Every Day with Jesus

In the first chapter of 1 Samuel we read of a woman, desperate for a child, who finds the favour of God, and gives back to the Lord what He has graciously given to her – a son. Samuel becomes a major figure in the life of Israel, anointing both the first king, Saul, and his successor, the shepherd David. But it all starts here, when he first listens to God. 

Bartimaeus is well known for being the blind man who was given his sight by Jesus: and he’s persistent. He just doesn’t give up trying to attract the attention of the man he knows can heal him! The crowds are telling him to keep quiet, to shut up, but he doesn’t listen to them. 

Peter and John have been proclaiming the good news of the gospel – and it is has brought them some unwanted attention. They have been jailed, but the amount of those being converted to Christ is growing (Acts 4:4). The message of Christ crucified, raised from the dead, and that He is the only way to God, is clearly causing a disturbance! The 

In Luke 14, we read what is essentially Jesus’ manifesto. He has come to ‘proclaim good news’, ‘freedom for the prisoners’, ‘recovery of sight for the blind’, and to ‘set the oppressed free’ (v18). This truly is the time of favour from God (v19). 

This passage in Isaiah tells us about the One who is promised – the One who would come, a child who would be born, who would walk among us as a man and yet be so much more. He is God in the flesh (Col. 2:9; Heb. 1:3), the One who would counsel us with His wisdom and show us who God is. He is also the ‘Prince of Peace’ (v6). 

Paul and Silas have been imprisoned. They haven’t just been thrown into jail; they have been flogged, and put into the inner cell, in the stocks. There is no earthly way they could escape. The reason for their imprisonment is what has just happened with a female slave. Obviously afflicted by a demonic spirit, the girl has been following them during their time in Philippi, shouting out truth – yet...

The disciples who had been following John the Baptist were now encouraged by the Baptist himself to follow the ‘Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world’ (John 1:29). Fascinatingly, as Andrew, Peter’s brother, and the other disciple begin to follow the Lord, He turns to them and asks a question. What do they want? 

In Acts 8 we read of great persecution that causes the first Christians to be ‘scattered’ (Acts 8:1). As a result of this scattering, the gospel is widely preached and there is a great move of God; we see Philip the evangelist performing signs and wonders in Jesus’ name (Acts 8:4–7). 

Jeremiah 29 has the famous verses about God’s plans that Christians very often quote! But let’s look at this promise in context. Promises here are being given to the Jewish exiles in Babylon, sent by the prophet Jeremiah, who was in Jerusalem, to the ‘surviving elders’ (Jer. 29:1) – a grim phrase. 

One of the hardest things about following Jesus is resting, when we want to ‘go’! Often it seems as if life has come to a full stop. In the wilderness, the Israelites were completely dependent on the God who had brought them out of Egypt to lead them and protect them in the perilous journey to the Promised Land. 

This is such an authentic piece of dialogue! Philip finds his friend and can’t wait to share the good news. ‘We’ve found the One we’ve been waiting for. The Messiah! It’s Jesus of Nazareth!’ ‘What? Nazareth?’ is the cynical reply. ‘That crummy backwater? You think something good could from there?’ 

This passage is an enthusiastic endorsement of grace: saved by God’s free, unmerited favour, we are raised up with Jesus Christ, ‘seated’ with Him in ‘heavenly realms’ (v6)! Why? Because of God’s love, mercy (v4) and kindness (v7)! 

In the Upper Room Discourse, Jesus was speaking with His disciples about many things – including the coming of the Holy Spirit. He talked about ‘another advocate’ (v16) – One who is like Jesus. This is the One who would ‘teach’ and ‘remind’ the disciples of Jesus’ words (v26). 

We can only imagine what is going through Peter’s mind as the resurrected Jesus asks him to go for a walk on the beach. The disciples have been fishing all night and caught nothing, and then, all of a sudden, there’s a man on the shoreline calling them to put down the nets on the other side of the boat. 

The two despondent disciples walking along the road are clearly confused about everything that has happened in their lives lately. The One they thought was going to set their people free from captivity has suffered a terrible death, and yet there are reports that He is alive.

Jesus has died. Mary has watched Him suffering on the cross. She has heard Him crying out, and witnessed the spear thrust into His side. She has seen His body taken down. He has been buried. He is dead. And yet, now, visiting His burial place, He’s not there. 

Jesus, the Servant King! The One who laid aside all majesty and became a man. Fully God, He walked this earth clothed in flesh, coming as a baby, born not in a palace but in an outhouse. He died a criminal’s death and was buried in a borrowed tomb. 

Even as He was being crucified, Jesus was forgiving His enemies. He had taught about the importance of forgiveness throughout His ministry; that He had power to forgive sins (Matt. 9:6) but also that we need to forgive each other (Matt. 6:14). 

When Jesus was talking with His disciples in the Upper Room, before He would be arrested and taken for trial and punishment, He spoke to them using a picture of a vine. It is such an evocative picture of what true discipleship should be like. He is explaining to them that unless they stay connected with Him, they really cannot accomplish anything. 

Mary’s act of worship was lavish; in contrast to Judas’ comment, which was based in personal greed (vv4–6). Mary is so grateful to Jesus; He has restored her brother to life. She has seen a miracle. Everything was lost, over, finished – and Jesus brought about restoration and new beginnings. 

The story of the ten girls who were waiting for the bridegroom to appear is a sobering one. Five of these lamp-carrying ‘bridesmaids’ ran out of oil for their lamps, and left to get some when the cry came that the bridegroom had arrived (v6), but by the time they were ready, it was too late for them to attend the wedding banquet. 

Here we read that Abram (later Abraham) and his family set out from their home in Ur, to go to live in the land of Canaan. It is fascinating to note that Terah, Abram’s father, was heading in the very direction that God would call his son to journey – with a rich promise that the land has been given to Abram’s descendants (Gen. 12:5–7). 

On the way to heal synagogue leader Jairus’ daughter, Jesus encounters an interruption. Someone touches Him. It seems extraordinary that He notices this; there’s a crowd pressing around Him. How does He know power has left Him (v30)? The woman, desperate, has gone to the only source of hope. 

There are several accounts of Jesus raising the dead in the Gospels. In the story of Jairus’ daughter, it is poignant as there has been an interruption and all seems lost (vv43–49). But with Jesus, delays are not important to His plans and purposes. 

The woman in this story is a widow; she is grieving, inconsolable. Her only son is dead – in a society where widows were wholly dependent on their sons to take care of them. Jesus sees the suffering, and His heart is touched. In compassion He tells her not to cry; He touches the coffin, and commands the young man back to life.