Don’t Hold Back
Luke 1:46-56 Take a moment and read Luke 1:46-56. Now take a deep breath of reflection. Is your heart bursting with love and joy alongside Mary’s? Is her song causing you to praise with perfectly...
View ArticleLet’s Talk About It
Luke 1:57-66 Zechariah’s priestly order was on duty in the temple. There were 24 orders that rotated, offering sacrifices, and burning incense in the holy places. There were so many priests that this...
View ArticleThe Joy of Redemption
Luke 1:67-75 Zechariah was in a place of praise and remembering. The people of Israel would have heard his words and remembered that their people were once held captive as slaves in Egypt. For 400...
View ArticleWaiting on the Presence
Matthew 28:1-10 We sat in silence in my parents’ car. The funeral home looked like any other, but this was not any other funeral. Through the glass doors, in the room on the left, lay my sister. We...
View ArticleService and Sacrifice
Acts 5:35-42 In the United States, we have just come out of another round of elections. People from all sides have been declaring that their way is the best way and that none other could possibly be...
View ArticleTaste and See
Psalm 34:1-8 Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I love celebrating and being with family. There is not much required other than friends at your side and food on your plate. I am not sure which of...
View ArticleAway In The Manger
Luke 2:1-8 This Christmas, the birth of Jesus will be hailed with all forms of titles: Messiah, King of Kings, Prince of Peace, Emmanuel, Lord of Lords. Every title is significant, accurate,...
View ArticleWhile Shepherds Watched Their Flocks
Luke 2:9-20 In every children’s pageant of the Christmas story, the shepherds look a little lost. Mary has the baby and Joseph has the lantern, the magi have the gifts, and the angel has the star, but...
View ArticleWe Praise Thee, O God
Luke 2:25-33 Waiting is not easy. It doesn’t matter if you are waiting on something wonderful or something painful—waiting is not easy. Patience is a virtue because it requires strength of character...
View ArticleJoy To The World!
Luke 2:34-40 We have heard from the angel. We have heard the great news of Jesus’ birth from shepherds. We have heard the angel choirs announce the entrance of this heavenly, humble King. What we may...
View ArticleThe Wonder Of It All
John 3:16-22 Have you ever wondered at those things that can bring both joy and frustration? Perhaps you have a hobby that while you enjoy doing it and appreciate the outcome, can also make you sigh...
View ArticleO Holy Night
2 Corinthians 3:12-18 Transformation. It is both promise and miracle as the Spirit inhabits our bodies and our lives, and forms us into the likeness of Christ. The early church father Athanasius said,...
View ArticleAngels We Have Heard On High
Psalm 100:1-5 As we grow older, most of us really do love to give more than to receive. By far the biggest pleasure on Christmas morning is watching my family open the gifts that I have chosen...
View ArticleWeird Fruit
Psalm 100:1-5 Imagine a fruit tree. It has shiny green leaves. It has orange-colored, round fruit, the juice from which tastes like sweet citrus and is normally served at breakfast. It grows well in...
View ArticleBe Careful How You Build
1 Corinthians 3:8-17 First Corinthians 3 brings to mind the old story of the Three Little Pigs. Maybe you remember it: Three pigs each build a house out of different building materials. One pig builds...
View ArticleUnity of the Church
Ephesians 2:14-22 One of the neat things I’ve noticed about really good architecture is its ability to incorporate different kinds of materials into one cohesive structure. Some of the best designs...
View ArticleSticks and Stones
Ephesians 2:14-22 The old saying goes, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” I’m not so sure anymore. I’ve become convinced of the power of words to shape our lives....
View ArticleThe One Who Watches Over Us
Psalm 121:1-8 I am the father of three children, the oldest of which is now a full-blown high school teenager. As our children grow up, sometimes I will peek my head in their rooms at night after...
View ArticleI Wonder
Psalm 127:1-5 I’ve been pastoring in various capacities for nearly 25 years. I’ve been through one undergraduate and two master’s degrees, dozens of conventions and countless trainings. I’ve been in...
View ArticleThe Foundation
Isaiah 33:1-6 The COVID 19 pandemic was tough. I remember standing in a rehearsal for the winter drum line group I teach, telling them, “Students, treat every rehearsal like it’s your last, because we...
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