Commandment - Lord the Lord your God and serve with all your heart and soulAgain, bind the message to yourself and teach the following generationsv28 and 32 - Diligently observe and follow How do you respond in a crisis/trial?  Panic?  confidence?  Action?The exorcism here is the longest such story in the GospelsJesus' message to the restored man - return to your home and declare how much God has ...  Read More

Still recounting history.  Know your storyHow do we do this and also not do this - knowing our history?What does the Lord require?  v12 and followingVerses 14 and following as well - what does the Lord ask of us? Can a parable have multiple meanings aside from what Jesus says here?  I think soTrue family of Jesus - how does this fit with honor your father and mother? Psalm 69:19-36 - When have you...  Read More

As the hymn says, "My Lord what a Morning!" Friends, ResoundingJoy resounded out on Easter Sunday. We resounded with joy. We resounded with community. We resounded with welcome. We resounded with energy. We resounded with numbers. We resounded with praise. We resounded with the Easter greeting that Christ is risen // Christ is risen indeed! It was a remendous morning - thank you to all who helped ...  Read More

You weren't chosen because of numbers or power but because of God's love.  But about God's love for others?Bless/curse shows up here as well.  But trust God above all else.  Especially when prosperous.   The one who is forgiven little loves little.  We see that don't we, maybe more so in those who think they don't have much to be forgiven forThe women named here are helping to fund Jesus' ministry...  Read More

Interesting how the "God commandments"are fleshed out further but the rest largely are notMoses - God wrote on the tabletsStraight path - not to the right or the left6:4 - the Shema - possibly one of the most important parts of the whole of the Hebrew scripturesHow often it says "share / teach your children" John's questioning of Jesus - even John seems perplexed by the initial actionss of Jesus. ...  Read More

Happy Easter friends! Jesus is risen! We celebrate this day of days and joy of joy!I wanted to share with you the song that I referenced in my sermon today - Betty's Diner by Carrie Newcomer. Just click/tap the video below to play it.  As I shared with my message today, resurrection isn't simply something embedded in a stained glass and is static and unchanging. Instead resurrection is still at wo...  Read More

4:9 - Take care and watch yourselves closely.  Make them known to your children and your childrens children.  Repeats again in v15v31 - The Lord will neither abandon or destroy you32ff - What a powerful series of questions39 - Acknowledge today and take to heart that the Lord is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.  There is no other.   Luke's sermon on the mount/plain7:1-18 - Jesus living ou...  Read More

Recounting what happened in the Exodus.  Retelling so as to not forget3:22 - Do not fear them, for it is the Lord your God who fights for you.  3:23 - You have only begun to show...your greatness and your might... wow Luke's version of the Beatitudes - how are they similar to Matthew?  Different?  Not the woes as wellLove your enemies?  Is this the hardest command from Jesus?Followed closely by Do...  Read More

These are once again said to be the words of MosesSo far recalling the history - likely a way to be sure that the story doesn't get forgotten Jesus sowing seed in new placesWhat are the old wineskins we are trying to keep reusing over and over?Stories of pushing against traditions - fasting, being w/ the unclean, Sabbath actions Psalm 66 - v 12 - Yet you have brought us to a spacious place.  A sat...  Read More

Easy to skim a lot of thisBut note 35:9-15 - An interesting act of compassion and working for just actions35:30 - No one shall be put to death on the testimony of a single witness "If you choose..." - humble but also direct.  Ok to approach God in this wayv26 - "We have seen strange things today."  lolWhy did Levi follow? Psalm 65 - Love love love this Psalm.  How even nature calls otu in praise. ...  Read More

Not a whole lot to say on this part   Like Mark, first things are acts of power over evil and illnessPeter's response is a common one when encountering the holy - I am unclean! Psalm 64 - I love how it describes how the heedless think they are "getting away with it" but God sees and God foils their plans Proverbs 11:22 - Same could be said of any other person...  Read More

Doesn't look too highly on the intelligence of women when talking about their vows.  Sigh31:18 - Keep all the young girls for yourselfs?  What??   Temptation / Purifiction / Preparation - feels like what some call a Vision Quest.  Self denial in order to create opportunities for visions and insightsNazareth - see my sermon from February Psalm 63 - Such a vivid description of a longing for God.  So...  Read More