The prophetic heritage of promise is gathered up and bestowed upon this picture of the Baptist preparing the way for the more powerful one. The people were baptized then as an affirmation of the hope and active preparation for a new era of their history. Jesus was baptized as an
Continue readingThe separation of the nations is based on compassion. This is so central to the Gospel. The topic “Reign of Christ” (Christ the King Sunday) raises the question “what is it that reigns in our life, our hearts, and our world?” The answer is “compassion”. Exactly what Christ represents. listen
Continue readingOur choices actually do matter…empires do fall: all of them! The day of the Lord is not a good day for the Emperor! Something at the heart of Jesus teachings contains the core of Wisdom, and Wisdom does include the sense of consequence, not so much as punishment, but as
Continue readingMicah, like Isaiah criticizes the empire: exposing the inner corruption. And Jesus criticizes the Jewish leaders of his day, denouncing the hypocrisy of their arrogance. This touches the deep distortion of human endeavour, the tendency for civilization always to become imperial (Crossan). So the question to explore is: “How do
Continue readingThe gospel is rooted in the Hebrew tradition, specifically Torah. Law and gospel are not two contrary ways of life. They are alternate expressions of the same core truth. The same Spirit is moving consistently, but progressively through all these events.listen
Continue readingThanksgivingIt is so easy to get so caught up in the enjoyment of all we have received and forget to complete the cycle by “returning” thanks. Our spirits shrivel without it, yet with it, they flourish.listen
Continue reading(Romans Series, conclusion)It is so hard to grasp, this righteousness of God that sets us free to stop worrying about whether we are good enough! This is the gospel of God’s universal gift of salvation to the whole human family. listen
Continue reading(Romans Series, part 16)This passage gives us an opportunity to end the series on a note of victory and an affirmation of eternal life, addressing death in the context of Paul’s affirmation of hope.listen
Continue reading(Romans Series, part 15)Paul presents an understanding of hope that is profoundly relational, epic in historic sweep, and deeply rooted in human experience.listen
Continue reading(Romans Series, part 14)Here Paul draws a stark contrast between the way of the culture around them and the way of the Spirit. It has to do with the “setting of the mind”, which is the difference between the way of the wise and the way of the fool.listen
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