God forgives and forgets. He forgives our wickedness, and He remembers our sins no more. That's that marvel and the mystery. The Judge of all, the One who could condemn us, and who could destroy body and soul in hell, forgives. And the omniscient One who knows all things, chooses in…
Salt is irritating and a good thing. Saltwater in the eyes stings. Salt in a wound irritates. Salt on meat preserves, and it tingles the taste buds. A dish without salt lacks flavor, zest. Jesus speaks of our being salted with fire and having salt in ourselves. James has…
There are two kinds of wisdom - wisdom “from above” and wisdom “from below.” Heavenly wisdom and earthly wisdom. James is speaking in the way of the Proverbs and the first Psalm. Two ways, two wisdoms.
The wisdom “from below” is an arrogant, self-centered sort of wisdom. James calls it…
“Be doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” But don’t kid yourself. You have to first be a hearer before you can be a doer. James would have us consider our hearing of the Word this morning. And our speaking. And our doing. The Word goes…
Words. They don’t seem like much. Sound waves pushing on air molecules that bounce off each other like billiard balls and eventually find their way into ears and bounce off eardrums to make sounds. The right word at the right time can bring great comfort. The wrong word at the wrong…
This four-week romp through John chapter 6 seems a bit like the TV show “24” which plays out a day in the life of a federal agent, one hour at a time. We seem to be going through Jesus’ sermon at the synagogue in Capernaum at about the same pace.
When we left…
Why eat? Silly question. Because we’re hungry, that’s why. Well, sort of. Hunger is a sensation triggered by a need. Or sometimes not. Your brain senses a need, and therefore creates the feeling of hunger. Sometimes our brains are out of sync with out bodies, and so we’re…
Questions. The crowds have lots of questions. And Jesus has answers. And with the answers come much more than anyone would dare to ask. That’s how it always goes with Jesus. We come with our questions - sometimes curious, sometimes trivial, occasionally challenging or even doubting. And Jesus meets…
Borrowed bread and fish are a feast in the hands of Jesus.
John writes, “Sometime after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee.” The “after this” refers to Jesus’ healing of the man at the pool of Bethsaida. There with a word, He told a paralyzed man,…
Abraham was right. That faithful old man, the “father of believers,” was caught in the deepest anguish of his faith when God stuck him on the spear-point of his order to sacrifice his son. Laden with wood on his back, the boy asked, “Father, where is the lamb?” With fire in his…