February 5, 2023
Isaiah 58:1-10 and Matthew 5:13-16 What does it mean for a follower of Jesus to be salt and light? Salt is necessary for life. If we don’t have it in our diets, we die. Now, we don’t think about that a whole lot because too much of our diet is highly processed foods that contain… Read More »
January 29, 2023
Matthew 4:12-23 We learn that Jesus’ ministry began after the arrest of John the Baptist. That must have happened soon after Jesus’ baptism. Two weeks ago, we were in John 1, and John tells us of John the Baptist sending his own disciples, including John and Andrew, to follow Jesus. Jesus returned to Galilee shortly… Read More »
January 22, 2023
This morning we welcome Esther Bowden to the pulpit
January 15, 2023
John 1:29-42 This story happens sometime after Jesus’ baptism. John does not describe Jesus’ baptism, nor the 40 days of testing in the wilderness that happen immediately after. Jesus’ baptism is mentioned, but not described, and the wilderness time is never even mentioned. Why does John leave them out? Well, the simplest explanation is that… Read More »
January 8, 2023
Matthew 3:13-17 Back when I was in college, I was going through the candidacy process for ministry, which I can assure you was every bit as much fun as it sounds. This is the process folks go through when they are pursuing a calling to pastoral ministry. I was doing it with the pastor at… Read More »
January 1, 2023
Isaiah 63:7-9 and Matthew 2:13-23 In an age when the historicity and reliability of the Bible is often called into question, it should come as no surprise that some scholars doubt the authenticity of this story. “Herod wouldn’t send soldiers to murder. This is just embellishment by Matthew. After all, this story is unknown outside… Read More »
December 25, 2022
Hebrews 1:1-12 If the Covid pandemic taught us anything, other than to wash our hands, which you should absolutely still be doing, it is to value face-to-face communication. In those early days of the pandemic, the folks at the CDC and other places implored us not to have any personal contact with people outside our… Read More »
December 24, 2022
Luke 2:1-20 I think this is one of the most familiar passages in all of Scripture, because it’s something we hear at least a couple times every year in the Christmas season. But I also find that familiar passages have a lot of things just below the surface that if we pay attention to them,… Read More »
December 18, 2022
Romans 1:1-7 and Matthew 1:18-25 The next step in the great saving work of God begins with two unassuming young people in the little Galilean village of Bethlehem. Now, Matthew, a Jewish author addressing the gospel to Jewish people, starts out his book by telling us that Joseph is, in fact, a descendant of King… Read More »