The Healing of the Centurion’s Servant. Please read Matthew 8:5-13 or Luke 7:1-10 (or both). PARALLEL PASSAGES. In Matthew, the Roman centurion came to Jesus personally, asking for help. In Luke, the centurion sent a group of Jewish elders to represent him in asking for Jesus’ help. Either, one of these two writers didn’t quite …
The Healing of the Hopeless Demoniac. Please read Mark 5:1-20. a. Parallel Passages. Matthew 8:28-34 and Luke 8:26-39 offer other glimpses of this story. Matthew’s account has two demoniacs, not one. Either Matthew made an honest mistake, being human and all, and he didn’t get the story quite right. Or Mark and Luke only referred to the …
Song of Mary. “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant. Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy …
The Bible and Me: Eleven Observations “I read my Bible often; I try to read it right. Least to my understandin’, it’s nothing but a burning light.” Blind Willie Johnson, What is the Soul of a Man. Scripture is in my bones. I received my first Bible as a Christmas gift from my mom and …
The Parable of the Sower, the Seeds and the Soil. “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds. As he scattered them across the field, some seeds fell on a footpath, and the birds came and ate them. Other seeds fell on shallow soil with underlying rock. The seeds sprouted quickly because the soil …
The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats. Please read Matthew 25:31-46. The Parable: a. Is this a parable, or is it a word of prophecy, an eye-opening description of a future judgment? The reference to the shepherd and the sheep and the goats gives it a feel of a parable, but the interaction between the …
I AM Fresh Bread. I AM the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again.” (John 6:35). I AM: the outlandish claim of Jesus to be co-equal to the eternal God in heaven; the personal Name of Yahweh given to Moses at the burning bush in Exodus 3:14; an abbreviated …
Wedding Crowns – An Unspoken Homily. As far as marital symbols go, it’s tough to beat wedding rings. They symbolize solid faithfulness and life-long commitment. The circular rings reminds us of eternity, of the lifelong nature of their commitment, and of the Source of Love that lasts forever. Rings are worn on the body, which …
Unwise: Conclusion to Proverbs WISDOM: the practical art of living skilfully (Peterson); moral understanding; astute discernment; shrewd insight; practicing the truth in daily life; learning to live as our Creator intended; a lifestyle of applying God’s revelation-knowledge to decision-making; “practical spirituality” (NIV notes). The book of Proverbs is centered on the makings of wisdom, about …
Proverbs 31:10, 25, 26, 30. “A virtuous and capable wife is more precious than rubies. She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last, but a woman who …
Proverbs 30:8-9. “Give me enough food to live on, neither too much nor too little. If I’m too full, I might get independent, saying, ‘God? Who needs him?’ If I’m poor, I might steal and dishonor the name of my God.” (Message). “Give me neither undue poverty nor undue wealth – but rather, feed my …
Proverbs 29:1. “He who stubbornly refuses to accept criticism will suddenly be destroyed beyond recovery.” (NLT). “For people who hate discipline and only get more stubborn, there’ll come a day when life tumbles in and they break, but by then it’ll be too late to help them.” (Message). “One oft-reproved may become stiff-necked, but he …