There is a lot of talk about “thoughts and prayers” these days. In the wake of tragedies some say they are sending prayers, and others deride those comments as shallow without action. Both sides have some merit to their statements. The eternal truth is that prayer itself is an action. Furthermore, prayer can provide proper […]
On The Blessed
The poor in spirit, mourners, meek, hungry, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers, the persecuted. These are the blessed. (Matthew 5:2-11) From one vantage point, these reflect societal classes or segments of the population. From another viewpoint, this listing reflects attributes of a rooted and fruitful faith. From the societal perspective, when we revile, mock, ignore, […]
On Marveling
Our modern society is information driven. We seek out facts, desiring to know the answers to everything. We rarely step back and simply marvel. In the Gospel narratives, those encountering Jesus frequently find themselves in wonder when they hear Jesus’ teachings or see His actions. Different translations have used different words for this: astounded, amazed, […]
On Sin and Grace
Jesus re-defined the Ten Commandments, saying “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind…and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:34-40) In effect, He also re-defined sin. We can now diagnose sin simply, like this: Sin is when we do not […]
On Affirmation and Rebuke
You might say that Jesus’ magnum opus on moral ethics is His Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). When we zoom out and look at the sermon as whole we find it equal parts affirmation and rebuke. The affirmation is one that humans are special and beloved by God. When Jesus says “you are the light […]
On Jesus (part three)
When we strip Jesus of His authority (see yesterday’s post) we inadvertently also strip away His dual humanity and divinity. Yet, it is the most controversial and key claim that Christ-followers make: Jesus the Christ is both Savior and Lord. When we say He is our Savior, we affirm His full humanity and when we say […]
On Jesus (part two)
There are several key attributes of Jesus that the church at the time of the Reformation had muted: Jesus’ authority, divinity, and humanity. Uniquely, those same attributes are often muted in many churches today, as well as in our hearts. So, today, a reflection on Jesus’ authority: While the church became more powerful and structured, […]
On Jesus (part one)
Similar to how Scripture had become buried and re-worked by 1517 (to benefit the authorities of the day and keep the powerful in control), so too had become the central figure of Christianity, Jesus the Christ. His words had become watered-down and His identity had become muted. Now, it is important to add that it […]
On Scripture (part three)
Like most things in life, simply starting is the hardest part. When you think about starting a diet or something like that you could spend hours looking up what to do and what options you have. The hours turn in to days, and the days turn in to weeks. And you make no progress. The […]
On Scripture (part two)
The Bible was not printed in the common language when the Reformation began 500 years ago. And when it started becoming available, people realized their hunger for the Word. Today access is abundant, but for many the Bible seems unnecessary, outdated, and irrelevant. For others, Scripture is lifted up higher than God Himself, and it […]
Relevant Reformation 