One of my favorite challenges to give to the Confirmation class is to have them give different names of Jesus from the Bible. The group record was 71 that a class two years ago came up with. There are about 105-110 by most New Testament scholar's opinion. This second to the last verse of 1 John has one that was...
Read MoreJohn begins his very first letter much like he begins his Gospel. The Gospel marvels at the incarnate Word who is and was God from all time. In the letter, John marvels at Jesus and views Him from his perspective and with his various senses: hearing; touching; and seeing. That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which...
Read MoreSometimes the words and view of scripture do not always match up with the way we think and prioritize life. I thought of that reading this verse from 3 John today. Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.(3 John 1:2-4) I...
Read MoreYesterday we talked about Jesus knocking at the door in Revelation 3:20. I am always surprised and blessed by the reading of the next few verses. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. He who has an ear,...
Read MoreKnock-knock. Who’s there? Hatch. Hatch who? God bless you. Knock-knock! Who’s there? Doris. Doris, who? Doris locked, that’s why I had to knock! Knock-knock! Who’s there? Nobel. Nobel who? No bell so I’ll knock. I was reading this passage and it made me think of knock-knock jokes. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my...
Read MoreIt (love) does not envy.” – 1 Corinthians 13:4 Envy is wanting what others have. But envy isn’t so much about what others have. It’s really about not being content with what you have. God blesses us with so much. Sometimes He gives us a lot and sometimes little. The question isn’t how to get more, it’s how to be...
Read More“Love is kind.” – 1 Corinthians 13:4 I’ve seen images like the one here many times. Practice acts of random kindness. I love the sentiment because it gets to the core of the kind of love God shows us. Random acts of kindness tend to have these two characteristics: They are not limited to just the people we know. Any...
Read MoreLove can make us do things that we wouldn't normally do. I've always found it interesting how things that irritate us when one person does them don't bother us when someone else, whom we love, does them. Patience can definitely be one of those things we give some, but not others. Love is patient." (1 Corinthians 13:4) However, God does...
Read MoreI am officiating a wedding this weekend and I have been going through some of the more common Bible passages read at weddings. One of the most popular has to 1 Corinthians 13:1-8. As we look at the love of Jesus during this Lent season, this passage seemed very appropriate to reflect on. If I speak in the...
Read MoreYesterday in the sermon I mentioned an H.G Wells quote that I love. "If there is no God, nothing matters. If there is a God, nothing else matters." Wells was an English science fiction writer that thought about the future and what it all means? The heart of this quote talks about the purpose and meaning of things and of...
Read MoreHappy Sabbath Day! Our Old Testament reading for this weekend has been the 10 Commandments from Exodus chapter 20. One of them is: remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. This was misunderstood in Jesus day. One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and as his disciples walked along, they began to pick some heads of grain. The...
Read MoreI have been reading through the Psalms this week and this verse stuck out in my mind. Here David speaks to “gods” about the Lord and His unfailing love. I will praise you Lord with all my heart; before the “gods” I will sing your praise. I will bow down toward your holy temple and praise your name for your...
Read MoreIn the little kid’s chapel this week I started talking about the fruit of the Spirit. One of them that is elusive to me at times is patience. (remember: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) This Psalm speaks of the struggles we have with patience. I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word...
Read MoreContinuing to read in the Psalms, the first verse here reminds me of the saying, God is good all the time. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, his love endures forever. Let Israel say, His love endures forever. Let the house of Aaron say, His love endures forever. Let those who fear the Lord say, His love endures...
Read MoreOne of the great insights from the book we read at Book Club, “Life Together” was talking about praying the Psalms. In fact, the prayer book that Jesus used was the Book of Psalms. Just as he taught us the Lord’s Prayer, we can also pray like Jesus when we pray the Psalms. I call on you, O God, for...
Read MoreOne of the more challenging things in life is to always speak the truth. There is a Jim Carrey movie that plays on this whole theme called Liar, Liar. Jim is an attorney who for 24 hours has to tell the truth because of a wish of his son. This is terrible because as a lawyer he would often spin...
Read MoreMost of us, at least at some point, want to be known for something. For some, you may want to be known as a great musician or artist. For others, it may be as a great teacher. Watching the Winter Olympics, I see a bunch of people who want to be known not only as a great athlete but as...
Read MoreThe Gospel reading for today is Mark 8:27-38. In this passage there are several great things. We have Peter's confession of who Jesus is (The Messiah), Jesus tells the disciples of the suffering and death He would face, and we learn about following Jesus. That last one can be pretty challenging. Jesus doesn't describe a life of ease, free from...
Read MoreI love to travel, but there's just something about being home that you can't get anywhere else. I remember right after college I took a trip around the country with a friend of mine. We rented an SUV which served not only as transportation but often as our lodging and drove to Texas and Arizona, then to Colorado, then California. ...
Read MoreI am going to go back to continue with John 15 after yesterday’s reflection on Billy Graham. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I...
Read MoreAs I was watching the news this morning I heard the news that Billy Graham had died. Some of you may know I do have a Greek and Hebrew degree from Wheaton College, where he also went to school. This is part of the email Wheaton sent out this morning. Billy Graham preached the gospel to 215...
Read MoreWe continue on with John chapter 15 that has many insights into the love of Jesus. Yesterday Jesus talked about remaining in the love of Jesus and obeying Him. The next verse talks about the result of that action, joy. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may...
Read MoreWhen we think about the love of Jesus, John chapter 15 has many insights into the love of Jesus. The next few blogs will look at how Jesus describes love in this chapter. "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my...
Read MoreHappy Presidents Day! This is a newer holiday. Growing up we always had both Washington’s Birthday and Lincoln’s Birthday as holidays. Since they added MLK day they combined these two into one. I don’t really know as much about George Washington, but Abraham Lincoln has been a great favorite. When thinking about the Presidents, this passage from Romans speaks to...
Read MoreLast week on Sunday I mentioned I had a Pastor’s hat trick. (A Baptism, a Wedding, and celebrating Holy Communion) This thought was from my talk with some at the Hockey game about Gordie Howe and what he celebrated as a hat trick, a goal, an assist, and a fight. The usual hat trick in hockey is three goals. I...
Read MoreBiblical literacy is not always the best. As I was reading in this chapter of 1 John yesterday this passage stuck in my mind and I remembered this story. A couple was getting married and asked their bakery to put this passage from 1 John 4:18 on their cake. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives...
Read MoreOne of the more common things we have in weekly worship services are the creeds. The more common are the Apostles and the Nicene Creed. These give a picture in the discussions and debates at the times they were written, namely, just who is Jesus and how can we describe the Trinity. We confess these as part of our faith...
Read MoreIn chapel yesterday for Ash Wednesday I read this Bible passage. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17) This passage describes four ways that scripture works in each of us. The most...
Read MoreToday begins the 40 days before Easter that marks the season of Lent (this includes all of the days except for the Sundays). You may think it unusual or not fitting that today is also Valentines Day. It last happened in 1956. It will happen again in only eleven years in 2029. Today is a day of hearts and love....
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