Daily Lesson for June 15, 2021

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from Luke chapter 20 verses 20 through 26:

20 So they watched him and sent spies who pretended to be honest, in order to trap him by what he said, so as to hand him over to the jurisdiction and authority of the governor. 21So they asked him, ‘Teacher, we know that you are right in what you say and teach, and you show deference to no one, but teach the way of God in accordance with truth. 22Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?’ 23But he perceived their craftiness and said to them, 24‘Show me a denarius. Whose head and whose title does it bear?’ They said, ‘The emperor’s.’ 25He said to them, ‘Then give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ 26And they were not able in the presence of the people to trap him by what he said.

They were trying to trap him.

Remember that. This was a gotcha question. It was a "put him between a rock and a hard place" question.

Answer one way, and you anger the religious conservatives who detested the tax system instituted by the occupation government. Answer another way, and you risk riling up the empire.

Jesus gave a miracle answer that bought him another day.

But at the end of that day it still didn't matter. They had come to trap him in what he said. When he was too smart for that, they decided they'd just trap him in what he didn't say. By the end of the week he would be dead.

The miracle answer was smart, and quick-witted and made the interlocators' questions look silly. But they weren't there for answers; they were there for blood.

Remember that when you're watching all these talking heads on TV. A lot of them aren't really there for answers -- no matter how good the answers are.

Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.

Daily Lesson for June 14, 2021

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from Acts chapter 1 verses 6 and 7:

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?’ 7He replied, ‘It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority."

We worry so much about what is next, when it will happen, and where we will be going.

We worry even more about who will be in charge, what the economy will be like, and whether or not we will have what it takes to make it through everything.

We could worry ourselves sick, in fact.

There's a lot beyond our pay grade. We have this day. We have the work and joy set before us for this 24 hours. That is enough.

We don't know the times, how long, or how hard. We do know that we have today set before us. Let us work today as if everything depends on us, and pray and rest as if everything depends on God.

Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.

Daily Lesson for June 11, 2021

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from Acts chapter 4 verse 36:

"Joseph, a Levite, born in Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (son of encouragement), sold a field he owned, brought the money, and turned it over to the apostles."

Today is the feast day for St. Barnabas, the "son of encouragement".

Anybody who is in ministry will tell you that the encouragers are absolutely invaluable.

It is so nice to receive words of affirmation from folks who believe in what you are doing.

It's wonderful to have a conversation with a person like I did two weeks ago who said, "I don't think I have to be a member, but I want to be because I want to support what this church is doing."

It's also wonderful to receive financial support as a sign of affirmation and approval.

Barnabas was the "son of encouragement". He not only sold his own property and gave the money to the apostles, he's also the one who got the others to give Paul a chance to redeem himself after Paul's conversion. Barnabas also gave the young Mark a second chance at ministry as well.

Where would we be without the encouragers? Where would we be without the folks who come along and say, "I believe in you. I love what you're doing. I'm in."

Encouragers, let me encourage YOU; what you say and what you do really makes a difference. Thank you.

Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.

Daily Lesson for June 10, 2021

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from Luke chapter 19 verses 29 through 38:

29 When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30saying, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, “Why are you untying it?” just say this: “The Lord needs it.” ’ 32So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, ‘Why are you untying the colt?’ 34They said, ‘The Lord needs it.’ 35Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38saying,

‘Blessed is the king

who comes in the name of the Lord!"

You talk about a wild ride!

I can see Jesus on this little, untrained colt, holding on for dear life as the animal tries to outrun what or whoever it is that is on his back.

There is laughter. There is hilarity and yelling. There is a coronation of jest, and the theatre of the absurd.

Everyone knows what this mockery is about. Pontius Pilate and his soldiers will soon be arriving in Jerusalem. They will come without even a hint of joy, or the purse of a smile. And they will come on mighty warhorses.

But Jesus comes lowly, and riding on a donkey; and the political theatre draws quite the crowd and makes quite the point.

Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.

Daily Lesson for June 9, 2021

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from Luke chapter 19 verses 11 through 27:

11 As they were listening to this, he went on to tell a parable, because he was near Jerusalem, and because they supposed that the kingdom of God was to appear immediately. 12So he said, ‘A nobleman went to a distant country to get royal power for himself and then return. 13He summoned ten of his slaves, and gave them ten pounds,* and said to them, “Do business with these until I come back.” 14But the citizens of his country hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, “We do not want this man to rule over us.” 15When he returned, having received royal power, he ordered these slaves, to whom he had given the money, to be summoned so that he might find out what they had gained by trading. 16The first came forward and said, “Lord, your pound has made ten more pounds.” 17He said to him, “Well done, good slave! Because you have been trustworthy in a very small thing, take charge of ten cities.” 18Then the second came, saying, “Lord, your pound has made five pounds.” 19He said to him, “And you, rule over five cities.” 20Then the other came, saying, “Lord, here is your pound. I wrapped it up in a piece of cloth, 21for I was afraid of you, because you are a harsh man; you take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.” 22He said to him, “I will judge you by your own words, you wicked slave! You knew, did you, that I was a harsh man, taking what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow? 23Why then did you not put my money into the bank? Then when I returned, I could have collected it with interest.” 24He said to the bystanders, “Take the pound from him and give it to the one who has ten pounds.” 25(And they said to him, “Lord, he has ten pounds!”) 26“I tell you, to all those who have, more will be given; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 27But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them—bring them here and slaughter them in my presence.” ’

I know you think you know what this parable is about. But do you?

Suppose you forgot everything you've been taught about what this parable means. And suppose you simply heard it on its own merits.

The nobleman in the parable -- he seems pretty awful. Who could be so cruel?

And somebody said this is parable about the kingdom of God -- but I'm not seeing where it says that.

And where would God be in the parable? I can't find Her.

Oh, and it says, Jesus told this parable because he was coming into Jerusalem. We remember what happened in Jerusalem. Jesus was killed just like the man in the parable. The noblemen killed him, because he refused to kowtow to their authority. The king killed him because he refused to bow to his kingship.

Is this a parable about what was going to happen to Jesus?

I tell you, you can find a lot of interesting stuff in the Bible when you set aside what you've been told it's all supposed to mean and start asking questions questions for yourself.

Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.

Daily Lesson for June 8, 2021

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from Luke chapter 19 verses 1 through 9:

He entered Jericho and was passing through it. 2A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax-collector and was rich. 3He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. 4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycomore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. 5When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.’ 6So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. 7All who saw it began to grumble and said, ‘He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.’ 8Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, ‘Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor; and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.’ 9Then Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he too is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.’

Christianity believes in redemption. It believes in second chances. It believes in fresh starts. Where there is actual evidence of conversion, penance, and life change Christianity can make saints out of sinners.

Zacchaeus's case was one of true conversion. Once a money-hungry crook, his path led him to follow Jesus, and he changed. And he didn't just change in heart. He changed in his wallet too. He knew he had harmed people, and he offered restitution for what he had done. He is the Biblical model for reparation.

Zacchaeus went up the sycamore tree to see Jesus. He spent the rest of his life living down all he had done. Some hissed, and grumbled. But when Zacchaeus started writing checks, people started paying attention.

Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist of Fort Worth, Texas.

Daily Lesson for June 7, 2021

 Today's Daily Lesson comes from Psalm 56 verses 11 and 12:

11 I am bound by the vow I made to you, O God; *

I will present to you thank-offerings;

12 For you have rescued my soul from death and my feet from stumbling, *

that I may walk before God in the light of the living.

I have an old former-priest friend who has been sober for 45 years. After he got out of treatment and had been sober a few months, he went and saw his mother. She told him he had "the light of life" in his eyes again.

We give thanks for the light of life. We give thanks for the chance to live again.

The darkness is so powerful; we think there is no way out. But then we see the light of life in the eyes of someone who has been there and we know that there is hope. We know that there is light, and life, and God, and miracle.

I give thanks for all the miracle worked in my own life. I give thanks for the light. It is God's gift, freely received and freely given, and way more than what was deserved.

Ryon Price is Senior Pastor of Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, Texas.