Tag: Jesus
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jesus and snap decisions
We make so many spur-of-the-moment decisions every day — decisions we can’t fully explain. Jesus makes a snap decision to call Simon and Andrew, James and John. They respond with a similar decision. But this isn’t the end, it’s just the beginning.
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examination for life – a visit from Jesus
Image you know someone who has always dreamed of visiting the Great Wall of China. It probably wouldn’t come as a surprise to hear that someone would want to visit the Great Wall. Parts of that wall were built as long as eighteen hundred years ago by the first emperor of China – most of…
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poem for palm sunday
PALM SUNDAY hymn Time-pressed sedimentary, igneous, metamorphic rocks Burst with anticipation that, human voices stayed, Their moment of unlocked eloquence and Soaring speech might finally arrive. But vocal chords reverberate with ancient choruses, Embodying praise for earth divinely imagined, given, Gathering sentiments of quartz, kingfisher and crocodile: Hosanna! King! Saviour! recoil Impossible words,…
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Seeing Jesus, with Simeon (4/5)
There is a kind of purpose in his steps as he walks into the temple. There is a kind of alertness in this old man’s body, as he strides across the courtyard. It’s almost as if he is looking for something, looking for someone. His body speaks of his confidence that he will in fact…
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Let’s not cheat ourselves. Encountering Jesus. 3/5
The gates of Jerusalem are busy places. There are so many people coming and going – whether for religious festivals, or for trade and commerce, or for administrative purposes. The flow of people is almost nonstop at these gates – through these portals into the city. There is a pool near one particular gate of…
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seeing jesus – a beautiful collusion (2/5)
Weddings are very often a feast for the senses. Our ears are filled with so many sounds. Guests raise a cacophony of conversation over dinner tables. There is always music – whether a mariachi band or electronic dance music or the latest pop hits. Into the night, there are shouts and animated conversation – and…
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convenient pieties — holding Christ at arm’s length
To offer a specific example, even the idea of attending church can become a convenient piety – “I go to church on Sunday. It’s important to go to church on Sunday.” But this sentiment easily becomes a convenient basis for essentially ignoring God the rest of the week – a convenient way of forgetting Jesus’…
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a beautiful branch – wisdom for life
We have these amazing texts preserved and handed down to us in the prophet Isaiah. Beautiful texts that speak about the transformation of our world. Beautiful texts that remind us of what we are waiting for. We are waiting for God to come in judgment and grace to his people, a waiting that infuses every…
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stewards of mysteries
Paul writes to the church in Corinth: You seem to think Apollos and I are pawns to be played on the chessboard of your church battles. You seem to think that Apollos and I will carry your flag into war – that we are little more than figureheads who will represent your cause against brothers…
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division, baptism, unity — or, who we are
Let me begin this morning by reading again just a few words from 1 Corinthians chapter 1. For me these particular words are more than a little odd – they almost stick out like a sore thumb – and for that reason I want to start with them. Paul writes these words to the church…
encrusted words 