Tag: Gentiles
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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” moment, rather than what it should be, “look at us”.…
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Willing to be Sharpened
Whether in church, work, or home, there will be times where people do not agree in approach. All too often, the only option seems to be separation. Yet, when two such “opposites” sharpen each other, that which comes from it will often be greater than the only one.
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Not Yours, But God’s
Psalm 69:1–5, 30–36; Genesis 17:1–13; Romans 4:1–12 “Abram” translates to “exalted ancestor”. “Abraham” translates to “ancestor of a multitude”. While Ismael was Abraham’s son (the son he had with Sarah’s servant), it didn’t quite connect with Abraham as Ishmael wasn’t a result of him and Sarah (his wife and love).Both names had their own sting.…
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Burning Light
Just as “Star of Bethlehem” drew Gentiles (the “wise” men or magi) from afar, so does the speaking and reading of the Scriptures bring light into the world that is in pain and dying. Similarly, a lighthouse casts its light into the dark seas, providing guidance and the promise of security to ships.
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Cast Off
Matthew 23:13-15; Acts 15:1–22; Colossians 2:4–13 There is no question about Jesus‘ attitude toward the scribes and the Pharisees in this verse. It seems pretty straightforward. What if it isn’t? What if Jesus was instead using their language in a way so as to make a point? The Pharisees, with their belief in the afterlife, would certainly not want…
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Good Gone Bad
Mark 12:1–17; Matthew 10:5–7; Matthew 17:24–27 Within the context of Jesus‘ earthly ministry, the primacy of the remnants of the Israelites cannot be denied. Jesus calls them the “lost sheep”. Their place is significant to God, for they are even called by God’s name (2 Chronicles 7:14). The tragedy of it all is that while…
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