Let’s pause for a moment and take stock of just how radical things are about to get. Jesus is beginning to articulate the overthrow of systems - both outer systems of oppression, and inner systems of spiritual complacency and false allegiance. From the beginning of Luke’s Gospel, we’ve heard about the mighty being brought down … Continue reading Luke 5:17-39 New Wine Skins
What needs to happen in our lives before we can hear and respond to a sense of call? As Luke introduces characters, he often hints at their backstories. Zechariah and Elizabeth are given a fairly elaborate backstory, and their lives provide the backstory to John the Baptist. The Annunciation and the Visitation give backstory to … Continue reading Luke 5:1-16 – The Call of the Deep
There are many ways of thinking about demons, and they all have seeds of wisdom in them. Skepticism is our default reaction when we hear about demons, and often we lace our skepticism with a trace of contempt for the past. But skepticism itself has some spiritual value. We don’t want to make too much … Continue reading Luke 4:14-44 Casting Out Demons
There are many reasons why we might find ourselves in the wilderness. When my mother died, I spent a year in a wilderness of grief. In a way I was lucky, because I could point to some loss, some reason for me being there. Sometimes, we find ourselves in the wilderness without a reason that … Continue reading Luke 4:1-13 The Wilderness
Matthew’s Gospel begins with a genealogy. So far in Luke, we’ve escaped it, and yet here it comes. All of those names that bewilder readers and seem so utterly pointless. Yes, there are some important names in the list. David is there, so we know that Jesus is descended from Israel’s great king, and therefore … Continue reading Luke 3:21-38 Son of Adam, Son of God
KPB Stevens 