never in darkness — John 8:12-19 — December 31

It’s been an amazing year.  I’m thinking of some amazing blessings in my life,  such as a deep and powerful renewal in my relationship with Jesus.  I’m also thinking of the amazingly difficult year it’s been financially.  I just overheard that this past year in the stock market was the worst since 1932.  In many ways, [...]

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No condemnation — John 7:53-8:11 — December 30

Take a moment to think as if you didn’t know the God whom we know in Jesus Christ.  Imagine that you really didn’t know anything about “god” at all.  And now take a look around you at the beautiful world which something or someone brought into existence, and compare it with the mess that you [...]

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twofer — John 13:20-35 — December 27

Those of us who are of a certain age can remember the first “infomercials”, those remarkably awful TV pitches about everything from plumbers’ helpers to washday miracles.  A breakthrough product of this genre was the Ginsu Knives, promoted glowingly by some celebrity spokesperson.  As the presentation drew to a close, the announcer mentioned that you [...]

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in His hands — John 3:31-36 — December 25

Today, the day when we recall the birth of Jesus of Nazareth, God in the flesh, we have before us the image of the One Who created the universe with the sweep of His hands being held in the hands of His human mother and father.  Anyone who has ever held a newborn has been [...]

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tender mercy — Luke 1:67-80 — December 24

Tender mercy. What a lovely phrase. About 25 years ago, it appeared in a film, “Tender Mercies”, about a broken-down country singer who tried to put his life back together, reaching out to his long-lost daughter. It always warms my heart when people who are at odds with each other, or even [...]

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prayer is heard — Luke 1:5-25 — December 23

In spite of the fact that he was a priest, that he and his wife were of noble lineage, and that they were righteous before God and living blamelessly (Luke 1:5-6), Zechariah and Elizabeth had a problem. They were childless. In the culture of their day, this condition was seen as just that: [...]

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they testify — John 5:30-47 — December 22

Today at our church we heard an excellent message about the Word of God.  Our speaker referred to a sermon by the 20th century theologian, Karl Barth, in which he spoke of how the Bible helps us to enter a whole new world, one in which God makes himself known and remakes us in His [...]

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you vipers! — Matthew 3:1-12 — December 18

You brood of vipers!   
“Whoa, John!  Merry Christmas, please!  Calling people names isn’t nice, it isn’t smooth, it won’t work, it’s not ‘correct’”! 
Can you imagine saying this to John the Baptist?  You might as well be talking to a wall:  this guy was on a mission for God, and nothing, or no one, could deter him, [...]

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prepare the way — Mark 1:1-8 — December 17

As we think about John the Baptist today, we consider him kind of weird.  Not only did he bring a message that would be unusual in our day (“repent”), he wore strange clothing and kept an unusual diet:  camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey  (Mark [...]

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following at a distance — Luke 22:54-69 — December 16

As the high point of Jesus’ ministry was unfolding, Luke records that Peter was following Jesus (Luke 22:54).  Whereas the others had deserted Him and fled, Peter, at least, was trying to be faithful to Jesus.  As Jesus was brought to the high priest’s house, Peter was there.  And for that, Peter is worth emulating. [...]

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