Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

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Exegesis of Luke 22:39-46

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There is no Biblical writer who emphasizes the importance of prayer more than St. Luke. In his gospel, we encounter Jesus either praying or on his way to pray at least ten times (3:21; 5:16; 6:12; 9:18,28,29; 11:1; and 22:11,32,39,41,44), and we hear him encouraging prayer at least seventeen more times. In contrast, Matthew and Mark use the word “pray” just 31 times — combined. And interestly, although John records the longest, most detailed and most magnificent prayer in Scripture, the high priestly prayer of chapter 17, he uses the word pray only twice, both of which appear in 17:9. Luke will continue his prayerful theme throughout the book of Acts, where it comes up another 31 times. In contrast, Paul, despite his call for us to pray unceasingly, wrote about prayer just 37 times. Mary and Zechariah get credit for the most beautiful prayers in Luke’s gospel, but no prayer by Jesus is either more intense than the one recorded in Luke 22:39-46. Modeling what he taught us during the Se...
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Mark 14:37

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And he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour? It was only one hour. Maybe to a 4-year-old an hour is a long time, but for most of us, an hour is but a blip of time. Our Sunday afternoon football games take three hours. Some of our baseball games run four hours. A round of golf, including a trip to the clubhouse? It strikes me today that Jesus' urging to Peter to wake up is yet another call to be faithful, another call that not only will Peter fail but one that we fail. Remember, this is Peter, too ... Peter, a disciple who has been walking with Jesus for three years. Peter, a man who has witnessed countless miracles. Peter, the man on whom God will build the church (Matt 16:18). Peter, who has given up everything to be with the Lord. But Peter is just like you and me: he not only falls asleep in unfaithfulness, he turns around the next day and denies he even knows Jesus. "The spirit is willing, ...
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We are ungodly. We can be saved. Acts 8:1

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And Saul approved of their killing him. There are certain passages of Scripture that just cut to the heart. Today, Day 2 of my reading of Acts, this line hit pretty hard, probably because of some recent conversations I have been having about calling sin sin. Saul, I was reminded, is a murderer. This devout Hellenistic Jew, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Pharisee, someone who is supposed to be one of the Good Guys, conspired in the arrest, trial, conviction, and punishment of Christians. Saul was excellent at persecution. And here, he led the charge in stoning Stephen to death. Saul is a murderer. You understand what that means don't you? Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him (1 John 3:15). For out of the heart come evil thoughts — murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what defile a person (Matt. 15:19-20). Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the k...
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