He is not here; he has risen!
– The Gospel of Luke 24:6
We Had Hoped
When Jesus was alive he took the disciples to Jerusalem. Now that Jesus (so they thought) was dead the disciples are leaving Jerusalem. This is the context of the infamous “Road to Emmaus” story. It’s still the third day in this story. The men(disciples) have heard the story from the women(disciples) that Jesus’ body wasn’tContinue reading “We Had Hoped”
The Weight of Hope
Easter Sunday should be a guarantee that the preacher is going to preach – the crucified one is the risen one. It’s obvious. But just because something is obvious doesn’t mean we stop proclaiming it. I heard someone quip one time, “We must continue to preach the obvious or else it will not be obviousContinue reading “The Weight of Hope”
Two Trees
The Bible is not a textbook. It’s an account of sinful humanity being relentlessly pursued by a Holy God. It’s true stories. Timeless parables. Gut-wrenching accounts. Awkward moments. Convicting truths. Real people. To be faithful Bible readers, we would be wise to encounter this book by letting our imaginations run wild – for us toContinue reading “Two Trees”
Holy Love + Vibrant Intellect + Practical Theology = Kingdom Living
It seems like it was just yesterday. Jesus was at a wedding with some friends and upon being asked, but not technically asked, by his mother, to do something about the wine shortage, he replies, “my time has not yet come”. Those six words will reverberate throughout the rest of John’s Gospel. Jesus, though livingContinue reading “Holy Love + Vibrant Intellect + Practical Theology = Kingdom Living”
Satan Enters Judas
What a haunting verse, “and Satan entered Judas”. We aren’t talking about an outsider, we aren’t talking about Herod, a Pharisee, or a Roman guard. This is a disciple, one of the twelve (which Luke is quick to mention), of whom Satan has entered. Throughout the gospels there really isn’t much about Judas Iscariot. ThereContinue reading “Satan Enters Judas”
Cursing & Tossing
Let’s just call it like it is, is Jesus losing it? He is weeping. He is cursing trees. He is turning over tables in the temple. Seriously, what is it with this guy? Is he truly Lord or is he just another lunatic on walkabout? When we actually resist the urge to go from “HosannaContinue reading “Cursing & Tossing”
The Prince of Peace Weeps Over the City of Peace
There are two places in the gospels that we see Jesus weep. The first time he weeps over a person (John 11:35). The second time he weeps over a place (Luke 19:41). This Jesus, who rode into town on a donkey, doesn’t seem to be afraid of human emotion. He is, after all, fully human.Continue reading “The Prince of Peace Weeps Over the City of Peace”
Reclaiming Palm Sunday
There really is only one story in the Bible. Now, yes, there are hundreds of stories, but these are all part of the grander story that is God demonstrating his great love for all of creation, through his creative acts and his redemptive acts. Amidst all these stories are certain ones that we know soContinue reading “Reclaiming Palm Sunday”
Pursuing Patrick
St. Patrick’s Day really is a perfect recipe for trouble. For instance, it’s right smack in the middle of March, which means warmer weather, Spring Break has just ended for college students and will soon be here for high school students. Put that together with the fact we are a country who simply loves toContinue reading “Pursuing Patrick”
When the Bible Offends Me
In a world where to be offended is the norm, the Bible still speaks with a bold, uncanny ability to offend us, and yet comfort us. It’s like this Spirit-inspired, sharper than a double-edged sword Word isn’t afraid to tell us we are wrong in how we live. Yet it is concerned with correcting usContinue reading “When the Bible Offends Me”
Fig Leaves & Makeup
“What are you wearing to the party?” Ever asked that question to someone? We ask this question because we want to know what is the proper, appropriate, normal way for us to present ourselves at the dinner, wedding, church service, etc. Even churches, nowadays, are wise to list on their websites what is the normalContinue reading “Fig Leaves & Makeup”
Getting In Someone Else’s Business
Spiritual warfare is real. Oftentimes in our lives it’s when we continue to wade through the lukewarm waters of failing to be conformed to Christ that we either neglect it or declare it isn’t real. We typically do this because we are rarely under attack. The lack of attacks is typically because we seek toContinue reading “Getting In Someone Else’s Business”
Worship in a War
On a scale of 1-10 where would you rate your spiritual warfare attack meter? Perhaps the obsession of local news networks informing you every hour of who and how many people had COVID was throwing your peace into a tailspin. Perhaps the steady barrage of seeing the same folks in the same place for farContinue reading “Worship in a War”
We Need the Right Narrative
World renowned American theoretical physicist, Michio Kaku once remarked that all people are born as geniuses. To watch a child at play in the woods or with some blocks or a dollhouse is to watch brilliance at work. Their creative nature is limitless, the world is their playground. No one has told them what theyContinue reading “We Need the Right Narrative”
Come Christmas : An Advent Prayer
What follows is a prayer that I wrote many years ago and each year, on Christmas Eve, I come back to it, as to prepare for Christmas. I thought it would be helpful and encouraging that we pray this together as we enter into Christmas Eve and the Christmas season. Zechariah, do believe in thisContinue reading “Come Christmas : An Advent Prayer”
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“Being a Christian does not mean, first and foremost, believing in a message. It means believing in a person.”
-Guiterrez
