Sometimes the smallest act of kindness (which is, of course, one of the fruits of the Spirit working in us), can have a profound and lasting impact upon others. In Serving, the Biggest Honor in Life, Milt Culver retells a story written by pediatrician David Cerqueira. David’s wife was a Sunday school teacher at Church … Read more
Yesterday’s blog considered the leper that Jesus healed with a word and with a touch. As I mentioned, touching lepers was just not done. It was unhealthy, risky, socially unacceptable. But Jesus chose that path to bring healing to this outcast. I think it says something about Jesus’ idea of preaching. One morning, very early, … Read more
The verse is striking in its simplicity: “Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him” (Matthew 8:3). We touch lots of things as we move through life without ever thinking much about it. But this touch was different. The man Jesus touched was a man who had most likely forgotten what it felt like to … Read more
‘No, seriously, weren’t there ten?’ The story’s pretty well known. Jesus is traveling and preaching and healing. And in Luke 17:11-19 we find this thought-provoking incident. On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted … Read more
John 12:20-26: “Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. So, these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. And Jesus answered them, “The hour has … Read more
The image of coming out of death into life is the unavoidable core message of the Christian faith. It’s illustrated by biblical contrasts like the darkness and the light, the old and the new, the night and the day, etc. We act out the drama of life-springing-from-death in our baptism. The Apostle Paul wrote: “We … Read more
“Following” Jesus is synonymous with “obeying” Jesus. To follow is to obey, and obeying involves a long series of decisions that I make to glorify God by laying my life, my preferences, and my desires at His feet. Laying down my life is a daily choice. Following Jesus means acknowledging that I am not my … Read more
It sounds like a paradox. It’s one of the most difficult verses in the New Testament to wrap our minds around. It’s disarmingly simple, yet deeper than the deepest ocean. “Whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matthew 16:25). Jesus is not … Read more
All of us have inadequacies. Many of us have insecurities. Perhaps you feel like you’re unimportant to the Kingdom of God, that there’s little you can do that will matter for God. Perhaps you feel too fragile and frail. You may lack social graces or talent in certain areas. You may be awkward around people, … Read more
So, Jesus tells a story. It’s a story about a “man” [hint: the “man” is Jesus Himself] who’s going away for a time, but is coming back. He calls His servants and entrusts to them a certain amount of money that he expects them to invest on his behalf while he’s away. To one he … Read more