Good Thursday everyone! I trust this finds all of us doing well and enjoying God's blessings for the start of this day.
As we begin our devotional time, let us lift up those concerns we are aware of that need God's attention.
Prayer: Gracious and loving God, we thank you for this day. The weekend is almost upon us and yet there is so much still to do. We feel the pressures of work and the holidays, but keep us mindful that in all, the calm and the stressed, You are there. Be with us now as we pray for insight on deeper understandings of Your presence and love. We pray in the name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.
here is our study guide for today:
Thursday: How different is Luke’s account of John’s ministry? Let’s go to that Gospel, chapter 3:1-22. Read that account of how John baptized so many and then see his reaction to Jesus’ request to be baptized by John. What are your thoughts about that encounter between the two?
Here is that text in the New Revised Standard version:
3:1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. 3 He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, 4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.' " 7 John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our ancestor'; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 9 Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." 10 And the crowds asked him, "What then should we do?" 11 In reply he said to them, "Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise." 12 Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, "Teacher, what should we do?" 13 He said to them, "Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you." 14 Soldiers also asked him, "And we, what should we do?" He said to them, "Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages." 15 As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16 John answered all of them by saying, "I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with F27 the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." 18 So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. 19 But Herod the ruler, who had been rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother's wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added to them all by shutting up John in prison. 21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased."
"Great sermon, John!" While I doubt many said that to him, their response echoed that sentiment. And yet, John, like any messenger of God would point back to verse 2, where John would say, "God shared that message with me, I only shared what God shared with me." What a message! It met with a tremendous response as people felt the moving of God's Holy Spirit in their hearts as they heard God speaking to them like never before. Instead of hearing the cold, "don't do this, you're bad" sermons of the Pharisees, they heard an honest invitation to a relationship with God as they were called to turn away from their sins and to be the people God wanted them to be.
What shocked John about his ministry is the appearance of Jesus to the river. Among the crowd who needed to be baptized comes Jesus, whom John knew to be the special, anointed Son of God! And to have Jesus approach him and request baptism must have really been the scary point in this short ministry. Yet, it was the point where the convergence of the two ministries, where God sends a miraculous blessing to Jesus, the result of faithful obedience of both Jesus and John.
What motivates our responses to God? Are we open to the leading of God's word as it comes to us through our readings, prayers, or devotions? What wondrous things would we see if we learned to say yes to God on those opportunities that He shares so often with us all.
PRAYER: God of new opportunities to serve, let your word come afresh to us so that we may learn to serve you by being faitful in all things. Speak to us now. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a blessed Thursday!
e.v.
