The One Year New Testament

June 12

Luke 9:28-45

Luke 9:28-45

28 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. 30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. 34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” 36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.

37 On the next day, when they had come down from the mountain, a great crowd met him. 38 And behold, a man from the crowd cried out, “Teacher, I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only child. 39 And behold, a spirit seizes him, and he suddenly cries out. It convulses him so that he foams at the mouth, and shatters him, and will hardly leave him. 40 And I begged your disciples to cast it out, but they could not.” 41 Jesus answered, “O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you and bear with you? Bring your son here.” 42 While he was coming, the demon threw him to the ground and convulsed him. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit and healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. 43 And all were astonished at the majesty of God.

But while they were all marveling at everything he was doing, Jesus said to his disciples, 44 “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.” 45 But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, so that they might not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

Reflection

Here we see a stark contrast between the glorious reality of Jesus as God’s Son (Luke 9:28–35, 43) and the horrifying prediction that he is going to be delivered into the hands of men (v. 44). No wonder the disciples could not comprehend Jesus’ mind-boggling statement (v. 45; cf. vv. 21–22). How could God’s Son possibly be the victim of the schemes and violence of humanity?

Though the time for understanding these things had not yet arrived for the disciples (v. 45), they later came to realize that the suffering of the glorious Son of God was the fulfillment of God’s good and wise plan (cf. 24:25–26; Acts 4:27–28). From God’s perspective, the death of Jesus was not a tragic mistake; it was an extraordinary accomplishment (Luke 9:31)!

Philippians 2:1-11

Philippians 2:1-11

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Reflection

Philippians 2:6–11 describes the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus for sinners. Despite his equality with God (v. 6), Christ “emptied” himself of heavenly privileges, taking the form of a servant and humbling himself to the point of death (v. 8). The lowest point of Christ’s humiliation was crucifixion, a violent means of punishing and disgracing the most shameful of criminals. Yet God responded to this loving sacrifice by resurrecting and exalting Jesus so that he might receive universal praise as the Lord of the universe (vv. 9–11).

This gospel message has practical implications for our lives. Since we have been united with Christ (v. 1), we are to have Christ’s mind-set toward each other: having the same love, being of one mind, pursuing no rivalry, doing nothing from selfishness, always prioritizing the interests of others (vv. 2–4). In response to Christ’s selfless grace to us, Christians are called to unity (v. 2), humility (v. 3), and service to one another (v. 4).

Psalm 138:2

Psalm 138:2

I bow down toward your holy temple
and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.

Thoughts For Prayer

Christ has not only risen from the dead; he has been exalted as the Lord of the universe. Come before him today and humbly worship him not only as your Savior but as your King.

Missions Prayer Requests More

  • June 12, 2025

    Supported Workers: The City Mission

    Country: United States of America

    On Mother’s Day, they celebrated the strong and resilient women at Laura’s Home. Pray for these moms who are working hard to rebuild their lives and care for their children in the face of many challenges. Pray for the 15 men living at Crossroads Crisis Center who graduated in May. Over the course of many months, each graduate engaged in Bible study, life-skills training, mentorship, and personal development rooted in God’s truth. Pray for the staff and volunteers as they seek to reach the hearts of the residents with the life changing power of the gospel.

    Burkina Faso (Africa). Population: 24,074,580 Believers: 8.9%. The spirit world is very real in Burkina Faso, where as the saying goes, the population is “50% Muslim, 20% Christian, and 100% animist”! Few countries in West Africa are more dominated by idolatry, fetishism, and secret societies. Pray for the risen Christ to demonstrate his power and set many free. Pray for Christians to demonstrate the power and authority of the name of Jesus and to live out holy, blameless lives in his name. From Operation World DVD-ROM 2010 and www.operationworld.org