Reflection on John 8
Jesus is the BETTER Light.
We cannot see without light and Jesus is the purest and brightest light in the universe.
12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
(John 8:12)
May we always focus our eyes on Jesus.
May we see the world through the eyes of Jesus.
May we daily seek to see the world through Jesus' light by studying and meditating on his word.
May we always depend on the light of Jesus to show us the way in the world and to light up and expose the darkness in our lives.
Where is your hope? Learning to love and be faithful through focusing on eternal hope that shines through the bleakest seasons of life.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Reflection on John 7
Reflection on John 7
Jesus gives us the BETTER Spirit.
Jesus gives us streams of life-giving water.
Jesus is the BETTER Spirit.
37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit,whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
(John 7:37-39)
May we accept that Jesus gives us the BETTER Spirit. Only Jesus gives us a BETTER Spirit.
May we seek to be inhabited and driven by the spirit of Jesus every day of our life.
May we always yearn for and hunger for the Spirit of Jesus to quench our needs and wants.
We need salvation and redemption and only Jesus' Spirit can rescue us from sin and death.
Jesus gives us the BETTER Spirit.
Jesus gives us streams of life-giving water.
Jesus is the BETTER Spirit.
37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit,whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
(John 7:37-39)
May we accept that Jesus gives us the BETTER Spirit. Only Jesus gives us a BETTER Spirit.
May we seek to be inhabited and driven by the spirit of Jesus every day of our life.
May we always yearn for and hunger for the Spirit of Jesus to quench our needs and wants.
We need salvation and redemption and only Jesus' Spirit can rescue us from sin and death.
Reflection on John 6
Reflection on John 6
Jesus is the BETTER Bread.
Jesus is the only one who can sustain the whole world physically and spiritually.
Jesus is the only one who gives life to everyone and everything in the universe.
Jesus is the TRUE BREAD.
32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
(John 6:32-33)
Jesus is the ONLY Bread of life.
Jesus is the only one who can sustain us eternally.
Jesus is the only one who quenches our eternal hunger and thirst.
Jesus is the only one who rescues everyone who looks to him and believes in him as the Saviour sent by God.
Jesus is the only one who will resurrect and give eternal life to everyone who believes in him.
35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
May we feed on the bread that Jesus gives us daily.
Jesus' own life, his own body and blood is what gives us life
May we find all our sustenance and strength from Jesus and trust him to sustain us forever.
May we see that all the "bread" the world has to offer will never satisfy our hunger.
Jesus is the BETTER Bread.
Jesus is the only one who can sustain the whole world physically and spiritually.
Jesus is the only one who gives life to everyone and everything in the universe.
Jesus is the TRUE BREAD.
32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”
(John 6:32-33)
Jesus is the ONLY Bread of life.
Jesus is the only one who can sustain us eternally.
Jesus is the only one who quenches our eternal hunger and thirst.
Jesus is the only one who rescues everyone who looks to him and believes in him as the Saviour sent by God.
Jesus is the only one who will resurrect and give eternal life to everyone who believes in him.
35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
May we feed on the bread that Jesus gives us daily.
Jesus' own life, his own body and blood is what gives us life
May we find all our sustenance and strength from Jesus and trust him to sustain us forever.
May we see that all the "bread" the world has to offer will never satisfy our hunger.
Reflection on John 5
Reflection on John 5
Jesus is the BETTER Healer.
He heals the man who had been ill for 38 years and uses this miracle to glorify God.
16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. 17 In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
(John 5:16-18)
Jesus is the BETTER worker.
He uses all his time, all his gifts and all his life to glorify God and to point people to worship and obey God.
19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
(John 5:19-23)
May we always seek Jesus as our healer for all of our physical and spiritual illnesses/ dis-eases.
May we always love, serve, work and live so that ALL our lives, our time, our resources are used to glorify God. We have been given all these things as gifts and we owe it all to God.
Jesus is the BETTER Healer.
He heals the man who had been ill for 38 years and uses this miracle to glorify God.
16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him. 17 In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” 18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
(John 5:16-18)
Jesus is the BETTER worker.
He uses all his time, all his gifts and all his life to glorify God and to point people to worship and obey God.
19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
(John 5:19-23)
May we always seek Jesus as our healer for all of our physical and spiritual illnesses/ dis-eases.
May we always love, serve, work and live so that ALL our lives, our time, our resources are used to glorify God. We have been given all these things as gifts and we owe it all to God.
Reflection on John 4
Reflection on John 4
Jesus is the BETTER water.
Jesus is the only one who can give us life-giving water that doesn't just quench temporal thirst but spiritual existential thirst.
10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
(John 4:10)
13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
(John 4:13-14)
May we always rest in the fact that Jesus is the ONLY one who can give us life-giving water.
May we always trust that ONLY Jesus can give us water to quench our existential thirst for love
May we always trust that ONLY Jesus can give us water to quench our existential thirst for truth
May we always trust that ONLY Jesus can give us water to quench our existential thirst for power over death (eternal life)
Jesus shows us the BETTER Food.
34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.
(John 4:34)
What sustains Jesus is living to obey God and do what God requires. What spurs Jesus on and gives him strength and a reason for being is his obedience to God and his dedication to what God sent him to do. Jesus' daily urge is to complete the work God sent him to do on earth.
May we always remember and live to obey God as our reason for existence and our reason for being.
May we always remember and live to complete the work of God.
Jesus is the BETTER water.
Jesus is the only one who can give us life-giving water that doesn't just quench temporal thirst but spiritual existential thirst.
10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
(John 4:10)
13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
(John 4:13-14)
May we always rest in the fact that Jesus is the ONLY one who can give us life-giving water.
May we always trust that ONLY Jesus can give us water to quench our existential thirst for love
May we always trust that ONLY Jesus can give us water to quench our existential thirst for truth
May we always trust that ONLY Jesus can give us water to quench our existential thirst for power over death (eternal life)
Jesus shows us the BETTER Food.
34 “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.
(John 4:34)
What sustains Jesus is living to obey God and do what God requires. What spurs Jesus on and gives him strength and a reason for being is his obedience to God and his dedication to what God sent him to do. Jesus' daily urge is to complete the work God sent him to do on earth.
May we always remember and live to obey God as our reason for existence and our reason for being.
May we always remember and live to complete the work of God.
Reflection on John 3
Reflection on John 3
Jesus gives us a BETTER birth.
Jesus offers us a chance to be re-born by being born of water and Spirit to enter the kingdom of God.
Jesus offers us the chance for a better life that is exactly what God intends for every human being: a life that is committed to spiritual truth and living guided by the Spirit of God working in us and leading us every day.
Jesus is the BETTER Saviour. Jesus is sent by God to save us from sin and destruction.
God gave us his only Son so that we can believe in Jesus, his life, his words, his name and the fact that he is God's only Son.
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
(John 3:16-18)
May we always trust that only Jesus can give us a BETTER life through worshiping and following him as our only Saviour.
May we always see that everything else the world offers as a means of saving ourselves, redeeming our sins, cleansing evil and relieving or suppressing our disturbed conscience(s) will not work.
May we always see that all the wealth, power, fame, success and happiness the world will offer can never truly satisfy our souls and spirits conclusively. We will always be hungry and thirsty again.
Jesus gives us a BETTER birth.
Jesus offers us a chance to be re-born by being born of water and Spirit to enter the kingdom of God.
Jesus offers us the chance for a better life that is exactly what God intends for every human being: a life that is committed to spiritual truth and living guided by the Spirit of God working in us and leading us every day.
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.
(John 3:3-6)
Jesus is the BETTER Saviour. Jesus is sent by God to save us from sin and destruction.
God gave us his only Son so that we can believe in Jesus, his life, his words, his name and the fact that he is God's only Son.
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
(John 3:16-18)
May we always trust that only Jesus can give us a BETTER life through worshiping and following him as our only Saviour.
May we always see that everything else the world offers as a means of saving ourselves, redeeming our sins, cleansing evil and relieving or suppressing our disturbed conscience(s) will not work.
May we always see that all the wealth, power, fame, success and happiness the world will offer can never truly satisfy our souls and spirits conclusively. We will always be hungry and thirsty again.
Reflection on John 2
Reflection on John 2
Jesus is the BETTER wedding guest.
He gives us the true wine of joy and satisfaction by always fulfilling his covenant to us. Jesus is the wedding guest who makes the feast, the celebration and the marriage worth it!
(John 2:1-12)
Jesus is the BETTER temple. Jesus can never be destroyed by invading armies or by fire.
Only Jesus' body is the perfect, holy abode of God. We can only truly live by being united with Jesus.
The fullness of a joyful, sincere and whole life is found in being united with Jesus through his spirit.
May we always rest in Jesus as our final temple. May we always dwell in the presence of God through the Holy Spirit living in us and making us temples of God.
May we together practice grace, truth and love with each other to be Christ-like in all our relationships.
May we see that Jesus is the only true love who fulfills his covenant to us by wedding us to himself and granting us eternal joy and companionship.
Jesus is the BETTER wedding guest.
He gives us the true wine of joy and satisfaction by always fulfilling his covenant to us. Jesus is the wedding guest who makes the feast, the celebration and the marriage worth it!
(John 2:1-12)
Jesus is the BETTER temple. Jesus can never be destroyed by invading armies or by fire.
19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”
20 They replied, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” 21 But the temple he had spoken of was his body. 22 After he was raised from the dead, his disciples recalled what he had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken.
(John 2:19-22)
Only Jesus' body is the perfect, holy abode of God. We can only truly live by being united with Jesus.
The fullness of a joyful, sincere and whole life is found in being united with Jesus through his spirit.
May we always rest in Jesus as our final temple. May we always dwell in the presence of God through the Holy Spirit living in us and making us temples of God.
May we together practice grace, truth and love with each other to be Christ-like in all our relationships.
May we see that Jesus is the only true love who fulfills his covenant to us by wedding us to himself and granting us eternal joy and companionship.
Reflection on John 1
Reflection on John 1
Jesus is the BETTER Word.
In a world that is always shouting words both true and false to get our attention and dedication.
Jesus is God's first Word and existed from the beginning:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. (John 1:1 -2)
Jesus is the BETTER reason for living.
Jesus is the reason the whole world was created. Jesus gives us life that is a light for all mankind.
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
(John 1: 3-4)
Jesus shows us BETTER Grace and Truth.
Only by listening to, learning from and living out Jesus's words can we have a true life that is full of GRACE and TRUTH. Jesus came to show us the glory of God and pure grace and truth lived out among people.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
Jesus is the BETTER Lamb of God.
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)
Jesus is the BETTER Word.
In a world that is always shouting words both true and false to get our attention and dedication.
Jesus is God's first Word and existed from the beginning:
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. (John 1:1 -2)
Jesus is the BETTER reason for living.
Jesus is the reason the whole world was created. Jesus gives us life that is a light for all mankind.
3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
(John 1: 3-4)
Jesus shows us BETTER Grace and Truth.
Only by listening to, learning from and living out Jesus's words can we have a true life that is full of GRACE and TRUTH. Jesus came to show us the glory of God and pure grace and truth lived out among people.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)
Jesus is the BETTER Lamb of God.
29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Reflection on Luke 24
Reflection on Luke 24
Jesus is the BETTER Explainer-of-Scripture
Luke 24:25-29
Jesus is the BETTER Revealer of the word.
Jesus is reveals how all the scriptures are about HIM: God as King, Lord and Saviour.
May we attentively and intentionally focus our vision and sight on the fact that all scripture is about Jesus.
May our eyes, ears and hearts be focused on Jesus as the full embodiment of God's salvation and redemption of the whole universe.
May our eyes and minds be opened to see Jesus through daily reading of scripture.
May our hearts and spirits be awakened to burn and be satisfied with seeing Jesus as the resurrected living Lord and Saviour who we must eternally love, worship and obey as King and Messiah.
Jesus is the BETTER Explainer-of-Scripture
Luke 24:25-29
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
Luke 24:30-35
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.”
35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
May our eyes, ears and hearts be focused on Jesus as the full embodiment of God's salvation and redemption of the whole universe.
May our hearts and spirits be awakened to burn and be satisfied with seeing Jesus as the resurrected living Lord and Saviour who we must eternally love, worship and obey as King and Messiah.
Reflection on Luke 23
Reflection on Luke 23
Jesus is the BETTER Messiah.
The people taunt him and insult him asking him to save himself but Jesus stays on the cross and suffers and dies to save those who are taunting him and insulting him.
Luke 12: 32-43
Jesus does not seek to save himself and use his power to solve only his pain and only his problem but in laying down his power to save himself on the cross solves all the problems of pain and suffering eternally.
May we rest in the truth that Jesus' death kills all the selfish ways we try to save and redeem ourselves. May we stop trying to save our-self-ishness and worship and follow Jesus as Savior.
Jesus is the BETTER reconciler.
Jesus is arrested and is sent to Pilate who questions him then sends him to Herod. Herod asks Jesus questions and then sends him back to Pilate again. Herod and Pilate had been enemies but on that day they became friends. Here is the perfection of reconciliation: Jesus makes enemies friends.
Luke 23:3-12
Jesus is the BETTER Messiah.
The people taunt him and insult him asking him to save himself but Jesus stays on the cross and suffers and dies to save those who are taunting him and insulting him.
Luke 12: 32-43
32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.
35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”
36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him. They offered him wine vinegar 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.”
38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Jesus does not seek to save himself and use his power to solve only his pain and only his problem but in laying down his power to save himself on the cross solves all the problems of pain and suffering eternally.
May we rest in the truth that Jesus' death kills all the selfish ways we try to save and redeem ourselves. May we stop trying to save our-self-ishness and worship and follow Jesus as Savior.
Jesus is the BETTER reconciler.
Jesus is arrested and is sent to Pilate who questions him then sends him to Herod. Herod asks Jesus questions and then sends him back to Pilate again. Herod and Pilate had been enemies but on that day they became friends. Here is the perfection of reconciliation: Jesus makes enemies friends.
Luke 23:3-12
3 So Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
“You have said so,” Jesus replied.
4 Then Pilate announced to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”
5 But they insisted, “He stirs up the people all over Judea by his teaching. He started in Galilee and has come all the way here.”
6 On hearing this, Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 When he learned that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased, because for a long time he had been wanting to see him. From what he had heard about him, he hoped to see him perform a sign of some sort. 9 He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer.
10 The chief priests and the teachers of the law were standing there, vehemently accusing him.11 Then Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked him. Dressing him in an elegant robe,they sent him back to Pilate.
12 That day Herod and Pilate became friends—before this they had been enemies.
May we foremost become friends with Jesus and rest in his love and companionship as the ultimate friendship we need.
May we learn from Jesus that we must make friends of our enemies, especially as an embodiment of God's reconciliatory love and grace that restores.
Reflection on Luke 22
Reflection on Luke 22
Jesus is preparing to be sacrificed as the only perfect Passover Lamb who saves the world while the Jews in Jerusalem are preparing for the Festival of the Unleavened Bread when they will sacrifice lambs.
Luke 22:7-8
7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.8 Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”
Luke 22:19-22
Jesus is the BETTER unleavened bread.
Jesus' body is the bread that when eaten and embraced satisfies the whole person from the spiritual hunger of being out of communion with God and the starvation of being out of fellowship with Jesus.
Jesus is the BETTER Passover.
Jesus' death saves all people from the power of bondage to sin, not only the Israelites from suffering in slavery under Pharaoh.
Jesus is the BETTER Passover Lamb.
Jesus is the final and perfect Passover Lamb, whose death does away with the Temple sacrificial system that required regular killing of cattle as a means of paying for sin.
May we rest in the fact that Jesus is the only perfect unleavened bread, the perfect Passover and the perfect Passover Lamb.
May we not seek to find satisfaction and redemption in anything or anyone else.
Jesus is preparing to be sacrificed as the only perfect Passover Lamb who saves the world while the Jews in Jerusalem are preparing for the Festival of the Unleavened Bread when they will sacrifice lambs.
Luke 22:7-8
7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.8 Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”
Luke 22:19-22
19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!”
Jesus is the BETTER unleavened bread.
Jesus' body is the bread that when eaten and embraced satisfies the whole person from the spiritual hunger of being out of communion with God and the starvation of being out of fellowship with Jesus.
Jesus is the BETTER Passover.
Jesus' death saves all people from the power of bondage to sin, not only the Israelites from suffering in slavery under Pharaoh.
Jesus is the BETTER Passover Lamb.
Jesus is the final and perfect Passover Lamb, whose death does away with the Temple sacrificial system that required regular killing of cattle as a means of paying for sin.
May we rest in the fact that Jesus is the only perfect unleavened bread, the perfect Passover and the perfect Passover Lamb.
May we not seek to find satisfaction and redemption in anything or anyone else.
Reflection on Luke 21
Reflection on Luke 21
Jesus is the BETTER gift.
Jesus is the BETTER offering.
21 As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. 2 He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. 3 “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. 4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
Jesus is the BETTER offering who in giving himself completely satisfied God forever.
May we rest in the fact that Jesus offered himself as the best and BETTER gift and no other gift in life compares to him.
Jesus is the BETTER word
Luke 21:33
29 He told them this parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. 30 When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. 31 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the kingdom of God is near.
32 “Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 33 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
May we see that Jesus ushered in the Kingdom of God when he came down to earth.
It is here! Now!
May we not rest on the frail words and speeches of men, no matter how eloquent they are.
Luke 21:34-38
34 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come on all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”
37 Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, 38 and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple.
May we never find full satisfaction in the worldly talking, music and noise that idolizes self.
May we never stop listening to Jesus, day and night and reflecting on His words, reflecting on Himself.
Look to Jesus constantly, Look at Jesus, meditate on his person, his being, his life and his words daily.
Reflection on Luke 20
Reflection on Luke 20
Jesus is the BETTER stone.
Jesus is the BETTER cornerstone.
Jesus is the BETTER foundation.
May we never rest in a religion or belief system we create or enter into that rejects Jesus as the ONLY Lord and Saviour.
May we never reject the stone and firm foundation Jesus is.
May we rest all our hopes on the fact that Jesus is the person to whom we owe our life and through whom we must live and build our existence.
May we never reject Jesus and be crushed by the force of Jesus' power when His truth crushes our lies.
All other foundations we live for and build our lives on are false and will not last eternally.
Jesus is the BETTER stone.
Jesus is the BETTER cornerstone.
Jesus is the BETTER foundation.
Luke 20: 17-18
17 Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written:
“‘The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone’?
has become the cornerstone’?
18 Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”
19 The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.
May we never rest in a religion or belief system we create or enter into that rejects Jesus as the ONLY Lord and Saviour.
May we never reject the stone and firm foundation Jesus is.
May we rest all our hopes on the fact that Jesus is the person to whom we owe our life and through whom we must live and build our existence.
May we never reject Jesus and be crushed by the force of Jesus' power when His truth crushes our lies.
All other foundations we live for and build our lives on are false and will not last eternally.
Reflection on Luke 19
Reflection on Luke 19
Luke 19
Jesus is a BETTER seeker
"The Son of Man came to seek..." (vs. 10-a)
What are you seeking as the core of why you live? Do you work solely to seek wealth, fame & love?
What do you daily seek to find? What is it that you always hope to accomplish daily?
What do you daily seek to satisfy you?
What do you daily seek to feel? What emotions rule you? What emotions do you always want satisfied?
What do you daily seek to understand? What fulfills the deepest hunger of your mind?
Seek to daily understand Jesus, listen to Jesus, speak to Jesus and love Jesus more than anything else.
Jesus is a BETTER Savior
"The Son of Man came to...save the lost." (vs. 10-b)
What are you seeking as the core of what you save and why you live?
Do you live like you are your own Saviour?
What do you daily seek to save? What is it that if you lost it you would not want to live anymore?
What do you daily seek to protect and keep as your ultimate treasure?
What do you daily seek to save you? Who or what are you hoping will satisfy all your deepest needs?
What do you daily seek as a means of redeeming your existence?
Seek to rest in the perfect salvation and redemption that Jesus has completely finished for all eternity.
May we stop looking and seeking for what will not satisfy: worldly seductions & earthly treasure.
May we rest in Jesus who sought us out and came to live and be with us to save us and reunite us in loving communion with God.
May we stop looking to people, work, wealth, fame to justify our existence.
May we see and rest in the truth that only Jesus can save, only Jesus has saved and only Jesus will save us.
Luke 19
5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”
8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”
9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Jesus is a BETTER seeker
"The Son of Man came to seek..." (vs. 10-a)
What are you seeking as the core of why you live? Do you work solely to seek wealth, fame & love?
What do you daily seek to find? What is it that you always hope to accomplish daily?
What do you daily seek to satisfy you?
What do you daily seek to feel? What emotions rule you? What emotions do you always want satisfied?
What do you daily seek to understand? What fulfills the deepest hunger of your mind?
Seek to daily understand Jesus, listen to Jesus, speak to Jesus and love Jesus more than anything else.
Jesus is a BETTER Savior
"The Son of Man came to...save the lost." (vs. 10-b)
What are you seeking as the core of what you save and why you live?
Do you live like you are your own Saviour?
What do you daily seek to save? What is it that if you lost it you would not want to live anymore?
What do you daily seek to protect and keep as your ultimate treasure?
What do you daily seek to save you? Who or what are you hoping will satisfy all your deepest needs?
What do you daily seek as a means of redeeming your existence?
Seek to rest in the perfect salvation and redemption that Jesus has completely finished for all eternity.
May we stop looking and seeking for what will not satisfy: worldly seductions & earthly treasure.
May we rest in Jesus who sought us out and came to live and be with us to save us and reunite us in loving communion with God.
May we stop looking to people, work, wealth, fame to justify our existence.
May we see and rest in the truth that only Jesus can save, only Jesus has saved and only Jesus will save us.
Reflection on Luke 18
Reflection on Luke 18
Jesus shows us a BETTER way to pray:
To always pray and never get discouraged and never give up.
18 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
....
7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
(The Parable of the Widow and the Judge)
May we always talk to God constantly and regularly.
May we not get discouraged about listening and learning from God's responses and answers to our prayers. Especially when the response is silence.
In Luke 18:14 ----
Jesus says "...For all who make themselves great will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be made great."
(The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector)
In Luke 18:17 ----
Jesus says, "Remember this! Whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."
(Jesus blesses the little children after the disciples had scolded people from bringing their babies for Jesus to place his hands on them.)
Jesus shows us a BETTER way to pray:
To always pray and never get discouraged and never give up.
18 Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.
....
7 And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? 8 I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
(The Parable of the Widow and the Judge)
May we always talk to God constantly and regularly.
May we not get discouraged about listening and learning from God's responses and answers to our prayers. Especially when the response is silence.
Jesus shows us a BETTER humility.
Jesus is the greatest (King. Saviour. Lord) who humbled himself to the lowest position (Poor. Human. Baby.) Jesus shows us how greatness should not be idolized and low positions should not be looked down on as useless and unimportant.In Luke 18:14 ----
Jesus says "...For all who make themselves great will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be made great."
(The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector)
In Luke 18:17 ----
Jesus says, "Remember this! Whoever does not receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it."
(Jesus blesses the little children after the disciples had scolded people from bringing their babies for Jesus to place his hands on them.)
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