There are things Jesus says, and not just once, that don’t exactly comfort or inspire us, because we don’t know how to take what he says. For example, “I have…
We have the teaching. We have the promise. Henceforth, we have ministry. In the early seventies, a German theologian of some note wrote a book: The Church in the Power…
It’s no accident, no coincidence, that temptation follows baptism. John offered a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Jews were familiar with the forgiveness of sins: they gloried…
So Jesus was baptized. He wasn’t in need of it: John the Baptist was quite plain about that, confessing that, truly, John was the one in need of baptism at…
Mark’s version, church tradition tells us, is based upon Peter’s recollection. Mark was secretary and personal assistant to Peter in his last years. Mark’s—Peter’s—account begins, not with a genealogy, nor…
It’s not hard to think of biblical lands as wilderness and wasteland: Big Bend as far as the eye can see, but remember that the land God promised His people…
In Matthew’s account, Jesus tells John the Baptist that it’s good for John to baptize Jesus, in order to “fulfill all righteousness.” Jesus, who had no sin and did no…
God created us for a purpose. There is a reason you and I are here: here on this earth, here in this church this morning. The reasons are connected. Through…
God’s love is “one another” love. This makes perfect sense, for God is one God in three Persons, blessed Trinity. John was writing in a situation where people in…
God created. There is so much wonder and joy, power and glory in those two words. I have no way to unpack that here, today, in this hour, but…