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Blog entries for the category Lent
In the Garden: Not the Gardener
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, April 8
“’Woman,’ he said, ‘why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’ Thinking he was the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him’” (John 20:15). Why didn’t Mary recognize the Lord? The text doesn’t say but several a...
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Behind Closed Doors: Waiting
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, April 7
“Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment” (Luke 23:56).The four gospels do not tell us much about what happened on the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. We know that after Jesus died, the disciples stayed behind locked doors for fear of the Jewi...
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Golgotha: Were You There?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, April 6
“They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull)” (Mark 15:22). It’s Friday morning, 9 A.M. Killing time in Jerusalem. Outside the Damascus Gate is a road and on the other side of the road is a flat area near the spot where the prophet Jeremiah is buried. Up above you can see a rocky outcropp...
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Gethsemane: The Traitor’s Kiss
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, April 5
“Jesus asked him, ‘Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?’” (Luke 22:48).When we study the four gospels, we find a remarkable series of facts about Judas:He was personally chosen to be an apostle by Jesus Christ.He forsook all to follow the Lord.He spent 3 1/2 years traveling the length and breadth of Israel wi...
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The Temple: Not One Stone Will Be Left
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, April 4
“They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you” (Luke 19:44).Jesus loved Jerusalem.When he uttered these words, he was weeping. No doubt his hearers didn’t take him seriously when he said that the great temple in Jerusalem, Herod’s Temple, would someday be …
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The Temple Courts: Slapping Down the Sadducees
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, April 3
“He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for to him all are alive” (Luke 20:38).Ever met a Sadducee? Me neither.That’s not surprising considering that the last one died 2000 years ago. And even back then, there were never very many of them. It was always a very select group, like a club for the very wealthy. If you live…
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The Temple Courts: Shake Us Up, Lord!
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, April 2
“My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations” (Mark 11:17).Jesus would not put up with some things. We have seen over and over again his compassion for the hurting and his outreach to the forgotten. He cares for those the world forgets.But he has little patience with religious people who use religion to hurt others. In thi…
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Bethphage: A Donkey for Jesus
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, April 1
“They brought the donkey and the colt; then they laid their robes on them, and he sat on them” (Matthew 21:7). The story of Palm Sunday really begins with a donkey. Most of us have heard how Jesus sent his disciples to the village of Bethphage with instructions to bring back a donkey. When you read Matthew’s account, you realize th...
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Ephraim: The Only Safe Place
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, March 31
“Therefore Jesus no longer moved about publicly among the Jews. Instead he withdrew to a region near the desert, to a village called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples” (John 11:54).No good deed goes unpunished.Raise a man from the dead, and they want to kill you.That’s what happened to Jesus after he raised Lazarus. Whi…
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Bethany: A Dead Man Rises
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, March 30
“Lazarus, come out!” (John 11:43)Lazarus was already dead when Jesus arrived in Bethany.He had in fact been dead for four days.He had been dead long enough for his body to begin decaying.But now Jesus is here. What will he do? Lazarus has been dead so long that any thought of an immediate resurrection is out of the question. But th...
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Across the Jordan: Waiting for Lazarus to Die
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, March 29
“When he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days” (John 11:6). Why did he wait two more days?Why not come now, right now, while Lazarus is alive?If he really loved Lazarus, why delay at all? It’s easy to understand the disciples’ confusion. “Lord, this man is your friend. We’ve seen...
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Jericho: A Little Man With a Big Problem
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, March 28
“Zacchaeus, come down immediately” (Luke 19:5).He was a little man with a big problem.Jesus was coming to town but the crowds kept Zacchaeus, who was a short man, from seeing him. Every Sunday School child knows the song that goes with the story:Zacchaeus was a wee little man And a wee little man was he. He climbed up in a sycamore tr...
Nazareth: Unconscious Praise
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, March 27
“Jesus said to them, ‘Only in his hometown, among his relatives and in his own house is a prophet without honor” (Mark 6:4).He was a carpenter’s son and that disqualfied him.Who could take him seriously?In a sense, you could hardly blame the people of Nazareth (a tiny village in Jesus’ day) for reacting as they did. It...
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In the Cities and Villages: The Harvest is Plentiful
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, March 26
“Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest’” (Matthew 9:37-38).This banner hangs in my office at home. We bought it at a Christian scroll shop in China a few years ago. The hand-painted banner c...
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A Solitary Place: Give Them Something to Eat
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, March 25
“He said to them, ‘Give them something to eat.’ They said, ‘We have only five loaves of bread and two fish’” (Luke 9:13). The location of this miracle is described in various ways:"A desolate place” (Matthew 14:13)."A solitary place” (Mark 6:32). “A town called Bethsaida” (Luke ...
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Perea: What Camels Can’t Do
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, March 24
“How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:24-25).They must have laughed when Jesus said it.Camels can’t go through the eye of a needle. Totally impossible. Not just difficult but totally, abs...
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On the Road: Disturb Us, Lord
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, March 23
“Yet another said, ‘I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.’ Jesus said to him, ‘No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God’” (Luke 9:61-62).Sometimes we need a splash of cold water to wake us up.Sometimes we need to be shaken out of our c...
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A Samaritan Village: Let Go and Move On
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, March 22
“When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they went to another village” (Luke 9:54-56).Let’s be clear about one thing. The Samaritans had a rotten attitude.They hated the Jews so much that they di...
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Nain: A Funeral Interrupted
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, March 21
“Then he went up and touched the coffin, and those carrying it stood still. He said, “Young man, I say to you, get up!” The dead man sat up and began to talk, and Jesus gave him back to his mother” (Luke 7:14-15).Only Jesus could do this.Death has such vast power that we read this story of Jesus and the dead son of the widow ...
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Down from the Mountain: Suspend Disbelief
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, March 20
“Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, ‘I believe; help my unbelief!’” (Mark 9:24).They called it one of the greatest upsets in the history of March Madness.It happened last Friday when the 15th-seed Lehigh Mountain Hawks played the 2nd-seed Duke Blue Devils.To say the Blue Devils were heavily favored is pu...
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On the Mountain: More to Come!
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, March 19
“There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light” (Matthew 17:2).Sometimes chapter divisions comes in bad places.This is a good example of that.At the end of Matthew 16, Jesus reveals to his disciples the truth about his coming crucifixion.Peter flatly denied such a thing ...
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Caesarea Philippi: Are You All In?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, March 18
“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it” (Mark 8:35).You’ve got to make up your mind sooner or later.That’s always true, isn’t it? You can think about a job offer for a while, but eventually you’ve got to say yes or no. You can interview a...
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Pool of Bethesda: Do You Want to Get Well?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, March 17
“Do You Want to Get Well?” (John 5:6)Strange question.Of course he wants to get well.Or maybe not.Jesus had come to Jerusalem during one of the yearly feasts. Thousands of pilgrims came from throughout Israel. While he was there, he paid a visit to a place called Bethesda, “the house of mercy.” It was a pool near the Sheep Ga...
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Tyre: Crumbs for the Dogs
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, March 16
“Yes, Lord,” she said, “but even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table” (Matthew 15:27). This episode takes place in “the region of Tyre and Sidon” (v. 21), two Gentile cities located north of Israel in Phoenicia, in modern-day Lebanon. These two cities were often condemned in the Old ...
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In the Villages: How Many Will Be Saved?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, March 15
“Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, ‘Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?’” (Luke 13:22-23).We never tire of this question, do we?In recent days, the current political season has raised the question once again:"Is so-and-so a ’rea...
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A Samaritan Village: One Thankful Man
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, March 14
“Now one of the them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God in a loud voice. He fell on his face, giving thanks to Jesus. And he was a Samaritan” (Luke 17:15-16).You know the story. Ten were healed and only one came back to give thanks. Luke says he fell on his face before the Lord. He had what some people woul...
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Samaria: The Place Jesus Must Visit
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, March 13
“Jesus had to go through Samaria” (John 4:4).Let’s talk about geography for a moment.In Jesus’ day there were three regions stacked on top of one another. There was Galilee in the north, Samaria in the middle, and Judea in the south. The easiest and quickest way to get to Galilee from Judea was to go due north right through ...
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Korazin: The Danger of Knowing Too Much
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, March 12
“Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes” (Matthew 11:21).Once it was an important city, but today it lies in ruins.Korazin was part of the “Orthodox triangle” in Jesus’ day. The...
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The Temple Courts: Who Will Cast the First Stone?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, March 11
“But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her’” (John 8:6-7).No one knows what Jesus wrote on the ground. There are times in reading the Bibl...
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Capernaum: Right Through the Roof
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, March 10
“Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’?” (Mark 2:9).This is a trick question, sort of. It was Jesus’ way of making his critics think and think some more.Anyone could say “Your sins are forgiven.” It’s not hard to utter...
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Levi’s House: Hanging with a Bad Crowd
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, March 9
“Then Levi held a great banquet for Jesus at his house, and a large crowd of tax collectors and others were eating with them” (Luke 5:29). This is evangelism at its best.Levi the tax collector follows Jesus.He holds a banquet for Jesus at his home.He invites his tax-collector friends to come.Evidently it was a grand occasion.Naturally t...
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The Temple Courts: Jesus Makes a Ruckus
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, March 8
“He made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables” (John 2:15).Sometimes you’ve got to clean house.In this case Jesus decided to clean his Father’s house. It happened during Passover when Jerusalem was crowded wi...
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Cana: A Quiet Miracle Saves the Day
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, March 7
“On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding” (John 2:1-2).Two things stand out to me in this story of Jesus turning water into wine.First, we see that Mary expects her son to do something about the wine running out.
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Gerasa: Go Away, Jesus
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, March 6
“When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons, sitting there, dressed and in his right mind; and they were afraid. . . . Then the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. ” (Mark 5:15, 17).This is the most severe case of demon possession in the Bible.It is also one of the most a...
By the Shore: Follow Me!
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, March 5
“Then Jesus said to Simon, ‘Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.’ So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.” (Luke 5:10-11)."Fear not and follow me."Those five words sum up the call of Christ to each of us. We must set aside our worry about the future and our fear ...
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Under the Fig Tree: I Saw You There
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, March 4
“I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you” (John 1:48).Jesus saw Nathanael before Nathanael saw him.That statement reveals a huge spiritual truth:Salvation is of the Lord.Salvation doesn’t start with us. It always starts with God. It is a work of God from first to last. I find this reassuring beca...
Nazareth: Can Anything Good Come from There?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, March 3
“’Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?’ Nathanael asked” (John 1:46). This was not a compliment. Nothing much came from Nazareth, an obscure village tucked away in the hills of Galilee. We have lots of names for places like that.Backwoods.Boondocks.Hicksville.Trailer Park territory.Home of the rednecks. Illitera…
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At The Jordan: The Spirit Came Like a Dove
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, March 2
“At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove” (Mark 1:9-10).At Christ’s baptism the Holy Spirit descended upon Him “like a dove.” The dove is a particularly app...
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At the Temple: About His Father’s Business
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, March 1
“After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions” (Luke 2:46).What was Jesus like as a boy?This paragraph offers us the only glimpse we have into Jesus’ growing up years. The biblical record moves from his infancy to the beginning of his public ministry ...
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Nazareth: Growing Up a Carpenter’s Son
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, February 29
“He went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: ’He will be called a Nazarene’” (Matthew 2:23). This is the second time Nazareth has been highlighted in our “Journeys with Jesus” series.There are a handful of places repeatedly mentioned in connection with Jesus&r...
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In the Temple Courts: Simeon’s Song
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, February 28
“Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God” (Luke 2:27-28). Forty days have passed since the birth of Jesus. Here come Mary and Joseph into the temple precincts, ready to present th...
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At the Temple: Born Under the Law
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, February 27
“When the time of their purification according to the Law of Moses had been completed, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord” (Luke 2:22). Jesus was born “under the law” (Galatians 4:4).We would say today that he was raised in an Orthodox Jewish household. We know this because Joseph and Mary took J...
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Egypt: Jesus’ Temporary Home
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, February 26
“And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet, ‘Out of Egypt I called my son’” (Matthew 2:15).When Charles Spurgeon preached on this verse, he began his sermon this way: Egypt occupies a very singular position towards Israel. It was often the shelter of the seed of Abraham. Abraham himself went there when...
The East: Home of the Wise Men
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, February 25
“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, ‘Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?’” (Matthew 2:1-2)The story of the visit of the Magi is found only in Matthew’s gospel. All that we know about them we find in chapter 2. Th...
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The Fields: Where the Shepherds Worked
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, February 24
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night” (Luke 2:8). Shepherds generally came from the base elements of society. In that day, they were so little trusted that a shepherd’s testimony would not be accepted in a courtroom. Most shepherds were considered on a par with Gypsi...
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Bethlehem: Birthplace of a King
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, February 23
“But you, Bethlehem . . . though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel” (Micah 5:2). If it wasn’t the least likely place, it was close.Bethlehem was an “on the way” place. You passed through Bethlehem because you were on the way to or from Jerusalem. Two t...
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Nazareth: The Great Journey Begins
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, February 22
“In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary” (Luke 1:26-27).These two verses set the historical framework for the birth of Jesus. They let us know that what is about to happen really h...
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Journeys with Jesus
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, February 21
On Wednesday Christians around the world begin the observance of Lent, the traditional time of spiritual reflection that leads us to Good Friday and Easter Sunday. A quick check of the Wikipedia entry will give you some helpful background. Note that in the Western tradition, Lent starts with Ash Wednesday and continues until Holy Saturday, t...
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The Resurrection and the Life
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, April 24, 2011
“I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).Notice how personal this is.Jesus doesn’t say, “I bring resurrection and life” but rather “I am the resurrection and the life.” In the presence of Jesus death is no longer death. It is something else entirely. As Paul says later in the New Testament, d...
A Dead Man Named Jesus
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, April 23, 2011
“A dead man named Jesus” (Acts 25:19). Death is never easy to deal with. Most of the time we can avoid it or postpone it or keep it far away from us. But sometimes death stares us in the face and we don’t know what to do or how to respond.The four gospels do not tell us much about what happened on the Saturday between Good Frid...
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The One They Have Pierced
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, April 22, 2011
“The one they have pierced” (Zechariah 12:10).It is not often appreciated that our Lord Jesus died in terrible pain. If you run the clock back from 3 o’clock in the afternoon—the moment of his death—back to about 3 o’clock in the morning and review what had happened to Jesus as he moves through those hours—...
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Man of Sorrows
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, April 21, 2011
“He was . . . a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3)."Suffered under Pontius Pilate.” That phrase comes from the oldest Christian creed, the Apostles Creed. It is noteworthy that the Creed passes immediately from the Virgin Birth to the death of Jesus with no mention of anything in between. There is nothin...
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Mediator
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, April 20, 2011
“There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5).Everyone needs a mediator nowadays.A quick check of the headlines reveals the fractured state of the world:"Judge tells NFL and players to keep at it, with new mediator.""Mediator tries to broker Tribune deal.""Oba...
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Fountain
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, April 19, 2011
“On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity” (Zechariah 13:1).The Bible often uses the image of the fountain to convey the thought of cleansing from sin. In Jeremiah 2:13 the Lord speaks with sorrow to the nation of Israel:My people have committed tw...
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Our Passover Lamb
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, April 18, 2011
“Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7).Either the lamb dies.Or the firstborn of the family dies.The blood must be shed either way. Suppose you were an Israelite being asked to sacrifice your prized lamb and smear its blood on the door for all the neighbors to see. Would you do it? Or would you be embarras...
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Fragrant Offering
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, April 17, 2011
“Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:2).Who killed Jesus?That question has echoed down the ages. Did the Jews kill Jesus? Was Pilate guilty of murder? What about Caiaphas the high priest and Herod the king? What role did the centurions play? What about the crowd shouting, ...
Apostle
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, April 16, 2011
“Consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession” (Hebrews 3:1).Jesus the apostle.It doesn’t sound quite right to us because we’re used to thinking of Paul the apostle or James the apostle. This is the only time Jesus is called an apostle.The word itself means “one sent as a messenger.” When a...
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Friend of Tax Collectors
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, April 15, 2011
“A friend of tax collectors" (Matthew 11:19).This was not a compliment. The older translations use the word “publican” instead of tax collector. That was actually a job title for those who served the Roman government as public contractors by supplying goods and services to the Roman legions. In that role they collected d…
Cornerstone
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, April 14, 2011
“See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone” (Ephesians 2:20).The world stumbles over Jesus because it has no use for him. Peter says it in some startling ways:1) The religious leaders (the builders) rejected him.2) But God made him the Savior of the world anyway.3) Christ causes men to stumble because they choose to d...
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Living Stone
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, April 13, 2011
“As you come to him, a living stone . . . you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:4-5).Peter calls Jesus the “living Stone” and he says that we who believe are like “living stones.” That means that he is the Rock and we are like chips off the Living Block. If we under...
Lord of Glory
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, April 12, 2011
“None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:8).Let that thought hang in the air for just a moment. “They would not have crucified the Lord of glory."If they had known . . . If they had understood . . . But they didn’t!This means that ...
Desire of All Nations
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, April 11, 2011
“I will shake all nations, and the Desire of all nations shall come” (Haggai 2:7).This is a fascinating verse that apparently has a double meaning. It applies first to the rebuilding of the temple by Zerubbabel. In that sense God promises that the wealth of the nations will flow into the temple in Jerusalem. The rest of the verse promis...
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Way
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, April 10, 2011
“I am the way” (John 14:6).We live in a “postmodern” age. If that term is new to you, it simply means that we live in an age in which our culture has largely abandoned the notion of truth. The old consensus about right and wrong has almost entirely disappeared, replaced by appeals to pluralism, diversity, and moral relativi...
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Propitiation
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, April 9, 2011
“He . . . is the propitiation for our sins, and not only for ours only but also for the whole world” (1 John 2:2).To propitiate means to turn away wrath by offering a gift. In the New Testament the word applies to Jesus’ death on the cross. When Jesus hung on the cross in great agony and great pain, he cried out to God, &ldquo...
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Redeemer
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, April 8, 2011
“The Redeemer will come to Zion” (Isaiah 59:20).Of all the names that the Bible gives to Jesus Christ, none is more precious than the name Redeemer. There are other names we use more often, such as Lord and Savior, and rightly so because those too are Bible terms, but no word touches the heart like the name Redeemer. When we say Lord…
Sustainer of All Things
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, April 7, 2011
“Sustaining all things by his powerful word” (Hebrews 1:3). Some years ago U.S. News and World Report reported that the United States planned to launch a space station into orbit in an attempt to define gravity. That’s an interesting thought. We’ve known what gravity is for hundreds of years, but we don’t know how it w...
Creator of All Things
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, April 6, 2011
“For by him all things were created” (Colossians 1:16).Jesus is the agent of creation and the Lord of the epochs of history. At the Father’s command, he brought the universe into being and wrote the script for the unfolding ages. Through him God made everything. There are really only two choices a person can make as he studies the...
Heir of All Things
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, April 5, 2011
“His Son, whom he appointed heir of all things” (Hebrews 1:2).God has appointed Jesus as heir of all things. I understand this from a personal point of view. When my father died in 1974, I found out that my name had been written in his will. That meant that along with my brothers and my mother, I shared in my father’s estate. I...
Consolation of Israel
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, April 4, 2011
“He was waiting for the consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25). In this baby Simeon sees the fulfillment of all the hopes and dreams of the Jewish people across the centuries. To call Jesus “the consolation of Israel” takes us back to the time of Abraham when the Lord said, “I will make your name great, and make of you...
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Carpenter’s Son
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, April 3, 2011
“Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?” (Matthew 13:55).It wasn’t a compliment.They meant it as a slur.These were people from his hometown of Nazareth. They had seen him grow up.They knew Mary and Joseph. They knew his brothers.Who did Jesus think he was?Jesus didn’t fit into their small town way of thinking. He was jus...
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Amen
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, April 2, 2011
“The Amen, the faithful and true witness” (Revelation 3:14). Our problem with “Amen” is that we hear it so often that it loses all meaning. For most of us, “Amen” either means, “The prayer is over” or “It’s time to eat.” It’s like the caboose at the end of the train. The word it...
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Morning Star
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, April 1, 2011
“Until he Morning Star rises in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19).Think about two stars. The evening star suggests the slowing down of life as the day ends and night approaches. It has about it the feel of deepening gloom. But the morning star speaks of energy and the approach of another new day with all its uncharted possibilities. The ...
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Friend of Sinners
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, March 31, 2011
“A friend . . . of sinners” (Luke 7:34). They meant it as an insult. They said it with a sneer."That Jesus, he hangs out with sinners,” almost spitting out the last word."Sinners!"Prostitutes.Drunkards.Troublemakers.Trashy types.Low-class, no-count losers.He wasn’t a front-runner. He didn’t gravi...
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The Rejected Stone
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, March 30, 2011
“The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone” (Psalm 118:22).The image comes from the ancient quarries where highly-trained stonemasons carefully chose the stones used in construction. No stone was more important than the cornerstone because the integrity of the whole structure depended on the cornerstone containing exactly t...
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Word of God
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, March 29, 2011
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1).Nothing is more invisible than a thought.You don’t know what I am thinking nor can I tell what you are thinking. But let a man speak and his words reveal his thoughts. Take the deepest thought and clothe it in words, and it will be visible t...
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Ark of Salvation
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, March 28, 2011
“God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved” (1 Peter 3:20).Thought Noah was a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5), it doesn’t appear that he made any converts outside his own family. While Noah patiently built the ark and warned men o...
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Bronze Snake
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, March 27, 2011
“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up” (John 3:14). Nearly all of us know John 3:16. Let’s go back two verses and see what leads into that most famous of all the biblical promises. “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up”...
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Lion of the Tribe of Judah
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, March 26, 2011
“See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah . . . has triumphed” (Revelation 5:5).C. S. Lewis understood.When he wanted to symbolize Jesus in the Chronicles of Narnia, he created Aslan the lion. And not just any lion. He’s the King of the Beasts and the real ruler of Narnia. He is mostly unseen in the book because he is always on the mov...
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Lamb of God
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, March 25, 2011
“Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29).What an amazing statement that is. First, Jesus is God’s lamb sent from heaven to earth. If we offer a sacrifice, the best we can do is to offer a literal lamb or a goat or to round up a bull and bring it to the priest. Animal blood was what we could offer. W...
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Prophet
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, March 24, 2011
“I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers” (Deuteronomy 18:18).In Deuteronomy 18 God promises through Moses to raise a line of godly prophets in Israel. That line would culminate in one person who would be the “prophet like me” of verse 15: “The Lord your God will raise up for you a pro...
Teacher
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, March 23, 2011
“Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go” (Matthew 8:19).It may interest you to know that Jesus was a teacher. Other words come more quickly to mind—Lord, Savior, Master, and Redeemer. But here’s an amazing fact. Of the 90 times Jesus was addressed directly in the gospels, 60 times he was called Teacher. This was the w...
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Author of Salvation
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, March 22, 2011
“It was fitting that God . . . should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering” (Hebrews 2:10).The whole earthly life of Jesus is summed up in one phrase. He was made “perfect through suffering.” The word can also mean complete. But wasn’t Jesus perfect when he was born in the manger? And didn’...
Rulers of the Kings of the Earth
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, March 21, 2011
“Jesus Christ, who is . . . the ruler of the kings of the earth” (Revelation 1:5).The word for “ruler” means he is the ultimate authority over all the kings of the earth. They are great, but he is greater. They are mighty, but he is mightier. Millions answer to them, but they answer to him. He is not merely one of the kin...
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Firstborn from the Dead
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, March 20, 2011
“Jesus Christ, who is . . . the firstborn from the dead” (Revelation 1:5).When Jesus rose from the dead, he was the “firstborn from the dead.” What exactly does that mean? It means he is the first person who ever rose from the dead never to die again. During his ministry Jesus raised several people from the dead, includin...
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Faithful Witness
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, March 19, 2011
“Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness” (Revelation 1:5).The men and women of this generation have heard the name of Jesus many times. What they want to know is very simple-"Can I trust him?” In a world of religious charlatans, this is where we must begin. This verse calls Jesus “the faithful witness.” A witne…
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Great High Priest
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, March 18, 2011
“We have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God” (Hebrews 4:14).Most of us are at a disadvantage when we read this verse because we don’t have a clear notion of what a high priest is. In the Old Testament the high priest was the number one person spiritual leader. There were various levels a...
Servant
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, March 17, 2011
“I am among you as one who serves” (Luke 22:27). Ambition has become something of a dirty word in our day. To many people it implies an overwhelming desire for personal advancement regardless of the cost—and regardless of who is hurt in the process. Let’s face it. There is entirely too much of that kind of ambition in the bu...
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Balm of Gilead
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, March 16, 2011
“Is there no balm in Gilead?” (Jeremiah 8:22).In three different places the Old Testament mentions the “balm” or healing ointment that comes from Gilead, the mountainous region east of the Jordan River. When Joseph’s brothers conspired against him in Genesis 37, they sold him to a caravan of Ishmaelites from the region...
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Prince of Peace
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, March 15, 2011
“He will be called . . . Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:6).The phrase literally means “the prince whose coming brings peace.” It is the climax of all that has gone before. The word “prince” means something like “General of the Army.” It speaks of his high position. The word “peace” speaks of hi…
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Everlasting Father
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, March 14, 2011
“He will be called . . . Everlasting Father” (Isaiah 9:6).In the Hebrew the phrase is literally “the Father of Eternity.” This speaks of the purpose of his coming.He is before, above, and beyond Time. He is the possessor of eternity.. He is eternally like a father to his people. This is not a statement about the Trinity, but...
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Mighty God
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, March 13, 2011
“He will be called . . . Mighty God” (Isaiah 9:6).This speaks of the “Power of Accomplishment.” It is first of all a statement of deity. The baby born in the manger is not just the Son of God, he is also God the Son. All the fullness of God dwells in the Lord Jesus Christ. As the ancient creeds declare, he is “very God ...
Wonderful Counselor
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, March 12, 2011
“He will be called Wonderful Counselor” (Isaiah 9:6).Literally this title means “a wonder of a counselor,” speaking of the wisdom of his plan. The word “wonderful” means “astonishing” or “extraordinary.” The writers of the Old Testament used it for acts of God which man cannot understand. ...
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Chief Shepherd
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, March 11, 2011
“When the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away” (1 Peter 5:4).Who is the Chief Shepherd? It’s Jesus. When will he appear? His coming is imminent. What will the faithful elder receive? The crown of glory. What will be its quality? It will never fade away. In those days the winner of a...
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Alpha and Omega
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, March 10, 2011
“I am the Alpha and the Omega” (Revelation 22:13). Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet.Omega is the last letter.To say Jesus is the Alpha means he is the beginning of all things.He always was.To say Jesus it the Omega means he is the end of all things.He always will be.The first and the last stand for everything in between.Th...
Seed of the Woman
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, March 9, 2011
“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed” (Genesis 3:15).This is the first promise given after the Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. Theologians call it the protoevangelium–or first gospel because these words spoken by God contain the first promise of redemption in ...
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Lenten Blog Series Begins Tomorrow
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, March 8, 2011
On Wednesday Christians around the world begin the observance of Lent, the traditional time of spiritual reflection that leads us to Good Friday and Easter Sunday. A quick check of the Wikipedia entry will give you some helpful background. Note that in the Western tradition, Lent starts with Ash Wednesday and continues until Holy Saturday, the d…
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KBM Releases First Ebook
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, March 5, 2011
I have some big news. We are releasing our first-ever ebook. My book “In the Shadow of the Cross: The Deeper Meaning of Calvary” is now available as an ebook. It is now available in both Kindle and Nook formats. We have also added a PDF version.Here’s the back story. About ten years Broadman & Holman published “In the Sh...
Why Do You Look for the Living Among the Dead?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, April 4, 2010
“Why do you look for the living among the dead?” (Luke 24:5)Last October we visited the Holy Land for the fifth time. We ended our last day of touring in Jerusalem by going to the Garden Tomb, the spot believed by many to be the actual burial place of Jesus. It is located next to Gordon’s Calvary, that strange ...
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Why Are You Weeping?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, April 3, 2010
“Why are you weeping?" (John 20:15).Death is never easy to deal with. Most of the time we can avoid it or postpone it or keep it far away from us. But sometimes death stares us in the face and we don’t know what to do or how to respond. And that’s why Mary Magdalene was standing alone at the Garden Tomb about 6:30 a.m. on the…
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Why Have You Forsaken Me?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, April 2, 2010
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34)"It isn’t right."That’s what Roger said to me after he watched Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ with a group from our church. Roger was in the 7th grade when he saw the movie. He gripped my hand, his eyes filled with tears, his lips quivering.&nb...
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What Shall I Do With Jesus?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, April 1, 2010
“What shall I do, then, with Jesus?” (Matthew 27:22)Pilate had a big problem.He knew Jesus was not guilty of any crime (he said so three times), but the shouting mob wanted him dead. So Pilate offered them a choice.Barabbas or Jesus.The criminal or the innocent man.The terrorist or the King of the Jews.The troublemaker or the Princ...
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Why Did You Strike Me?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, March 31, 2010
“Why did you strike me?” (John 18:23)Cowards hit first.His trial before Annas was really just a kangaroo court, a pretense of a hearing so they could find Jesus guilty of something. They were definitely not looking for the truth.So why did the man hit him?Because he told the truth.Because he would not be intimidated.Because th…
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Is It Right For Us To Pay Taxes to Caesar Or Not?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, March 30, 2010
“Is it right for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” (Luke 20:22)"It’s all yours now."My wife then dropped a stack of papers on my desk. For several days she has been figuring up the categories for our income tax return. That’s the way we’ve done it for many years. She does the categories and then I do the r...
How Did The Fig Tree Wither So Quickly?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, March 29, 2010
“How did the fig tree wither so quickly” (Matthew 21:20).Fig trees are for making figs. Pretty simple, really. We plant apple trees because we want apples, peach trees because we want peaches, orange trees because we want oranges, and fig trees because we want figs. We might as well ask what good is an apple tree that doesn’t prod...
What Is Truth?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, March 28, 2010
“What is truth” (John 18:38).Sometimes a question tells you all you need to know. With those three words Pontius Pilate revealed his own vacillating nature. Although he knows Jesus is innocent of any crime under Roman law, he dare not appear weak in the eyes of the Jewish leaders. When Jesus said, “Everyone on the side of truth li...
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Will He Find Faith On The Earth?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, March 27, 2010
“When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8)Maybe, maybe not.I always thought this was a sad, plaintive end to the parable of the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8) where Jesus encourages his disciples to always pray and never to give up. The parable ends with three questions:1) Will not God bring abou...
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What Will Be the Sign of Your Coming?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, March 26, 2010
“What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3)Are you ready for TEOTWAWKI?That’s an acronym for The End Of The World As We Know It. Pronounced “Tee-ought-walk-ee,” it refers to some catastrophe (natural or man made, such as global war or some other doomsday scenario) that causes the to…
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How Are You Different From Anyone Else?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, March 25, 2010
“If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else?” (Matthew 5:47 NLT)You never know what will grab someone’s heart.Mosab Hassan Yousef grew up as a Muslim. From an early age, he studied the Koran, memorized its teachings, said the daily prayers, and followed the way of Islam as faithfully as he could....
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What Will You Give Me If I Hand Him Over?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, March 24, 2010
“What will you give me if I hand him over to you?” (Matthew 26:15)How much would you sell Jesus for?Would you betray him for money?Would you betray him for a better job?Would you betray him to keep the job you have?Would you betray him to save your own skin?Would you betray him because he didn’t live up to your expectations?Would ...
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Are You the One?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, March 23, 2010
“Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?” (Matthew 11:2)That’s a powerful question. It may be troubling to some people to think that John the Baptist has come to a point of such deep doubt. After all, we know that John had made one of the earliest public confessions of Jesus when he cried out, &ldqu...
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When Did We See You Hungry and Feed You?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, March 22, 2010
“When did we ever see you hungry and feed you?” (Matthew 25:37)Somewhere I read about St. Benedict’s first rule for his followers: hospitality. They must always show kindness to strangers because in so doing they are showing kindness to Christ himself. The story is told about an old Benedictine monk who was about to lock the ...
Lord, Should We Fight?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, March 21, 2010
“Lord, should we fight? We brought the swords!” (Luke 22:49 NLT)Fighting seems so natural. Why let the bad guys win?Losing is not a popular idea today. It’s definitely not a very American concept. As George Patton famously remarked, “Americans love a winner. America will not tolerate a loser.” We all want to be on the ...
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What Were You Arguing About?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, March 20, 2010
“What were you arguing about?” (Mark 9:33)No wonder they wouldn’t answer him. After all Jesus has said and done—after all his miracles and the repeated teaching—what are these guys talking about on the road? They were arguing about who was the greatest. Unbelievable! In the Jewish society of that day&mda...
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What Can a Man Give in Exchange for His Life?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, March 19, 2010
“What can a man give in return for his life?” (March 8:37)Decision time.Jesus is meeting with his men at Caesarea Philippi, a city outside the borders of Israel. There Peter makes the great confession: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God” (Matthew 16:16). Jesus then reveals the fact of his coming crucifixion in Je...
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Who of You by Worrying Can Add a Single Hour to His Life?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, March 18, 2010
“Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” (Matthew 6:27)Can you worry your way into an extra hour of life?No, but you might take a few off your life by worrying.We’re really pretty limited if you think about it. All our days and hours and minutes and seconds are in the Father’s hands. Recently I spoke with ...
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What Is That To You?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, March 17, 2010
“What is that to you?” (John 21:23)Years ago I heard Dr. Vernon Grounds, longtime president of Denver Seminary, share a story from a time in his early ministry when he was bring harshly criticized for some stands he had taken. The men criticizing him felt he should have been stronger or stated things more forcefully or done things a dif...
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Do You Love Me?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, March 16, 2010
“Do You Love Me?” (John 21:17).Several questions come to mind as we read this passage (John 21:15-17). Why did Jesus ask Peter three times, “Do you love me?” Because Peter had denied him three times. Why did he do this publicly? Because Peter denied him publicly. The other disciples needed to hear Peter openly declare hi...
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Who Gave You This Authority?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, March 15, 2010
“Who gave you this authority?” (Matthew 21:23)Religious types are always big on authority issues.Who are you?Where did you come from?Who gave you the right to teach here?What school did you attend?Where is your diploma?Why didn’t you ask us for permission?Who do you think you are, anyway? ...
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Who Is My Mother?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, March 14, 2010
“Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” (Matthew 12:48)Sometimes Jesus could seem rude. Or maybe blunt would be a better word.But perhaps we have not understood him correctly. Jesus stood in a dual relationship to his mother Mary and to his earthly brothers and sisters. They were indeed part of his earthly family. He never denied th...
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Who Do You Say That I Am?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, March 13, 2010
“Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15)It all comes down to this eventually. Here is a question everyone must answer. In the Greek text, that word you has an enormous stress. In fact, the you really goes at the first of the sentence. It is as if Jesus is saying, “But you who have followed me and have known me from th...
Who Touched Me?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, March 12, 2010
“Who touched me?” (Luke 8:45)It seems like an absurd question. With so many people pressing in upon Jesus, how could anyone know who touched him? So many people wanted to be near him, it could have been any man or any woman in the crowd. But the Master knew that someone had touched the edge of his garment and at that moment a mighty mir...
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Whose Wife Will She Be?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, March 11, 2010
“At the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?” (Luke 20:33)This is a trick question, right?Talk about a run of bad luck. A woman marries a man who dies leaving her with no children to carry on the family name. So along comes the younger brother who marries her and then dies leaving her with no childre...
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How Do You Know Me?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, March 10, 2010
“How do you know me?” (John 1:48)Little things mean a lot.Nathanael couldn’t figure out how Jesus knew who he was. They had never met, and Nathanael knew nothing at all about Jesus. Though he had no opinion about Jesus, Jesus had a high opinion of him, saying, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false&rdqu...
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To Whom Shall We Go?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, March 9, 2010
“Lord, to whom shall we go?” (John 6:68)Jesus is too much for some people.Sometimes the words of Jesus seem too strong, his demands too strict, his sayings too mysterious to understand. Sometimes the problem is simply that Jesus asks for everything, and that’s more than we are willing to give.In this case Jesus has just revealed t...
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Why Did You Doubt?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, March 8, 2010
“Why Did You Doubt?” (Matthew14:31) When Jesus says, “Come,” you’d better come.When he says, “Walk,” you’d better walk. In Peter’s case, he was safer out on the water than in the boat. At that moment, the smartest thing Peter could do was to get out of the boat. Once Peter was fully on th...
Who Then Can Be Saved?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, March 7, 2010
“Who then can be saved?” (Luke 18:26)The answer is simple, really.Apart from God no one can be saved.That’s the whole point of the camel through the eye of a needle. Have you ever heard anybody explain this by saying that the eye of the needle represents some kind of tiny passageway into the city of Jerusalem and you had to kneel...
Where Are the Nine?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, March 6, 2010
“Where are the nine?” (Luke 17:17)Jesus asks three questions. 1. Were there not ten healed? Yes.2. Where are the other nine? Gone.3. Is there no one here but this foreigner? No one.If you listen carefully, you can hear surprise, shock and most of all sadness. Jesus wanted to know about the others. Where are they? Weren’...
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Why Does He Eat With Sinners?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, March 5, 2010
“Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and ’sinners’?” (Matthew 9:11)Evidently Jesus hung out with a bad crowd.We know that because the super-religious types found it offensive. One translation catches the flavor this way:"Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” (NLT)There are many ways to answer that ...
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Who Sinned?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, March 4, 2010
“Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2)It’s a natural question, isn’t it? When a disaster happens, we want to know why. Why Haiti and not Jamaica? Why Chile and not Brazil? Or why did this man get cancer and his brother didn’t? Or why did they both get cancer and one survived while...
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Isn’t This the Carpenter?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, March 3, 2010
“Isn’t this the carpenter?” (Mark 6:3)Call this Josh McDowell in reverse.Over 30 years ago Josh McDowell wrote More Than a Carpenter, a short book designed to prove that Jesus is the Son of God. It became a mega-bestseller with more than 10 million copies in print worldwide. The title tells the whole story. Jesus was indeed &l...
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Why Couldn’t We Drive It Out?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, March 2, 2010
“Why couldn’t we drive it out?” (Mark 9:28)What an embarrassment!So you’re a disciple of Christ and a man brings you his demonized son, asking you to cure him. You’ve seen Jesus do that very thing so you try to do what your Master does, and it doesn’t work. Nothing happens.The boy remains enslaved to the dem...
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Do You Believe This?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, March 1, 2010
“Do you believe this?” (John 11:26)Peter Marshall tells the story of a young boy about four years old who had a terminal disease. At first he didn’t understand his condition, but finally he realized that he wasn’t going to get better and would never again play with his friends. So one morning he asked his mother, “Am I ...
Do You See This Woman?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, February 28, 2010
“Do you see this woman?” (Luke 7:44)This was Simon’s fundamental problem. He never really saw the woman.The Bible is very discreet in calling her “a woman who had lived a sinful life” (Luke 7:37). This is a delicate way of saying she had been a prostitute. She made her living by selling her body to men. She was a profes...
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Do You Want to Get Well?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, February 27, 2010
“Do You Want to Get Well?” (John 5:6)Change is scary. Sometimes it’s easier to stay the way you are. Jesus had come to Jerusalem during one of the yearly feasts. Thousands of pilgrims were there from throughout Israel. While he was there, he paid a visit to a place called Bethesda, “the house of mercy.” It was a poo...
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Why Do You Call Me Good?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, February 26, 2010
“Why do you call me good?” (Mark 10:18)The question seems odd.The rich young ruler had just asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life, prefacing the question with the title “Good teacher.” Instead of answering his question, Jesus replies with another question that seems to confuse the issue. From our point of v...
Why Do You Call Me “Lord, Lord” and Do Not Do What I Say?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, February 25, 2010
“Why do you call me, ’Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46)Talk is cheap.And Jesus wasn’t impressed by big crowds.He could see the multitudes pressing in around him, and he knew how much they admired him. The cheered for him, followed him wherever he went, gathered to hear him speak, and they brought the ...
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How Many Times Shall I Forgive My Brother?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, February 24, 2010
“How many times shall I forgive my brother? (Matthew 18:21)We’ve all wondered the same thing.Peter wanted to know how much guff he had to take off somebody. When do you stop turning the other cheek?Everyone has felt that way before. You take it and you take it and you take it and the guy does it again and you say, “If he does it o...
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Couldn’t He Have Kept This Man From Dying?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, February 23, 2010
“Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?” (John 11:37)Good question.Fair question.Honest question.Just before Jesus raised Lazarus, some of the Jews raised this question. After all, he clearly loved Lazarus, and he had already healed the man born blind (John 9). This means the question doesn&rsqu...
Can You Drink the Cup I Drink?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, February 22, 2010
“Can you drink the cup I drink?” (Mark 10:38)It was surely a strange request. James and John came to Jesus asking for a special favor. They wanted to be seated on thrones next to him when he comes in his glory. If you’re going to ask, you might as well go for the gold. The two brothers have been roundly criticized f...
Don’t You Care If We Drown?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, February 21, 2010
“Don’t you care if we drown?” (Mark 4:38)Whenever I read the story of Jesus calming the storm on the Sea of Galilee (Mark 4:35-41), I remember a trip to the Holy Land several years ago. During our boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, a storm came up very quickly, as they often do in that part of the world. The rain started hitting the...
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Did No One Condemn You?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, February 20, 2010
“Did no one condemn you?” (John 8:10)In the end she looked better than her accusers.This is the story of the woman caught in adultery. Dragged before Jesus by the oh-so-righteous religious leaders, she waits to hear the inevitable verdict. Stone her!That’s what the law demands.But in the end she walks away because when Jesus ...
Why Have You Treated Us Like This?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, February 19, 2010
“Why have you treated us like this?” (Luke 2:48)"He’s not safe but he’s good."Those famous words of C. S. Lewis refer to Aslan, the great lion in the classic story The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I thought of this quote when I read Mary’s plaintive and somewhat disapproving question to Jesus. You remem...
Who Is This Man?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, February 18, 2010
“Who is this man who speaks blasphemies?” (Luke 5:21)Closed minds come in many varieties.In this case the Pharisees were offended when Jesus forgave the paralytic whose friends lowered him through the roof. Who does Jesus think he is, claiming the power to forgive sins? That why they said he was speaking blasphemies. The Pharisees...
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40-40-40
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, February 17, 2010
My friend Rich Bonham told me about an exciting prayer initiative timed to coincide with the 40 days of Lent. The Pray Europe movement challenges Christians to . . . 40 days of prayer for40 counties in Europe for 40 seconds a day.Now that’s an idea we can all get our hands around. Once you go to the website, you find links for all the countri...
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What Are You Looking For?
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, February 17, 2010
This is Day 1 of Lent, the forty days of preparation leading up to Easter. A quick check of the Wikipedia entry will give you some helpful background. Note that in the Western tradition, Lent starts today with Ash Wednesday and continues until Holy Saturday, the day before Easter. Sundays are not counted as part of the forty days because each ...
Easter Sunday: Empty
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, April 12, 2009
Many years ago I was asked to perform a graveside service for a man I barely knew. I was young and inexperienced and wanted to say a few words of comfort. I fumbled my way through the ceremony and came to the closing prayer. When I got to the part about the resurrection of the dead, the words stuck in my throat. I could barely finish my prayer. I ...
Day 40: Silence
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, April 11, 2009
The four gospels do not tell us much about what happened on the Saturday between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. We know that after Jesus died, the disciples stayed behind locked doors for fear of the Jewish leaders (John 20:19). Their fear was well-founded because on that Saturday, the chief priests and the Pharisees met with Pilate and asked him t...
Day 39: Hands
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, April 10, 2009
“Jesus called out with a loud voice, ’Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ When he had said this, he breathed his last” (Luke 23:46).Luke is the only writer to record the last words of the Son of God. Every word tells us something important:Father—This was Jesus’ favorite title for God. It spoke of the in...
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Day 38: Finished
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, April 9, 2009
“When he had received the drink, Jesus said, ’It is finished’” (John 19:30). All of us have unfinished things cluttering up the highway of life.
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Day 37: Thirsty
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, April 8, 2009
“Later, knowing that all was now completed and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, ’I am thirsty’” (John 19:28).It is one of the ultimate ironies of the biblical story that Jesus cried out “I thirst.” He who is the water of life now dies of thirst. Jesus has not complained at all about his physi...
Day 36: Forsaken
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, April 7, 2009
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34).All eyes focus on the center cross. It is clear the end is near. Jesus is at the point of death. Whatever happened in those three hours of darkness has brought him to death’s door. His strength is nearly gone, the struggle almost over. His chest heaves with every breath, his...
Day 35: Family
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, April 6, 2009
“When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, ’Dear woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ’’Here is your mother’” (John 19:26-27).Only those who have watched a loved one die can understand what it means for Mary to be near the cross on that...
Sunday Interlude: Brave
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, April 5, 2009
This is Holy Week, and around the world Christians are celebrating the momentous events that took place 2000 years ago. Although there are many things that separate us, here is one thing about which all Christians agree. Holy Week is at the center of the Christian faith. For one glorious week, differences of language, culture, rac...
Day 34: Pardoned
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, April 4, 2009
“I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43). This is the story of the dying thief who believed in Jesus and was saved at the very last second.Was any man ever in a more desperate situation? Brutally crucified, the is dying in agony for sins he had committed, crimes he had done. He is a guilty man jus...
Day 33: Them
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, April 3, 2009
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). It is enormously significant that the first word from the cross is a word of forgiveness. These words teach us that Jesus came to establish a religion of forgiveness. He is at heart a man of forgiveness. He came into t...
Day 32: Betrayal
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, April 2, 2009
There are two things that perplex us about Judas. First, why did he do what he did? Second, after he had done it, why did he feel so guilty? He was so evil that he sold the Lord Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. Later he felt such remorse that he committed suicide.Over the centuries there have been many different reactions to his story. Many peopl...
Day 31: Sifting
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, April 1, 2009
“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers” (Luke 22:31-32).These words must have seemed strange to Peter, coming as it were out of the blue. It has been well remarked that Peter in many ways is the most huma...
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Day 30: Battle
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, March 31, 2009
“I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” (Genesis 3:15). Genesis 3:15 is the first mention of the gospel in the Bible. You might have missed it because the name Jesus isn’t in the text, but he is there nonetheless...
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Day 29: Losing
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, March 30, 2009
Why didn’t Jesus fight back when he was arrested? Losing is not a popular idea today. It’s definitely not a very American concept. As George Patton famously remarked, “Americans love a winner. America will not tolerate a loser.” We all want to be on the winning team. That’s why millions of people fill out their March M...
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Sunday Interlude: Gentleness
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, March 29, 2009
Proverbs 15:1 tells us that “a gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." I have a friend who learned this verse the hard way. Whenever she said something in a harsh tone, her mother made her write this verse 50 times on a sheet of paper. It must have worked because many years later she has no trouble recall...
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Day 28: Enemies
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, March 28, 2009
“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” (Luke 6:27-28).A woman wrote me to say that she realized she needed to forgive her husband who left her for a younger woman after 26 years of marriage. She found out later that he had been having an affair for the previous ...
Day 27: Frivolous
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, March 27, 2009
It is now early on Good Friday. Jesus was arrested by the Jews sometime around midnight. Since then he has been taken from one hearing to another: Annas, Caiaphas, the Sanhedrin. They all had their shot at him. Along the way, he has endured mocking jokes, insults, and false accusations. The Jews want him dead but only the Romans have the power of c...
Day 26: Paradox
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, March 26, 2009
Who is ultimately responsible for the death of Jesus Christ? The answer may surprise you. According to the Bible, God takes responsibility for the death of his Son. This is the first part of Isaiah 53:10 in the New International Version: “Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer.” The New King James gives th...
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Day 25: Distracted
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, March 25, 2009
“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:41-42). Spurgeon comments that the little word “but” is a very useful pause for all of us very busy saints of God. Many ...
Day 24: Will
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, March 24, 2009
C. S. Lewis remarked that there are only two prayers in the universe: “My will be done” and “Thy will be done.” Everything we pray fits into one of those two categories. I know from long experience that it’s not easy to sincerely pray “Thy will be done.” Like most people, I would prefer that my will be don...
Day 23: As
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, March 23, 2009
“Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). There are 11 words in the text, but only one of them is important for our purposes. It’s the little word “as.” Everything hangs on the meaning of that word. “As” is the conjunction that joins the first half of the petition with the…
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Sunday Interlude: Truth
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, March 22, 2009
“What is truth?” (John 18:38).Sometimes a question tells you all you need to know. With those three words Pontius Pilate revealed his own vacillating nature. Although he knows Jesus is innocent of any crime under Roman law, he dare not appear weak in the eyes of the Jewish leaders. When Jesus said, “Everyone on the side of truth l...
Day 22: Doubt
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, March 21, 2009
“When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ask him, “Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?’” (Matthew 11:2-3).Some people have trouble with the concept that a Christian could ever entertain serious doubts. But there are whole books of the Bible that deal with the i...
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Day 21: Heart
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, March 20, 2009
“And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell” (Matthew 5:30). If these words sound both severe and unnatural, then we have understood them correctly. Before saying anything to lessen their impact, we need to take them ...
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Day 20: Dudley
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, March 19, 2009
When I started this Lenten blog series, I knew that sooner or later I would write this entry. I knew it because Dudley, our three-year-old basset hound, has taught me so many good lessons.It is late at night as I write these words, and things are quiet in my corner of the world. I’m the only one awake at this hour. Marlene is asleep in our be...
Day 19: Mistreatment
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, March 18, 2009
“When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23).I submit to you that this is not a natural way to live. When we are insulted, our natural inclination is to return an insult for an insult. But Jesus chose another way...
Day 18: Sheep
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, March 17, 2009
It is said that Bernard of Clairvaux in the 12th century first penned the words to one of our favorite hymns, O Sacred Head Now Wounded. The second verse speaks to the issue of our sin and the death of Christ:What thou, my Lord, hast suffered was all for sinners’ gain;mine, mine was the transgression, but thine the deadly pain.Lo, here I fall...
Day 17: Illumination
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, March 16, 2009
“Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).What do these words mean? The dictionary defines light as “a source of illumination.” That provides the key to our definition. To be the light of the world means illuminating the darkness so that others...
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Sunday Interlude: Sparrows
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Sunday, March 15, 2009
“Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father” (Matthew 10:29). If you check your Bible dictionary, you’ll discover that sparrows were among the humblest birds in Bible times. They were considered food for the poor, and because they were so cheap, the poor co...
Day 16: Sword
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, March 14, 2009
A few years ago a friend gave me a Civil War Cavalry saber as a gift. Until today I didn’t know much about its background. After checking the inscription on the sword, I discovered that it is a U.S. M1860 Light Cavalry Saber produced by Mansfield and Lamb in Forestdale, Rhode Island. During the Civil War the company produced more than 37,000 ...
Day 15: Secrets
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, March 13, 2009
Years ago I knew a Christian counselor who often repeated one key phrase. “You’re only as sick as your secrets.” Then he would add: “If you’ve got a lot of secrets, you’re really sick.” When we sin, everything within us screams out “Cover it up. Turn off the lights. Bury the evidence. Destroy the tap...
Day 14: Daily
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, March 12, 2009
“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). The key word here is “daily.” As someone has noted, the problem of life is that it is so daily. So routine.So mundane.Several years ago I read about a distinguished Christian leader who made the following observa...
Day 13: Bigheartedness
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Mark 9 tells of a time when John came to Jesus with the news that there was a man casting out demons in Jesus’ name but because he was not a follower of the apostles, they told him to stop. Jesus corrected John with words these simple, insightful words:"Do not stop him. No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say any...
Day 12: Ophthalmology
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Ophthalmology is the branch of medicine dealing with diseases and surgery of the eye. I know a little bit about that, having had five surgeries on my eyes over the course of a five year period. I am enough of an expert to know this much. When you are looking for an ophthalmologist, you want someone who knows what he is doing, who doesn’t oper...
Day 11: Ambition
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, March 9, 2009
“Not so with you. Whoever wants to become great among you must first become your servant” (Mark 10:43). The whole episode begins with the strange request of James and John and ends in a heated dispute. It’s all perfectly natural because we were born to compete, to fight for the top spot, to look out for number one. Winning and los...
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Day 10: Delay
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, March 7, 2009
“Yet when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days” (John 11:6).Think about that for a moment. Jesus is the Son of God with power to heal the sick, yet when he hears about Lazarus whom he loved, he did not rush to his side to heal him. It does make sense on the surface. If you love someone, and if you can hel...
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Day 9: Toads
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, March 6, 2009
Lent feels like a long journey, and it is meant to feel that way. We often start in late February when winter still has a firm grip, and it seems like the promise of Easter and the coming of spring are a long time away. And the very nature of Lent, with its emphasis on introspection, repentance and confession, can weigh upon us, especially in the e...
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Day 8: Peacemakers
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, March 5, 2009
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:8).Peace never just happens. You have to go out of your way to make peace. That’s why Jesus said, “Blessed as the peacemakers"—not the peacewishers or the peacehopers. In a world torn by strife and fueled by hatred, we need Christians w...
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Day 7: Depletion
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, March 4, 2009
“Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me” (Luke 8:46). That’s what Jesus said when the sick woman fought through the crowd to touch the hem of his garment. In some way that we don’t fully understand, Jesus was conscious of God’s power flowing out from him into the body of the woman. Power that had be...
Day 6: Christlikeness
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Tuesday, March 3, 2009
“Conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29).How does the Father shape us into the image of his Son? A new Christian gave the answer with unusual insight. I pass it along for your consideration.I can see now that when I prayed for tolerance, God handed me a seemingly intolerable situation. When I prayed that God would show me ...
Day 5: Unhurried
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Monday, March 2, 2009
Charles Hummel’s classic booklet called Tyranny of the Urgent begins with a simple question. “Have you ever wished for a thirty-hour day?” Heads nod all round. When Hummel first wrote his classic essay in 1967, he identified the telephone as among the chief offenders against a peaceful life. What would he say today about the Inter...
Day 4: Excuses
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Saturday, February 28, 2009
In an article about John Henry Newman’s Lenten sermons, Edward T. Oakes said that Newman had one theme that he returned to time and again:No one sins without making some excuse to himself for sinning. Somehow when I read that, my mind drifted back to a volleyball game more than thirty years ago. I remember that it happened after a churc...
Day 3: Death
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Friday, February 27, 2009
Death may seem like a heavy topic for Lent but it is, after all, what Ash Wednesday is all about. When the worshipers come, they have a little bit of ash (usually taken from the burning of the palm crosses used in the previous year’s Palm Sunday) smudged on their forehead, sometimes in the sign of the cross. More importantly, the pastor then ...
Day 2: Vision
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Thursday, February 26, 2009
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). Think of these simple words. Pure.Heart.See.God.We know what those words mean individually, but put them together and we enter a new realm. How do I know if I am “pure in heart"? What does it mean to “see God"? And how should we put these phrases...
Day 1—Wilderness
Posted by Ray Pritchard on Wednesday, February 25, 2009
This is Day 1 of Lent, the forty days of preparation leading up to Easter, the day of ultimate celebration. A quick check of the Wikipedia entry will give you some helpful background. Note that in the Western tradition, Lent starts today with Ash Wednesday and continues until Holy Saturday, the day before Easter. Sundays are not counted as part of ...
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