Raised – Luke 6:20-23 and Ephesians 1:11-12, 15-23 In her commentary on Ephesians, Pheme Perkins asks a pointed question about how congregations become known as places of “faith in Jesus and loving service to others.” [1] Is it publicity or reputation, she wonders aloud. Clearly, Westminster Presbyterian of Akron, Ohio is […]
Abundance – Psalm 72:11-19 and 2 Corinthians 9:5-8 For you. It’s one of the most powerful phrases imaginable. Because it suggests a gift. Real. Sincere. No strings attached. I think about a child with wide eyes and an eager smile. “Yes,” the grandparent says, “this ice cream is for you.” What […]
Selfless – Romans 12:1-5 and Philippians 2:4-11 Genesis tells the story of a privileged man named Adam who is created in the image and likeness of God. The man’s position is enhanced further when God provides the Garden of Eden as his dwelling place. Yet, though he is highly favored by […]
Come and See – Psalm 66:1-4 and Psalm 66:5-12 Friends, why are we here? I don’t just mean here, together, in worship today. I’m going further than that and asking a question about the nature of our existence – about the meaning of life itself. Why, I wonder, did God choose […]
In Peace, Isaiah 9:2, 6-7 and Isaiah 11:1-2, 5-9 In today’s diverse, global landscape, half of the world’s population now adheres to a faith other than Christianity or to no faith at all. We find represented both near and far the full spectrum of religious traditions. If we are to have […]
With People long to be known. Otherwise, why would we put ourselves out there time and time again? Why would we bother to attend parties with strangers? Why would we carry on in relationships in which conflict is often present? And why would so many people seek connection on social […]
Finding Our Place In an article in Forbes, Christine Riordan recalls a film entitled, Trouble With the Curve. In it, “Clint Eastwood plays a long-time baseball scout for the Atlanta Braves who discovers a high-school hitting sensation. [Eastwood’s character] comes up against a young fellow scout who uses statistics to […]
The Inheritance That God Has Prepared Colossians 1:9-14 and Hebrews 12:1-3 Have you ever showed up for something that you were completely unprepared for? I can still remember a conversation with my maternal grandfather. He was visiting my family from out of state, and he arrived at my high school […]
Planning for the Future Psalm 107:1-9, 43 and Luke 12:13-21 Folks were always trying to triangulate Jesus – to bring him into the midst of a personal disagreement with the hope that he would serve as an arbitrator. And in today’s second lesson, we find yet another example of that. […]