Life ultimately depends upon trusting God. Not that everyone agrees or lives that way, as we know. God gave life; all life is subject to God’s purposes. God is able…
We don’t make much of Abraham. We might not even remember much about Abraham. Not many name their son Abraham, anymore. We may just recall that Abraham tried to kill…
Paul has been talking about requirements. We’re used to requirements, to apply for a job, get a driver’s license, a passport, a loan. To do just about anything there are…
Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist, atheist, agnostic, Jew, Christian—“the whole world [is] held accountable to God” (3:19). It’s God’s world. Christians aren’t the only ones living on God’s earth nor the only…
Oh, don’t you just hate to have to admit that you were wrong? We hear a lot about privilege these days, being privileged. Privilege isn’t just gets more; it is…
Another Pharisee wants to hear more, see more, know more. That’s good. When anyone invites additional conversation, additional connection-building, let’s make the most of the opportunity. After all, when is…
Most of the time, if you invite someone over, it’s because you want to cultivate the relationship. The Pharisees were clearly a mixed group and not all of the same…
It’s not that Pilate was not in the habit of condemning troublesome men. He needed a justifiable pretext, though. There was Roman law to consider, after all: a charge, evidence,…
As part of our Lenten self-denial, in the spirit of Lent, today’s message will be a little longer than usual, and I do know that I can already run, um,…
Prestige, status, honor, respect, deference—marks of power and authority. The authority comes by virtue of the office, the position. We tend to show respect and deference to a police officer…