I’m preaching about all of the people Jesus talked to. In this installment, I cover the Pharisees. I started talking about Shavout and Nicodemus. I forgot the name of the holiday in my sermon, but we just recently had Shavout so it should have been on the top of my mind! I cover John 3, […]
Adding to the Wise Men Story
The more I study the wise men, the more I see we’ve added a ton to their story! What else have we jazzed up in the Bible? I want to pay attention and see.
Doing What Jesus Warned Against
1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that […]
Jesus Goes Where He Wants
14 Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” 15 And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and […]
The King’s Decree Needs the People’s Action
20 He took into exile in Babylon those who had escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and to his sons until the establishment of the kingdom of Persia, 21 to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed its Sabbaths. All the days […]
Not Avoiding It Just Because It Sounds Awful
11 And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, “Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ ” 12 When we heard this, we and […]
Where the Bible Tells the Story of Christmas
Matthew 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to […]
Knowing Jesus and then Knowing Him More
When these stories were told, they were retold and retold and commented upon and retold. That is why the Gospel of Luke is a little different than the Gospel of Matthew. Contrary to the Middle-Eastern teaching method of memorization, the Gospels were told by individuals from their perspective before they were codified into the memorized […]
How that Whole “Do Not Judge” Business Works
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be poured into your lap. For the measure you use will be the […]
To Miss Out on Jesus’ Truth Over Something So Simple
Luke 4:23 And he said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘“Physician, heal yourself.” What we have heard you did at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.’” Luke 4:24 And he said, “Truly, I say to you, no prophet is acceptable in his hometown. Luke 4:25 But in truth, […]