Max Lucado: Christ – The Hope of Glory
The wasted years of life. The poor choices of life. God answers the mess of life with one word: grace! We talk as though we understand the term. But do we really understand it? Here’s my hunch: we’ve settled for wimpy grace. It politely occupies a phrase in a hymn, fits nicely on a church sign. Never causes trouble or demands a response. When asked, “Do you believe in grace?”—who could say no?
Ah, but grace is huge! Grace is the voice that calls us to change and then gives us the power to pull it off. When grace happens, it’s not a nice compliment from God we receive but a new heart. Give your heart to Christ, and he returns the favor. When grace happens, Christ enters. “Christ in you, the hope of glory!”
“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27?
From GRACE
Luke 9:18-36
Don’t Run from Suffering
18 One time when Jesus was off praying by himself, his disciples nearby, he asked them, “What are the crowds saying about me, about who I am?”
19 They said, “John the Baptizer. Others say Elijah. Still others say that one of the prophets from long ago has come back.”
20–21 He then asked, “And you—what are you saying about me? Who am I?”
Peter answered, “The Messiah of God.” Jesus then warned them to keep it quiet. They were to tell no one what Peter had said.
22 He went on, “It is necessary that the Son of Man proceed to an ordeal of suffering, be tried and found guilty by the religious leaders, high priests, and religion scholars, be killed, and on the third day be raised up alive.”
23–27 Then he told them what they could expect for themselves: “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat—I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What good would it do to get everything you want and lose you, the real you? If any of you is embarrassed with me and the way I’m leading you, know that the Son of Man will be far more embarrassed with you when he arrives in all his splendor in company with the Father and the holy angels. This isn’t, you realize, pie in the sky by and by. Some who have taken their stand right here are going to see it happen, see with their own eyes the kingdom of God.”
Jesus in His Glory
28–31 About eight days after saying this, he climbed the mountain to pray, taking Peter, John, and James along. While he was in prayer, the appearance of his face changed and his clothes became blinding white. At once two men were there talking with him. They turned out to be Moses and Elijah—and what a glorious appearance they made! They talked over his exodus, the one Jesus was about to complete in Jerusalem.
32–33 Meanwhile, Peter and those with him were slumped over in sleep. When they came to, rubbing their eyes, they saw Jesus in his glory and the two men standing with him. When Moses and Elijah had left, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, this is a great moment! Let’s build three memorials: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” He blurted this out without thinking.
34–35 While he was babbling on like this, a light-radiant cloud enveloped them. As they found themselves buried in the cloud, they became deeply aware of God. Then there was a voice out of the cloud: “This is my Son, the Chosen! Listen to him.”
36 When the sound of the voice died away, they saw Jesus there alone. They were speechless. And they continued speechless, said not one thing to anyone during those days of what they had seen.
Our Daily Bread reading and devotion
Saturday, January 03, 2026
by Poh Fang Chia
TODAY'S SCRIPTURE
Nehemiah 3:6-12
The Jeshanah Gate was rebuilt by Joiada son of Paseah and Meshullam son of Besodeiah; they repaired it, hung its doors, and installed its bolts and bars. Melatiah the Gibeonite, Jadon the Meronothite, and the men of Gibeon and Mizpah, which was under the rule of the governor from across the Euphrates, worked alongside them. Uzziel son of Harhaiah of the goldsmiths’ guild worked next to him, and next to him Hananiah, one of the perfumers. They rebuilt the wall of Jerusalem as far as the Broad Wall.
9–10 The next section was worked on by Rephaiah son of Hur, mayor of a half-district of Jerusalem. Next to him Jedaiah son of Harumaph rebuilt the front of his house; Hattush son of Hashabneiah worked next to him.
11–12 Malkijah son of Harim and Hasshub son of Pahath-Moab rebuilt another section that included the Tower of Furnaces. Working next to him was Shallum son of Hallohesh, mayor of the other half-district of Jerusalem, along with his daughters.
Today's Insights
Centuries before the wall-building effort led by Nehemiah (see Nehemiah 3), Moses, as directed by God, oversaw the construction of the tabernacle, the portable sanctuary where God met with His people. This special initiative also allowed for broad participation by His people with a variety of gifts. Giving to the project was open to all: “Everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the Lord for the work on the tent of meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments” (Exodus 35:21). Furthermore, those with unique gifts were given assignments. Unnamed skilled women (v. 25) and leaders (v. 27) also participated in the effort, as did Bezalel and Oholiab (vv. 30-35). Today, God has given all of us gifts, and He’ll show us how to use them to build up the church and serve our communities.
The Friendship Bench
We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. Romans 12:6
A young patient committed suicide because he couldn’t afford the bus fare to the hospital for mental health treatment. Distressed, Dr. Chibanda tested ways to make treatment more accessible. Friendship Bench was born, a program where therapists sit on discreetly placed benches, ready to counsel people with needs. And who did he train as therapists? Grandmothers! In an interview, Dr. Chibanda shared, “[Grandmothers] are rooted in their communities . . . they have an amazing ability to . . . make people feel respected and understood.”
In Nehemiah 3, we read of another project that involved unconventional groups of people. They understood that the city’s wall had to be rebuilt so they’d “no longer be in disgrace” (2:17). As Jerusalem lay in ruins, the surrounding nations mocked its defeat. And besides professional craftsmen like Uzziel, who was a goldsmith (3:8), others who may have had other talents—like Shallum, a district ruler—chipped in too (v. 12).
Just as Dr. Chibanda saw the influence and compassion of grandmothers to make a difference in mental healthcare in Zimbabwe, may God open our eyes to see the strengths of each person. God has gifted each of us with unique experiences, resources, and talents (Romans 12:6). Let’s allow Him to use us in building up the church and serving our community.
Reflect & Pray
What has God laid on your heart to do for the church or community? Who can you invite to join you?
Dear Father, please help me see the strengths in others so I may serve with them for good.
Discover more about being a serving church.
My Utmost for His Highest, by Oswald Chambers
Saturday, January 03, 2026
The Grace of God’s Forgetting
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. —Ephesians 2:8
No one can be saved by their own efforts. We have the sneaking idea that we can earn God’s favor by praying or by believing, by obeying or by repenting. But the only way we get into his favor is by the free gift of his almighty grace.
It takes some of us a long time to understand that we don’t deserve to be saved, and that nothing we do can make us deserving. We say to God, “I really am sorry for what I’ve done. I really am sick of myself.” If only this were true! We have to become sick to death of ourselves, even to the point of despair, even to the point where we can do nothing. Then we will be in the exact right state for receiving his overflowing grace. “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Ephesians 1:7).
Think of what God’s forgiveness means: it means he forgets away all our sins. Forgetting, in the human mind, may be a defect; in the divine mind it is an attribute. God illustrates it through vibrant images drawn from his creation: “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). “I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist” (Isaiah 44:22).
When we think of forgetting in human terms, we place limits on God’s grace that don’t exist. His overflowing grace never ends. When God forgets our sins, he forgets them completely: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18). This is the grace of God’s forgetting.
Genesis 7–9; Matthew 3
WISDOM FROM OSWALD
The Bible is the only Book that gives us any indication of the true nature of sin, and where it came from.
The Philosophy of Sin, 1107 R
