Tag Archives: Luke’s Gospel

Palm Sunday (Luke 19:28-40)

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.” (1 Corinthians 15:3-5)

Palm Sunday reminds us both of the claims to kingship that Jesus made about himself, claims that were embraced by many who had witnessed his miracles, but rejected by those in power as a threat to their position.

Jesus’ Sorrow (Luke 13:31-35)

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, from the house of the Lord we bless you!” (Psalm 118:26)

How have we as churches (as opposed to individuals) disappointed Jesus? The shortcomings of the Pharisees are itemised in Matthew 23, but what might Jesus want to say to us today? Given that His summary of the Old Testament Law was that we should love God and our neighbour, it may be that we should give thought to this question: are our rituals becoming more important than our relationships?

Paradise Regained (Luke 4:1-13)

“We have a high priest who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet he did not sin” Hebrews 4:15

What has forty days in a wilderness fasting and being tempted by the devil to do with paradise? Everything. In the wilderness experience, Jesus wrestled with what it really meant to be God’s son. In so doing, he prepared himself to resist the temptations of a public ministry. Let’s all use this Lent, to learn afresh what it means to be a disciple of Christ and to prepare ourselves to resist the temptations we may face.