Jesus – Page 16 – 300 words a day

Testing God

[Matthew 4:5-7] Don’t test God. That’s what Jesus says to the devil. The devil said to jump off the temple wall. He said that God had promised to send angels to catch people who were falling. Jesus says, “It is also written, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Want to go […]

by Jon Swanson

Risky business

[Matthew 4:5-6] The devil says to jump. That’s what Matthew tells us in his description of the testing of Jesus. You know the thing mothers are supposed to have said? When you say that everyone is doing something, they are supposed to say, “If everyone was jumping off a cliff would you jump?” We know […]

by Jon Swanson

up and down

[Matthew 3:17-4:2] The heavens parted. We use that phrase jokingly when someone is about to make some dramatic pronouncement. In the situation that Matthew talks about, there was a dramatic pronouncement. Though not a joke, it feels pretty friendly. The Father says of the Son, “I’m proud of him.” And then, while there is still […]

by Jon Swanson

more urgent

I heard this today: “Forming people in Christ as a slow work, so it can’t be hurried; it is an urgent work, so it can’t be delayed.” Eugene Peterson said it. He’s the pastor and teacher who “wrote” The Message. It’s a paraphrase, taking the Bible and telling it in contemporary language and images. I […]

by Jon Swanson

urgent

(Matthew 2:13-23) John Kotter discovered that even when organizations have plans to make changes that will help them, about 70% don’t do anything. About 10% organizations with plans experience great success. The difference between the 70% and the 10%? A sense of urgency. If change doesn’t happen, the 10% believes, their organization will suffer. The […]