Good Friday 2022 + Luke 23:1-5 The accusation made against Jesus was that “he stirred up people” (Luke 23:5). But, why were the people stirred up? Allow me to offer some thoughts on this question. They were stirred up because Jesus had ushered in the Kingdom of God in their time and space (Mark 1:15).Continue reading “Stir ‘Em Up”
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Would Anyone Like to Pray?
Maundy Thursday 2022 + Luke 22:31-34 It’s a scene that takes place in many churches. It’s time for a meeting or Bible Study to begin and a leader asks, “Would anyone like to pray?” What follows is oftentimes, dead silence. We Christians, who are to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), sometimes prefer that prayingContinue reading “Would Anyone Like to Pray?”
Who Are You With?
Spy Wednesday 2022 + Luke 22:1-6 Passover is coming. The festival to remember, and be obedient to, what God said back in Exodus 12:47 in that all the congregation of Israel shall keep this Passover. The chief priests and scribes, however, instead of preparing for this remembrance of Passover have some different motives. They areContinue reading “Who Are You With?”
Holy Week: Surrendering our Will to this Will
Tuesday + Lesser Day 2022 + Luke 21:10-19 I’m reading from the ESV Translation, and in this text the word “will” shows up 13 times and among the 13 “wills” the “will” of verse 13 is the most important. The first 5 times are about what will happen outside the disciples realm of control (vs.Continue reading “Holy Week: Surrendering our Will to this Will”
Holy Week: The Economy of the Kingdom
Monday + Lesser Day 2022 + Luke 20:45-21:4 The Gospel of Luke is filled with parables. Many famous ones at that. The Prodigal Son to the Lost Sheep, Luke loves to offer a good parable from Jesus. Today, however, isn’t a parable from Jesus. No, Jesus, in this scene, has turned into the color commentatorContinue reading “Holy Week: The Economy of the Kingdom”
Darkness of October
Halloween is a seasonal, visible manifestation of what truly is an everyday, invisible reality. To read the stories of Jesus, as revealed Scripture, is to meet a man who undoubtedly lived his life being fully aware that evil was a present reality. Jesus did not assume evil lurked, Jesus knew it. Our issue today isContinue reading “Darkness of October”
All Saints Day
I believe God is doing a new thing. And I also believe God works through old things; namely, traditions that help us remember what and who we need to remember. Remembering is at the core of the Christian faith. Paul said, “remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead” (2 Timothy 2:8). Jesus said, concerning, “doContinue reading “All Saints Day”
Acting Like Satan
I can’t get over the fact that Jesus looked at Peter and said, “Get behind me, satan.” This isn’t a G-rated story that one could nicely fit into a Children’s Storybook Bible. No, this is one of those more in line with the tough stuff of Scripture – those stories that we’d perhaps rather omitContinue reading “Acting Like Satan”
Clarity
There is a need for clarity from the church to the world. There was in the book of Acts and there still is for the church in the year 2021. In the post ascension, post Pentecost, heads on fire, world of the early church, they immediately encountered a problem of perception. What’s the perception theContinue reading “Clarity”
Folk Religion
The church suffers from many attacks. This is a present reality that will undoubtedly exist until Christ returns. The attacks, however, that seem to get the most attention oftentimes are the attacks that the church should come to expect. For instance, Jesus prepared his followers that in this world, they would have trouble (John 16:33).Continue reading “Folk Religion”