Tag Archives: Jesus

04Jul/21

Who Are You?

Sermons, , , , , , , ,

And they took offence at him. His very presence in the synagogue, “pretending” to be a spiritual leader, incited their wrath, and they were scandalized by his presence there as one who would presume to teach them.

They knew him from when he was but a boy, and here he was taking on more authority than he ought to, more than he was allowed to, given his history, given what they knew about him.

And the result, Mark says, is that he did not do many works of power there. Instead, Jesus marveled at their disbelief. 

23Apr/21

Yup, That Was Weird

Daily Office Reflections, , , , , , , , , , ,

The paralyzed man stood up, picked up his bed, and walked away. And all those present were filled with awe and amazement, and they said, “We have seen strange things today.” After having been told that the people were filled with amazement and awe, and were glorifying God, these people then said what amounts to, “Yup. That was weird.”

21Dec/20

The Hand Of God

Church-y Stuff, Daily Office Reflections, Ecclesiology, , , , ,

Some people attend charismatic or pentecostal churches because they need to see the miraculous to understand a God that provides healing, or understands them deeply, beyond what they share of themselves with the world. Some people attend churches that focus on social justice because they need to see a God that serves up justice and cares for the oppressed. Some attend legalistic churches because they need to experience order and clear cut rules amidst an otherwise chaotic life. And each of these churches provides an aspect of God to the world.