The Jesus story declares that the human story does not end with death! To be sure, death looms largely within the story. Along the way we read of people dying, and as the story moves forward Jesus begins to make ominous predictions of his own death. The simple, sad, and undeniable fact of life appears …
Category Archives: The Gospel
“The Least of These” Includes Ahmaud Arbery
To be profiled, targeted, accosted, and shot dead is to be among “the least,” unseen, unheard, misunderstood, and denied help. It is to be among people Jesus sees, hears, understands, and treats as Family. To diminish or dismiss, to deny or deflect, to excuse or “explain” the horror of this is to align with …
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A Barren Tree and a Barren Temple
Why did Jesus pick on the poor fig tree? Especially when it wasn’t time for figs to be ripe? Well, Mark tells us Jesus was hungry (Mark 11:12). Apparently, then, Jesus became “hangry?” He saw the leaves and went to see if by chance this tree fruited earlier than usual. Then, when it didn’t, Jesus …
God is STILL on the Throne! ?
It is common for people of faith to respond to tragedy and threat by affirming: “God is still on the Throne!” I take this to mean that whatever has happened or is happening has not defeated God, nor surprised God, and has not called into question God’s ability or willingness to help. What has happened …
Fight Pandemic with Pandemic
As we all know, the word “pandemic” has become synonymous with terms like “plague, scourge, and disease” and therefore conjures up a sense of dire threat. But “pandemic” is actually an adjective that qualifies something else as “widespread, prevalent, pervasive, universal, global.” “Pan” means “all,” and “Demos,” means “people.” When something is pandemic it extends …