How can you tell if a prophet is true or false? Jesus has a very simple solution: “By their fruits you can recognize them” (Matthew 7:15-20). False prophets deceive in appearance but inwardly are ferocious wolves. Fruit, Jesus says, is what enables us to discern them. And fruit has to do with behaviors. |inline Read more
This, our second post on Jesus and homosexuality, begins our survey of the central themes of Jesus’ ethical/moral teachings, and asks how such a theme might shed light on our discussion. I think we can agree that there is no need for, to use the words of Charles Dickens when he surveyed London churches in 1860, “the unventilated breath of the powerful Boanerges Boiler.” But, if we can agree on that, can we agree on what Jesus would say? I... Read more
The following story is from Becky. She sent this in on a previous post and I’ve asked her permission to re-use her story of God’s embracing grace that has the power and force to help each of us with our own “crackedness.” One of Becky’s major points is that she learned, as she confesses, through the Spirit to die with Christ. In fact, what we see in Becky’s story is the power of God to help us overcome our own... Read more
There are, the famous opening lines of the Didache state, “two paths: one of life and one of death, and the difference between the two is great.” These were some of the lines I was asked to translate when I entered seminary, and we were slotted into an Exegesis class on the basis of such testing. Jokes abound about “there are two kinds of…”. Jesus absorbed the same way of discerning humans, and he sees two sorts of humans: the... Read more
Kris and I were at NorthBridge Church this morning, a wondrous new church in Antioch, IL. Mark and Michelle Albrecht are the pastoral leaders, and they have adopted a genuinely missional approach to gospel work. This was the first Sunday effort for me where the whole focus was Embracing Grace, and both the sessions and the feedback were very good. Their music ministry is second-to-none (led by Michelle) and the patterns of ministry and growth are inspiring. Keep an eye... Read more
Kris and I were at NorthBridge Church this morning, a wondrous new church in Antioch, IL. Mark and Michelle Albrecht are the pastoral leaders, and they have adopted a genuinely missional approach to gospel work. This was the first Sunday effort for me where the whole focus was Embracing Grace, and both the sessions and the feedback were very good. Their music ministry is second-to-none (led by Michelle) and the patterns of ministry and growth are inspiring. Keep an eye... Read more
Mark Roberts’ series in response to Bart Ehrman is very good, and anticipate a series I plan to do myself. I’ve linked to only one post in the series. 1. I really like my son’s post on Airports. I’ve been all over the USA this year, and I’ve noted the same two things: (1) people doing everything they can to get as many carry-ons as possible, and (2) airport personnel being about as nice as Jesus. And you might voice... Read more
I’m not saying Benedict XVI has read Jesus Creed, but his first encyclical is a very nice and clear presentation of a theological and biblical understanding of love and he gets it going with Jesus’ modification of the Shema. (HT: Timothy Morizot). Read more
There was a blog-fight about the Emergent S3K discussion, and here are some reports about what was said and responses: Ryan Bolger begins here. http://synagogue3000.org/synablog/?p=14 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/18/AR2006011801311.html http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=15322 Any responses? Read more
Some people, so I’m told, sleep soundly all night long. Others, and I know not the statistics for they do not change my life one bit, do not sleep soundly all night long. For about 45 years I slept soundly through the night. In my late 40s, though, a nightly or bi-nightly trek to the bathroom began, and it shows no sign of relenting. I wonder sometimes where it all comes from. My doctor gives this — the nightly treks... Read more
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