A Gap Of Years

And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. Luke 2:42

The young boy told His parents in v49 that He must be about His Father's business, but a gap of some eighteen years comes between our verse today and His appearance at John's baptism. Readers of Luke will of course wonder what went on in those years and search the other three gospels to find... nothing. This incident in Jerusalem also gives us our last glimpse of Joseph, where we can again scan the other gospels to find nothing. In an age when we have perhaps too many details of well-known persons, this can be a bit frustrating to us. But that gap of about 18 years belongs to Jesus and His family, and we respect their privacy. Yes, I want to know more about Jesus! Fortunately, His words are more than enough to keep me occupied until our meeting with Him.

Have a wonderful day in Christ!

Bucky

Check With Scripture, Ask In Prayer

I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.  Galatians 1:6-7

The Right Honorable Reverend Doctor Hermal Herferdshire, PhD, DVD, ESP, PDQ stepped up to the podium of the Most Gracious Savior of Potowatamiee Church in New Salem and gave a rousing sermon on the requirements of salvation by lifetime labor for the perfecting of the penitent soul. He needn't have bothered, the simple folks of the congregation had solid scriptural foundation from Paul's letters of the free gift of grace by faith in our Lord Jesus Christ for their salvation. The Rev. HH was not invited to stay for dinner. 

In Galatia, Paul's little band of Christ followers had fallen to a perverse message, one not of Christ. Paul did not marvel as Jesus did over the understanding of faith and authority that a Roman officer had, but marveled the other way, over how easily his flock of believers had fallen. Now the rather silly example I gave before points out that the person or people who came to Galatia with this false gospel probably sported some education or position that caused these new Christians to believe them without checking with Paul or their scriptures. Perhaps they did not even take that basic step we all have available to us, asking God in prayer. 

Prayer and scripture, still great ways to stay on the path!

Bucky