I don’t know if some of you have ever thought about this or not, but even the Christian faith was born out of uncertainty, darkness, and despair. I’m talking about the CROSS of Christ. As Jurgen Moltmann describes it: “Our faith begins at the point where atheists suppose that it must be at the end. Our faith begins with the bleakness and power which is the night of the cross, abandonment, temptation, and doubt about everything that exists!” Do you see what he’s getting at here? For the past several...
Writer Anne Lamott has said that the most powerful sermon in the world consists of two words: Me, too! I don’t know about you, but I think that Lamott is on to something here! Folks, when you’re in the midst of a Plan B-type circumstance, dealing with unmet expectations, or when you’re hurt or doubting, questioning or crying, there’s nothing more healing than knowing that someone else has been there. When you’re going through those types of emotionally-challenging times in your life, there’s nothing more comforting than hearing someone say,...
On the last mission trip that I was on, I was in charge of certain project that had to do with our worship one evening. I asked a few youth and adults to help me with this particular thing. The majority of those I asked to help were more than willing to pitch in and make this part of our worship service special. One youth, however, had a very different response. When I asked him to be involved, his response was, “So, what are you going to do for me...
The only thing more painful than not seeing our personal dreams come true … is when the dreams for our children fall apart. But, even when that happens, the one thing we can be sure of is this: God is with us—and them, no matter what! I’m sure that Joseph’s dad was sustained by this belief, when he lost his favorite son Joseph through a series of Plan B circumstances. Just listen: When Joseph was taken to Egypt by the Ishmaelite traders, he was purchased by Potiphar, an Egyptian officer....
It’s been said that the greatest of all illusions … is the illusion of control. Yet, when we find ourselves in Plan B situations in life, this seems to be what we fall for right away! I’ll never forget the first time in my adult life that God woke me up to this painful reality… When Jane and I got married, I thought God wanted the perfect marriage—our life together—that Jane and I wanted, complete with very little problems. But, that just wasn’t to be the case. Our wedding went...
David went to the town of Nob to see Ahimelech the priest. Ahimelech trembled when he saw him. “Why are you alone?” he asked. “Why is no one with you?” 2 “The king has sent me on a private matter,” David said. “He told me not to tell anyone why I am here. I have told my men where to meet me later. 3 Now, what is there to eat? Give me five loaves of bread or anything else you have.” 4 “We don’t have any regular bread,” the priest...
All throughout Advent, we’ve been talking about what the Bible really says about the Journey to Bethlehem and the Nativity—contrary, many times, to what our tradition tells us. Well, it wouldn’t seem right unless we ended up this season the same way … in speaking about the biblical reality of the wise men … or ‘wise guys’ of Christmas, as I like to call them. So, what does the Bible really have to say about the wise men of the Christmas story … and others involved in this part of...
1 About that time Caesar Augustus ordered a census to be taken throughout the Empire. 2 This was the first census when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 Everyone had to travel to his own ancestral hometown to be accounted for. 4 So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Judah, David’s town, for the census. As a descendant of David, he had to go there. 5 He went with Mary, his fianc-e, who was pregnant. 6 While they were there, the time came for her...
Sometimes, when we look at the Christmas story, it almost seems like a fairy tale, doesn’t it? ‘Lowing cattle as Mary gives birth in a barn, while the little drummer boy looks on. There’re shepherds summoned by little flying cherubs; and soon the three kings—Gaspar, Balthazar, and Melchior—follow the bright star to that first century barn in order to lay their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh at the base of the little wooden manger filled with straw… This version of the story makes for great Christmas carols, but did...
Have you ever found yourself in a situation that you absolutely did not want to be in? Perhaps it was some kind of a journey in life that you didn’t want to take—a job change, a move, a relational upset—but life seemed to be pushing you in that direction whether you liked it or not. It was the kind of a journey you were forced to take … against your will! How in the world would life ever seem normal again? I believe that’s what the holy couple must’ve felt...
