We recently took our daughters to see the movie “Tangled.” Now, having two little ones, we don’t get out much. My wife and I don’t see a lot of movies that aren’t animated and involve princesses, if you know what I mean. So, I went to see Tangled with my kids, hoping for an hour and a half of mindless oblivion, and not much more. But, “much more” is what I found. I was startled […]
There are certain sections of the Bible that modern Western culture has undoubtedly and unfortunately tamed. These wildly potent sections that we’ve castrated are easy to recognize: they’re the ones that we find needlepointed onto pillows, fleece throws, and the swollen bellies of teddy-bears. They’re the ones we find unashamedly emblazoned onto sweatshirts and t-shirts with an air brush. And, they’re usually found inconspicuously read by someone’s aunt at their mostly secular, but trying-to-hide-it-with-a-reading-from-the-Bible, wedding. […]
“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has come near.” I’m indebted to preacher and pastor Rob Bell for a fuller understanding of the meaning of “repent.” For a few decades now we’ve all been trying to rescue this word from it’s typical meanings of ‘feel bad, very, very bad,’ and bring it back it’s historical and etymological meaning of ‘turn around.’ Rob Bell has in various places taken the time to put this word in, […]
“What are you looking for?” Jesus asked. “Where are you staying?” was their reply. “Come and see,” said Jesus. Did you ever get called on in class, and get caught daydreaming? Not me. 😉 Or, even worse, have you ever been asked a question in class that you indeed heard as clear as a bell, but you had no idea – not a first clue – what ballpark an answer might even come from? The […]
Our nation mourns those who died today, and we pray for those who are wounded. Jesus went to the Jordan to be baptized because the Jordan was a powerful symbold and reminder of the freedom and life that God gives, and because that freedom and life was about to get much fuller in the life, ministry, death and resurrection of Jesus. It was at the River Jordan that his ministry began. Jesus went to the […]
On Christmas Eve we gathered amidst the candlelight, the carols, and sugar plum fairies and heard of the Incarnation from the Gospel of Luke. Luke firmly planted his rendition of the Incarnation amidst the decrees of the Caesar, the songs of the angels, and the manger in Bethlehem. Two days later we gathered for the First Sunday after Christmas and listened to John’s take on the Incarnation. John grounded his rendition in the primordial light […]
I have been so influenced on Elaine Pagels’ work on the prologue to John, that it’s hard for me to look at John without seeing it through that lens. And, in this busy time of the year, I don’t think I’m going to expend much energy trying to move beyond it! So, here it goes… Dr. Pagels identifies a feature she calls “the three negations” deeply embedded in the fabric of the Prologue. And it’s […]
The story of Jesus’ birth in the Gospel of Luke begins with the invocation of the emperor, his wishes, and everyone following his command. He desired a census and everyone jumped to fulfill the task. There is no hint of distaste here. No little jab at the Caesar, his authority, or even his claim to be divine. He commands and people listen. Even pregnant women. Even a certain unwed pregnant mother. Honestly, it’s a brilliant […]
“Have you accepted Emmanuel as your Lord and Savior?” “I’ve given my heart to Emmanuel.” “I pray in Emmanuel’s name.” When’s the last time you heard one of these statements? Yeah, me neither. If you told someone that you oriented your life to follow the teachings of Emmanuel, and worshipped Emmanuel every weekend – wouldn’t most people assume that you were part of some weird, fringe religion? Who? And yet, “Emmanuel” is indeed a secondary […]
In Matthew 11 the disciples of John the Baptist confront Jesus wanting to know if he was “the one.” Was Jesus ‘it,’ or should they keep waiting for someone else? It’s an interesting encounter to say the least. The disciples of Jesus had barely figured out who Jesus really was, and here’s another man’s disciples who seem to have put two and two together. But, the deeper point here is that they were ‘waiting’ to […]