Read Luke 3

Many readers skim over the word famine in the Bible. Few of us have any real experience of hunger. We might complain of “starving” when our blood sugar crashes, but this is not the desperate condition of mothers and fathers around the world before whose eyes children languish and die.

The Bible describes two kinds of famine: one is physical, and the other is spiritual. We can be famished for lack of food, and we can also be hungry for a word from God, especially when He seems to have long been silent.

Spiritual famine was the context for the nation of Israel when John the Baptist and Jesus arrived on the scene. It had been 400 years since a prophet of God had spoken words of hope, and hope was exactly what God’s people needed in their political wilderness. No Son of David ruled on the throne. Instead Caesar, Pilate, Herod, and Philip had consolidated political power, ruling the Jewish land and people to further their own interests. Had Israel, because of sin, been forgotten by God?

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Read Luke 2:1-21

In a twist on the traditional baby shower, gender-reveal parties are the newest trend in gathering friends and family before the birth of the baby. Portable ultrasound machines can be wheeled into the room. Cakes (with blue or pink inside) deliver the awaited news.

Mary had one of the most amazing gender-reveal moments of all time when the angel Gabriel told her that she would have a son (1:31)! That news was delivered to an audience of one; the birth announcement for Jesus, however, was delivered with celestial pageantry by the angelic hosts of heaven to the shepherds. The angels proclaimed the jubilant news of the Son of God’s arrival in Bethlehem, the royal city of David. This news was not a private celebration; the birth of Jesus was good news for the entire world.

In his book Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, Kenneth Bailey says Mary and Joseph most probably had family connections in Bethlehem, since that was where they were going to register for the census. Bailey describes the construction of a typical village home at that time, which sometimes included a guest room. With the guest room already occupied, the homeowners likely welcomed Mary and Joseph into the area of their home designated for sheltering animals at night. Under that roof, the newborn Son of God was laid in a manger.

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Read Luke 1:1-45

Biographers often approach their subject from a particular angle. For instance, the Scottish Enlightenment philosopher David Hume has been the subject of several recent biographies: one focused on his intellectual history, another focused on his work as a historian, and a third devoted more attention to his childhood and early life.

Historians and biographers try to be objective in their presentation of the material, even when they have chosen a particular focus. This is no less true in the four biographical accounts of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus. But like other biographers, the Gospel writers do arrange their material in a purposeful way, each striving to emphasize certain elements in the story of Jesus. Luke, writing to Theophilus, determined that he would write an “orderly account” to encourage faith in the truth about Jesus (vv. 3–4). Luke would bring his own (Gentile) perspective and research to bear on the history of Jesus’ life.

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Read Revelation 14:1-13

Many funeral homes are decorated to look like a living room in a home, probably a remnant of the days when those who died were laid out at home. The typical modern coffin resembles a bed with cushions and a pillow. The result gives onlookers the impression that the deceased is merely sleeping. Sleep is also the euphemism that the Bible frequently uses to refer to death (see 1 Cor. 11:30; 15:6, 18, 20; 1 Thess. 4:13–14; 5:6, 10).

Sleep is an apt metaphor for death for someone who has trusted in Christ. For those who die in Christ, death is a gateway to eternal rest (v. 13). New Testament scholar John Walvoord notes that this chapter is pivotal in the book of Revelation: it is the culmination of the two preceding chapters and sets the stage for the climax in chapter 15. It provides us with a series of statements about the future and the ultimate triumph of Jesus Christ. Among these statements is the promise that those who die in the Lord “rest from their labor” (v. 13).

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Read Acts 12:1-11

We last saw Peter sleeping in the garden. In today’s reading, he is asleep again—but this time the circumstances are vastly different. Peter had been arrested by Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod the Great. The apostle James, the brother of John, had already been put to death. Peter was arrested when Herod saw that the execution of James increased his political popularity.

Peter was not executed immediately, probably because of the approaching Passover holiday. The fate of James and the situation’s similarity to the event surrounding Jesus’ death could not have been lost on Peter. Death must have seemed virtually certain. The church thought so, and they called for an urgent prayer meeting at the home of John Mark’s mother.

Scripture includes a note of humor in this account. Peter was sleeping so soundly that the angel had to poke him in the side to wake him. Even then, Peter thought he was having a vision of some kind. The angel had to talk him through putting on his sandals and his cloak step by step.

Once Peter realized the angel had set him free, he went to where the church was earnestly praying—only to be left standing at the door! The believers refused to believe Rhoda, the servant who reported that Peter had returned. While he continued to knock, they debated about what she might have seen. Finally they opened the door and rejoiced to see Peter himself standing there, living proof that their prayers were answered.

Peter’s sleep in prison was used by God to highlight His miraculous power in rescuing His servant. Peter did nothing to instigate his own escape; it was entirely the work of God. His deep sleep also revealed his peace in the face of death. Such a rest is ultimately a gift from God.

APPLY THE WORD

Are you facing an impossible situation today? Faith in God can enable you to be at rest even in the most unlikely circumstances. The same God who sent His angel to rescue Peter is aware of your situation. He still works miracles, He still provides peace that passes understanding, and He still keeps His promises. Commit your situation to Him today.

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Read Matthew 26:36-46

Many churches observe an Easter vigil. This service is usually held at night after sunset on Holy Saturday and before sunrise on Easter Sunday. In some, the mood is somber as believers reflect on Christ’s death and burial. In others, the mood is celebratory as they serve communion and practice baptism.

In today’s text the disciples observed a different kind of vigil. On the night of His betrayal, Jesus asked the disciples to “keep watch” with Him as He prayed in Gethsemane (v. 38). The mood just prior to this was unsettling, as Jesus celebrated His last Passover with them. The disciples bickered amongst themselves about which of them was the greatest (see Luke 22:24). Peter argued with Jesus when He washed his feet (John 13:8). They were deeply disturbed when Jesus told them that one of them would betray Him (Matt. 26:22). It must also have unnerved them when Jesus changed the traditional Passover liturgy and instituted the Lord’s Supper (Matt. 26:26–29).

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Read Jonah 1:1-16

In April 2014, the driver of a Chicago Transit Authority train fell asleep at the wheel as she approached the terminal at O’Hare airport. The train jumped the tracks and crashed into the terminal, destroying an escalator. Later it was revealed that she had fallen asleep at the wheel before.

You might say that Jonah repeatedly fell asleep at the wheel, wreaking havoc on others and himself. Commanded by God to go to Nineveh, Jonah fled in the opposite direction to Tarshish (v. 3). His goal was not only to avoid going to Nineveh, the capital city of Israel’s brutal enemy Assyria, but also to escape from God’s presence.

He couldn’t outrun God. The Lord pursued Jonah by sending a storm so fierce that the sailors feared for their lives. Unperturbed by either the storm or their terror, Jonah went below the deck and literally fell asleep. The outraged captain woke Jonah and urged him to pray. Notice the great irony here. Throughout Jonah’s story, even after he is finally forced to obey the Lord’s command, idol-worshiping pagans seem to have a greater sense of piety than God’s prophet.

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Read Romans 8:14-39

In common usage today, hope is synonymous with wishful thinking. When we say that we hope, we are usually only expressing a desire: “I hope it will not rain,” “I hope I get that job,” or “I hope you won’t mind.” These desires can go unfulfilled. We can also place our hope in things that are not strong enough to sustain the weight of expectation, and our hopes may be dashed.

The Bible has a view of hope that is stronger and more certain. The virtue of biblical hope depends on the power of God, who is the focus of our hope.

This is why Paul remained unshaken by the suffering he experienced. The decay of the created world was merely a signpost pointing to the hope of redemption (vv. 20–23). This was not wishful thinking. Paul was not “hoping” that everything would work out in the end. Rather, for Paul hope meant the certainty of resurrection and the redemption of all creation.

Hope is a discipline because we must choose to take God at His word. Importantly, though, we should note that it is not a mere act of the will. The kind of hope that Paul speaks of in these verses is strengthened by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit prays for us and testifies to the truth of God’s promises within our own spirit (v. 16). The Spirit is God’s guarantee of what is to come (see 2 Cor. 1:22). As a result we can face the future with a hope that is marked by certainty.

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Read Isaiah 58:1-14

The church has never held a uniform view of the Sabbath. One scholar notes, “The early church had no single answer to the question of the relevance of the Sabbath commandment to Christians. The churches of the New Testament period included a variety of views.”

The apostle Paul warned the Colossians not to let anyone judge them when it came to religious festivals, new moon celebrations, or Sabbath days (Col. 2:16). These were all associated with the Mosaic Law. New Testament believers could still observe sacred days if they chose. Paul’s own practice after his conversion to Christ was to visit the synagogue on the Sabbath. This seems to have been driven more by evangelistic intent, however, than by any continued devotion to the day itself. On the first day of the week Paul gathered with other Christians for worship, the regular practice of the New Testament church.

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Read 1 Samuel 13:1-15

Patience is a virtue, but impatience might be a national trait. Timex asked people how long they would wait before taking action; they learned that most would wait thirteen seconds before honking at a car in front of them stopped at a green light, twenty-six seconds before taking the seat of someone who has walked away, thirteen minutes for a table at a restaurant, and twenty minutes for the last person to show up for Thanksgiving dinner before beginning the meal.

In Saul’s case, impatience was more than a personality trait. It was a sin. Saul sent his son Jonathan to attack the Philistine garrison at Geba and summoned the people to assemble at Gilgal for a sacrificial ceremony. The prophet Samuel had commanded Saul to wait at Gilgal when he anointed him to be king (see 1 Sam. 10:8).

Samuel had been emphatic that Saul must wait for his arrival, but Jonathan’s foray against the Philistines provoked such a hostile response that the troops remaining with Saul began to defect (vv. 6–7). Saul waited for seven days, and still Samuel did not appear. He decided that extreme measures were necessary: he began to offer the burnt

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Read Luke 10:38-42

In a New York Times opinion piece “The ‘Busy’ Trap,” Tim Kreider laments today’s culture of busyness. According to Kreider, we use busyness to make us feel better about ourselves: “Busyness serves as a kind of existential reassurance, a hedge against emptiness; obviously your life cannot possibly be silly or trivial or meaningless if you are so busy, completely booked, in demand every hour of the day.”

Today’s reading describes how Martha fell into the busy trap when Jesus came to town. Distracted from the Savior’s teaching by the details of hospitality, she complained to Jesus because her sister Mary was not helping. While Martha was making preparations, Mary sat at the Lord’s feet listening to Him teach. On the surface, Martha seems to make a strong case against her sister. Much work had to be done and Mary had left it all to Martha. Jesus was sympathetic to Martha’s distress, but He praised Mary for making the better choice.

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Read Matthew 25:14-30

In September 2014, Brooklyn postal worker Joseph Brucato admitted that for nine years he had been hiding mail that he was supposed to deliver to residents of Flatbush. His supervisor became suspicious when he noticed that Brucato’s personal car was filled with letters. The undelivered mail weighed more than a ton.

The servant in today’s parable was entrusted with one talent, and he failed to perform his duty. Instead of acting in his master’s interest, he buried the money entrusted to his care. One talent might not sound like much, but the value of a talent in Jesus’ day was roughly equivalent to twenty years’ wages for an ordinary worker. This fiscal conservatism angered the master, who accused him of dereliction of duty and called him a wicked, lazy servant (vv. 26–27).

This servant’s behavior is a good example of sloth. Although sloth sounds like it might be an extreme form of rest, it is really the opposite. While rest refreshes, sloth drains our vitality and depletes our energy. Rest is a remedy but sloth is injurious, a sin of omission. Sloth fails to do what is right, required, or good. Sloth seems like it will make life easier for us, but Scripture describes it as a path blocked with thorns (Prov. 15:19).

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Read Matthew 6:25-34

Fear and worry are related, with the difference that worry is what happens when fear focuses on the future and things that might happen. Jesus provides a sample of the questions that worry asks in Matthew 6:25: What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear? For His audience, these were not trivial questions, like which item to select from a menu or which outfit to choose for that day. Many of these people did not know where their next meal was going to come from. Many did not have enough clothing to keep them warm at night.

Some of what we worry about is worthy of concern. Jesus’ words do not imply that food and clothing are insignificant—quite the opposite. But the Savior assures us that we do not need to be anxious even about these vital matters for human survival because we have a heavenly Father who knows what we need (v. 32).

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