Some ministers get the reputation for loving to preach fire and brimstone. If there is any way to keep people out of Satan’s grasp why not “scare the hell” out of them.
Did you ever play Trivial Pursuit with a "know it all?" I'm talking about someone who has a significant level of useless information in their brain...and they've let it "go to their head." They are rather proud and boastful of their knowledge. Well, if you've ever played Trivial Pursuit with such a person or even just talked with someone like that, you probably wish that you didn't (unless it is just me who finds it difficult to be around those kind of people).
I find it pretty easy to relate to the disciples James and John... and not only because my name also happens to be John! I find it easy to relate to them because of the kind of righteous indignation that they feel towards the people who reject Jesus in today's reading from Luke 9 (ESV).
We don't know much about the farmer from the parable of the sower and the seed. But, it sure seems that a lot of seed is wasted. Did you ever want to ask the sower “You been farming long?” It seems like 75% of the seed is eaten, choked out or fried in the sun. What an awful farmer.
My wife has developed a bit of a reputation among family and close friends. Whenever someone, for example, loses keys, is feeling overwhelmed, or is struggling with challenges, she is known to say, "Did you pray about that?"
In today's Scripture Reading from Luke 4-5 we see an excellent example of what it means to be an "Incarnational Christian" in the account of Jesus calling Levi the tax collector to be His disciple.
But what does it mean to be an "Incarnational Christian"? Hmm... Maybe we should start by breaking the word "incarnational" into parts.
When I was a first time dad, I remember watching all the changes that were happening in my wife’s body. It was amazing to watch (I am also glad it wasn’t my body--whew!!!) I think about the nine months of preparation and see how perfect that time was in getting me prepared to be the dad and prime me to be a better husband.
As we are listening/reading through the Gospels during this Lenten season, it as first seemed odd to me to revisit the birth narratives of John the Baptist and Jesus. But as I reflect on how Jesus would have me grow closer to Him through this, it strikes me how this Scripture Reading: Luke 1 (ESV) portrays the Jesus who grows up to go to a cross: This is God in human flesh.
If you're someone who's reading along with today's Scripture reading from Mark 15-16 (ESV), you may find yourself puzzling a bit over the brief annotation that's printed in most Bibles right before Mark 16:9-20 which states:
[SOME OF THE EARLIEST MANUSCRIPTS DO NOT INCLUDE 16:9-20]
In the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus prays, “Take this cup (of suffering) from me.” I have often wondered if Jesus is showing apprehension about going to the cross. Is this fear? Is it weakness? Mark 14:32-42
