In these days after Easter, we’re left to consider, as the disciples considered, what life would be without Jesus in the flesh. Last week we talked about our works testify that God is with us and when God is with us lives change for the good. Today we hear Jesus left his disciples a new…
The Works Testify
John 10: 22-30 A plumber sent an email to a research bureau pointing out that he had used hydrochloric acid to clean out sewer pipes and inquired, “Is there any possible harm?” The first replay was as follows: “the efficacy of hydrochloric acid is indisputable, but the corrosive residue is incompatible with metallic permanence.” The…
The Minimums
John 21: 1-19 The preacher said to Nigel, “I didn’t see you in church last Sunday, Nigel. I hear you were out playing softball instead.” Nigel responded, “That’s not true, preacher. And I’ve got the fish to prove it.” As Edna and her husband were preparing for a fishing trip, she noticed her husband looking…
Death Ends Nothing
John 20: 19-31 A small child was sitting in her mother’s lap. They were looking at a magazine together. When they came across an artist’s depiction of Jesus, her mother asked, “Do you know who that is?” “Yes,” the young child said matter-of-factly, “He goes to our church.” Wouldn’t you think the mother would be…
Is Remembering the Same As Belief?
Luke 24: 1-12 Old bankers never die; they just lose their balance. Old mail carriers never die; they just lose their zip. Old school superintendents never die; they just lose their principles. Old photographers never die; they just stop developing. Old lawyers never die; they just lose their appeal. Old preachers on Easter never die;…
I Choose Palm Today
Luke 19: 29-40 Either Palm or Passion today. Considering all the predicaments related to the pandemic and all the accounts forwarded to us regarding the war in Europe, perhaps for now, we’ve had enough passion. I choose Palm for today. Palm Sunday. If we do not hear the acclaim and rejoicing from the whole multitude…
Only One Appropriate Reaction
Luke 15: 1-3, 11b-24 An old Chinese proverb goes like this: If you wish to be happy for one hour, get intoxicated. If you wish to be happy for three days, get married. If you wish to be happy for eight days, kill your pig and eat it. If you wish to be happy forever,…
They Deserve It!
Luke 13: 1-9 They came to Jesus and, in effect, asked him, “Did you see what Pilate did?” Jesus discerned what they said to really mean those Galileans were bad people. A woman and her grandmother – a very forgiving and religious soul – were sitting on their porch discussing a member of the family….
A Dead End?
Luke 13: 31-35 From a blogpost I wrote in February of 2015: “I’ve thought about erasing my master of divinity degree from my resume. Perhaps, by so doing, I’d look less educated, more hirable and more normal. But the thought comes to me regularly, I’ll never be normal.” That was a difficult time in our lives. We left the…
The Reality of Our Identity
Luke 4: 1-13 On this first Sunday in Lent, we’re hearing about the temptations of Jesus. An old time cowboy went with his friend to hear an evangelist in a very wild western town. The evangelist preached for an hour on the Ten Commandments. Both cowpokes listened with rapt attention. On their way home one…
Psalm 102 in The Message 