Sunday 22 Dec 2019

December 22: Luke 4:15-21

Key Verse: Luke 4:21
He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

Devotion:
Can you imagine being in a synagogue and listening to Jesus preaching? I'm pretty sure most people did not know exactly who was speaking to them in the beginning... but can you imagine being able to go back in time and sit and listen to Him preach knowing as we do now He was the Messiah! Well, we don't have to travel back in time to hear His words because many of them have been written down for us to read. Yes, I know, reading about it and being there are not quite the same, but we do have His Word – how special is that!

It is little wonder the bible has sold more copies than any other book in history. When Christ promised His Word would not go unheard, that exactly what He was saying... His word would reach every nation before His return. There are many people out there who are yet to hear about God. There are people out there who are yet to see His Word... and yet we take it as if it were another book on the shelf... How do you treat your bible? How often does it get taken off the shelf to be read?

The more our society progresses towards a multi-everything society, the more we are losing sight of Christ at Christmas time. The more we lose sight of Him, the more we get taken away by the temptations which surround us. The more we get led away from His Word, the less we are likely to exercise spiritually. The less we exercise, the less we do; we get caught up in a downward spiral leading to all manner of things happening in our lives! Would you be brave enough to stand up and tell Christ what you have been up to the last year – If we want to face Him face to face, then we had better make sure we are on the right tracks and that we will recognise Him!

Points to Ponder:
How would you recognise someone you have not yet met?

What do you think Christ's first impression of you would be?