Problems Under the Sun
“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Better to approach in obedience than to offer the sacrifice as fools do, for they ignorantly do wrong.” (Ecclesiastes 5:1) In Ecclesiastes 4, Solomon points out several challenges we face “under the sun:” oppression, greed, and loneliness. In fact, the book to this point […]
Being Available to Hear God
“I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father.” (John 15:15) When I think of God communicating with us, I think of this verse. One of the keys […]
God’s Voice: Spiritual Gifts
“For you can all prophesy… so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.” (1 Corinthians 14:31) In this blog and my latest sermon series, we’ve been discussing ways God communicates with us. He reveals himself through his creation, through his word, through our experiences, and through both supernatural and natural means. But you might be […]
Grace and Truth Together
“…But while the son was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion. He ran, threw his arms around his neck, and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20) Imagine, an elderly, respected man, a pillar of the community, tucking his long robes in his belt and running to welcome his son […]
Truth about Truth
“They [the deceived] perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved…and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.” (2 Thessalonians 2:10, 12) When Jesus walked the earth, John tells us he was full of “grace and truth” (John 1:14). We’ve been […]
The Ongoing Battle
“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do…As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. […]
Grace and Truth
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) John’s introductory comments to his gospel are meant to shock his readers. The Creator of human flesh became human flesh and dwelt among us. The […]
Game of Thrones
“Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.” (2 Samuel 5:12) We’ve seen David respond well in bad situations …but how will he respond in good ones? I think of those lottery winners you always hear about. Like […]
Lost and Found
“David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both young and old…David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken…Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or […]
Shadows on the Wall
“David left Gath and escaped to the cave of Adullam….” (1 Samuel 22:1) When I saw this, I was reminded of another famous cave I read about in a philosophy class. Maybe you’ve heard of it: Plato’s “Cave Allegory.” In his book Republic, Plato told a story of an imaginary group of people who had […]
In the Meantime
Whatever Saul sent him to do, David did it so successfully that Saul gave him a high rank in the army. This pleased all the people, and Saul’s officers as well…David…escaped to the cave of Adullam… (1 Samuel 18:5, 22:1) I call this week’s sermon, “In the Meantime.” David has been anointed as Israel’s next […]
Faith in Low Places
When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” (John 4:7) The story of the Samaritan woman at the well starts out like a travel blog. Jesus begins his journey in Judea, goes to Galilee, and then through Samaria. As the crow flies, Jesus saved many […]
