Feel busy? We’re getting busier and busier with the business of life. That said, however, busy-ness is a subjective feeling each of feels to different degrees. The fact is that time is the grand equalizer. We all have the same 24 hours for each day. We have the same resource. What are you doing with yours? Ephesians 5:15-17 can be summed up by the exhortation that we make the most of our time. We’re all familiar with waste: waste of food, waste of money. When we see it, it causes us to cringe, and even experience some moral outrage. How much more with time, our most precious resource?! With summer just around the corner, the question we should ask ourselves is: What are you going to do with your summer? How will you spend your time? (Other texts used: Hebrews 12:1-3, Luke 14:15-20, Luke 17:26-27)
Living a Life of Obligation to Others
Posted May 6, 2012
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In the Parable of the Talents, found in Matthew 25:14-30, one lesson is that God has given each of us our life to steward. The fact that our lives are given obligates us to God’s claim over our lives (Matthew 21:33-41). Part of that obligation is recognizing that our lives are connected to others, and that we have a life that must be used and compelled towards a divine purpose (Romans 1:14-16, 2 Corinthians 5:14).
Baptism Sunday: Calling of the Disciples
Posted Apr 29, 2012
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Luke 5:1-11 tells the story of Jesus calling his first disciples as they were fishermen working at their trade. On the face of it, the short story is about men who experience a miracle while out fishing. But the story teaches us universal truths about the human condition, sentiments that have pursued humanity throughout history, and what vision of life God has for each of his disciples. Today is also Baptism Sunday, and we baptized 23 of our brothers and sisters.
Easter: Flashbacks of failure and grace
Posted Apr 22, 2012
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In John 21, we find a post-resurrection appearance filled with meaningful (and deeply personal) flashbacks. The risen Jesus stands on shore at the Sea of Galilee as the disciples are once again fishing. Peter and the disciples fail to catch any fish, and when Jesus calls out to them from the shore asking how they are faring, the scene is reminiscent of Jesus’ first invitation to them to follow in Luke 5:1-8. The commonality between the two scenes is failure. Another flashback has to do with Peter’s actions during Jesus’ trial, in John 18. It turns out that failure is the place where recommitment begins, because that’s where everything began–not just the call given to the disciples, but also the call given to each one of us.
Posted Apr 15, 2012
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Luke 24:13-43 records the account of two disciples leaving Jerusalem after the traumatic events of the cross and death of Jesus. While on the road to Emmaus, the two disciples are joined by a stranger who engages them in a conversation, the beginning of which elicits the two disciples’ haunting phrase, “But we had hoped…” It turns out their hopes were set on something completely different from the message Jesus had been preaching. Holding on to their false hopes had made them slow of heart to believe this Resurrection Sunday, and, disappointed and dejected, they find themselves leaving Jerusalem and leaving their radical faith. And so, the risen Jesus comes to them on this journey to Emmaus, to open up their hearts once again to the Scriptures.
