Day 119 Bible Readings – John 1: 1-5 (ESV)

Joshua 15, Joshua 16, John 1:1-28, Psalm 71:19-24

John 1: 1-5 (ESV)

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

I love verses 1 through 5 from John 1. I never really understood these verses until I saw Episode 1 from Season 2 of The Chosen series. The writers of the show came up with a creative and interesting way to show how John might have come up with these verses. The “Word” is Jesus Christ and he was with God because he is part of the Trinity along with the Holy Spirit. Christ was with God when the world was created, and the world was created through Christ and God. Christ  and God are the life and light in men. The light of God and Christ shines in the darkness, and the darkness still has not overcome the light of God and Christ.  I’m sure Biblical scholars, pastors, and people who study the Bible have pondered what these verses mean, but I like the meaning that The Chosen series writers came up with in Episode 1 from the 2^nd season of The Chosen series.

Here's a clip showing an interaction between John and Jesus from The Chosen Season 2, Episode 1:

Day 118 Bible Readings for April 29 – Luke 24: 45-47 (ESV)

Joshua 13, Joshua 14, Luke 24:36-53, Psalm 71:9-18

Luke 24: 45-47 (ESV)

“Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.”

In verses 45 through 47 from Luke 24, we learn how the minds of the disciples were opened by Christ to understand the scripture. Then he explained to them why he had to suffer and die and rise from the dead. I find these verses so interesting because it makes me wonder what exactly Jesus did to open the minds of the disciples so they could understand the Scriptures. I think it makes sense that Jesus had do something supernatural with his disciples to make them understand what happened when he died. They must have been so freaked out by the crucifixion of their friend and master, which was made worse by the disappearance of the body of Jesus. The disciples were also still hiding from the Romans and the Sanhedrin when Jesus appeared to them.

Perhaps the disciples received what I’ve experienced when I felt an overwhelming sense of peace come over me from praying to God over an intense. I did not receive an understanding of the Scripture, but I did feel an almost “supernatural” sense that everything in my life was going to be okay. The feeling of peace came out of nowhere and it was palpable in my body, heart, and mind. I would like to think that the disciples received a similar sense of peace when they finally understood why Jesus had to die and how his death fulfilled what was written in Scripture, and how Christ died so we can freed from slavery of sin.

Day 117 Bible Readings – Luke 24: 30-31 (ESV)

Joshua 11, Joshua 12, Luke 24:1-35, Psalm 71:1-8

Luke 24: 30-31 (ESV)

“When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.”

In verses 30 and 31 from Luke 24, we read about the two men who had been talking to Jesus while walking on the road to Emmaus. We do not know their names and find out later that they were known to the disciples of Jesus. The two men spoke to Jesus but they did not know they were talking to him, until he broke bread with them. These men were not present at the Last Supper, so they didn’t know the significance of Jesus breaking bread with them. Biblical scholars have speculated why the two men did recognize Jesus until he broke bread with them, and some have written that there must have been something that Jesus did that made them realize who he was. Others have written that Jesus revealed himself to the two men when he broke the bread, and that’s when they recognized him

I love these verses because it shows the supernatural aspect of Christ, and how we may not recognize Jesus as being in our lives until he reveals himself to us. And when the two men realized they were talking to Jesus, he disappeared. That must have been a shock to them to have Jesus suddenly vanish from their sight. These verses for me validate the stories of angel sightings where a mysterious person shows up in people’s lives. This stranger says or does something miraculous and then disappears or is not seen again. Was it Jesus and the people did not recognize him, or was it an angel? I like to think it is Jesus showing up in life of his people, and providing care and miracles for them.

Day 116 Bible Readings – Luke 23: 40-43 (ESV)

Joshua 9:16-27, Joshua 10, Luke 23:26-56, Psalm 70

Luke 23: 40-43 (ESV)

“But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

In verses 40 through 43 from Luke 15, we read about the reactions of the man who was was being crucified next to Jesus. An author of a Bible study I read wrote that this is first example of a recorded death-bed conversion. I remember reading and hearing about this man who asked Jesus to remember him while they were both being crucified, and I never thought of it as a death-bed conversion. Even at the end of his life, Jesus was always kind to sinners. Jesus told the man that he would be saved and they would see each other in paradise. In these verses we read that there is always a chance to repent and be saved before you die. God is so merciful and graceful to us that even if we wait to the absolute last minute before we truly repent, we will be with God in paradise when our end comes.