Around seventy years ago, a psychiatrist named Murray Bowen began to articulate a theory of how emotions operate in family systems. Bowen noted, as our own experience shows, that when…
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…
Those who have spent a long time studying Mark bracket verses 9-20. The scholarly consensus is that Mark’s own original account ends with verse 8. At some later time—not necessarily…
There’s just enough distance between Jesus and his followers as they walk along that, though their words aren’t distinct to him, Jesus can tell they’re arguing. The church continues to…
Jesus is mean. We don’t like mean Jesus. Mean Jesus is too much for us. Can you imagine Jesus insulting someone or treating anyone like a second-class person? You don’t…
Now, everyone was always eager for Jesus to do some miraculous sign, some awesome work. They weren’t looking for parlor tricks. People around them were sick, crippled, blind, deaf, hard-hearted…
Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Those are funeral words, graveside words, goodbye words. I’ve baptized many, marking them with water. Today, I mark you with ashes. Nothing in Scripture…
John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed…
The Offering of Common Kindness—Mt 25:31-46 In the age of cellphones, it’s even easier to pass by people who may be in need. Surely, they have phones too. Surely, there’s…
Jesus has been telling those who want to be his followers about the sort of life they are to live. He has been telling them about the disposition of the…