February 19, 2016 Year C Genesis 14:17-24 When it comes to giving to God, people have their opinions. Many state that it was a practice that derives from the Mosaic law. Therefore, Christians don’t need to give ten percent to the church. The fact is that giving God ten percent (known as the tithe) originated with Abraham, and not Moses. In this account, we see that Abraham made money when his army defeated a group of people in battle (Genesis... Read more
Be On Guard February 17, 2016 Year C Luke 21:34-22:6 Jesus warns us to be on guard. He insists that our minds not be dulled by: Carousing Drunkenness Worries of Life Carousing affects the body. Drunkenness affects the mind. Worries of life affect the spirit (Luke 21:34-35). These activities prevent me from being alert. They can happen to anyone. These activities keep us from being on guard. To be on guard mean to be alert, ready to pay attention to... Read more
February 16, 2016 Year C God hears our cries for protection (Psalm 17:1). He knows when we really need to see Him work in our lives. We need vindication from our enemies (Psalm 17:2). We need God to test, examine, and try our hearts (Psalm 17:3) to show that we desire to follow Him (Psalm 17:4). We call out to God because we know that He will listen and answer us (Psalm 17:5). We beg Him to display the wonders... Read more
Revelation 2:8-11 Suffering for Christ’s Sake When you love someone, you are willing to suffer for them. Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote: Whenever Christ calls us, his call leads us to death. In the earlier English version of The Cost of Discipleship, Fuller translated this famous aphorism as: “When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” Literally, that says, “Every call of Christ leads into death.”1 Bonhoeffer is reminding us, just as Jesus reminds us that as a church,... Read more
February 15, 2016 Psalm 43:1-5 When someone is depressed, the person has turned to a very sad state. One’s emotions are confused and need an outlet. The psalmist is doing the best he can to “vent upward.” Instead of not expressing, some people hide the emotion. That can be dangerous, and lead to other unhealthy actions. The psalmist expresses his emotion of sadness in a healthy way. The sad emotion of depression can expressed in healthy ways. In this psalm,... Read more
God Provides Freedom God Provides Freedom is a simple thought Lectionary reflection from Exodus 6:1-12 about the way that God provides freedom. February 12, 2016 Year C Exodus 6:1-13 Today is Lincoln’s Birthday, a day we celebrate the life of Abraham Lincoln. As the sixteenth president of the United States, He helped keep the nation together by winning the Civil War. Yet, his most famous accomplishment as President is signing an executive order that promised freedom to black slaves. God... Read more
February 10, 2016 (Ash Wednesday) Luke 23:26-31 If you think things are bad now and you are crying out for help, what will you do when I return? This is the meaning of the short proverb and parable that Jesus gives to other women who are crying about the state that Jesus is in. Jesus is carrying His cross to be used for His own death. He has been flogged and beaten. He will soon be crucified and by the... Read more
February 9, 2016 Year C (Shrove Tuesday) Psalm 35:11-28 In many comic book stories, a good person is paid evil by an an enemy (Psalm 35:12). The superhero is called upon to vindicate that good person who has been hurt. The victim can’t call out to law enforcement because the law punishes people for a crime, and there are limits to their abilities. Law enforcement exacts punishment or judgment, but not vindication. For vindication, a victim needs a superhero –... Read more
February 8, 2016 Year C The purpose of the Sabbath was for us to give our rest to the Lord. It is not designed as a rest day from just our work. It is also designed so that I could give a complete rest to the Lord (Exodus 35:2). What does that mean? It means that I don’t just take a rest for myself. I can also give a rest to the Lord. I can give a rest to God... Read more
Revelation 2:1-7 Keeping Christ As My First Love Neville Morrison discovered his house was on fire. Fortunately he lived only four houses from the fire station. He sprinted to get help. The firefighter that met him at the door told him to call 911. “I have no phone,” he said. “You can see the blaze coming out of the roof of my house!” The firefighter shut the door in his face. By the time firefighters did respond, the home was... Read more
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