Pop culture’s films and music give you the impression that love and romance is a young person’s game; but the truth is this: Love is like wine, and gets better with time. … More Better Than Wine: A Wedding Sermon
When I find myself revisiting the valley of the shadow of death and making mental mud pies in the pit, the mind of my “flesh” tells me I’m in Enemy territory. The Spirit of Truth reminds me, “The light shines in the darkness.” … More Mining For God
He is the faucet, the spigot, the ever flowing spring. I’m that rusty watering can with a slow leak. … More A Conduit, Not a Factory
Jesus wants to breathe peace into our hearts and homes, so we can exhale worry and fear. … More Daily Spark: “Breathe Peace” (Jeremy)
“But among you stands one you do not know” (John 1:26). We’ve all experienced it. A long lost friend you haven’t heard from in years suddenly calls you up. He’s cheerful and so thrilled to be reconnecting. You get caught up on each other’s lives, and the conversation is warm and you wonder why you … More Among Us in the Shadows
LECTIONARY REFLECTION | HOLY CROSS | SEPTEMBER 14, 2019 John 3:13-17 I have recently been emphasizing that much Christian teaching and practice today focuses on “right doing,” while other Christian teaching and practice (e.g., Contemplative tradition) throughout the centuries has emphasized the importance of spiritual “seeing” or illumination or vision. I have been re-reading John’s … More Look and Live
LECTIONARY REFLECTION | Acts 16:9-15; John 14:23-29; 5:1-9 Most of us have seen Warren Sallman’s famous painting Christ at Heart’s Door based on Revelation 3:20 where Jesus says, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” Jesus glows with the light of fresh hope while the dark thorns and thistles of sin threaten to overtake … More Are You Open?
How can such beauty come out of a situation so ugly? How can grace withstand such a tidal wave of heartlessness? How can love flow so freely between these river banks of betrayal? … More Twisted Love
This Thursday we will gather in our home for our first HouseChurch gathering of the spring. We will share a meal, fellowship, hear the apostles’ teachings, celebrate the eucharist and pray for Thy Kingdom to come on earth as it is in Heaven. The shades will be up and our doors will be unlocked and … More Locked Doors, Deflated Hearts
“We’re running out of kabobs already!” someone (probably the mother of the bride or groom) informed the wedding party in a bit of a panic. “Everyone hasn’t even been through the buffet yet!” The night was still young and they had spent good money on grilled salmon-kabobs to fed 400 guests. What was going on? … More Wedding Crashers (John 2:1-11)
4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not … More Sermon: Christmas Hide & Seek
I need to drown again in the regenerating waters of my baptism. I’m drowning on the world’s air and gasping for water this week. I preached about abiding in the Christ on Sunday, and have spent the entire week making sand castles in a God-forsaken desert. … More A Desert Prayer
John describes his experience of Christ — his faith — as far more than a collection of beliefs. He sounds like he’s completely immersed in God-reality, floating on a lazy-river of Christ-awareness, and being swept up in the easy, life-renewing currents of Trinitarian Presence. … More God’s Lazy River
Like the angels ascending and descending on Jacob’s ladder, the person who “abides” or “dwells” in Jesus by faith will experience the grace and peace of God ascending and descending in our lives on a regular basis. We’ll experience grace as Heaven’s promises descend into our valleys of despair and need. … More Where Thou Dwelleth?
27 Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?” 28 Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, 29“Come, see a man who told me everything I ever … More Backroads, Buckets & Buffets 3
“Now he had to go through Samaria” (John 4:4). The seriously engaged reader of John will ask many questions of the text. John’s Gospel is many-layered and rich in texture. So, what does he mean when he says Jesus “had to” go through Samaria? To get from Judea to Galilee the fastest, most direct route did indeed … More Backroads, Buckets & Buffets 2
Let’s begin a series of reflections on Jesus’ conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4. I will try to keep these posts brief — just offering a few thoughts to ponder. The strange title “Backroads, Buckets and Buffets” will make sense later. Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that … More Backroads, Buckets & Buffets 1
I’ve been studying the raising of Lazarus recently. I love how a closer examination of a very familiar passage can reveal new spiritual truths. Here are a few little insights I’ve gleaned. First, this story is full of deep emotions and coated with tears, grief, loss and longing. Just think of the last funeral visitation you … More Move the Stone, Come Out & Be Unwrapped
Reposted from 2012. We have spent only a few weeks in our sermon series on Nicodemus and Jesus in John 3. We could spend months exploring all of the rich treasures and profound theological realities found therein. But we must move on . . . move out onto the open road with Jesus in John … More Nic @ Night 6: A Summary
Reposted from 2012. I brought in the car for a $25 oil change this week, and came home with a laundry list of significant repairs estimating over $3,550. The car has 200,000 miles on it — so we knew this day was coming. Nicodemus probably came to Jesus hoping for a simple religious tune-up — … More Nic @ Night 5: Nicodemus at the Car Shop
This Sunday I have the honor of preaching a message on one of the most significant truths and experiences in all the universe: God’s supernatural work of New Birth in the human heart. “No one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again/from above” (John 3:3). How do you talk about something … More Nic @ Night 4: Talking about “New Birth”
Nicodemus was very religious. And this was a major obstacle preventing him from receiving the teaching and understanding the message of Jesus. Here’s a wonderful contrast between RELIGION and THE GOSPEL by Tim Keller: RELIGION: I obey, therefore I’m accepted. THE GOSPEL: I’m accepted, therefore I obey. RELIGION: Motivation is based on fear and insecurity. THE GOSPEL: Motivation is … More Nic @ Night 3: Religion vs. Gospel
Reposted from 2012. To kick off the new year, we’re exploring one of my favorite “Christ Encounters” in the Gospels — Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus. Here’s how the clandestine story begins: There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” … More Nic @ Night 2: Religion Isn’t Enough
A repost from 2012. Let’s begin this New Year by getting back to one of the most basic and foundational spiritual truths: New Birth! Let’s spend sometime in the shoes of Nicodemus, a devout, religious man who was still lacking something. Let’s imagine, just for fun, that Nicodemus went to Jesus late on New Year’s … More Nic @ Night 1: Restless New Years Eve
As the rain let up and the sun returned, Jesus led me around the cabin where we entered a gated path with a sign over it that read: “LET ME SING FOR MY BELOVED MY LOVE SONG CONCERNING HIS VINEYARD.” -Isaiah 5:1 The path weaved to and fro through what must be the Father’s gardens. We passed by rows … More Cabin 15: The Father’s Vineyard
Kingdom Harbor 