-
·
Searching For the Organic Jesus is a Life-Giving Pursuit
For years, I’ve been trying to think of a way to help people find the essential Jesus of faith. To strip away all the extra, accumulated stuff of Christianity so that they can focus on the core of the faith. Asking questions, finding what is essential to the faith. And in the end, to decide on what’s…
-
·
Telling Someone To Get A Real Job In the Gig Economy Doesn’t Help
Some people know the power of joy. My friends at Starbucks do. We greet each other, How are you? – Awesome! Big smiles brighten my day. Today, one of the biggest smiles was being pushed around. I’m supposed to be praying the morning office. Well, I am, but I can’t help but hear them passed my earbuds. She’s…
-
·
When Jesus Tweets
This morning’s gospel is like a Facebook post. It begins divisively, then starts to sound rational, and then ends with an unattainable call to action full of shame. With a passage like this, Jesus could totally win the internet. Proper 18C | Luke 14:25-33 I’m gonna guess that like any good Facebook post, there’s going…
-
·
Jesus, Mary, and Martha
This story sticks with me. It always has. There’s something about it which tickles and fascinates. What is Jesus getting at with Mary? What is she doing which causes her to be doing the “right” thing? What is Martha getting wrong? Proper 11C | Luke 10:38-42 Several years ago, a friend who was an engineer…
-
·
Wild Goose is Different With Kids
For my first Goose, I took it all in. I filled my days with sessions. I filled myself with the Spirit. I made friends and met many whose ministries I admire. I came expecting community and still being surprised at how amazing it is to actually find it. For my second Goose, I brought my…
-
·
The Encounter With the Lawyer
The most important part of the passage about the Good Samaritan in Luke may not be the parable itself. It is the two questions which provoke its telling. What must I do to inherit eternal life? And who is my neighbor?’ I usually enter the gospel by reading over the last chapter. I want to…
-
·
Power From Below
Here a story of the powerful commander, the two kings who don’t have the right kind of power, and slaves, servants, and disciples who bear the very power of GOD. GOD’s Alternative Power SourceProper 9C | 2 Kings 5:1-14, Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 We’re given a gift today. On this weekend, as our minds turn toward…
-
·
Swimming Naked
This story is still Peter’s story. For it isn’t just that he gets dressed so that Jesus doesn’t see him naked in the boat. But when he covers himself, what does he do? He dives in. Why? We don’t know. But here’s a thought. He needed to get to Jesus. Peter is always trying to…