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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24 June 10
            Good evening, dear people.
            Yes…I’m tired.  Obviously, I didn’t get this off in the morning.  I had an appointment to sit in a dental chair at 7am.  Then I worked all day, much of which was in connection with the Estate Sale we put on here at our place to liquidate the stuff Gramma Kate left behind.  I guess that’s what happens when we die…we leave all our STUFF behind.  There was a huge amount of traffic through here today.
            I better shut down before I fall down.
            Blessings.
                                                          Love, Dad/Ray
           
 
24 June 2010
Passage: Luke 22:1-38
Focus: “Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.” Luke 22:7.
            I encourage you to give careful thought to this verse, as well as the rest of the passage.  And pay particular attention to verse 16 where Jesus says, “I will not eat it again (i.e., the Passover supper with the new meaning given here by Jesus) until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”  I take that to mean that the ultimate fulfillment and completion of the work of Christ is still future. 
            Now, having read this carefully, may I suggest that you just sit there quiet for awhile and allow the significance of this account to refresh and stimulate your appreciation for the amazing plan of God being fulfilled.  We can say that here before the dull senses of this group of disciples is being drawn a line of demarcation by the Sovereign God in His creation, a line that separates one side from the other—the fulfillment of the OLD and the beginning of the NEW.
            As Jesus went through this very Jewish, predictable, and traditional Passover ceremony with His disciples on this occasion, I think the disciples were just a little bit shaken.  Jesus was conducting it in a manner never before witnessed. He was saying things never before heard.  They were not able to grasp the full meaning of His words when He said, “This is my body given for you.”  Nor did they comprehend when He said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”  The fact is that the PASSOVER LAMB was here performing and fulfilling the Passover ceremony before their very eyes.  Think of it!
 
            “Salvation is by atonement—not by attainment.”