Gabriel’s visit with Mary foretold the Messiah’s conception and birth. The angel’s message is the cornerstone of redemptive history. It calls us, like Mary, to acknowledge the mystery of God’s plans and to submit to His purposes in humility and trust. Luke 1:26-45 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a…
Jesus told a compelling story about a father with two sons. One son ran off to a distant country to lead a wild life, while the other stayed home and harboured bitterness and anger in his heart. This parable illustrates our desperate situation before receiving the undeserved love of our Heavenly Father. Luke 15:11-32 ESV…
Throughout His earthly ministry, Jesus was full of compassion for those who were suffering. In this passage we unpack the stories of two families that Jesus encountered. Christ’s compassion reached beyond race and respectability to minister to those in pain, hopelessness, loneliness and grief. Luke 7:1-17 ESV Jesus Heals a Centurion’s Servant 7 After he…
The disciples who met Jesus on the Emmaus road were shaken by the events of Jesus’s trial and crucifixion and their hopes had died with Him. The root of their problem lay in their failure to accept everything that the Scriptures said concerning Jesus. Luke 24:13-35 On the Road to Emmaus 13 That very day…
After His resurrection, Jesus appeared to His frightened disciples to bring them the peace and reassurance they so desperately needed—and to strengthen them for the work ahead. Jesus offered His disciples and offers to us as well: peace through God’s love for them and a reminder that His divine power would enable them to complete…
As we explore Jabez and his story of pain, we can discover the comfort of Christ and learn how to avoid a soft prosperity gospel. We can apply Jabez faithfully in ways that lead to true spiritual blessings of comfort, peace, wisdom and strength to steady us in the press of everyday life. The Lord…
Luke 2 The Birth of Jesus Christ 2 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up…
This passage reveals God’s love for the most common and most sinful of men. These shepherds were just living their lives, doing what they needed to do to survive, and then, when they least expected it, they experienced life-changing, eternity altering grace! Luke 2:8-20 The Shepherds and the Angels 8 And in the same region…
‘Christmas Personalities’ Part 2 Among the core teachings of Christianity, the virgin birth can be one of the most difficult for the human mind to accept. Yet in Luke’s Gospel account, we see Mary respond in trust to the angel’s mysterious message. As we consider the unique nature of Jesus’ miraculous birth in the context…
After years of prophetic silence, God announced the birth of John the Baptist to one faithful couple. The announcement illustrates the mystery of God’s work throughout history. The events surrounding the birth of Jesus remind us that the providence of God can be seen at work in ordinary events, both good and bad. Luke 1:5-23…