Wednesday, April 15: Luke 21- The wonder of Jesus' teaching.

The chapter closes with these words, Each day Jesus was teaching at the temple, and each evening he went out to spend the night on the hill called the Mount of Olives, and all the people came early in the morning to hear him at the temple (37-38).

I sat and wondered what it would have been like to go and hear Jesus teach? It sounds like people came everyday to listen to Jesus teach. Were they the people of the city? Were they people who came to Jerusalem for the Passover feast? Did they not have jobs they needed to go to? Was it a regular occurrence to go and hear a rabbi teach or was the reputation of Jesus and all the chatter about Jesus that drew people to hear him?

I went back and looked.  Jesus shows up in Jerusalem, at the end of chapter 19, arriving with His triumphal entry, so expectation was high that God was on the move. And the city was swelling with Passover pilgrims. I wondered what else Jesus taught. We have only a few accounts of His temple preaching here.

I pondered and tried to picture what it would be like back then. I wondered if I would have gone to see Jesus or if I would have lived life as usual? I am not one to go and see these big name preachers (although I have gone to see Billy Graham twice in my life).

My ponderings morphed. I wondered how people could be drawn to him one day and could have cared less or even shouted, “crucify him” only a few days later.

I paused to thank God that I have a Bible and can read it anytime I want. The Bible, God’s Word, is filled with the wonder of Jesus’ teachings and the story of God’s amazing love right here in my hand and on my screens, available in almost 1100 translations and 780 languages at www.youversion.com for free. Praise God I can hear Jesus’ teaching any time I want simply by opening my Bible.

Lord, I pray that Your Word goes forth mightily through every means possible. I pray for Your Word and teaching that travels by paper in books, Bibles, magazines and letters. I pray for Your Word which travels the airwaves on radio, shortwave radio and TV. I pray for Your Word which travels on and through the internet in all of its’ forms. And I pray for Your Word which travels by word of mouth, person to person, in casual and spontaneous conversations and in intentional outreach efforts by neighbors, friends, family members, preachers, teachers, missionaries and evangelists.

I pray for the spread of Your Word and Your message near and far. And I pray that its spread increases its rate so that in my lifetime every nation, language and tongue will have access and an indigenous congregation in its midst.

Lord, I pray that I am a faithful and helpful agent in the spread of Your Word and Your message to all nations. I pray this in Jesus’ name and for the glory of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen.