Matthew 5:27-30 ‘You have heard that it was said, “You shall not commit adultery.” But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if […]
We recently took our daughters to see the movie “Tangled.” Now, having two little ones, we don’t get out much. My wife and I don’t see a lot of movies that aren’t animated and involve princesses, if you know what I mean. So, I went to see Tangled with my kids, hoping for an hour and a half of mindless oblivion, and not much more. But, “much more” is what I found. I was startled […]
There are certain sections of the Bible that modern Western culture has undoubtedly and unfortunately tamed. These wildly potent sections that we’ve castrated are easy to recognize: they’re the ones that we find needlepointed onto pillows, fleece throws, and the swollen bellies of teddy-bears. They’re the ones we find unashamedly emblazoned onto sweatshirts and t-shirts with an air brush. And, they’re usually found inconspicuously read by someone’s aunt at their mostly secular, but trying-to-hide-it-with-a-reading-from-the-Bible, wedding. […]
“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near.” I’m indebted to preacher and pastor Rob Bell for a fuller understanding of the meaning of “repent.” For a few decades now we’ve all been trying to rescue this word from it’s typical meanings of ‘feel bad, very, very bad,’ and bring it back it’s historical and etymological meaning of ‘turn around.’ Rob Bell has in various places taken the time to put this word in, […]
“What are you looking for?” Jesus asked. “Where are you staying?” was their reply. “Come and see,” said Jesus. Did you ever get called on in class, and get caught daydreaming? Not me. 😉 Or, even worse, have you ever been asked a question in class that you indeed heard as clear as a bell, but you had no idea – not a first clue – what ballpark an answer might even come from? The […]
Let us pray to God, who is made manifest in Jesus Christ. As the prophet Isaiah rang out, “Arise, shine; for your light has come”; empower your Church, O God, to ring out the Good News of the Light of your son Jesus, which pierces even the deepest darkness. As a star rose high into the nighttime sky to draw the nations to the Christ-child; send your blessing, O God, on this nation, and every […]
Our nation mourns those who died today, and we pray for those who are wounded. Jesus went to the Jordan to be baptized because the Jordan was a powerful symbold and reminder of the freedom and life that God gives, and because that freedom and life was about to get much fuller in the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus. It was at the River Jordan that his ministry began. Jesus went to the […]
On Christmas Eve we gathered amidst the candlelight, the carols, and sugar plum fairies and heard of the Incarnation from the Gospel of Luke. Luke firmly planted his rendition of the Incarnation amidst the decrees of the Caesar, the songs of the angels, and the manger in Bethlehem. Two days later we gathered for the First Sunday after Christmas and listened to John’s take on the Incarnation. John grounded his rendition in the primordial light […]
I have been so influenced on Elaine Pagels’ work on the prologue to John, that it’s hard for me to look at John without seeing it through that lens. And, in this busy time of the year, I don’t think I’m going to expend much energy trying to move beyond it! So, here it goes… Dr. Pagels identifies a feature she calls “the three negations” deeply embedded in the fabric of the Prologue. And it’s […]
Officiant: Let us pray to God, who came among us in the birth of Jesus: Intercessor: Gracious God, as a star rose, and drew people from great distances to Bethlehem that they might greet the Christ-child; Draw us, your Church, and all of your people to you – that we might be the Church and the People who you call us to be. Lord, in your mercy, Hear our prayer. As you gave Mary your […]