... something. Dear friends, Last September, we were gathered in the German Interest Conference of our church in Philadelphia. And there we elected our president, and afterwards he said to me: "John, I am really busy - the congregation in New York and also the work in New Jersey - that is a lot. But I accept this office because I want to do something."18 "Because I want to do something." That was like music to my ears, for that is an important part of being a Christian. The Christian wants to do something. And ...
... everything that I command. Anyone who does not heed the words that the prophet shall speak in my name, I myself will hold accountable. - Deuteronomy 18:18-19 These are strong words! And thus in the scriptures we do not hear the prophets speak on their own behalf, but with a far ... to the window one could read quotations from several internationally known people on the theme of peace - Pope John XXIII, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Dag Hammarskjold, among them. It was an impressive and attractive display, and the ...
... can't let go of hurtful memories? How many marriages would be improved if one partner or the other could just forget? In A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving says, "Your memory is a monster; you forget--it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from you--and ... Alice Gray (Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 1998), pp. 189-191. 5. Life, Sept. 1998, p. 18. 6. John Irving, A Prayer for Owen Meany (New York: Ballentine Books, 1989), p. 44. 7. Dave Stone, Keeping Your Head ...
... ; Mark 6:46; Luke 6:12), sometimes spending the whole evening in prayer. Jesus encouraged his friends to pray. He took Peter, James, and John up on a mountain to pray and there he was transfigured before them (Luke 9:28-36). After the Last Supper, Jesus went to ... could not raise his eyes to God, but had the courage to beat his breast and say, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" (Luke 18:13c). While we generally think of prayer as a mental or verbal exercise, such a view is far too narrow. We must see our ...
... all kinds of opinions about Jesus 2,000 years ago. There were some who said that Jesus was a great preacher like John the Baptist. There were others who said that Jesus was a great person like Elijah. There were others who said that Jesus was ... love one if you do not love the other. But notice what else Jesus said, "...and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." (v.18) Now think about that. Jesus said even hell won't be able to stop His building program. If you think about it you realize that gates ...
... his life, he was by far and away, the richest man in the world. Even today, the name Rockefeller is associated with wealth. John D. Rockefeller, who probably never really knew exactly how much he was worth and had far more money than any one-hundred men ... and can survive mutual honesty. The other quality is loyalty. Solomon said, "There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." (Proverbs 18:24, NKJV) The word "stick" refers to how the skin sticks to the bone and that is how close one friend should stick ...
... an event in the life of Jesus that pushed all of His buttons. An event that didn't just irritate Him but made Him angry. John 2:13-22 (NRSV) [13] The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. [14] In the temple he found people ... clean and deal with those kind of people. Israel's earliest calling was to reach out to all the nations of the world. In Genesis 18:18 we read "...Abraham shall become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him?" Isaiah 42:6 ...
... everything else that God created. As the gospel of John points out, Jesus "was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being" (John 1:2-3). This ancient hymn in Colossians makes ... real lives in the real world. That's God's reconciliation! For this ministry of reconciliation that we have been given (2 Corinthians 5:18), we can find hope in the vision of Christ Jesus presented in our scripture text for today. The one who is before all things, ...
... 15) The Lord Meets Moses as a Fiery Furnace on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19) The Lord Burns Up Elijah’s Sacrifice Like an Oven (1 Kings 18) Elisha Heals the Spring Waters of Jericho with Salt (2 Kings 2:19-22) In David’s Song, the Lord Appears as a Fiery Furnace (2 ... are the salt of the earthen oven; but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how shall its saltiness be restored?” The gospeler John says, Jesus is the Light of the World. But here in Matthew, Jesus says, YOU are the light of the world. Wow! When ...
... the margins, and the edges, those who have been left behind, and we bring them to the Lord. Last week, we saw a film about John Wesley. Wesley wasn’t interested so much in just reaping the harvest he could easily see in the pews and churches of England. Wesley was interested ... (Matthew 16:21-23; 17:22-23; 20:17-19; 26:1-5; Mark 8:31-33; 9:3-32; 10:32-24; Luke 9:18-22; 9:44-45; 12:49-50; 18:31-34; John 7:12-24; 12:20-36; 13:31-14:7; 16:16) Jesus the Son of God (Acts of the Apostles 13) Christ’s Suffering ...
... of the Son and the Promise of Resurrection for All (1 Corinthians 15) Minor Text The Honoring of All Saints The Raising Up of a New Prophet Like Moses (Deuteronomy 18:15-22) Psalm 2: The Son of God Psalm 22: The Song of Deliverance and God’s Victory Psalm 110: The Priest of Melchizedek God Knows the Name of the ... 17-19; 26:1-5; Mark 8:31-33; 9:3-32; 10:32-34; Luke 9:18-22; 9:44-45; 12:49-50; 18:31-34; John 7:12-24; 12:20-36; 13:31-14:7; 16:16) Christ’s Suffering (1 Peter 2) The Son of Man (Revelation 1)
... a goal in mind, then self-denial doesn’t feel so much like sacrifice. It feels like an investment in a greater good. Pastor John Ortberg says to imagine that you are sitting home in your recliner eating Twinkies when your doorbell rings. On your porch stand the members ... Death Of 100 Of World’s Most Famous People” by Alex Ledsom, Forbes, November 18, 2020. https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexledsom/2020/11/18/french-radio-accidentally-announces-death-of-100-of-worlds-most-famous-people/?sh=3287e5a325e8& ...
... 8:17). Jesus states that the two witnesses in his case are the Father and Jesus himself. "I testify on my own behalf, and the Father who sent me testifies on my behalf" (John 8:18). The most familiar phrase in the lectionary passage is "you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free" (John 8:32). Freedom is such a precious commodity that it comes as something of a surprise that Jesus' hearers take offense at his offer of freedom. They must think to themselves: "Who does he think we are, a bunch ...
... interracial community in the South during an era when this was not only foolhardy but downright dangerous, translated the scriptures from the Greek to the vernacular of the South. He called this the Cotton Patch Version. He translated a verse in another one of John's writings, which we call 1 John 3:18, in the following way: "My little ones, let's not talk about love. Let's not sing about love. Let's put love into action and make it real." If we believe, if we get it, then we can take this love of Jesus ...
... call your husband, and come here.’ The woman answered him, ‘I have no husband.’ Jesus said to her, ‘You are right in saying, I have no husband”; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.’” (John 4:16-18, ESV) Now, we’ve got the full picture. Now we know why she came alone in the heat of the day. Not only was she a woman, not only was she a Samaritan woman, but she was a five-time married Samaritan woman who was now living with a ...
... possible by an invitation from the host, who often then offered guests the water and the guests washed their own feet (see Genesis 18:4; 19:2; 24:32; 2 Samuel 11:8). The washing was also a courtesy of the guest, an act by which guests cleansed ... do them ... A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another (John 13:16-17, 34)." Jesus was aware that he had humbled himself, that he had assumed the role of a servant, when he washed the disciples ...
... Sermon for First Sunday After Easter (1534), pp. 2-5, in The Complete Sermons of Martin Luther, Vol. 6, ed. Eugene F. A. Klug (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 2000), pp. 55-56. 6. John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (1559), ed. John T. McNeill (4th printing; Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1960), I.XIII.18, pp. 142-143. 7. Martin Luther, The Fruit of Christ's Resurrection and the Authority and Office of the Keys Christ Exercised (1540), II.27-31, p. 35, in The Complete Sermons of ...
... you sometimes." What can we says when evil wins? Perhaps the answer is in the way Mark's gospel record is presented. As you Bible scholars know, Mark's first reference to John's arrest is right in the beginning of the book - chapter 1. We hear nothing more about it until we encounter it in our lesson for the day, and it is presented ... ever." HALLELUJAH! Amen! 1. Bantam, 1987 2. Luke 1:5 passim 3. Isaiah 40:3-5 4. Leviticus 18:16; 20:21 5. Matthew 11:3ff.; Luke 7:19ff. 6. The Washington Post, August 4, 1997
... century! That's the way God works in history, isn't it, tying together the least significant and making them mutually dependent upon one another!" (Dr. Norman Neaves, "Be A Difference Maker!", February 18, 1989, Copyrighted 1990) When we think of John the Baptist's ministry as "forerunner", and our having to play "second fiddle", let's don't forget who John was. Notice the impressive list of names with which chapter three of Luke's Gospel begins -- which gives the setting for the ministry of this forerunner ...
... , religiously. Luke authenticates the details and displays the relationships that made up the religious and political environment into which John the Baptist came preaching, into which Jesus came to challenge and change the status quo. It is not a ... ’ term as high priest (6-15 CE) was then carried on by no less than his five sons and eventually his son-in-law Joseph Caiaphus (18-37 CE). It is not hard to imagine that even if Annas were no longer serving as the designated leader of the Temple during this time ...
... :26 RSV), the baptism into the kingdom of God which Jesus announces water and spirit. Jesus does not leave any people parentless or without guidance. He would remind the disciples of this before his arrest later in John 14:15-18, he leaves an advocate or counselor to all people of faith. Those who have recently lost their jobs are not alone. The God of creation who is the word made flesh (1:14 RSV) will leave his Spirit, and is mysteriously present with all people of faith. The ancient church ...
... Mary Magdalene. In the quiet darkness just before dawn, she makes her way to the burial place of Jesus. She is the first to encounter the great surprise of the empty tomb, but this does not enable her to believe in the resurrection --that will come later (John 20:11-18). In the pre-dawn shadows, the empty tomb does not raise Mary's hope in the new life of the risen Christ; rather, it deepens her sadness over the death of her friend Jesus. But even though the empty tomb does not strengthen her faith, it does ...
... now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consents and Jesus is baptized. It is in what followed immediately after the baptism that we with John receive the answer both to the question whether this Jesus is the Messiah ... not forget the Lord’s word, "Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them; for to such belongs the kingdom of God" (Luke 18:16). But did not the Lord also say, "He who believes and is baptized will be saved"? Is not faith necessary if baptism is to ...
... reminds us that “....God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already...” (John 3:17-18) They condemn themselves. If, when we are confronted with Jesus, we see nothing lovely, nothing which attracts us to Him, nothing which bids us to become willing to forsake all else rather than Him, then, as William Barclay put it in his Daily Study Bible ...
... never be content to stay where we are in our relationship with God, but should constantly be striving for a higher level, what John Wesley referred to as "going on to perfection." This is the same point that the apostle Paul made by using one of his ... was on the mountain engulfed by "smoke (that) went up like the smoke of a kiln, while the whole mountain shook violently," (Exodus 19:18) all accompanied by trumpet blasts. But when he came down, he bore laws that not only could be articulated but which could be ...