Reading: Matthew 4:1-11 In the previous post, I noted that Christ’s wilderness testing in the Gospels can teach us much for a time such as this. While this pandemic is generating temptations in seemingly new forms, they are the same temptations in new packaging. The things that tempt…
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Reading: Matthew 4:1-11 Christ’s wilderness testing in the Gospels (as well as Israel’s in Deuteronomy 6—8), can teach us much for a time such as this. This pandemic is generating temptations in seemingly new forms, but, in truth, they are no different than past temptations with a new…
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Reading: Matthew 17:1-21 While Peter, James, and John are up on a mountain seeing Jesus in all his glory, the other nine disciples are back in the valley experiencing ministry failure. And when Jesus shows up, he apparently rebukes them. What is that all about? Jesus had just…
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Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 How do those whose present experience is dominated by suffering give thanks? Thanksgiving feels like a celebration for the “blessed.” And, indeed it is.…
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Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my servants would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jewish authorities. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” 37 Then Pilate said, “So you…
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“Do not oppress a foreigner; you yourselves know how it feels to be foreigners, because you were foreigners in Egypt.” (Exodus 23:9 NIV) The call for how the people of God are to treat strangers (here translated foreigners) is directly related to the command to love our neighbor…
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Have you ever had one of those moments when you are reading something you’ve read a hundred times before and all of a sudden you notice something for the first time that’s been there all along? That happened for me this morning. The First and Greatest Commandment Hear,…
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Yesterday I voted. Last night I watched election results. Tonight I will pray with the people of God at our Wednesday evening night of prayer and worship (7:30 to 9:00). And it’s a good thing that I am. Tonight will remind me Who is really on the throne…
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Reading: Isaiah 52:13–53:3 I hope my title does not offend you, but more importantly, I hope the unattractiveness of Jesus does not offend you. Sadly, according to the prophet Isaiah, it may well be the very stumbling stone over which many stumble when it comes to Jesus. I…
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Reading: Psalm 147 It is not uncommon to hear Christians say, “What the church needs is revival!” Arguably, that is as true today as it ever has been. What would revival look like if it came? What is it that we need? Are we seeking an existential experience…
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In an overview of the book of Genesis, many great themes are commonly mentioned. One that is frequently missing is reconciliation. Upon a closer inspection, reconciliation is indeed a major theme of the book. Two stories in Genesis, stories which bookend the account of humanity outside the Garden…
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Reading: 1 John 3:14-17; 4:7-11 God is love! Right? Yes…sort of… maybe. Don’t get me wrong, I know the Bible says that (1 John 4:8), and I do believe the Bible. My only hesitation is that the meaning of the statement, “God is love,” could mean something entirely…
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Reading: Matthew 6:9-13 “To clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against the disorder of the world.” Karl Barth That is one of my two favorite quotes about prayer. And it is rooted in my favorite text on prayer in the Bible: The Lord’s…
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Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, 2 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night.…
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Reading: Mark 12:28-34 A common metaphor for sin is “to miss the mark.” But if we define sin that way, we haven’t really said anything. If sin is like throwing a spear and missing a target, I must also know where the target is. Jesus says, “Stop sinning…
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