Day 25, January 25, 2025

Scripture: Colossians 1:1-14

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,

2 To God’s holy people in Colossae, the faithful brothers and sisters in Christ:

Grace and peace to you from God our Father.

Thanksgiving and Prayer

3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel 6 that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. 7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Observation:

It is customary of Paul to begin one of his letters to the churches with a salutation and a thanksgiving for what God is doing in the church to which he is writing. His letter to the Colossians is no different. Paul is thankful for the Colossians faithfulness and growth in Christ Jesus.

Paul Writes: “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,  because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people—  the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel  that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace.” (Colossians 1:3-6)

Application:

We too, like Paul, should be thankful for the spread of the gospel message of grace and salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. When we witness transformed lives and the works that are inspired by faith and grace, we should join God in God’s work by praying for the faith of the people that we see in our lives. In much the same way, I am thankful for the people of Rock Church, for your love of God and for your love of God’s people. I pray that we all will “… live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God,  being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience,  and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.” (Colossians 1:10-12)

Prayer:

Dear Lord and Father of us All, I thank you for the people of Rock Church. I thank you for their love of God and love of people that inspires them to do good in our church, community, and our world. Bless them with the power and the presence of your Holy Spirit that their faith in Jesus Christ may grow exponentially and that the good news of the gospel of grace may expand in our community that we might reach others with your love and grace. Amen.

Day 23-January 23, 2025

Scripture: Luke 7:36-50

Jesus Anointed by a Sinful Woman

36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”

40 Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me, teacher,” he said.

41 “Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. 42 Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”

43 Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.”

“You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.

44 Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. 47 Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

48 Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”

49 The other guests began to say among themselves, “Who is this who even forgives sins?”

50 Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”

Observation:

36 When one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 A woman in that town who lived a sinful life learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, so she came there with an alabaster jar of perfume. 38 As she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.

This alabaster jar of perfume was very expensive outpouring from a woman who was consider very sinful. To be touched by an unclean person would make the person touched ceremonially unclean themselves.

But Jesus accepts her outpouring of the expensive perfume along with her wetting his feet with her tears and wiping his feet with her hair. He tells her that her many sins are forgiven.

Application:

Jesus knows the motives of our heart. He understands when we are thankful for his forgiveness and are generous towards God for his love. Let us be like the woman in the Gospel message today and be thankful for our salvation and be generous towards God.

Prayer:

Lord God, Father in Heaven, thank you for loving us so much that you sent your Son, Jesus so that we might be forgiven and saved by his loving act of sacrifice. Help us to remember by the power and the presence of your Holy Spirit your great love. Help us to show our thanfulness in living transformed lives of generosity and joy, all to your Glory. Amen.