Home > Daily Readings Archive > Page 299

NALC Devotions – September 27, 2017

Today’s readings: 1 Kings 9:24–10:13; James 3:1-12; Mark 15:1-11 Man’s judicial system has always been far from flawless. Sometimes the innocent are jailed and the guilty go free. The chief priests falsely charged Jesus with blasphemy. Ultimately, Jesus was turned over to Pilate, who found no guilt in him. Pilate, however, was under no obligation to
Read More

NALC Devotions – September 26, 2017

Today’s readings: 1 Kings 8:65–9:9; James 2:14-26; Mark 14:66-72 What kind of faith do you have? Is it the kind of faith that kindles faithful works? Real faith does just that, but here we need to be careful. Sometimes—indeed, too often—people point to their works and think something like, Surely, God favors me because I have
Read More

NALC Devotions – September 25, 2017

Today’s readings: 2 Chronicles 6:32–7:7; James 2:1-13; Mark 14:53-65 In our Old Testament reading, God is implored to show mercy, even to foreigners and those who sin against him. In the New Testament reading, it is we who are taught to be impartial and to love our neighbors. Yet, in the Gospel reading, we observe
Read More

NALC Devotions – September 24, 2017

Today’s readings: 1 Kings 8:22-40; 1 Timothy 4:7b-16; John 8:47-59 If we are “of” something or someone, it is our identity. A person representing his or her company might say: “Hi, I’m Pat from XYZ Corporation.” The Jews who were arguing back and forth with Jesus in our Gospel lesson, knew him as Jesus “of” Nazareth.
Read More

NALC Devotions – September 23, 2017

Today’s readings: 1 Kings 7:51–8:21; Acts 28:17-31; Mark 14:43-52 “this sect… that everywhere… is spoken against.” Luke-Acts is a two-volume history of the penetration of the world by the Word of God. At the beginning of Luke, Jesus is “a sign that will be spoken against” (2:34). By the end of Acts, believers are “everywhere… spoken against” (28:22).
Read More

NALC Devotions – September 22, 2017

Today’s readings: 1 Kings 5:1–6:1, 7; Acts 28:1-16; Mark 14:27-42 Jesus’ betrayer is coming. The disciples will forsake their Lord in just a little while. Jesus did not give in to the domination of the ruling authorities. He had been bringing God’s kingdom to his own people, a kingdom of partnership, not domination. Jesus refused to draw lines between
Read More

NALC Devotions – September 21, 2017

Today’s readings: 1 Kings 3:16-28; Acts 27:27-44; Mark 14:12-26 Jesus and his disciples made preparations for the celebration of Passover. On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, a Passover lamb was customarily sacrificed. The Passover lamb was to be a male without blemish. Bread for the meal was made without yeast. During this Passover everything was
Read More

NALC Devotions – September 20, 2017

Today’s readings: 1 Kings 3:1-15; Acts 27:9-26; Mark 14:1-11 The chief priests and the scribes supposed him a threat, so they conspired to arrest him and have him killed. Judas Iscariot turned traitor and made arrangements to betray him, receiving a handsome reward for his dubious effort. Such is the backdrop of today’s gospel text; Jesus
Read More