Reflecting the Image (by Carla Sunberg)

Two-year-old Halston wanting his own way with the manger. Seems like some of the  religious officials in Jesus' day had a hard time growing up,  and continued wanting their own way.  Scripture: Luke 20:1     One day, as he was teaching the people in the temple and telling the good news, the chief priests and the scribes came with the elders 2 and said to him, “Tell us, by what authority are you doing these things? Who is it who gave you this authority?” 3 He answered them, “I will also ask you a question, and you tell me: 4 Did the baptism of John come from heaven, or was it of human origin?” 5 They discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why did you not believe him?’ 6 But if we say, ‘Of human origin,’ all the people will stone us; for they are convinced that John was a prophet.” 7 So they answered that they did not know where it came from. 8 Then Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what author...

Little Alice served up a great reminder of reorientation  when she didn't ask Santa for anything, but wanted to  wish him a Merry Christmas. That's the note she sent him.  Scripture: Luke 19:45     Then he entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling things there; 46 and he said, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer’; but you have made it a den of robbers.” Luke 19:47   Every day he was teaching in the temple. The chief priests, the scribes, and the leaders of the people kept looking for a way to kill him; 48 but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were spellbound by what they heard. Observation: There are two parts to this scene in which Jesus reorients the temple for the mission of God. The opening scene is a “prophetic critique of the temple” in which “Jesus recovers the temple for its legitimate use” (Green, NICNT). The problem for the religious leaders is that Jes...

How can we be instruments of peace this Christmas season? (Enjoying a nice night out with my hubby) Scripture: Luke 19:41   As he came near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 saying, “If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. 43 Indeed, the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up ramparts around you and surround you, and hem you in on every side. 44 They will crush you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave within you one stone upon another; because you did not recognize the time of your visitation from God.” Observation: As Jesus continued to prepare his disciples for the future he looked over Jerusalem, and wept. What he saw was a city that had turned her back on God. The people thought that they were extremely religious, for this was the heart of Jewish worship, but they failed to see and understand the signs that he had provided for...

Scripture: Luke 19:29     When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 32 So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 They said, “The Lord needs it.” 35 Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is th...