In the first two pieces, we looked at sin as a relational act of rebellion against our Father that exists at the community level as well as a personal level. We’ll build on this as we think about sin at the cosmic level. This is challenging because what we’re told in Scripture leaves us withContinue reading “Sin and the Cross (3)”
Author Archives: A Taste of Grace with Bruce Green
Sin and the Cross (2)
In the previous piece it was suggested that the ultimate way to look at sin and understand it is through relational terms. Sin is pictured in many ways in the biblical witness: financially/as wages, legally, spoilage, etc. These are all helpful in unpacking certain aspects of sin and enabling us to understand it from variousContinue reading “Sin and the Cross (2)”
Opening Our Eyes
Our faith is founded on wonder! The Story isn’t the Story without the creation of the cosmos, Noah’s ark, Isaac’s birth, the ten plagues, the Red Sea deliverance, the manna in the wilderness, the spectacle at Mt. Sinai when the law was given (and that’s just two books into the Bible!). These things and othersContinue reading “Opening Our Eyes”
‘Seeker’ Is Our Status
It was a warm, sunny Saturday morning in early December— the kind of day you’re not going to get very often. We were taking full advantage of it by doing some things out in our back yard when I saw a hawk fly in and perch in one of our pine trees. Over the years we’ve livedContinue reading “‘Seeker’ Is Our Status”
More Like Jesus
Devon Still and Lauren Hill met today. They’re both athletes—he is on the practice squad of the Cincinnati Bengals and she plays basketball for Mt. Saint Joseph University, also in Cincinnati. Okay, actually Lauren hopes to play for the Lady Lions. She’s a freshman and their basketball season hasn’t started yet. It’s not so muchContinue reading “More Like Jesus”
Lotteries and Lousy Lords
There was a big celebration going on among the workers at a restaurant in New Jersey. Okay, make that a HUGE celebration. Forty-two employees had pooled their money together to purchase $210 worth of tickets in the Powerball lottery that had a jackpot of nearly $1 billion. A friend texted the winning numbers and theyContinue reading “Lotteries and Lousy Lords”
Loaves and Fishes
We rightfully pay significant attention to what the biblical text says, but I wonder if there aren’t times when what is not said isn’t equally compelling (and perhaps intended by the writer to be that way). After all, there are times when what someone doesn’t say can be as important as what they do say.Continue reading “Loaves and Fishes”
Living With Open Hands
Christmas is going to be different for us this year—radically different. In the past year we lost Janice’s father and her mother is now in the memory care unit of a residential facility (she suffers from severe dementia). My mother also passed away. All of this means we won’t be making the trip to the Hendrixson’sContinue reading “Living With Open Hands”
Listening to God
How do you think God would do in a political debate? One take is that He would be awesome and dominating. Every time He would speak there would be thunder and lightning and no one would care what anyone else had to say. I have to admit, I can see that scenario playing out. ButContinue reading “Listening to God”
Jesus and Dead End Streets
So what do we gain from studying Ecclesiastes (a wisdom book which like Job, contains the good, bad and the ugly before things are reconciled at the end)? Maybe the place to start is to say that Ecclesiastes makes us think. Qoheleth (koh hel’ ith in the Hebrew and translated as “Teacher” or “Preacher”) doesContinue reading “Jesus and Dead End Streets”
