Never more to die, Jesus now lives! Now, the sunrise of Easter shines upon us, sending away the somber mood of Lent. All is now different because Jesus struck down […]
Palm Sunday: Psalm 119:19-29: “Open to Me the gates of righteousness”
May 2, 2019 by
Long before the beginnings of print, before television infiltrated our lives, people gathered in their communities and told stories. These entertained and educated, and passed down a culture’s history and […]
Good Friday: John 12:32-33: When the I Am is Lifted Up
May 2, 2019 by
The nails pierce, thorns stab, and blood feeds the ground. The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin, its poison, is the Law. For what God commands […]
Maundy Thursday: John 6:47-56: I Am the Bread of Life
May 2, 2019 by
The first Passover, such a horrific and gruesome sight, unlike any in Egypt, whether before or after. At twilight, an enslaved people slaughter thousands of lambs, eat of their flesh, […]
John 14:1-7: I Am the Way, Truth, and Life
May 2, 2019 by
The atmosphere is solemn and sober. A Teacher’s words trouble and grieve His students (John 14:1, 27; 16:6, 20-22). The air thickens with uncertainty and foreboding, as tensions rise. By […]
John 10:7-10: I Am the Door
May 2, 2019 by
The Pharisees seethe in anger. On a Sabbath, Jesus heals a man, who suffered the misfortune of being born blind. To them, He is an unstoppable juggernaut, acting like He […]
John 8:12-16: I Am the Light of the World
May 2, 2019 by
Intro In John 7-9, Jesus is celebrating the annual Festival of Tabernacles. For eight days each year, the Jews traveled to Jerusalem for this ritual, living in temporary shelters to […]
Matthew 15:22-28: Being a Blessed Dog
March 27, 2019 by
To the Northern coast, Christ goes, traveling into the region of Tyre and Sidon. Far from home, He is walking on Canaanite soil with His disciples. Many centuries earlier, God […]
Genesis 3:1-21: The Dark Poetry of the Fall
March 27, 2019 by
The story of our plummet into sin is simple enough but also full of intricacies. These verses in Scripture are both complex and nuanced. Every word in the first three […]
John 15:1-8: I Am the Vine
March 27, 2019 by
Apart from me, you can do nothing, Jesus decrees, scorching every elegance of language away (John 15:5). Attend to His words, for He doesn’t say someone is disabled but bereft […]
