There is vast difference between temptation and testing. God tempts no one. James is clear on that, and we need to be clear on that too. God does not dangle sin in front of our eyes and then dare us to disobey. That’s the work of the devil, the world, and…
The glory of the LORD is a frightful glory. Few have seen it, and even they caught only a glimpse of it. Moses saw it, or at least the wake of it, and he had to be hidden in a cave to endure it. Elijah caught a glimpse of it, but he…
Leprosy was, and still is, a horrible disease. Medically speaking, it is a systemic bacterial infection that affects the nervous system and the upper respiratory tract. It causes permanent damage to the skin, nerves, limbs, and eyes. Until 1940, there was no cure. It is still considered a significant public health problem today.
Socially,…
Straight from the Capernaum synagogue, Jesus goes off to Simon Peter’s house along with brother Andrew and James and John. Simon’s mother-in-law isn’t feeling terribly well. She’s been running a bit of a fever. Probably one of those 24-hour bug things. A little rest, a little chicken soup, a couple of…
It’s a Sabbath day in Capernaum, so where would you expect to find Jesus? Of course - in the synagogue. Where else? The synagogue was the “congregating place.” That’s what the word “synagogue” means, a place to gather. We say, “congregation.” Every sabbath Jesus went to the congregation. …
The Bible begins baptismally. I know that sounds strange, but think about it for a moment. “The Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. The Deep. Tehom, those primal, swirling, chaotic waters. Spirit and water, water and Spirit. Remember Jesus to Nicodemus? “Unless you…
It happens all the time. You misplace your kid. He wanders down an aisle at Toys-R-Us; she goes off on her own in the mall. Kids have a tendency to do that. But when the kid you misplace is the Son of God, the Savior of the world, the stakes go…
And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. (Luke 2:22-40)
Over the next two Sundays, we get two events from the childhood of Jesus - His presentation in the temple at 40 days and His sitting with the teachers of the…
For with God nothing will be impossible. - Luke 1:37
The fourth and last Sunday of Advent brings a much kinder and gentler text. John the Baptizer has had his say and is done for another year. The scene shifts to a town in northern Galillee named Nazareth. There was no…
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. (John 1:6)
So what do you think of John the Baptizer? You’ve had a week to think about him, to live with this Advent image in your head of this wilderness prophet wearing camel’s hair and leather, eating locusts and wild…