Gift of Gifts
November 14, 2009
Jesus told his disciples before He was crucified: “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lays down his life for hid friends” (Jn.15: 13). The Greek is much stronger: “No one has greater love than the one…
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Scandalizing
November 7, 2009
Jesus once said, “he who is not scandalized because of me, is blessed”(Mt.11: 6). Our English versions have “not offended in me” or “not fall away because of me.” John the Baptist may have been offended and may have lost…
Perfection
November 1, 2009
Our English translation has Jesus tell his disciples: “Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Mt.5: 48). It is a bit strong for ordinary human beings. The two Greek words “teleioi and teleios” are much milder. Martin Luther used…
Dubious
October 24, 2009
For centuries the Jewish people waited for the Messiah and when God sent them a person and the messenger to announce Him, it is the messenger who wants to know, “Are you the one who was to come, or should…
Goliath
October 16, 2009
The encounter between David and Goliath was and still is provocative (I Sam.17). It was then and even more so today about killing the giant. The Philistines negotiated from strength and the Hebrews from weakness. Samuel implanted into David the…
Unseeing Eyes
October 10, 2009
Isaiah was instructed to tell his people, “You hear but do not understand; you see but you do not grasp. It is because you have hardened your hearts, plugged your ears and closed your eyes so that you do not…
Sequence,
October 3, 2009
It is the order in which things occurred. It is basic to studying and understanding the New Testament. When we turn to the New Testament in the Bible, we meet the Gospel of Matthew and assume that it was written…
On Being Lost?
September 26, 2009
Recently, our Pastor characterized the older brother of the Prodigal as being worse off than his lost brother. It reminded me of the days of my youth. I was always a Christian and a believer; yet, I felt lost. I,…
Resilience
September 18, 2009
It is the inherent ability in us to bounce back or recover from what is humanly possible and lead our life in a totally different direction. John offered the following, “Children, with God in you, you have already overcome; for…
Incomprehensible!
September 12, 2009
The tinny ant said to the man, “to understand us you must become one of us.” The man replied, “that is impossible and it is beyond our ability.” “That is strange,” countered the ant. “You can fly to the moon…