The Passion of Jesus Christ Holy Week (Instead of focusing on Easter’s lesson of the day through Holy Week, I have chosen to reflect on what Jesus said and did each day of Holy Week. Many of my thoughts are drawn from Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan’s book, The Last Week.) Monday–The Passion of […]
Year 4, Narrative Lectionary, John.
John 19:16b-22, Jesus King of the Jews
Jesus King of the Jews Devotions on John 19:16b-22 Monday–Jesus King of the Jews “So they took Jesus” (John 19:16b) Pushing and shoving, the Jewish authorities and the crowd force Jesus to walk what we now call the Via De La Rosa. Foolishly they convince themselves that they have taken an itinerant preacher from […]
John 19:1-16a, Jesus Before Pilate
Jesus Before Pilate Devotions on John 19:1-16a Monday–Jesus Before Pilate “They kept coming to him saying “Hail, King of the Jews” (John 19:3)! Cindy Dawson, was raised in a conservative Christian family. She took her faith seriously, at an early age. This meant that she didn’t drink or take drugs at any of the […]
John 18:28-40, Jesus Before Pilate
Jesus Before Pilate Devotions on John 18:28-40 Monday–Jesus Before Pilate “They themselves did not enter the headquarters, so as to avoid ritual defilement” (John 18:28). In the middle of the drama of that first Holy Week, the Jewish leaders demonstrated a natural human inclination. They attempted to keep themselves “holy” by keeping themselves separate. […]
Devotions on John 18:12-27–Peter Denies Jesus
Peter Denies Jesus John 18:12-27 Monday–Peter Denies Jesus “Caiaphas, was the one who had advised the Jews that it was better to have one person die for the people” (John 18:14) Caiaphas was correct. It was better for one person to die for the people. His intention was that Jesus would die so that […]
John 13:1-17, Jesus Washes the Disciples Feet
Jesus Washes the Disciples Feet Devotions on John 13:1-17 Monday–Jesus Washes the Disciples Feet8– “Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end” (John 13:1). It is easy to imagine the three years Jesus and his disciples spent together as the equivalent of a good old boy fishing trip […]
John 11:1-44, I Am the Resurrection and the Life
I Am the Resurrection and the Life Devotions for John 11:1-44 Monday–I Am the Resurrection and the Life “Though Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus … he stayed two days longer in the place where he was” (John 11:6). The fact that Jesus did not respond immediately to the new of Lazarus’ sickness, […]
John 9:1-41, Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind
Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind Devotions on John 9:1-41 Monday–Jesus Heals a Man Born Blind “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him’” (John 9:3). Henry was at a difficult point in his life—a crossroads of sorts. The decisions that he faced […]
John 4:1-42, Woman at the Well
Woman at the Well Devotions for John 4:1-42 Monday–Woman at the Well “Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard ‘Jesus is making and baptizing more disciples than John” … he left Judea and started back to Galilee (John 4:1-3). The community symphony was playing a piece by Mozart. It was a cascade […]
John 3:1-21, For God So Loved the World
For God So Loved the World Devotions on John 3:1-21 Monday–For God So Loved the World “No one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God” (John 3:2). Many criticisms have been leveled at Nicodemus. He approached Jesus in a cowardly manner, in the middle of the night. Nicodemus […]