In the Genesis reading, we hear God speaking to Abram, a childless, Bedouin septuagenarian. God tells Abram that if he and his equally aged wife Sarai leave their current home and everything they know, God will make them into a great nation and a blessing to all families on earth.
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Psalm 32 • Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven. Matthew 4:1-11 • Jesus tempted in the desert. The story of Jesus being tempted in the desert is one that inspires us, and challenges us. Can we be as strong as Jesus when faced with a choice that either trusts
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When it comes to the “Transfiguration” of Jesus, his being transformed in appearance, chatting with Moses and Elijah on a mountain and the very voice of God heard in a “bright cloud”, this story is simply beyond us. That may be just the point that God’s presence is significantly in
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Deuteronomy 30:15-20 • Choose the fullness of life. Matthew 5:21-26 • Teaching on anger. We belong to God. This is God’s promise to us. We belong, we have purpose. Through Jesus we learn about healthy relationships and how to treat one another. Often religious institutions refer to God’s commandments as
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Isaiah restates one of the central messages of the prophets: God is not impressed by spiritual practices and rituals if they are only performative and not sincere. Personal, penitential acts intended to bring a person closer to God are meaningless and even counterproductive if not done with sincere, God-seeking in
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It may come as a surprise that there were tensions within even the earliest communities that gathered around the life and teachings of Jesus. Which teacher and leader had the most authority and what was this authority based on? Was authority based on a person’s social standing? On miraculous signs?
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1 Corinthians 1:10-18 • Overcome divisions and find unity. Matthew 4:12-23 • Jesus begins his ministry Joseph Campbell who is known for his work in archetypal stories has noted that cultures around the world speak of the beginnings of something as a call to adventure. What if we look at
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Psalm 40 • I waited patiently for God. John 1:29-42 • Simon and Andrew become disciples Fear, uncertainty, and worry can hold us back from all that God offers. Imagine what could happen if we found a way to release our fears. Imagine what could happen when we trust in
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Acts 10:34-43 • Gentiles hear the Good News. Matthew 3:13-17 • Jesus and John the Baptizer. In the reading from the book of Acts (officially “The Acts of the Apostles”), after a persuasive vision from God, Peter, somewhat surprisingly, speaks in front of an unexpected audience: Romans, who, as Gentiles–those
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Ecclesiastes 3:1-13 • For everything there is a season. Matthew 25:31-46 • The judgement of the nations. Caring for a child, an elderly parent, or a pet is a commitment of love. According to The Virtues Project “Commitment is caring deeply about a person, a goal or a belief…we make
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