Ken Winter

It was the first day of the week, and the crowd was enthusiastically welcoming Jesus into the city. Most of the people spread their garments or branches on the road before Him. Everyone appeared to love Jesus! Well, maybe not everyone. But, at that moment, you would have thought everyone did by the way the crowd was acting. 

The statement was made by Gamaliel, who appears to have been a voice of reason and carried great weight with the high priest Caiaphas, Annas and the others on the high council.

The man had not come to the pool of Bethesda that day expecting to encounter Jesus. He was hopelessly trusting in a pool of water that had no power. He didn’t even know who Jesus was. But Jesus knew him!

The day had started out no different from any other. A large crowd had been following Him throughout the day. Jesus was approaching the gate to enter the village of Nain. At the same time, a funeral procession was making its way out of the village on its way to the cemetery.

i often wonder what i would have done. Jesus asked the servants at the wedding in Cana to do something that was outlandish. They had no reason to expect the outcome that occurred. But that’s why Jesus rewarded their faith.

i can’t say i found God because i was pursuing Him. Rather, He was pursuing me. In that regard, i have a lot in common with Matthew. Perhaps, you do too.

John the baptizer was a man of conviction and courage – the greatest of the prophets. He came in the spirit and power of Elijah.

The apostle Andrew who grew up in the shadow of his older brother Simon Peter cast quite a shadow himself – a shadow that led others to Jesus.

Judas Iscariot didn’t set out on his journey to follow Jesus with betrayal on his mind. He followed Jesus because he truly believed that Jesus was the promised Messiah.  

As I stood there watching Jesus, I was ashamed. How many times had I walked through that court and done nothing? How many times had I ignored the sin in God’s temple?  

Soon I was standing there watching Jesus walk away. Right behind Him were my wife, my sons, my partners, and my friends. I would be less than honest if I didn’t confess that at that moment I felt very alone.