Not the Light
For Sunday, December 14, 2014 – John 1:6-8, 19-28 When John is asked, Who are you? he answers with a string of nots. He is not the Messiah, nor is he Elijah the prophet. He is also not the light. What we know about who we are is aided by knowing who we are not. In our current darkness, as much as we […]
Sent to Forgive
For Sunday, June 8, 2014 – John 20:19-23 Compared to the raucous outpouring of the Spirit upon the people of many lands and languages, as described in the book of Acts, this baptism is a good bit quieter. Here we meet the Spirit that slips in beside us when we are crouching in the desert of great loss, when […]
To Do What Is Ours to Do
For Sunday, June 1, 2014 – John 17:1-11 The Westminster Shorter Catechism of 1647 states succinctly that our “chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy God forever.” With everything else going on in our lives, so many people and activities vying for our attention and energy, where does “glorifying and enjoying God” fit in? What does it mean, anyway, […]
Abiding Spirit
John 14:15-21John 14:15-21 I notice right away the bookends holding up this passage of scripture, the two reminders to love and obey. To love—from beginning to end—to love first, to love last, to love long, and then to love again. And to obey—to listen deep and wide, and to respond, always, from the home base […]
