The Joy of Glory

Luke 4:14-37 (click here)
And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and a report about him went out through all the surrounding country.

And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…”

…they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority.

And they were all amazed and said to one another, “What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!” (Luke 4:14, 17-18, 32, and 36)

Reflection
Power and Authority…

Jesus went about in the power of the Holy Spirit, he claimed the Holy Spirit was upon him, he taught with authority, his actions confirmed his authority.

All that he said and did exuded the very power and authority of God.

What was the response?
Astonishment.
Confusion.
Questions.
Fear.

One feels all of these things when encountering Jesus.

You know that you have come into contact with one who is wholly other! He’s different from anyone else and everything else. He is wholly other because he is the holy one! Have you felt this? Have you felt the reality of who Jesus is?

We cannot say that we haven’t had the opportunity to encounter Jesus in power and authority because we did not live at the same time as he did. We cannot claim a lack of evidence concerning his power and authority because we did not see his works with our own eyes.

No. We are excuseless because we have his words.

His words, not just his works, are full of the power and authority of God! No one ever spoke like this man (John 7:46)! When you read his words…do you feel him speaking with authority and power?

What is your response?
Astonishment.
Confusion.
Questions.
Fear.

One feels all these things when encountering Jesus. Have you encountered him today? If not, read his words again…but not as mere words on a page…no. Read them slowly, prayerfully, asking the Lord to speak to you through them with all the power and authority they actually carry.

Read Jesus’ words, and encounter him!

*All previous devotionals may be found at www.thejoyofglory.com
*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

Matthew 16:13-23 (click here)
From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord! This shall never happen to you.” But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man. (Matthew 16:21-23)

Reflection
So often, God’s ways do not makes sense to us.

Jesus headed for suffering and death seemed so unnecessary…naturally his closest friends would think it a good thing to protect him from such a fate. Peter meant his words to Jesus as an expression of love and loyalty… yet Jesus saw them in a completely opposite light.

Jesus says that Peter has aligned himself with the very one who does not love him and is anything, but loyal…Satan himself.

Why? How?

It’s because Peter has set his mind on the things of man. He is looking at suffering and death from a mere human perspective and it seems a hopeless path.

However, from the eternal perspective of God, the suffering and death of Jesus will bring about the greatest victory ever known! If Peter set his mind on the things of God, even if he didn’t know the details, he would trust Jesus enough to follow him anywhere, even through suffering and death.

Peter knows that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:15-16) and this is what he needs to set his mind upon. Even though he cannot see the point of the path that lies before Jesus…he needs to trust Jesus.

In the midst of our uncertain world and uncertain lives, we are not a hopeless people, but a people of persistent hope because we set our minds not on the things of man and the things of this world…no…we set our minds on the things of God and his kingdom that cannot be shaken.

We set our minds on Jesus Christ and trust him completely…forever…with everything.

*All previous devotionals may be found at www.thejoyofglory.com
*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.

Mark 1:14-39 (click here)
And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him. (Mark 1:19-20)

Reflection
Everybody always makes a big deal out of the fact that James and John left the Father behind. While I’m willing to say that is a big deal in a way…in another way it’s kind of natural.

Most children grow up and leave home. They don’t work in a family business, they don’t live under the same roof…they leave and begin a primarily independent life.

There is something in the text that I always thought was a BIGGER deal than the fact they left Zebedee…what is it?

When I knew that I wanted to marry Holly, I found myself in need of a ring. Those tiny circles of precious metal topped with a rock can be just a little pricey…and I had no expendable cash.

Fortunately for me, I did have a few expendable possessions I could sell…the primary one being my boat.

Now don’t think “luxury yacht…” I had a very simple, very small fishing boat. But, it was still worth a little bit and I sold it to buy a ring. That’s how you know it is love…when a man is willing to part with his boat!

James and John didn’t just leave behind their father to follow Jesus… they left their BOAT!

Now…obviously I’m joking to a certain extent, but the point is this…in order to attach themselves to Jesus, they were willing to forsake everything that had been gain for them…relationships, careers, possessions…and yes…that even included their boat.

That’s how you know it’s love…when you’re willing to abandon all to have Jesus!

Do you love him?

*All previous devotionals may be found at www.thejoyofglory.com
*The complete SVCC Lenten reading guide is available here.