May 24, 2020
What an appropriate passage for Memorial Day weekend. On this weekend when we remember those who died in wars..let’s talk about resurrection. And what an appropriate passage for a world in the midst of a pandemic. As deaths continue to mount around the world…and people are trying to figure out how to move forward…let’s talk… Read More »
May 10, 2020
So what’s the point of the church…of us? What are we for? Why do we exist? When we are looking for answers, the Book of Acts is a good place to start. After all, it begins just as the risen Jesus ascends into heaven, no longer visible in human form…and chronicles what happened next. … Read More »
April 26, 2020
The man at the Beautiful Gate was stuck there…had been stuck there…for as long as anyone could remember. Born with disfigured ankles and legs, he was unable to walk…and in his world, there were no disability payments..and really no “desk jobs”… so the only option available to him in order to survive was to beg. … Read More »
April 12, 2020
Every year, we say it’s not about the bunnies …it’s not about the egg hunts and baskets of goodies….it’s not about the full church or the spring decorations. Every year, we say it’s not about the brunches or dinners or family gatherings or new clothes. Every year, we remind ourselves that Easter isn’t a holiday… Read More »
March 22, 2020
What’s the most important commandment? Jesus says it’s this – “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ Jesus is quoting something that every single Jewish… Read More »
March 1, 2020
What must I do to “inherit” eternal life? That’s what the man asks. He doesn’t ask how he can earn it….rather how he can “inherit” it. Inheritance comes as a gift. It is a sheer gift given to us that was earned by those who came before us. And one thing you need to… Read More »
February 16, 2020
We have a tradition as Lutherans…of seeing ourselves as simultaneously saint and sinner. Not distributed by percentage…like maybe I’m 40% sinner and 60% saint….while you might be 80% saint and 20% sinner…depending on the day. No…Luther was convinced we were 100% sinner all the time. Because from inside of us comes that long list… Read More »
January 5, 2020
It seems like just last week we were at the manger….gazing at an adorable swaddled baby, a young mother, a scared father…and suddenly…we blink and here he is …Jesus – all grown up. Mark obviously didn’t consult Jesus’ mom and dad when writing his gospel, because he completely skips over Jesus’ childhood…all the memories…the preparation,… Read More »
December 15, 2019
Kingdoms come and go. They always have. The kingdom of Israel lasted only a short time, before being over run by Assyria…and then Babylon …and then Persia. And, as always, some kingdoms are better than others. Cyrus is the king of Persia…and it is interesting that in Scripture, Cyrus is actually referred to God’s “messiah” … Read More »
November 24, 2019
Ok….some history — For about 115 years…what we know as Israel was united under a single king—-first Saul, then David, and then Solomon. But then, after Solomon died, Israel was divided into two nations…the North and the South. About 200 years later, the Northern Kingdom, which was completely corrupt (that was the kingdom ruled… Read More »