The most famous sermon of Jesus is the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew 5-7. It starts with a series of statements defining the kind of people he calls “blessed” in the kingdom of God. But he didn’t come up with these categories out of thin air. Here we are going to look at […]
Blessed Are the Humble: The Beatitudes in Psalms and Proverbs Read More »
I learned how to grow a pineapple plant from a TikTok video. A creator on that platform teaches people how to grow food from the produce people already have in their homes. I came across his work, and I was fascinated. He made it look so simple, and I followed his instructions to the letter.
Harvest in Samaria: Understanding Evangelism as Agriculture Read More »
As I am writing this post, I am sitting alone in my living room. My lights are off, and my blinds are open. I’m in a dark room with a few sporadic LED lights shining from my internet router and my Keurig. I see the neighbor’s motion detector light come on from time to time,
Don’t Be a Cockroach: Love the Light, Not the Darkness Read More »
Early in his ministry, Jesus turned water into wine. This was his first miracle, or “sign,” as John likes to call it. Soon after this event, it came time for Jews to celebrate Passover, so Christ and his followers headed to Jerusalem. But things were not as they should have been. As he approached the
The End of an Era: Jesus Cleanses the Temple Read More »
Have you ever met a celebrity? Like, have you ever been at your favorite Starbucks, minding your own business, when Taylor Swift comes in? I often wonder what it might be like. In movies, it usually starts with a random pedestrian shouting, “Hey look! Is that so and so?” The Gospel of John describes a
Disciples Get Close to Christ: Jesus is Not a Prima Donna Read More »
After Jesus was baptized, he faced three temptations in the wilderness. He overcame those temptations and entered his ministry with power. But what was his secret? Before we get there, I want to introduce part of my own experience with the wilderness. My first camping trip was possibly my last. In 2019, I joined some
Temptations in the Wilderness: Finding Strength in Testing Read More »
If you have spent any amount of time in church, you know that Jesus Christ is pretty important to us Christians. It is, after all, in the name: CHRISTian. And you may have even caught on to some pretty important beliefs about Jesus, not least of which being that he is God and that he
Honor Your Father and Mother: Did Jesus Break This Command? Read More »
When my daughter was one year old, we had a special sort of game we played. If you have young children, you might relate. As I joined her on the floor, I laid on my back. She used her newest superpower (walking) to waddle around the room, screaming with joy and laughing and growling like
Children of Wisdom: Against Partisan Christianity Read More »
If you have found yourself wandering onto my blog, I want to start by saying thank you. Welcome to what I hope will be a learning experience for myself and for you. In this post, we will explore a commonly misunderstood passage of Scripture. This will challenge us to think the thoughts of God. This
Heaven’s Thoughts: God’s Ways Are Not Ours Read More »