Scripture: Luke 21:25-36 25 “There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars. On the earth, there will be dismay among nations in their confusion over the roaring of the sea and surging waves. 26 The planets and other heavenly bodies will be shaken, causing people to faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming... Continue Reading →
Today I saw a pastor post a video in which he said that if Christians are not being called Nazis, racists, antisemitic, misogynistic, bigots they are failing. And this is a man with 25k+ followers on social media (not an insignificant number). He made this claim and defended it by saying that such labels show... Continue Reading →
Scripture: Hebrews 10:11-25 11 And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, “he sat down at the right hand of God,” 13 and since then has been waiting “until... Continue Reading →
Scripture: Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17 Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, “My daughter, I need to seek some security for you, so that it may be well with you. 2 Now here is our kinsman Boaz, with whose young women you have been working. See, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor. 3 Now wash and... Continue Reading →
Scripture: Romans 13:1-10 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good conduct... Continue Reading →
Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-28 12 But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who labor among you and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you; 13 esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, to admonish the... Continue Reading →
Scripture: Isaiah 53:4-12 4 Surely he has borne our infirmities and carried our diseases,yet we accounted him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted.5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities;upon him was the punishment that made us whole, and by his bruises we are healed.6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have all turned to our... Continue Reading →
This post contains some references to sexual assault and some might find it disturbing. Recently, I have been thinking about the story the Roman historian Plutarch tells that the night before he crossed the Rubicon Julius Caesar had a dream in which his mother "submitted" to his sexual penetration. To us this sounds like a... Continue Reading →
Scripture: Galatians 3:21-29 21 Is the law then opposed to the promises of God? Certainly not! For if a law had been given that could make alive, then righteousness would indeed come through the law. 22 But the scripture has imprisoned all things under the power of sin, so that what was promised through the faith of... Continue Reading →
Scripture: Luke 16:19-31 19 “There was a certain rich man who clothed himself in purple and fine linen, and who feasted luxuriously every day. 20 At his gate lay a certain poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. 21 Lazarus longed to eat the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. Instead, dogs would come... Continue Reading →
Squinting in the Light 