Something missing this Christmas? A repost from Advent 2015 Hear the full audio of "What is Lacking in Your Faith?" A sermon on 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 First Sunday in Advent (reposted from 2015) 1 Thessalonians 3:9-13 (ESV) 9 For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for … Continue reading What is Lacking in Your Faith?
A Deeper Dive into Galatians 5:25-6:10 (Bible Study for 9.9.18)
Late to post, but here goes a bit of a study into Galatians 5:25-6:10. We didn't hold class due to special 2018 Rally Day events to kick off our Sunday School and Catechism year, but for those who wanted to dig a little deeper into the conditions of sowing Seeds of Gentle Restoration, here's a … Continue reading A Deeper Dive into Galatians 5:25-6:10 (Bible Study for 9.9.18)
Readings for the Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity
We pray: "O Lord, keep Your Church with Your perpetual mercy, and because of our frailty we cannot but fall, keep us ever by Your help from all things hurtful and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the … Continue reading Readings for the Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity
A Deeper Dive into Mark 7:31-37 (Bible Study for 8.19.18)
A Bible Study written and produced entirely ON LOCATION with God the Son... A Bible Study Guide on Mark 7:31-37 (ESV) Part One: Confessing The Incarnation, God on Location for You... 31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. A. … Continue reading A Deeper Dive into Mark 7:31-37 (Bible Study for 8.19.18)
Unmoved by Affliction: The Passage
A first look at 1 Thessalonians 3:1-13 Preparing for Midweek Advent Service II, 6 December 2017 Paul's ministry demonstrates the Spirit of spiritual care for the faith and lives of others. He repeats his earnest desire to see them face to face several times in this epistle. Besides concerns for their physical safety, Paul is … Continue reading Unmoved by Affliction: The Passage
On Christian Unity: The Passage
A few weeks back, I was teaching a Bible Study on Church History for students at Wayne State College. We've been tracing events in world history, including the good and the bad of Christian responses. Sometimes the Church was on the receiving end of violence and government coercion. Such hardship brought people together around what … Continue reading On Christian Unity: The Passage
On Anxiety and Faith: The Short Answer
"Between Marx and marzipan in the dictionary there was Mary Between the Deep Blue Sea and the Devil that was me..." https://youtu.be/g0CUmD8bTC8 "Worker's Playtime" by Billy Bragg was pretty much the sountrack of my life as I courted my beloved Bride-to-be. Before iPads and iPods, back in the late 80's and earliest 1990's I'd walk … Continue reading On Anxiety and Faith: The Short Answer
Words of Life and Healing: The Passage
This next Sunday is "Rally Day" at Immanuel Lutheran Church, the kickoff of our Sunday School season which will run through the rest of the school year. Immanuel hosts a cookout in the Laurel city park after service. Members pull in these huge grills for hamburgers and hotdogs. As the small town newspapers used to … Continue reading Words of Life and Healing: The Passage
Hanging on His Words: Perspective
Dominus Flevit, "The Lord Wept," so the Franciscan friars name the chapel above, now overlooking Jerusalem. Not that I've been to this place. Whether Jesus actually paused on that very spot or some other nearby, I delight in the design of this chapel's window. One looks at Jerusalem below through the cross, through the chalice … Continue reading Hanging on His Words: Perspective
Hanging on His Words: The Passage
Tuesday, I double check our travel itinerary for this week's spiritual jaunt together towards a sermon for the Tenth Sunday after Trinity and sigh. We're headed quite a long way, well outside my comfort zone into rather unfamiliar territory. Ignore my grumbling. We use a 1-Year lectionary--a well-worn churchly roadmap of readings, handed down by … Continue reading Hanging on His Words: The Passage