~ 1 John 4:7-21/John 15:1-8 ~ Pixar Studios has been making quality animated movies for years now – movies filled with poignant insights. Remember Up? This year’s Oscar for Best Animated Movie went to Soul, about a middle-school band teacher who rediscovers his love for jazz. If you haven’t seen … Read More
~ Luke 24:28-49 ~ Dramatic post-resurrection happenings! Artists through the ages, such as Rembrandt and Caravaggio, seemed to find fertile ground here. Jesus, breaking bread with two disciples after a long walk, suddenly disappears. Later, Jesus suddenly appears to the disciples who, thinking they’ve seen a ghost, are startled and … Read More
~ Acts 4:32-35/1 John 1:1-10 ~ You know what yesterday was, don’t you? It was National Farm Animals Day! Oh, you thought I was going to say National Siblings Day, didn’t you? Because, of course, that’s what everyone was posting on social media (for those of you who indulge … Read More
~ Mark 16:1-8 ~ I think it fair to say, without Easter, we wouldn’t know about Jesus. I mean, if the story had ended with Jesus dying on a Roman cross, just like so many other thousands of Jews in those days, he would have been forgotten. Indeed, without Easter … Read More
~ Jeremiah 31:33-34/Psalm 51/John 12:20-28 ~ The fifth Sunday of Lent: This journey through Lent can be rather tedious, can’t it? Ever since Ash Wednesday the themes have been rather somber; maybe to some, depressing. Fasting and penance; introspection and reflection about hard stuff, week after week. Maybe you’re saying, … Read More
~ John 3:14-18/Ephesians 2:1-10/Psalm 107 ~ I have a story this morning. It was my very first sermon. I was 18 years old. First semester at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and my first “practical Christian work” assignment was at the mothership of rescue missions, the Pacific Garden Mission just … Read More