Great Or Small?

Our need for God’s forgiveness (as well as its relationship to us forgiving others), is brought home in a major way in a story that Luke records in 7:36-50 of his gospel. Following Tiede (Augsburg Commentary), it seems that having shown Jesus’ teaching (“When Jesus has finished saying all of this” – v. 1), LukeContinue reading “Great Or Small?”

The Power of the Cross

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (Paul to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 1:18). I grew up in a small southern town. Like so many small towns in the south, it owed its origin to the railroad. OurContinue reading “The Power of the Cross”

The Subversive Gospel

SUB-VER-SIVE – adj. Intending or intended to subvert an established order, especially to undermine or overthrow an established government. (The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language) We don’t normally think of the message about Jesus as being subversive. That’s to our poverty because it absolutely is. After all, becoming a follower is spoken ofContinue reading “The Subversive Gospel”

Clean, Bright & New

I hope the past year has gone well for you and the new one will be even better. I think New Year’s Day is a great holiday. It tends to get the short end of the appreciation stick because it comes right after Christmas and can easily be overshadowed by it (i.e., compare the numberContinue reading “Clean, Bright & New”

Tree Branches and our Eternal Home

My father has been gone for over three decades now. Life has gone past full circle in that I’ve been fortunate to live longer than he did. I have a brother who is two-and-half years older than me and one aunt on my mom’s side of the family but other than that—everyone else is youngerContinue reading “Tree Branches and our Eternal Home”

God Is With Us!

Matthew’s gospel was written to Jewish disciples in the years prior to Jerusalem’s destruction (AD 70). Tension between the synagogue and the church was continuing to escalate, and life was difficult for the follower of Jesus. By beginning his gospel with a genealogy connecting Jesus to Abraham and David (1:1), Matthew was, in a sense,Continue reading “God Is With Us!”

A Horse, A Desert, and Hope

Several years ago, our family vacationed at a state park near Warm Springs, Georgia, where FDR’s Little White House is located. Roosevelt had the house built just before he took office in 1933. He had initially visited the springs almost a decade earlier, like so many others, looking for a cure for the polio that ravaged his body. Although he never foundContinue reading “A Horse, A Desert, and Hope”

A Gift Idea

If you’re having a difficult time finding a gift for someone (or even if you’re not), consider getting them a copy of This Is The Day. It would make the perfect stocking stuffer (although at this late date, you’d probably just need to settle for a card or note telling them the book is onContinue reading “A Gift Idea”