Tag: Pentecost
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Waiting in Trust
John 16:5–15; Acts 1:1–8 (read online ⧉) Wait for the promise to be fulfilled. Jesus directed his disciples to wait. They couldn’t even wait when Jesus was with them after the Resurrection. “Hey, Jesus, are we going to take over the world, now?” Of course, they really didn’t say that. Not even close. However, restoring…
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Anointed, Ordained, and Consecrated
Exodus 28:39–43, 1 Peter 2:4–5, 1 Corinthians 12:27–30, Revelation 5:9–10 (read online ⧉) In the Protestant tradition, of which we are a part*, there has long been a stance about the Priesthood of All Believers. The primary principle is that Jesus is the ultimate and eternal priest, so there is no longer a need for…
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The Rot of Forgot
2 Chronicles 30:13-27, Nehemiah 8:7-12, Jeremiah 15:16 The world is supposedly becoming Post-Christian. The thought behind the term is that the “Christian Era” was when Christianity was dominant throughout the world as if Emperor Constantine’s edict of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire made Christianity instantly accessible, understandable, and pervasive. The sad…
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Season’s Traditions
Mark 7:1–13, Galatians 1:13–17, 2 Thessalonians 3:3–15 (read online ⧉) We are rapidly coming (or for some already entered) into some of the heaviest time of tradition in the calendar year. For many, it starts with October observations. For others, it starts with Thanksgiving. For others still, there is Christmas. The list of Christian and…
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3rd Friday after Pentecost
Psalm 40:1–16, John 7:21–24, Acts 15:1–21 To this very day, churches (and thus the church) struggle with what exactly their faith means and its implications. Certain things appear to have been settled, but others haven’t. Although, perhaps it is better to say that when push comes to shove people will finally get to the point…
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3rd Thursday after Pentecost
Luke 22:24–30, Philippians 2:1–11 “I am the greatest,” said Muhammad Ali before his match with Sonny Liston. Michael Phelps is the greatest. Usain Bolt is the greatest. They can’t all be the greatest. Yet, Muhammad Ali was the greatest boxer, for a time. Michael Phelps remains the greatest Olympic swimmer, for the time being. Usain Bolt…
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3rd Wednesday after Pentecost
Psalm 105:1–4, Deuteronomy 24:17–22, Acts 6:1–7 “Solitary religion is not to be found there [inward]. “Holy solitaries” is a phrase no more consistent with the Gospel than holy adulterers. The Gospel of Christ knows of no religion, but social; no holiness, but social holiness. Faith working by love is the length and breadth and depth…
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3rd Tuesday after Pentecost
John 17:20–23, Philippians 1:27–28 E Pluribus Unum. If you look at US currency, most (if not all) will have this saying. In Latin, it means “Out of many, one.” While the US might be the gathering place of people of many nations, it is the church that should be living out this saying more than…