A Prophecy and a Promise, Part 2
Your Lent may have gone many ways up until this point—you may have felt yourself drawing closer to God, or you may have felt the inadequacy of your own strength. Probably it is a little of both, and probably, either way, you may have come to understand what it means to lose your life and fall into the earth and die.
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“Can’t” Can’t Be, Anymore (Part 2)
How do we get to a redemptive imagination, a view of life that sees Christ involved in the life of the lost? Involved in poverty? Involved in homelessness? In brokenness and wholeness? We have to look at three things: who we worship, who we love, and what we decide to do.
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“Can’t” Can’t Be, Anymore (Part 1)
Jesus came to give us a better perspective and better imagination—a redemptive imagination, really; a view of this world and life that considers the fact that if God the Father can send _his own son_ into the world and let him die for all of us so that we never have to worry about death again, then just perhaps he can use us to save others, help with homelessness, and figure out a way for us to be together even when things break down.
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The Benefits of a Not-So-Perfect Christmas
So, if you had a perfect celebration of Christmas yesterday, that’s wonderful—a glimpse of the age to come. But if, like most people, your Christmas wasn’t everything you hoped it would be, then take heart. Jesus came into such a world as yours. Jesus understands. Moreover, through the Spirit, Jesus is present with you today much as he was present in the flesh two millennia ago. Thus, if your Christmas was not what you hoped it would be, or if even if you’re feeling powerfully sad, Jesus gets it. More to the point, _Jesus gets you_.
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He Is Mine, I Mean I Am His
We all belong to Jesus. We are all loved by the Father. We are all empowered by the Spirit. We are all God’s. Even (especially?) when we make mistakes.
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American(ism) Idol
Good things can become idols if we put them above God. Even when Jesus raised the dead, many of the religious leaders of his day seemed more concerned with their nation, their power and freedoms, and their temple than with the God they claimed to worship in that temple. We are continually called to let go of our idols and put God first.
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The Sheep That Have a Name
Be assured that your good shepherd cares for you. He knows you by name, and he will be your gate, your bread, your light, your life, your true vine, and your way.
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Low Sunday
What Jesus did for us, he did because he was both crucified and risen. What Jesus did for us, he did because he was both human and divine. What Jesus did for us encompasses both Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
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Follow Me
Suddenly sometimes strange happens in the text. Peter asks, “What about him, though?” He points to the disciple whom Jesus loved following behind. I always thought it odd that he would ask and I still cannot be quite sure why he does so. However, I am always moved by Jesus’ persistent redirection: Peter, follow me. Stay in your lane. Don’t compare yourself. Keep your eyes on me. Not on him.
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The Light of the World
When faced with hunger, blindness, death, fear, and confusion—of our own making or outside of our control, in our individual lives or in the life of the world—we have a Savior who is our mighty help.
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Jesus Crucified But Not Completely Alone
As Jesus was crucified, he experienced profound aloneness. But he wasn’t completely alone. Several of his followers – mainly a number of women – stayed with him and even drew near to him as he was daying. This reminds us that we need others with us when we suffer. It also encourages us to be with people in their pain. As it says in Romans, “Weep with those who weep.”
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Jesus Prayed That We Don’t Do It Alone
Jesus’s prayer in John 17, with its striking request that all disciples of Jesus be unified, underscores the truth of the “can’t do it alone” principle. It also challenges us to examine our own lives. Are we experiencing in our relationships the unity for which Jesus prayed? Are we helping our church to be more united and less divided? Are we living each day in the reality of the oneness we have with our brothers and sisters in Christ?
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The Church and Consumerism, Part 1
When people approach church as consumers shopping for a product, it is tempting for Christians—especially church leaders—to respond with a similar mindset: to view church as a product that must please customers in order to sell. Jesus calls us to a different approach than a consumer model. Though it is often not a popular message, the Gospel should always point to Christ, and through Christ back to the Father.
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Fruitful in Relationship
You can do good through your individual efforts, to be sure. But you will only experience full and true fruitfulness in relationship with others. If you want to make a difference that matters in this world, you can’t do it alone. Community is essential for fruitful living.
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