Read To Me DAILYنموونە

EXODUS 30-31:
In yesterday’s reading in Exodus, we heard the instructions for consecrating the priests for their special work.

PSALM 4:
Psalm 4 is an evening hymn expressing our trust in God.

LUKE 4b:
Yesterday we heard about Jesus being tested by the devil, and today we will revisit the story of how Jesus was rejected in his hometown. When Jesus had finished reading from that special place in Isaiah 61, he sat down. In our culture we are likely to assume that sitting down was without the expectation of teaching. But in Jewish practice of this time, teachers sat down to teach. Frequently in the Gospels we find Jesus taking a sitting position when teaching.

In verse 38, Luke uses Peter’s given name, Simon, not the name Jesus gave him in John 1, which was Cephas in Aramaic, and which is Petrus/Peter in Greek. Many readers of this gospel today won’t make the connection of Simon to Peter. Some people wonder if there is a rhyme or reason for where the gospel writers used one name or another, and most of the time I think the writers simply were using the name they normally called him. But in John 21, I think that Jesus calling him ‘Simon son of John’ is significant. On that day, Jesus did not use the name He had given to him. 

Let’s pray together.
O Lord, we have so many enemies, just like David said. We pray for your protection, like what David experienced. He could sleep all night, knowing that you were protecting him. And Lord, we have spiritual enemies as well. We note, heavenly Father, that the Lord Jesus defeated the devil through quoting Scripture. Lord we pray that we would know your Word, and how to apply the Word to ourselves, in order that we may defeat the Evil One. Lord Jesus, as you quoted from Isaiah, the Spirit of the Lord is upon You. And You preached Good News to the poor. May we do likewise. You proclaimed release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind. Lord heal physical and spiritual blindness. Release people under spiritual captivity. You have set free the oppressed, and you have announced that the time has come when you will save your people. Lord for those under the power of the devil, for all those oppressed spiritually, we pray Lord that you would bring your peace and salvation to them. And today we pray that we might live as those released from spiritual bondage, proclaiming your victory, and our safety in You.