Luke 23:1-25 , Bible Reading and Daily Devotionals

Max Lucado Daily: What a Difference a Leaf Makes - July 25, 2022

Encourage those who are struggling. Don’t know what to say? Then open your Bible. The olive leaf for the Christian is a verse of Scripture.

To the grief stricken: “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’” (Hebrews 13:5 NIV).

To the guilt ridden: “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1 NIV).

To the jobless: “In all things God works for the good of those who love him” (Romans 8:28 NIV).

To those who feel beyond God’s grace: “Whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NIV).

After receiving his olive leaf, Noah was a changed man. He went up the ladder of the ark with questions, but he came down the ladder with confidence. What a difference one leaf makes!

Luke 23:1-25

Pilate

Then they all took Jesus to Pilate and began to bring up charges against him. They said, “We found this man undermining our law and order, forbidding taxes to be paid to Caesar, setting himself up as Messiah-King.”

3 Pilate asked him, “Is this true that you’re ‘King of the Jews’?”

“Those are your words, not mine,” Jesus replied.

4 Pilate told the high priests and the accompanying crowd, “I find nothing wrong here. He seems harmless enough to me.”

5 But they were vehement. “He’s stirring up unrest among the people with his teaching, disturbing the peace everywhere, starting in Galilee and now all through Judea. He’s a dangerous man, endangering the peace.”

6-7 When Pilate heard that, he asked, “So, he’s a Galilean?” Realizing that he properly came under Herod’s jurisdiction, he passed the buck to Herod, who just happened to be in Jerusalem for a few days.

8-10 Herod was delighted when Jesus showed up. He had wanted for a long time to see him, he’d heard so much about him. He hoped to see him do something spectacular. He peppered him with questions. Jesus didn’t answer—not one word. But the high priests and religion scholars were right there, saying their piece, strident and shrill in their accusations.

11-12 Mightily offended, Herod turned on Jesus. His soldiers joined in, taunting and jeering. Then they dressed him up in an elaborate king costume and sent him back to Pilate. That day Herod and Pilate became thick as thieves. Always before they had kept their distance.

13-16 Then Pilate called in the high priests, rulers, and the others and said, “You brought this man to me as a disturber of the peace. I examined him in front of all of you and found there was nothing to your charge. And neither did Herod, for he has sent him back here with a clean bill of health. It’s clear that he’s done nothing wrong, let alone anything deserving death. I’m going to warn him to watch his step and let him go.”

18-20 At that, the crowd went wild: “Kill him! Give us Barabbas!” (Barabbas had been thrown in prison for starting a riot in the city and for murder.) Pilate still wanted to let Jesus go, and so spoke out again.

21 But they kept shouting back, “Crucify! Crucify him!”

22 He tried a third time. “But for what crime? I’ve found nothing in him deserving death. I’m going to warn him to watch his step and let him go.”

23-25 But they kept at it, a shouting mob, demanding that he be crucified. And finally they shouted him down. Pilate caved in and gave them what they wanted. He released the man thrown in prison for rioting and murder, and gave them Jesus to do whatever they wanted.

Our Daily Bread reading and devotion   
Monday, July 25, 2022

Today's Scripture
Hebrews 12:1–3

Discipline in a Long-Distance Race

1–3     12 Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!

Insight

The author of Hebrews never identified himself. Scholars have suggested Paul or even Barnabas, Luke, Clement, or Apollos. Whoever it was, the author clearly understood that his readers would need perseverance to face the trials and persecution they’d encounter. Throughout the book, readers are encouraged to endure and hold fast to Christ (2:1–4; 3:7–4:13; 5:11–6:2). And in 10:39, we’re reminded that believers in Jesus “do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved.” Then in Hebrews 11, known as the “Hall of Faith,” the author commended the many men and women of the Bible who lived by faith and sometimes died because of it. Therefore, because of their witness and example, believers in Jesus are prompted to “run with perseverance the race marked out for [them]” (12:1). At the end of the book, we’re given this promise: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (13:5). By: Alyson Kieda

Traveling Light

et us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Hebrews 12:1

A man named James took an adventurous, 1,250-mile journey down the West Coast of the US—biking from Seattle, Washington, to San Diego, California. A friend of mine met the ambitious biker near the cliffs of Big Sur, 930 miles from his starting point. After learning that someone had recently stolen James’ camping gear, my friend offered his blanket and sweater, but James refused. He said that as he traveled south into the warmer climate, he needed to begin shedding items. And the closer he got to his destination, the more tired he became, so he needed to reduce the weight he was carrying.

James’ realization was smart. It’s a reflection of what the writer of Hebrews is saying too. As we continue our journey in life, we need to “throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles” (12:1). We need to travel light to press on.

As believers in Jesus, running this race requires “perseverance” (v. 1). And one of the ways to ensure we can keep going is to be free of the weight of unforgiveness, pettiness, and other sins that will hinder us.

Without Jesus’ help, we can’t travel light and run this race well. May we look to the “pioneer and perfecter of faith” so that we won’t “grow weary and lose heart” (vv. 2–3). By:  Katara Patton

Reflect & Pray

What do you sense is weighing you down on your life journey? How might you persevere and be free of the weight that entangles?

Heavenly Father, I thank You for the race You’ve set before me. Please give me wisdom and discernment to steer clear of the sin that tries to entangle me and prevent me from running well.

My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Monday, July 25, 2022

His Nature and Our Motives

…unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. —Matthew 5:20

The characteristic of a disciple is not that he does good things, but that he is good in his motives, having been made good by the supernatural grace of God. The only thing that exceeds right-doing is right-being. Jesus Christ came to place within anyone who would let Him a new heredity that would have a righteousness exceeding that of the scribes and Pharisees. Jesus is saying, “If you are My disciple, you must be right not only in your actions, but also in your motives, your aspirations, and in the deep recesses of the thoughts of your mind.” Your motives must be so pure that God Almighty can see nothing to rebuke. Who can stand in the eternal light of God and have nothing for Him to rebuke? Only the Son of God, and Jesus Christ claims that through His redemption He can place within anyone His own nature and make that person as pure and as simple as a child. The purity that God demands is impossible unless I can be remade within, and that is exactly what Jesus has undertaken to do through His redemption.

No one can make himself pure by obeying laws. Jesus Christ does not give us rules and regulations— He gives us His teachings which are truths that can only be interpreted by His nature which He places within us. The great wonder of Jesus Christ’s salvation is that He changes our heredity. He does not change human nature— He changes its source, and thereby its motives as well.

Wisdom From Oswald Chambers

The main characteristic which is the proof of the indwelling Spirit is an amazing tenderness in personal dealing, and a blazing truthfulness with regard to God’s Word. Disciples Indeed, 386 R

Bible in a Year: Psalms 35-36; Acts 25

A Word with You, by Ron Hutchcraft
Monday, July 25, 2022

Never More Than You Can Carry - #9271

A new staff couple had just arrived with their U-Haul truck, moving to our area from the Southwest. And a bunch of us were there to meet them and help them move into their apartment. Our then-four-year-old grandson insisted on joining the moving crew. I was inside the truck, handing out items as helpers came to get some more, and no one made more trips than the youngest mover there. Now, I didn't give him the couch to carry, or the dresser or the TV set. You know, I gave him small boxes, small appliances, light objects to carry. There's only so much a four-year-old can handle. Or even someone who's a lot more than four years old - like me, for example.

I'm Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about "Never More Than You Can Carry."

We all have some loads to carry; that's the nature of life. And sometimes it's so heavy that it takes everything we've got to keep from dropping it or caving in beneath the weight. Maybe this is one of those seasons of heavy burdens for you. I've got some good news for you-news that's contained in our word for today from the Word of God in 1 Corinthians 10:13. Here is your Heavenly Father's promise: "God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted (or the word can also be translated "tested") beyond what you can bear. For when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so you can stand up under it."

Did you get that, "Never more than you can bear"? Just like that day I handed loads to my grandson for him to carry. I knew what he could handle. I wouldn't give him more than he could carry. Well, neither will your Father in heaven who loves you infinitely and knows you completely. Everything comes into your life as a child of God, it has to be Father-filtered first. Whether your Father sends it or allows it, no burden, no temptation can come into your life unless He has first signed off on it. Will He allow burdens that take you to the limit? Yes, He will. Ask any athlete who's ever used the weight room. The only way you can get stronger is if you have to lift something heavier than you've lifted before. But God knows your limit, and while He may allow you to go to the edge so you can experience His power, He will never allow you to go over the edge.

Maybe you feel like Mother Teresa who is reported to have said, "I know God trusts me and He will never let me have more than I can handle. I just wish He didn't trust me so much." Well, in a very real way, God's trust is what your burdens are all about. Look at Job. He had no idea that his motives for serving God were being challenged by Satan himself in heaven. And the devil knew he couldn't do anything bad to Job unless God allowed him to. And God looks at his servant Job and says, "I can trust this man with a very heavy load. He will not betray me. He will not stop trusting me." And with one tragedy after another flooding into his life, Job proves he is a man God can trust. And, in the process, he humiliates the devil who was sure he could embarrass God with Job's betrayal.

If you're having to carry something really heavy right now, realize you are indeed being trusted by God with this burden. He believes you can handle it, with His unlimited power as your strength. He believes you won't let Him down. And He knows you will emerge from this struggle stronger and more valuable than you've ever been. For Job, it meant receiving twice what he had lost during his time of testing.

Your Father loves you. Your Father knows what you can handle. He knows what He can trust you with. There's something much bigger, something much more eternal going on here than you could possibly imagine, maybe even a contest over you between the devil and God Himself.

Carry your burden faithfully, with undiminished allegiance to your Lord and daily downloading of the mighty grace of God. And as your Father hands you today's load to carry, be sure that He knows how much you can handle, and He will never give you more than you can carry.