Mark 1:21-28 By what authority did Jesus speak? If you just saw Jesus out and about in Galilee you would assume with everybody else that he didn’t have any authority. Simply he did not have the required honor to have authority. It wasn’t as though he was a dishonorable person. … Read More
Mark 1:14-20 Very simply, the Gospel of Mark is the story of Jesus. But it is more than just a story; it is a call to discipleship. And so Mark hits on that “call” theme right at the start. Following his brief, yet packed, prologue, Mark begins the narrative of … Read More
1 Kings 8:14-18/John 14:1-4 To many of you, these words from John’s gospel are quite familiar. You might remember the King James word for these “many dwelling places” – “mansions.” You might even recall that old gospel song: I’ve got a mansion just over the hill top in that … Read More
Mark 1:4-11 At the beginning of William Shakespeare’s play, King Henry V, a lone actor stands on an empty stage. O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend The brightest heaven of invention, A kingdom for a stage, princes to act And monarchs to behold the swelling scene! Thus … Read More
Isaiah 60:1-6/Matthew 2:1-12 One of my mantras is: “I take the bible seriously, but I don’t take it literally.” Which creates a bit of a dilemma because a prevailing sentiment in American Christianity is that if you don’t believe that everything written in the bible actually happened as it says … Read More
The music of Christmas is truly wonderful, isn’t it? It’s so, well – joyful. “Joy to the world, the Lord is come,” we sing. The message of Christmas seems to inspire composers to bring out their best, uplifting musical stuff. There is a delightful, joyous lilt to the music of … Read More