This week Jesus gets to the end of his message and wraps it up with a short story. The outline is very simple. There are two builders who are constructing houses: one wise, one foolish; who build on two foundations: rock or sand; with two outcomes: stand or fall. The first point of the story […]
Matthew 7:13-23 Aoccdnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae […]
I like what one of my favorite “theologians”, Erma Bombeck, had to say about worry. “I’ve always worried a lot, and frankly, I’m good at it. I worry about introducing people and going blank when I get to my mother. I worry about a shortage of ball bearings; a snake coming up through the kitchen […]
There are over 6000 books you can buy on Amazon by financial advisors, who are all eager to share their sage advice about how to invest your money for a maximum return. (Step 1, buy their book.) You might be interested in some bestselling titles: Buffett’s 2-Step Stock Market Strategy by Daniel Jiwani or The […]
In today’s message, we begin a journey through one of the most profound sections of Scripture: the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). We will explore the context, key themes, and the heart of Jesus’ message, setting the stage for a deeper understanding in the weeks to come.
Sunday, October 27, 2024 Philippians 2:5-11 The situation in Philippi was remarkable. A decade before, the Apostle Paul had planted a church that was now flourishing. Despite living in a hostile environment, the church was still doing well. They were spreading the Good News and making a difference in their part of the world. Paul […]
Sunday, October 13, 2024 Philippians 1:12–26 Last week Johnny walked us through the opening verses of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Identifying himself as a “bond servant of Jesus Christ,” Paul started off with words of gratitude and appreciation for his good friends experiencing persecution in a Roman outpost that did not take kindly to […]
Sunday, September 29, 2024 Philippians Overview This Sunday we begin a new study series in one of my favorite letters of the New Testament: Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians. As you may know, joy is a central theme that runs like a thread throughout the entire letter. We often think of joy, which has the […]
Sunday, September 15, 2024 Life Together, II Timothy As summer fades in the rear-view mirror and fall emerges on the near horizon, we are on a short break between book studies. A couple of weeks ago we finished our summer study of Psalms and in two weeks we will start our fall study in Philippians. […]
Sunday, August 4, 2024 Psalm 27 Fear, you might remember, was one of the first effects of the fall. The first couple, Adam and Eve, hid themselves because they were… afraid. That’s not a feeling they had experienced before but it’s been with us ever since. Here is a short list of common things we […]
Sunday, July 28, 2024 Psalm 1 A number of years ago Andy Stanley wrote a short, but perceptive book, called, The Principle of the Path. It’s about the paths we take in life that lead to various destinations. Some are good. Some are bad. Some are joyful. Some are painful. He develops this idea he […]
Sunday, February 18, 2023 John 17:20–26 If you have been with us the past couple of weeks you know we are on the last lap of our study series in the Gospel of John. This final section, called Glory, will take us to Easter and beyond. At this point Jesus has wrapped up his final instructions to the disciples in what we […]
Sunday, July 26: Underdogs Jonah What makes Jonah an underdog? In my opinion, anyone who tries to run from God, gets tossed off a ship in the middle of storm, ends up inside the belly of fish for a three-day timeout, until he is literally barfed up on a beach, qualifies as an underdog. Everyone knows […]
Sunday, July 19: Underdogs Ruth “The providences of God are like Hebrew words: they can only be properly read backwards.” John Flavel Last Sunday we started a new summer study series called, “Underdogs.” An underdog is the opposite of a top dog. In sports, or in a competition, it refers to the team or person expected […]
Happy Mother’s Day! Thank you for all you do! Tune in for our Mother’s Day sermon to learn about how the family came to be and what that means for us today. Great job Gary!
Sunday, March 15: Son of God Mark 6:30–52 This week we continue our study series based on the Gospel of Mark. You might remember that right out of the chute, Mark told us what he’s up to: “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” For six chapters Mark has been showing […]
Sunday, December 29: Bound by the Spirit Acts 28:11–31 There we found some brethren and were invited to stay with them for seven days; and thus, we came to Rome. Acts 28:14 There is no way to read that verse with the full emotional weight of Luke’s words. This is the climax of the book. Paul had set […]
Sunday, December 1: Bound by the Spirit Acts 25:1–27 Every person who wonders about the truth of the Christian faith should answer this question. What was it that transformed a hot-headed, self-righteous, law-keeping, Christian-killing Pharisee named Saul, into a gracious, unselfish, Christian missionary and servant of Christ named the Apostle Paul? What took place to make that happen? The short answer starts with an event recorded in Acts 9. On the […]
Sunday, November 17: Bound by the Spirit Acts 24:1–27 Procrastination. There must be ten thousand websites on it, covering scholarly essays, articles in psychological journals and university studies. There are tests you can take to quantify how bad off you are. Apparently, twenty percent of us can be identified as chronic procrastinators. You can even find […]
Sunday, October 13: Bound by the Spirit Acts 20:17–38 It’s easy to say goodbye to some people at times – like the neighbor who throws his grass clippings over the fence into your yard every week. It’s never easy, however, to say goodbye to people you really love and care about. The tighter the ties the […]
Sunday, October 6: Bound by the Spirit Acts 20:1–12 Sleeper, Awake! Rise from the dead And Christ will shine on you. This week we come to one of the more familiar scenes in the book of Acts. People who forget almost everything else in the book remember the story about a boy named Eutychus. Why is he famous? He […]
Sunday, September 8: Generous If you don’t mind, I would like you to take a short survey. Below are five statements. Please answer with either, True or False. I have, at least once, spent money unwisely. T or F? I have, at least once, compared myself with someone else financially. T or F? I […]
Sunday, August 18: Psalms Psalm 46 Be still and know that I am God. Some of you might remember an old song from the 60’s: He’s Got the Whole World in his Hands. Don’t try to sing it or even hum it. It can drive you crazy if you can’t get the tune out of […]
Sunday, July 7: Psalms Psalm 27 What would you say is the most common command in Scripture? Before you answer I’ll tell what it’s not. It’s not for us to be more loving. That may be at the center of God’s heart for us but that’s not his most frequent instruction. It’s also not to be less […]
Sunday, June 30: Psalms Psalm 1 The Principle of the Path by pastor and writer Andy Stanley is one of my favorite books. It’s about the many paths available to us in life that lead to various destinations. Some are good. Some are bad. Some lead to joy and others, sadly, lead to pain and heartache. The […]
Sunday, May 19: Moses Numbers 16 We all have a rebellious streak resident within us. The only difference is the size of the stripe. The problem of rebellion against authority is as age old as Adam and Eve sinning in the garden. From then on, rebellion became a part of the human condition. If you […]
Sunday, May 12: Baby Dedication and Mother’s Day Join us this Sunday for a special Mother’s Day message for everyone and our baby dedication at both services. See you on Sunday!
Sunday, April 14: Moses Exodus 20:1–27 God’s people are parked at the base of Mt. Sinai. After coming through the Red Sea, they have been adjusting to life in the wilderness for three months. It hasn’t been easy. As we observed last week, they’ve had a lot of trouble trusting God. So far there’s been […]
Sunday, April 7: Moses Exodus 17:1–7 At the start of Exodus 17 the Israelites have come a long way. God had prepared and sent them a deliverer in the person of Moses to help them escape from Egypt. Then when their backs were against the wall, with the Egyptian army behind them and the Red […]
Sunday, March 3: Moses Exodus 3–4 God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you.’” (Exodus 3:14) Last week we left Moses in bare feet, standing in front of a shrub burning with the presence of God, when the Lord […]
Sunday, February 10: Moses Exodus 2:11–3:12 Even for those who are not all that familiar with the Bible, almost everyone knows the story of Moses. If you’re on the younger side, you probably saw, The Prince of Egypt. If you’re a little older, you might remember Cecil B DeMille’s classic biopic, The Ten Commandments. The life of Moses […]
Sunday, January 27: Lord of All Acts 18:1–28 “After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.” Acts 18:1 We spent last Sunday with the Apostle Paul in Athens where he delivered his famous Mars Hill message. This Sunday we pick things up in the city of Corinth as he begins the last leg of […]
Sunday, January 20: Lord of All Acts 17:16–34 God is not far from each of us. Acts 17:26 This week we come to one of the most well-known scenes in the story of Acts: The Message of Paul on Mars Hill.In the middle of Acts 17 the Apostle becomes separated from his traveling companions and […]
Sunday, December 23: Christmas Luke 2:1-12 And the angel said to them (the shepherds), “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in […]
Sunday, November 25: Lord of All Acts 13:1–13 Acts 13 opens with the Spirit of God and the church at Antioch setting apart and sending out Paul and Barnabus for what will become their first missionary journey. Together, along with an intern named John Mark, they sail to the Island of Cyprus to tell people about […]
Sunday, November 18: Lord of All Acts 12:1–24 Christmas is still a few weeks away, but I thought it might be nice to have an early Christmas message this year. It’s the story of Mary and a miracle. It’s a story where an Angel appears with a message of hope. There is a star and […]
Sunday, October 21: Lord of All Acts 9:20–31 What comes to your mind when you think of the Apostle Paul? Great preacher and apologist. Courageous missionary to the Gentiles. Unflinching defender of the Christian faith. A.W. Tozer went so far as to call him, “the world’s most successful Christian.” I’m not sure about that but […]
Sunday, October 14: Lord of All Acts 9:1–19 Last summer we did a study based on the questions of Jesus. At the start of the series, we looked at the first recorded question of Jesus in Luke 2. As a young boy he had been left behind by Joseph and Mary in Jerusalem, and when […]
Sunday, September 9: Life Together George Gallup has written that Americans are among the loneliest people in the world. How can that be? Most Americans (75 to 80%) live in either cities or large suburbs. We are surrounded by a sea of people. Why would folks feel lonely? Your guess is as good as anyone […]
Sunday, August 19: Questions of Jesus Luke 7:36–50 In our text this week Jesus tells a little story that closes with a question. It’s a real simple story. Two people owe someone money but one person owes ten times as much as the other. When neither person can pay it back, however, both are forgiven of […]
Sunday, August 12: Questions of Jesus Mark 4:35–41 Do you remember the feeling of being afraid of the dark? As a child, if you heard the tiniest sound you knew for certain a stranger was pushing open a basement window and would be coming up the stairs any minute to kidnap you. Or, you might […]
Sunday, July 22: Questions of Jesus John 6:1–71 One of the many things I appreciate about Jesus is that he always told people the truth, even if it hurt.This week we come to a scene where Jesus needs to tell some folks the truth about themselves and it is not very pretty. In fact, rather […]
Sunday, June 24: Questions of Jesus Luke 2:41–49 The questions we have for God are not nearly as important as the questions he has for us. It can be easy to miss, unless someone happens to point it out, that Jesus, during his short pilgrimage on earth, asked a lot of questions. Have you noticed? […]
Sunday, May 20: Witness Acts 4:23–37 And with great power the apostles were giving witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and abundant grace was upon them all. Acts 4:33 Occasionally someone will ask me the question, “Are you a Spirit-filled church?” I’m always a bit conflicted. The correct answer is, “Yes,” but I know […]
Baby Dedication – May 13th 2018 Today we celebrate mothers across the world for their tireless efforts in raising their beloved babies to the people they have become. Thanks for everything you’ve done and continue to do for us, we love you!
Sunday, April 15: Witness Acts 1:12–26 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8 In some of his final words to the Apostles before he left, Jesus […]
Sunday, April 8: Witness Acts 1:1–11 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Samaria, and to the end of the earth. Acts 1:8 Last Sunday we celebrated Easter. This week we’re launching a new study series called Witness, based […]
Sunday, March 11: Joseph Genesis 45:1–28 What is it that makes Joseph great? Have you ever thought about that? Why did the Spirit of God give him so much ink in Scripture? Maybe not as much as a Moses or a David – but still a lot.Think about it. He never did a miracle. He […]
Sunday, February 4: Joseph Genesis 41:1–57 What God does in us while we wait is as important as what we are waiting for. Ben Patterson I don’t know about your Bible, but in mine there is about an inch of white space between Genesis chapters 40 and 41. It doesn’t look like much on paper […]
Sunday, January 28: Joseph Genesis 40:1–23 It was only when I lay there on rotting prison straw that I sensed within myself the first stirring of good. Gradually, it was disclosed to me that the line separating good and evil passes not through states, nor between classes, nor between political parties either, but right through […]
Sunday, January 7: Joseph Genesis 37:1–11 Then his brothers said to him, “Are you actually going to reign over us? Or are you really going to rule over us?” So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words.Genesis 37:8 A lot of people are familiar with Joseph but for a lot […]
Sunday, December 24: Christmas Luke 1:26-38 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus.” (Luke 1:30, 31) God is in the habit of doing a certain thing […]
Sunday, December 17: Champs & Misfits Hebrews 13:1–25 If you have never read The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis you really should get around to it. It’s an imaginary story centered on a group of children who encounter Christ – except in the fictional world of Narnia, Jesus is represented by a huge lion, named Aslan.In […]
Sunday, December 3: Champs & Misfits Hebrews 12:3–17 A few years back I ran a marathon. Okay, it was a long time ago. Even though I was considerably younger it was still excruciating. It felt like running from Tacoma to the top of Mt. Rainier and back – barefoot. Your muscles ache, your lungs burn, […]
Sunday, November 26: Champs & Misfits Hebrews 11:32–12:2 “You do not have to sit outside in the dark. If, however, you want to look at stars you will find darkness is required.” Annie Dillard God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. Is that true? The first part is, of course. God […]
Sunday, November 5: Champs & Misfits Hebrews 11:4–7 In Hebrews 11, the writer introduces us to a long list of people who lived “by faith.” At the same time, these same people, were considered weird, if not crazy, by the world around them.Noah’s neighbors no doubt believed he was certifiable when he began building a […]
Sunday, October 29: Champs & Misfits Hebrews 11:1–3 There are a lot of ideas floating around about what faith is. Some are metaphorical: “Faith is the heart of the soul.” (Anonymous) Some are theological: “Faith is to believe, on the Word of God, what we do not see and its reward is to see and enjoy what […]
Sunday, October 8: Champs & Misfits Hebrews 9:15–10:18 A question is sometimes raised about the Bible, at least in the last few decades, if not before: What is the deal with all the blood? Have you ever wondered about that?Judaism has been called a “slaughter house religion.” Christianity has been ridiculed as the “Gospel of […]
Sunday, October 1: Champs & Misfits Hebrews 9:1–14 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12) The Bible teaches that there is an inner place in every human life […]
Sunday, September 17: Life Entwined 2 Timothy 1 & 4 Be a Friend Samuel Taylor Coleridge, who wrote The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner, also penned a lesser known work called Youth and Age. Written shortly before his death he reflects on his past and laments the passing of years and its physical effects. He wrote, for example:Nought cared […]
Sunday, August 20: Who is This Man? Mathew 16:13–17 & Luke 4:16–21 Messiah It has been said that “the identity of Jesus is something like a jigsaw puzzle. It’s a puzzle that has been placed in every person’s hands to piece together before coming to some kind of conclusion.”In a sense, this is what we […]
Sunday, August 13: Who is This Man? Philippians 2:3–8 The True Human The great 21st century theologian, Jeremiah Hinton, in his recently released devotional, Who is This Man? writes: “I Corinthians introduces the idea of Jesus as the ‘last Adam,’ a perfectly obedient son who demonstrated how humans should have related to God.”Precisely. The Bible teaches that Jesus […]
Sunday, August 6: Who is This Man? The Suffering Servant Lord of Hosts. Bright Morning Star. Good Shepherd. These are a few of the many wonderful names for Jesus found in the Scriptures. He’s also known as the: Wonderful Counselor Alpha and Omega Mighty God Emmanuel Messiah Prince King Lion Man of Sorrows Wait. “Man […]
Sunday, July 2: Who is This Man? John 2:1–11 The Miracle Worker “Dearly beloved, we are gathered together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of this man and this woman in holy matrimony. The bond and covenant of marriage was established by God at the time of creation for the […]
Sunday, June 11: Sacred Spaces Hebrews 7:1–28 “The gulf between God and us is still wider than we have so far considered. It is the chasm that yawns between us as rebellious creatures and God our righteous judge. It is not only that we lack the mental equipment to conceive him, but we lack the […]
Sunday, May 28: Sacred Spaces Hebrews 5:1–10 In one of the Chronicles of Narnia, The Horse and His Boy, by C.S. Lewis, there’s a little girl named Aravis who has a slave girl. She treats her terribly. Aslan, the Christ figure in the Chronicle series, comes to Aravis and scratches her. She asks why he […]
Sunday, May 14: Mother’s Day, Baby Dedication and a Message for Everyone We get to celebrate Moms and dedicate some babies this Sunday, which is always delightful and meaningful, but we will also have a message based on a story in the Bible. It’s about a young woman who becomes a mother and a mother who […]
Sunday, May 7: Sacred Spaces Hebrews 4:1–13 There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his. We live in a world that works really hard to wear us down. Perhaps you have noticed. Life, in our fallen […]
Sunday, April 30: Sacred Spaces Hebrews 3:1–19 Have you ever thought about walking away from your faith in Christ?The first readers of Hebrews thought about it. Living in, or near, Rome they were beginning to feel the pinch of religious oppression. We learn in the letter that no one in the church had yet died […]
Sunday, April 16: Easter Three year old Nicole was as anxious for Easter to come as she had been for Christmas to arrive. One day, as Nicole and her father stopped at a store to buy her a new pair of shoes, for the tenth time she said, “Daddy, I can’t wait for Easter!”“Honey,” her […]
Sunday, March 26: Sacred Spaces Hebrews 2:1–4 I heard some funny lines on the radio awhile back. There was a long list, but I was in the car so couldn’t write them all down. By the time I stopped I could only remember three: If at first you don’t succeed; skydiving is not for you. […]
Sunday, March 19: Sacred Spaces Hebrews 1:1–14 Hebrews has a message for the people of God who live in a world that refuses to acknowledge God: God has spoken. Gareth Cockerill The Epistle to the Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians who found themselves hanging on to hope by their fingernails. Nero, the cruel despot […]
Sunday, February 26: Jacob Genesis 33:1–20 Jacob is on his way home. Twenty years before, he defrauded his brother and was forced to run for his life to escape his wrath. Esau, in fact, had promised to kill him. Esau is a big, strong, hairy guy with bow hunting skills. To make matters worse, Jacob has […]
Sunday, February 19: Jacob Genesis 32:1–32 If there was ever a man who found himself between the proverbial “devil and the deep blue sea,” it’s Jacob between the day he leaves behind his father-in-law, Laban, and the day he meets up with his brother, Esau.At the end of Genesis 31 Laban is behind him and […]
Sunday, January 29: Jacob Genesis 29:1–30:34 As we return to our study in Genesis, Jacob has left home to escape the wrath of his bow hunting brother. Esau would like nothing better than to turn him into a human pin cushion for stealing his blessing. So, out of fear, he walks 50 miles on his […]
Sunday, January 22: Jacob Genesis 28:1–22 There is no event so common place but that God is present within it, always hiddenly, always leaving you room to recognize him or not… because in the last analysis all moments are key moments, and life itself is grace. Frederick Buechner “There are two great tragedies in life,” […]
The Whisper of Christmas There was a great and powerful wind, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle […]
Sunday, November 20: One Ephesians 5:1–20 Wake up, O sleeper, Rise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you. One of the fun things about my job is watching people fall asleep in church. Folks often put up a valiant effort but then the eyes glaze over. The lids drop to half-mast. The shoulders […]
Ephesians 4:1–16 To dwell above with saints we love, That will be grace and glory. To live below with saints we know, That’s another story. In the first three chapters of Ephesians we’ve been learning about the formation of the church, the body of Christ, made up of all Christians everywhere, no matter how diverse […]
Sunday, October 23: One Ephesians 2:11–22 We are just a couple of weeks away from the Presidential election. Is everybody excited about this? One thing that came up early on in the debates was the idea of building a wall on the border between the U.S and Mexico. It’s an idea that has been both […]
Sunday, October 2: One Ephesians 1:15–23 It’s been said that, “Prayer is the point at which heaven and earth share contiguous borders, where we take counsel with God on matters of eternal importance.”We often forget that, don’t we? Either that, or we don’t believe it. But the Apostle Paul believed it. When it came to […]
Sunday, October 2: One Ephesians 1:1–14 What’s another word for Thesaurus? Why is abbreviation such a long word? If nothing sticks to Teflon, how do they stick Teflon to the pan? Why do kamikaze pilots wear helmets? Is it possible to be totally partial? If nothing else, those questions remind us we don’t know everything. […]
Sunday, September 25: Generosity Micah 6:6–8 “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? But to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly before your God.” Micah 6:8 If you have been with us the past few months you know that we did a […]
Sunday, August 7: Plowshares & Pruning Hooks Haggai “Give careful thought to your ways.” Haggai 1:5 As we have gone through eight of the Minor Prophets so far, there has essentially been a singular theme: “God is back and, boy, is He mad.” To his rebellious kids, God has given way more warnings than they […]
Sunday, July 24: Plowshares & Pruning Hooks Zephaniah Have you noticed that all these guys are starting to sound alike? If I read different passages of each prophet to you, I suspect you would be hard pressed to know which one was which. You start to wonder, did they all sit together in class and copy […]
Sunday, July 17: Plowshares & Pruning Hooks Nahum What is your favorite story or verse from the O.T. Book of Nahum? If nothing really comes to mind you are in good company. I promise you, the vast majority of Christians, like about 99% of us, come up short. When it comes to the Minor Prophets […]
Sunday, June 5: Plowshares & Pruning Hooks Hosea Where in the Bible does God give someone an easy job? Have you noticed that God never comes to an Abraham or a Moses or an Esther and says, “I’d like you to do me a favor, but it won’t be real difficult or take much time. […]
Sunday, May 29: Steadfast Nehemiah 13:1–31 Last week we left off with the dedication of the wall around the city that Nehemiah and God’s people had built. It was a marvelous scene of celebration and joy. There were marching bands and bounce houses for the kids. There was laughter and singing within both the perimeters […]
Sunday Check-list: Celebrate Moms – check. Message that Applies to Everyone – check. Cute Babies for Dedication – check. See you on Sunday!
There is an old Irish benediction that contains the words, “And may the wind always be at your back.” If you have ever done any sailing that phrase needs no explanation. There’s nothing more exhilarating than to be on the water and have a strong prevailing wind at your back with its full force filling […]
What’s your problem? We usually ask that question in a way that sounds sarcastic but it’s actually kind of important. Here’s why: Your life will be defined by your biggest problem. For instance, you can choose, if you want, to devote your life to a problem like, how can I become rich? Or, how can I be […]
Jesus has finished his sermon in the Upper Room and is now in the process of closing in prayer. So far he has prayed for himself. He has also prayed for his disciples, whom he will soon be leaving behind. But in John 17:20-26, at the end of his last public prayer before his death, he turns […]
Think about the last time you had to say goodbye to someone you really care about. Maybe it was at an airport with a close friend, or at the end of a family reunion, or perhaps the deathbed of someone you love. Dropping your child off at college for the first time isn’t a cakewalk either. […]
“It is the nature of joy that all questions grow silent, and nothing needs explaining.” Rudolf Bultmann. When you read the gospels do you ever have questions about some of the things Jesus says? Would you occasionally like some clarification on statements he makes?That’s the situation with the disciples in John 16:16-24 as we return […]
As we come to John 14:15-31 we know something about the emotional state of Jesus’ disciples as they begin to absorb the announcement of his imminent departure. We know they are anxious, or soon will be, because Jesus tells them to “let not your hearts be troubled.” We know they are feeling abandoned and alone […]
By John 14:1-14, Jesus and his disciples have just finished what has come to be called “The Last Supper.” But the disciples didn’t know it was the “last supper” until the Lord dropped a bombshell into the conversation not long after he had washed their feet. Out of the clear blue he tells them that […]
Once a year there is a Sunday where either Matt or I get to teach on whatever we want. The rest of the year is all scheduled out. But on the Sunday after Christmas we get to choose. It’s always hard for me to decide what topic to teach on. I’m not good with unlimited […]
When I was seminary, which was about the same time the earth’s crust hardened, like everyone in my particular program I had to take “baby” Greek. After you nail down some of the basics, one of the first books they have you translate is I John. Why is that? Because the Greek in I John […]