Facing the Gospel John 4:4–26 I perceive that you are a prophet. John 4:19 In the city of Basel, Switzerland, there is a carnival each year called Fashnacht. It is much like the Mardi Gras, but it is held during the first week of Lent instead of before it, presumably to show that Basel is…

God’s Greatest Gift John 3:16–21 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son. John 3:16 One reason Jesus Christ is the greatest of God’s gifts to fallen man is that he is perfectly suited to the needs of fallen man. Nothing else is! What are the needs of man? What are…

Cups Overflowing John 2:1–11 You have kept the good wine until now. John 2:10 Jesus, of course, knew that his times were in the hands of his Father in heaven. He would not be manipulated. And yet—this is a wonderful part of this story—he had no desire to allow a lack of joy or embarrassment…

Beholding Christ’s Glory John 1:14–18 We have seen his glory. John 1:14 When Jesus Christ pitched his tent among us, he did so in order that men and women might see him and thus come to know God. John indicates this when he observes: “We have seen his glory.” This happened in a very literal…

Jesus Christ Is God John 1:1–13 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1 To say that Jesus Christ is God is to say that we can now know the truth about God. We can know what he is like. The counterpart to this…

Three Openings Luke 24:13–35 Did not our hearts burn within us . . . while he opened to us the Scriptures? Luke 24:32 Jesus opened the Scriptures; he also opened eyes and understanding. Each of those three openings had an important consequence. When Jesus opened the Scriptures to Cleopas and his companion, we are told that their…

Christ’s Threefold Office Luke 24:19; Hebrews 2:17; Revelation 19:16 Jesus of Nazareth . . . a prophet mighty in deed and word. Luke 24:19 It has been common to speak of the work of Christ under three general heads: prophet, priest, and king. These refer to his teaching office, his role as Savior, and his function as…

Dying Well Luke 23:44–49 Father, into your hands I commit my spirit! Luke 23:46 As Jesus died, commending his spirit to God, so may we die in like faith. We can echo Jesus’s words, knowing that as we pass from this life trusting Jesus’s death on our behalf, we pass into the loving hands of…

The Believing Thief Luke 23:39–43 Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Luke 23:42 The story of the believing thief is our story too if we have truly believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior. The believing thief did three things. First, he recognized his own need, and by that I…

Forgiveness at a Great Cost Luke 23:32–38 Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Luke 23:34 This was a prayer for forgiveness and a great forgiveness at that. It was also a forgiveness prayed for at an enormous cost. This is because forgiveness does not come cheap. And the reason it does…