Choking On The Gospel Reading This Week My first encounter w/the reading: Jesus’ words are hard to swallow. Better taught than preached. Searching for a more palatable passage. How to avoid the appearance of a cannibalistic vampire cult? Over-Indulging The Wrong Spiritual Food Our struggle reveals that we’re missing the main point in Jesus’ words.…
Which Food Are You Hungry For This Morning? There’s worship & the Word here, but there’s potluck waiting for us. Today we get both spiritual ‘soul’ food and physical stomach food. We often pass on healthy to crave saccharine sweet or to “get salty”. Junk Food & Junk Theology Creates Unhealthy People Saccharine sweet leaves…
Pentecost 10 – Are You Thirsty, My Friends? Are You Thirsty? I Know I’m Thirsty Thirst as a longing for some deep need to be quenched. I’m thirsty for a better world; a kinder world; a world where … The “Body” (Church/humanity) thirsts like a diabetic w/high bloodsugar. Trying To Quench The Thirst With…
God Is Great Invocation/Ps.89 You are our Father, our God, & the Rock of our salvation! You alone are above the highest of the kings of the earth. The Shepherd King is exalted above all earthly kings. He is our savior. We find rest in the sovereignty of our Lord Jesus, for he has power…
What Is This? Who Picked This Pericope? Such graphic content! Laughing with Fran about the Children’s Message. Whoever said the Bible was a safe PG book to read anyway? Remembering this is about Jesus & continuing our ongoing story. Following Jesus & Kingdom Is Downright Dangerous! Antonius’ decision & the cost of being a follower…
Pentecost 07 – Obstacles To Seeing The Obstacles That Prevent Us From Seeing Judging books by their covers; Judging people by their appearances. Recognizing our own bias & perspectivism that become obstacles. Obstacles by birth (who we are) & obstacles by what we experience. Experiencing obstacles because of others’ bias & judgment of us.…
Antonius was a good soldier. No. Antonius was a great soldier. At the battle of Septuaginta Trium Orientem he had distinguished himself with valor and been honored with the position of Aquilifer for his legion. That means Antonius carried the legion Aquila or Roman Eagle into battle alongside the first Centurion; a Centurion he had…
Born In The Storm: Encountering God In The Storm Born in the storm: encountering God @Thomas’ birth Born in the storm: encountering God @Williams Prayer Chapel Born in the storm: encountering God @First Congregational Church Born in the storm: encountering God @Crisis leads to growth Crying Out To God In The Storm When you…
We Have An Identity Problem Sometimes you have to deviate from the Lectionary Monday – Luis’ story. Tuesday – ACEs Training. Thursday – George’s story. Our Identity Problem Creates A Love Problem When our adverse experiences define who we are, we come to believe that there is something wrong with us. When we believe that…
He Has A Demon – There’s Something Wrong With Him Following Jesus involves sacrifice: “They could not even eat.” “just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”Matthew 20:28 Following Jesus involves rejection: “He has gone out of his mind.” “But…