Insightful Musings on the New Testament
by
Ray Sparre, NU class of '67

Ray has a wealth of experience as a Husband, Father, Pastor, Missionary, and student of the Word. He believes and practices his faith where the rubber meets the road. You'll find his writings to be practical, insightful, and grounded in a truly Christ-centered world view.

Below are links to a printable daily Bible reading guide which Ray is following, and an archive of all his daily devotional writings for 2010.

|  Daily Reading Guide  |  2010 Devotion Archives  |
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17 May 10
    Good morning, dear special people.
    7:24am at present.  I need to get out and begin to take on the challenges of the day.  I'm glad it's not raining.
    Have a great day.  And stay on the RISING side of the aisle.
        Love, Dad/Ray
 
17 May 2010
Passage: Luke 2:21-52
Focus: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many…”  Luke 2:34.
            Old man Simeon directed these words to Mary when she and Joseph brought baby Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to be dedicated.  It really is a remarkable prophecy.  “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against.”
            Just before this address to Mary, Simeon had burst forth in a prophetic praise to God.  “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace.  For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel” (Luke 2:29-32).
            My overview of Biblical revelation would indicate that people who have no means for knowing truth and righteousness are not judged as much guilty against the truth and law of God as those who have been given revelation light.  (Consider Jn. 9:41; Mtt. 10:34, 11:20-24; Lk. 12:48; Rom. 4:15, 5:13, 7:8)  Those who have been given light have no excuse for remaining in the dark.  Jesus, of course, is that LIGHT.  He is the Revelation of God to man.  Men are now responsible for how they respond to that Light and Revelation.  Thus, Jesus Christ becomes the determining factor of man’s eternal falling or rising.
            Notice too the statement of Simeon that this child is destined “to be a sign that will be spoken against.”  There is a sadness to the story of Jesus as we behold men so mistreating their only hope of salvation from sin.  And it is very sad to hear so many people today still speaking against Jesus Christ as though He were so much trash.  I hope you do not find yourself comfortable with popular profanity that reduces His Name to no more than a blasphemous exclamation.  Arrogantly and unwittingly, they are confirming their own eternal falling.
            Ah, but for those of us who respond to this Light, it’s an entirely different story.  We are like a drowning man clinging to the life line of our only hope, and find Jesus Christ to be a mighty Savior—our only hope for rising.  (Jn. 1:12; Rom. 1:17-17; 1 Cor. 1:18-19)
 
            “Three pictures of doom: Knowledge without wisdom, a ship without a port, and a man without Christ.”