Signs, Wisdom, and the Cross: A Call to Worship
A Call to Worship based on the epistle reading from the lectionary this week, 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 (CEB). Feel free to use this in your church on Sunday; just remember, this piece of liturgy is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License. Where is God? Show me a sign that God … Continue reading
Fall From Heaven: Bible in 90 – Day 74
What do we have here? A conversation with Jesus about Satan and the mission of the church? Interesting… The seventy-two returned joyously, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit themselves to us in your name.” Jesus replied, “I saw Satan fall from heaven like lightning. Look, I have given you authority to crush snakes and scorpions … Continue reading
Saving Faith: Bible in 90 – Day 73
What is faith? This is a question, asked outright or left implied, with which I am confronted on a daily basis. Many things which my students encounter might go by the name “faith,” but are actually not. This passage jumped out at me, for it too asks the same question: what is faith? Jesus turned … Continue reading
Devouring Widows: Bible in 90 – Day 72
Here’s three episodes which are often not read together, but chopped apart (even in the lectionary). Let’s try reading them sequentially… As [Jesus] taught, he said, ‘Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the market-places, and to have the best seats in the … Continue reading
Travel Light – Bible in 90: Day 71
Maybe it’s just because we’re out on retreat, but this passage really resonates with me: He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He ordered them to take nothing for their journey except a staff; no bread, no bag, no money in … Continue reading
Patience – Bible in 90: Day 70
I’m preaching at my campus ministry through the Fruit of the Spirit this spring, and this Sunday night’s fruit-of-the-week (no jokes please!) is Patience. So I find it interesting that of the ~30 times this word shows up in the New Testament, it occurs twice in Matthew 18. The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant is, … Continue reading
Brief Delay – Bible in 90
Just a brief note to say that while I’m at a retreat/continuing ed event & don’t have wifi, I won’t be blogging daily. I’ll still be writing, they just won’t get posted till Sunday. See you then!
The Enigmatic Messiah: The Bible in 90 – Day 69
This Jesus guy is tough to figure out. His teaching is full of “You have heard it said…but I say to you…” He’s demanding! “Do not be like this…do this instead!” Trying to get healed? You’re going to have to do something first, I bet. You certainly won’t get to talk about it after, he’s … Continue reading
Confessing Christ the King
When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. [[ Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’]] And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood … Continue reading
Strangers and Foreigners on the Earth
The famed 11th chapter of Hebrews came up in the lectionary this week, and I really am taken with how Abraham’s faith in particular is narrated. The language of movement bookends chapter 11: chapter 10 ends with an exhortation to be among those who do not “shrink back,” while chapter 12 leads off with the … Continue reading
The Expatriate Minister 