Project Peter — John 1:35-42 — February 27

Years ago, the Billy Graham Crusades operated like most others.  They would come into a city, set up the revival tent, preach the gospel, and see many come to Christ.  However, it wasn’t until they took hold of today’s passage, and particularly the interaction between Andrew and Peter, that things began to take off.  They noticed [...]

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Look at Him — John 1:29-34 — February 26

Classic portraits of John the Baptist picture him as a weird, wizened old guy, pointing a bony finger out at Jesus.  From today’s passage, we can see why.  As we noticed a few days ago, John was the rock star of his day.  People were flocking to him in the wilderness, asking to be baptized.  Even [...]

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best prayer — Luke 18:9-14 — February 25

As the church enters into Lent this Ash Wednesday, Jesus’ little story, told by Luke alone in the gospels, is worth noting.  Lent, for a large swath of Christianity, is the one time of the year when we “get religion”, when we normally step it up in terms of some of the religious disciplines, whether [...]

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the voice — John 1:19-28 — February 24

I’m developing a little side career in voice-overs.  It all started when I was asked to do some narration for some Christian videos, enjoyed doing so, and seemed to be helpful to those producing them.  I then remembered how many people appreciated our home answering message, my voice telling them to leave a message.  I didn’t [...]

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live and local — John 1:1-18 — February 23

There’s a paradox in the news today.  As the www has made it possible for this computer from which I write to be in touch with history in the far reaches of the world, the formerly large news organizations appear to be coming home.  As my computer and I can go historical and global, the news that I watch [...]

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pretence — Mark 12:35-44 — February 21

Things are not always what they seem.  You and I know this to be true, whether it be that “great deal” we heard about which actually turns out to be a scam, or that latest episode of CSI (or it’s myriad spin-offs) in which we’re sure we know who the culprit is but find out [...]

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not far — Mark 12:28-34 — February 20

Today we hear one of my most favorite sayings of Jesus.  And it is given to a most unlikely person.
Normally, “scribes”, experts in the recording and keeping of God’s laws, are not sympathetic to Jesus.  In the gospels, they’re often lumped in with  the “Pharisees” to form that group of religious leaders who find Jesus’ openness to people, [...]

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Taxachusetts — Mark 12:13-27 — February 19

Some people say that I live in Taxachusetts.  They complain that this state seems to find a myriad of ways to tax its inhabitants, if not in straightforward income or sales taxes, then in the ever-expanding fees which are charged for most everything one touches with government here.  And, having lived in the “western” part of [...]

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rejected — Mark 11:27-12:12 — February 18

I remember going to a nearby equestrian center with my children, to watch the competition.  I enjoyed watching a sport that I knew little about, and would discuss with my family which horse we thought was a winner.  Invariably, we’d choose a horse that seemed the most attractive, or largest, or most impressive, outwardly.  And, [...]

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gentle Jesus? — Mark 11:12-26 — February 17

Today’s stories from the life of Jesus make me a little uncomfortable.  The picture of Jesus cursing things, throwing things around, and justifying it to others seems more like the kind of behavior Jesus came to save us from, rather than the behavior of a Savior.  So what gives here?
At the outset, perhaps one could [...]

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