Month: September 2020
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Message Over Mammon
Luke 10:1–9; 2 Corinthians 12:1–14 There are many people who attract attention naturally. Some do it with mere charisma. Some do it with money. Others do it with the words (positive and negative). There are others that do it out of gain. Whether it is to gain the attention of people or to feel power,…
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What’s The Matter?
Numbers 3:44–48; Numbers 18:20; Deuteronomy 10:8–9; 1 Peter 2:3–10 Inheritance wars have long been a genre of popular fiction. Whether the fights were over business or titles of nobility or who will take over the family criminal enterprise. Sometimes, battles are fought over who gets what, or who got the most. That last one may…
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See and Be Seen
Genesis 16:7–14; John 1:47–51 Have you ever been to a big event? Maybe a concert? Maybe a sports game? And then you spend anywhere from 2 to 4 hours with thousands of your closest friends. Most of those people really aren’t your friends. Unless you are ticket holder buddies, you are unlikely to see them…
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Evangel
Luke 1:68–80; Ephesians 4:7–16 Many years ago, there was campaign against man-caused forest fires. The campaign “starred” a little bear cub that, while burned, survived a man-caused forest fire. The tagline for the campaign was, “Only YOU can prevent forest fires.” From a strict understanding, of course, it’s not just you that can prevent forest…
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AntiPyros
Proverbs 16:28; Philippians 2:1–13; James 3:1–13 A pyromaniac is a person who continually fails to resist the temptation to start fires, often as a sort of method to relieve tension or for instant gratification. Pyromania (the term for the condition) is an impulse control disorder. What should we call those whose tongues (or keyboard strokes)…
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Who Is Family?
Psalm 2; Acts 13:32–41; Galatians 4:1–8 I was Luke Skywalker for Halloween. I was attired like he was when we first see him in Star Wars (now re-titled “Episode IV: A New Hope”). Needless to say, I was excited to see The Empire Strikes back a few years later. Then my world was shaken. My…
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A Time To Sin
Job 1:9–22; Ecclesiastes 3:1–11; Ezekiel 18:5–18 You are probably familiar with Pete Seeger’s Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season). Written in the late 50s, it was commercially via The Byrds in 1965. It takes Ecclesiastes verses 3:1–8 and puts them to music. Pete Seeger’s intent behind the song was to promote world…
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Cross Section
Psalm 78; Zechariah 8:1–6; Acts 2:14–21 Ever had an itch. One of those itches you just can quite reach. Maybe you’ve used a pen (or pencil). Maybe you’ve used one of those bamboo scratchers shaped like a hand. Or perhaps you’ve used a wall corner. Or, if push comes to shove, you ask for help.…
