emmaus story - just love this - it is a pretty literal story but I do think about the times when I have just physically felt the sense of the holy in my body.  As I finish Luke, I do wish that the peopl...  Read More

Even Gideon falls short - ephod / "snare to them"Remember this when people talk about "Biblical marriage" - 70 sons and many wivesAnd the cycle continues after Gideon's death What was it in this moment that led to the centurion to say this?  Was it just what happened in these moments or was it more than that?Interesting how Jesus' story begins with a man named Joseph and ends with one named Joseph...  Read More

Jerubbaal - Destroyer of Baal.  Names matterMore destruction and violence.  Sigh Pilate's actions seem to be driven not by what is the right thing to do but instead to just keep "the peace" and keep himself in powerAs we move to the cross ... what are your feelings about the stations of the cross?  I have found them to be very meaningful even if some of them are not explicitly spoken of in the Bib...  Read More

v13 - Gideon asks the question we all ask - "if you are with us, then why has all this happened?"How do you feel about Gideon here - faithful in responding?  What about his "tests" of God?   Why did Peter weep?  Because Jesus was right and he was wrong?  Because he denied Jesus?  Other?  What would lead us to weep in the ways that we fall short of Jesus' call for us?Jesus is cagey in his responses...  Read More

I struggle with the story of Deborah, Barak, Sisera, and Jael.  I love the fact that a judge is a woman but dang - brutal.  5:31- and the land had rest forty years... vv 35-38 - Hard passage to figure out.  How much of it to take literally, how much figurative?  Is it just a message about being prepared?  And is the "it is enough" a message of "yup - that's a good amount" or "cut it out - that's e...  Read More

And the cycle begins that will really stay with the Israelites the rest of their recorded history - faithful, unfaithful, punished, repent, faithful, repeat...And the weird story of Eglon and Ehud... What is different in how Luke tells these stories than Matthew or Mark?  What difference does it make?  Is it just language?  Or something more?Luke also brings in this disagreemnt about greatness - E...  Read More

I struggle with these stories - were the people having compassion on the inhabitants, were they tired of war, etc?   Be ready, watch, wait - God is moving and working.  Will change at the time we least expectWhat was Judas' main motivation for betraying Jesus?  Psalm 90 - The limitedness of our time vs that of eternity / GodPsalm 91 - Do you recognize this Psalm in a song?  Notice what is left in ...  Read More

Recounting the story once again - know your storyAnd make your choices of who you will follow in faithAnd marking the covenant once again Picks up with after the message about the religious leaders - compared to the widowThen things shift to looking pretty bleak - faith is not always a simple or easy road Psalm 89:38-52 -Even after all the disorder in this Psalm it ends with a reordering - blessed...  Read More

Interesting that then and now, we humans have a tendency to shoot first rather than talk or seek understandingThen later, we come to Joshua's charge - sounds a lot like Moses - be strong and courageous These stories honestly feel like there's an element of Jesus just trying to provoke Psalm 89:14-37 - v14 - the Mt Rushmore of God - sedek, mishpat, hesed, and hemet - the four hebrew words for the a...  Read More

Divisions already starting - sighAssumption of wrongdoing on the part of those complaining about the altar.  How often do we do the same when soemone does something we don't expect or understand? Like in the other gospels, we come to a place of the tough, somewhat angry Jesus Psalm 89 - Such a contrast to 88 - a triumphant song of praise to God Proverbs 13:15-16 - More just pure commonsense wisdom...  Read More

Same as yesterday...until the endInteresting that the "Cities of refuge" return Was it strangers or just Jesus' followers who were shouting and lining the road?Luke is the only gospel that has both of the scenes after the entry - the weeping over the city and the cleansing of the temple.  How do they connect?   Psalm 88 - Where do we turn when it feels like everything is falling apart?  Also, how ...  Read More

Same thing as yesterday - whose land? I love that Jesus invites himself over to Zacchaeus’ house.  How does the parable of the 10 pounds tie in with Zachaeus?  It seems Jesus (or the writer of Luke) intended to connect.  Is Zachaeus one who has “invested” well?  But who are those Jesus is speaking of who have “buried” their pounds? Psalm 87 - Interesting reading this Psalm in connection to the rea...  Read More

I read this and cannot help but think about the ways in which this land is still under so much dispute today.  This goes back millennia but also those who were in the land before and after.  Whose land is it? As I shared in my sermon from a few weeks ago, who is the ruler over the rich young ruler’s life?  His money?  How power?  His status?  His ego?  Jesus tells him what he needs to let go ofBe ...  Read More

How I long for that last verse in 14 to be a reality for these stories but also for our life - “And the land had rest from war…” Lord in your mercy hear our prayer This is apparently the “what the?” parable sectionWhat I hear in this is “don’t give up” Next parable - humility at the heart.  Convicting parable for me becuase I know I can act more like the pharisee too oftenthe part with the childre...  Read More

Israel's winning streak continues Something of note, even though Jesus affirms the one who returned with gratitude, he doesn’t revoke the healing of the other 9.  There’s still grace and mercy.  The end - message - be ready.  That’s the core of it.   Psalm 83 - “My soul longs…indeed it faints…” - I love this - like the deepest joy and wonder and awe.  When have you experienced somethign like this?...  Read More

more of the same.  SMH This story of the rich man and Lazarus…tempting to read it literally but could be just another parable.  It is to speak to the humility, simplicity, and letting go of so much that the rich man was unable to do, but Lazarus (not the same Lazarus) has been forced into that by life.  17:1-4 - the need for and power of forgiveness Psalm 83 - Seems like a Psalm fitting for the th...  Read More

8:24 - Ugh - when Israel had finished slaughtering all the inhabitants of Ai…ughNot much to say here other than - ugh One of the hardest parables to understand / interpret.  I understand the ending concept (you can’t serve God and wealth) but have a hard time getting to there from the parablev18 feels like it just got added here - does not seem like it fits with what comes before.  But this is one...  Read More

The cessation of the manna - they’re really thereJoshua has his own holy ground momentIs the utter destruction what God really wanted?Once again the utter message is “absolute faithfulness to YHWH” The lost parables - my favorite chapter in the whole of the Bible - says so much about who God is and how we are to be.  See my sermon from a few weeks ago on this Psalm 81 - A very different sense of G...  Read More

Another miraculous crossingThe marking of the crossing - I love this story as I am one who also tends to be one who "marks moments" Open the tableIs the cost of discipleship teaching here connected to this call to a bigger table?  Sure seems to fit Psalm 80 - This refrain, "Restore us, O God ofHosts; let your face shine that we might be saved..." so beautiful and so rich Proverbs 12:27-28 - v27 - ...  Read More

Thank you MosesJoshua 1:5 and following - Be strong and courageous multiple timesBecause of God's promiseBecause of faithful livingBecause of God's presence2:1ff - Rahab - she is in Jesus' geneaology... how amazing is that? 22-31 - Jesus doesn't answer the question but instead puts it to faithful living.  Don't worry about the end but about the present14:1-6 - Jesus seems a combination of fiesty a...  Read More

Just reading these got me thinking about what kinds of blessings we offer to others.  John O’Donohue writes about the “lost art of blessing” - what would it be if we did offer blessings to one another? Jesus responding to the question of why bad things happen - he shares that they “just happen.”  Yes there’s the warning in there but connected to it is that “just happens”Fig Tree - can read it in e...  Read More

See yesterday...I still struggle w/ God's punishment of Moses When we are burdened w/ stuff...it is hard to be "ready for anything."  The simpler our life, the easier it is to follow Jesus?49-53 - How do you hear this?56 - Are we being honest with the signs of today? Psalm 78:56-64 - A pretty drastic shift at the end to God's tender, guiding hand... Proverbs 12:24 - Not only spiritually but practi...  Read More

31:7-8 - What a powerful charge and blessing.  "Do not fear or be dismayed"Read the message annually - Bible in a year?32 - a Psalm in Deuteronomy.  I was this was more of an affirmation though See yesterday re 8-1213-21 - How am I controlled by my possessions?  Goodness knows I amHow to live out this "do not worry" message? Psalm 78:32-56 - This Psalm feels like the one in Deut.  God did all this...  Read More

30:15 - Its all before you - choose life, not death Jesus is not being a good dinner guest.  How do you feel about what Jesus did here?Hypocricy is like yeast - grows and enlargesBlaspheme the Spirit - speaking against God's work?  Something more?  Less? Psalm 78:1-31 - A Psalm of truth telling - of God's work but also Israel/Judah's story and their faithfulness and their faithlessness Proverbs 12...  Read More

I love 28:6Literally mirror images with blessings and curses but there are a lot more curses...wow What in this first part speaks of us - nation divided against itself...Is v28 a rebuke to what the woman said?  Jesus' response feels like "Look ahead and not back"Sign of Jonah - proclamation toward changeSermon on the Mount snippet - 33-36 Psalm 77 - Feels like a part 2 to PSalm 76.  Love love love...  Read More

Why only these "curses" in ch 27?  Why not all the laws 10:38-42 - Note that Mary is a woman sitting at JEsus' feet.  Not normally allowed then11:1-4 - Compare the Lord's Prayer here to the one in Matthew and the one we say in worshipDon't read too much into the parable about praying over and over.  it isn't about trying to annoy God so much that we get what we want.  It is more about perseverance...  Read More

23:1 - Well that's quite a command to start things out.... look at Acts 8-9 with the Ethiopian eunuch - what to do with that?23:2 - And that's quite a statement tooHow to take the humanitarian laws along with the other ones?25:11 - ummm...what?  Feels like this was written in response to something like this happening  10:20 - rejoice in the big picture, not the samll things10:21 - Jesus rejoiced i...  Read More

I'm glad ministers are paid differently today!Again, loyalty to YHWH18:21-22 - Hard to discern in the momentCourage is as contagious as fear is - 20:1-820:19-20 - I love this - rules for protecting trees! A refreshing change from DeuteronomyMy son - listen to him - I prefer to listen to Jesusv37ff - Reality hitsLast few verses - humility and grace Psalm 73 - In God's house, one's heart and mind ca...  Read More

21:10-14 - One of the many places where I ask, "is this really God?" or is this men saying that it is from God?21:18-21 - If you want to rule by fear...I guess this works.  21 - Do we pick and choose which laws?  I guess we all do Again, Jesus is grace, not punishmentCentrality of our faithfulness to JesusTrust in God's provision - how much do I really do this?  We? Psalm 74 - Big time - Where are...  Read More

A recounting of the prescribed festivals - Passover, Weeks, Booths,.  Weeks is the same as Pentecost16:20 - Honest justice is a desire of GodWitnesses, additional judges, etc - get it right17:14-20 - Do any "kings" listen to things like this? Why did Herod want to see Jesus?Notice Luke doesn't have Jesus' initial response to Peter's declation that Matthew has21:27 - Is the "Messianic secret" more ...  Read More

Seriousness of idolatry but...dang.  Gives a sense that idolatry is a virus15:7 - Someone in need - do not be hard headed or tight fisted.  Open your hand.  v10 - Give liberally and be ungrudgingv11 - Open your hand to your poor and needy neighbor One of my move beloved intertwining stories.  Longing, need, and restorationThe hem represented the sense of her last thread of hope (at least in my opi...  Read More

Commandment - Lord the Lord your God and serve with all your heart and soulAgain, bind the message to yourself and teach the following generationsv28 and 32 - Diligently observe and follow How do you respond in a crisis/trial?  Panic?  confidence?  Action?The exorcism here is the longest such story in the GospelsJesus' message to the restored man - return to your home and declare how much God has ...  Read More

Still recounting history.  Know your storyHow do we do this and also not do this - knowing our history?What does the Lord require?  v12 and followingVerses 14 and following as well - what does the Lord ask of us? Can a parable have multiple meanings aside from what Jesus says here?  I think soTrue family of Jesus - how does this fit with honor your father and mother? Psalm 69:19-36 - When have you...  Read More

You weren't chosen because of numbers or power but because of God's love.  But about God's love for others?Bless/curse shows up here as well.  But trust God above all else.  Especially when prosperous.   The one who is forgiven little loves little.  We see that don't we, maybe more so in those who think they don't have much to be forgiven forThe women named here are helping to fund Jesus' ministry...  Read More

Interesting how the "God commandments"are fleshed out further but the rest largely are notMoses - God wrote on the tabletsStraight path - not to the right or the left6:4 - the Shema - possibly one of the most important parts of the whole of the Hebrew scripturesHow often it says "share / teach your children" John's questioning of Jesus - even John seems perplexed by the initial actionss of Jesus. ...  Read More

4:9 - Take care and watch yourselves closely.  Make them known to your children and your childrens children.  Repeats again in v15v31 - The Lord will neither abandon or destroy you32ff - What a powerful series of questions39 - Acknowledge today and take to heart that the Lord is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.  There is no other.   Luke's sermon on the mount/plain7:1-18 - Jesus living ou...  Read More

Recounting what happened in the Exodus.  Retelling so as to not forget3:22 - Do not fear them, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you.  3:23 - You have only begun to show...your greatness and your might... wow Luke's version of the Beatitudes - how are they similar to Matthew?  Different?  Not the woes as wellLove your enemies?  Is this the hardest command from Jesus?Followed closely by Do...  Read More