There is no question that walking in the way of Jesus can be extraordinarily difficult, especially in extraordinarily divided and volatile times. Look again at the instructions Jesus gives in Luke 6:29-30 and Mt. 5:38-42 and you will see that it is extremely challenging sometimes. At the very least, we move in the opposite direction […]

If you asked most people about the story of Jesus’ calling of Peter, James, and John in Luke 5, they would say that what is remarkable in the story is the overflowing nets of fish. Fishing wasn’t a hobby for these men. This is what they do for a living. I’m guessing being told when, […]

The book of Jonah tells the story of a prophet who is called to preach to a nation that he hates. And because of this hate, Jonah does everything imaginable to avoid joining, even getting on a boat and sailing as far away as possible. However, when storms come, Jonah is thrown off the boat […]

While it doesn’t quote any bible verses that I recall, the Christmas Claymation classic, Rudolf the Red-Nose Reindeer, has a very Luke 4 message. The majority of special is about the nobody’s becoming somebody’s, the forgotten being remembered, the odd balls finding a purpose. Rudolf falls into that category, of course, because of his shiny nose that […]

God, being God, could have gone through the entirety of human existence and always keep us at bay. God could have given us the ol’ eternal Heisman and kept his distance. And that’s the story some believe about God. That’s the idea of God many of the founding fathers of our country had. They believed […]

In the beginning of the famous Christmas movie Home Alone, Kevin McAlister wishes that his family would disappear. After a chaotic meal that results in ruined pizza and spilt milk, the only thing Kevin wants is to be alone. However, after Kevin defends his home from intruders, Kevin’s Christmas wish changes. Now, the only thing […]

“What do you say?” Anyone who has raised young kids knows this prompting question. Someone tells your son how handsome he looks in his big boy suit. What do you say? A child shares a toy with your daughter while playing together. What do you say? You know the answer you are trying to ingrain. It’s an answer […]

Businesses come and businesses go. Trends come and trends go. Success comes and success goes. Nations come and nations go. People come and people go. Even spiritual things come and go. That’s what Paul says about spiritual gifts like speaking in tongues, prophecy, and special knowledge. The church in Corinth is obsessed over these things. […]

Love always perseveres / endures all things. Part of perseverance is simply the decision to keep trying if something is important, even if it doesn’t come easily to you. In the words of the great theologian, Dory, from Finding Nemo, “Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming. Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming.” This is a type […]

Treating one hour a week as the essence or extent of our worship is like visiting a port at Cozumel but never leaving the fenced-in touristy confines. Treating one hour a week as the essence or extent of our worship is like spending a few hours in LaGuardia on a layover and confusing that with […]