church (395)

Ian

Strange People

Exodus 20:1–17; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 1:18–25; John 2:13–24 Jesus’ “cleaning” of the Temple is often focused on how the Jews “corrupted” the House of God. There is truth in it. The scary part is that it often seems to be a, “look at them”…

Continue reading...
Ian

What Holy Ground?

Psalm 19; Exodus 19:9b–15; Acts 7:30–40 “What Holy ground,” isn’t a rhetorical question. It’s a real one. What is Holy ground? The land surrounding the “burning bush” was Holy…for a time. Notice that it wasn’t important to God or Moses what happened after that encounter.

Continue reading...
Ian

Before and After

Psalm 105:1–11, 37–45; Genesis 21:1–7; Hebrews 1:8–12 “Remember the wondrous works he has done…” It would be nice to say that part of the culture and religious practices of the Jews made them different than others. Christians don’t have that luxury. We are the spiritual…

Continue reading...
Ian

Shun To Death

Psalm 77; Job 5:8–27; 1 Peter 3:8–18a Shun evil. That seems straightforward. However, we human beings often make it far too complicated. Or, even worse, we make it about others. The Christian life is not about others; it is about us. What we do, as…

Continue reading...
Ian

Face-to-Face With Jesus

Psalm 25:1–10; Genesis 9:8–17; 1 Peter 3:18–22; Mark 1:9–15 A number of years ago, I was part of a drama that was really a hellfire and brimstone (or “turn or burn”) presentation. As my theology has deepened, and my wrestlings with the Scriptures have continued,…

Continue reading...