He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor.’ (Lk. 4:17-18) One of church’s receptionists buzzed to tell me that she had a woman on the phone that demanded to talk with …
Tag: serve
Saved, Delivered, Freed, or Healed
Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. (Ex. 14:30) The Hebrews were running away from the tyranny of Pharaoh. At some point along the escape route, they looked back and saw the Egyptian army in murderous pursuit. They thought they were doomed to …
In The Kingdom Business
And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build my church… (Mt. 16:18) I’m tremendously grateful for the church. I’m grateful for its worship and fellowship; its ministry to needy people; and its service to the world. I’m grateful for the many times the church has given care and solace …
God’s Purpose for Us
We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. (Rom. 8:28) Why are we here? What gives meaning to our life? What gets us out of bed in the morning? What helps us to sleep at night? Simply put: What is our purpose? …
Companions of Jesus
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus. (Acts 4:13) On the Day of Pentecost 3,000 people were baptized. The crowds became very curious about the disciples speaking in their own languages. They …
The Sermon on the Mount
Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them. He said: “Blessed are the poor in spirit..." (Mt. 5-7) We had just finished a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. We gathered at the bottom of a hill where …
Jesus Among the “Least of These”
And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’ (Mt. 25:41) I’m aware I often write about my experiences at the jail. I go to the jail for several reasons. …
Jesus Asks Us to be Fishermen
As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea—for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me and I will make you fish for people.’ (Mk. 1:16-17) I’d just become the pastor of a church on the Maine coast. The church …
An Invitation to Join Jesus
And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…’ (Mt. 28:18-19) For many years Jesus’ command to go to …
About Barnabas
When he [Paul] had come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join the disciples; and they were all afraid of him, for they did not believe that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, brought him to the apostles, and described for them how on the road he had seen the Lord... (Acts 9:26-27) His …