John 18:28-40 March 27, 2022 What is truth? Imagine that your life legacy came down to one three-word question caustically spoken under pressure. I doubt Pilate realized this episode would become the most crucial action of his life, marking his place in history. Most Roman emperors are forgotten, even though their power shaped history. But … Continue reading What It Truth?
Luke 4:21-30 January 23,2022 What is the most important thing to do right now if you want a deeper faith in God? If you genuinely desire a faith that is alive, guided by the living spirit of God, and nurtures good fruit, what is the one thing you must do? There are lots of good … Continue reading On the Edge
Isaiah 35: 1-10 The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; Somewhere around 2008, Isaiah 35 became my favorite bible verse. Hope did not come easy for me at that time. I was still working through a divorce that felt more like a war of attrition after three years. I lived with … Continue reading A Hopeful Word Spoken Out of Place
I John 4:7-21 A popular meme series on Facebook called “You had one job.” It shows how often we fail at things which should be simple. Imagine a misspelled stop sign. A cryptic sign on a trash bin reads “empty when full.” There is a “back-to-school” display of large kitchen knives. That seems inappropriate, unless it’s a cooking school, perhaps? A … Continue reading You Have One Job
Mark 12 - The Great Commandment The Great Commandment to love God and neighbor is central to my spirituality. The affirmation of both inward spirituality and outward compassion and justice grounds me. My soul is inspired by contemplatives like Thomas Merton, St. Benedict and St. Theresa of Avila; as well as Social Gospel preachers ranging from Martin Luther … Continue reading You Are Not Far From the Kingdom of God
If you were a reporter covering this story, what would be your headline? “Preacher’s Fishing Miracle Has Better Ratings Than Super Bowl.” Or- “Local Fishermen Retire, Leave Lucrative Business to Join Cult.” We bring our perspectives to the story. We might ask, “Is this story true?” Did Jesus really create a fishing miracle? How did … Continue reading Going Deeper
Scripture: Luke 1:39-57 When you think of Mary the Mother of Jesus, what is the first word that comes to your mind. I’ll bet that many of you the word was “virgin.” As Protestants we do not speak much of Mary, we feel awkward with all this blessed virgin language and she can seem lost … Continue reading Let’s Put Mary Back Into Christmas
You have likely heard the phrase, “Here’s my two cents.” Some dictionaries say the usage began with the cost to send a letter, the “two penny” post. Others say it comes from poker, where you place a two penny ante to play the round. Both usages imply, “I’ve paid my price to have an opinion, … Continue reading Your Two Cents
This week I was trying to get a feel for what the disciples were thinking and seeing as they walked through the great Temple in Jerusalem. Through the power of the web I was able to find out a great deal about the size and layout of the Second Temple, which had been renovated by … Continue reading Luke 21:5-19 “Not a Stone Left”
February 22, 2015 Mark 1:9-15 Wilderness, in the Bible, is a vast, empty space where life is harsh if not impossible. We may think of wilderness where Lewis and Clark trekked, across forest, river and mountains of space with little human contact. But the Sinai is more empty, bleak, with almost no visual changes to … Continue reading The Wilderness Temptation
With all my soul 