Kings or No Kings?
The “No Kings” movement is yet another example of the struggle between kings and “no kings” which began already in the Bible.
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Messiah
Scandals and Signs: Matthew 2
Matthew’s Christmas story continues to show the scandals and signs surrounding Jesus’s birth. Foreigners are the first worshipers. Herod seeks to kill Jesus and in the process fulfills Old Testament prophecy. In the midst of it all is Emmanuel, God with us, Jews and Gentiles alike.
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Scandals and Signs: Matthew 1
The Gospel of Matthew gives us a Christmas story of “scandals and signs” that stretches through the Christmas season to Epiphany.
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Rockets, Superheroes, and the Power of Suffering Love
Luke 24:36–53 Each year, on a Thursday, 40 days after Resurrection Sunday (Easter), portions of the Christian Church celebrate a holiday about which other parts of the church are fairly ignorant. That holiday is Ascension Day. The Biblical basis for its celebration comes primarily from the Gospel of Luke and from Acts, both attributed to
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Encountering Jesus on the Way
Death is real. So is resurrection. We can experience resurrection even before physical death.
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When the Powers Take Over – NT
When the Powers Take Over The Experience of the Church Colossians 2:6–19 In a previous article, I examined how supposedly Godly people become enmeshed in behavior that is obviously evil. I illustrated this through the story of the Golden Calf in Exodus 32, as well as the contemporary story of a Mennonite farmer turned drug
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Glory and Peace
The Gospel of Luke portrays Jesus coming to earth as well as entering Jerusalem as a king in glory and peace. Yet, Jesus’s actions indicate an understanding of glory and peace that are different than the world’s understanding.
Reflections on Epiphany 2021
We have now entered the season of the church year called Epiphany. The word “Epiphany” has roots in a Greek word meaning ”to shine forth.” While we celebrate the birth of Jesus as Israel’s Messiah in the Christmas season, Epiphany celebrates the revelation or shining forth of the Messiah as the light of the world, a light to all nations.
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The Kingdom of God
The language we use affects the understandings we hold. I have recently been thinking about a prime example, the language of “king” and “kingdom” especially as used in the phrases “kingdom of God” and “kingdom of heaven.”
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