Who is Jesus? Acts 3:11-15 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. (12) So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? (13) The God of... Read more
I’m not going to be commenting on every chapter in Acts, but I’ll comment on things as they come up. My first thoughts are on chapter 2 of Acts. Acts 2:5, 6. “And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone head them speak in his own language.” Just one note about this: several times throughout Acts (as throughout the gospels),... Read more
For most of my life, I did not read any books of the New Testament other than the gospels and Revelation. Why? Well, the New Church believes – based on passages in Arcana Coelestia and several other works – that in the strictest sense, “The Word” is limited to the books of the Bible that are written in such a way to contain an infinitely deep internal meaning throughout, that is entirely about the Lord and His kingdom. According to... Read more
This post is part of a series on 12 Miracles of Spiritual Growth by E. Kent Rogers, which was featured earlier this month on the Patheos Book Club, and which I was invited to discuss as part of the Book Club Roundtable. Do I want to be healed from feelings of unworthiness? That’s a real question. And in fact, right now, I’m leaning toward “no.” So my feelings toward the first chapter of 12 Miracles of Spiritual Growth – a... Read more
I don’t know a whole lot about classical music, but I do know that the Benedictus from Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis is one of the most beautiful pieces I’ve ever heard. I was just listening to my iTunes on shuffle, and when the Benedictus came on I stopped what I was doing and just listened. It consistently brings tears to my eyes. Anyway, if you haven’t heard it, do yourself a favour and listen to it, and then listen to it... Read more
(E. Kent Rogers, 12 Miracles of Spiritual Growth: A Path of Healing from the Gospels, Swedenborg Foundation Press, 2012, 210 pages.) First off, an apology. I was asked to participate in the Book Club Roundtable discussion of Kent Rogers’s new book, “12 Miracles of Spiritual Growth,” which was a featured selection of the Patheos Book Club from May 1-15. Unfortunately, due to my remote location in the wilds of northwestern Canada my review copy of the book did not arrive until the... Read more
This past Sunday I preached on Matthew 14:22-33, the story of the Lord walking on water and Peter walking out to Him. The thing that really jumped out at me this time reading it was that moment when Peter notices the wind and starts to sink. I thought about times when, sometimes for no apparent reason, I’ve been suddenly filled with a cold, hopeless “realization” that my faith is just in my head, that I’ve been lying to myself. And... Read more
“If man only believed, as is really true, that all good is from the Lord and all evil from hell, he would neither make the good in him a matter of merit nor would evil be imputed to him; for he would then look to the Lord in all the good he thinks and does, and all the evil that flows in would be cast down to hell from which it comes.” (Heaven and Hell 302) “It is an eternal... Read more
In the Lord’s third appearance after the resurrection (as recorded in the gospel of John), He told His disciples, who’d been fishing unsuccessfully all night, to cast their nets on the right side of their boat. When they did, they came up with a net full of fish – 153, to be exact. What is the significance of fishing on the right side of the ship? I think a key to understanding this story is to look at the way... Read more
Readings: Psalm 22; Luke 23:26-56; Arcana Coelestia 1812 “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34) Imagine. The Lord was being nailed to a cross, His flesh pierced by nails. He had done nothing wrong. He had never acted out of anything other than a desire to save people, to offer them the gift of eternal life. In return, He had been spat on and beaten and mocked. But on being crucified, He said, “Father, forgive them,... Read more
Good and Truth
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