The readings for the fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost are taken from Ezekiel 34:11-24; 1 Timothy 1:5-17, and Luke 15:1-10. Ezekiel reports how God Himself will seek out His sheep and bring them back to Himself. God will also judge between sheep. Paul warned about those who stray, like lost sheep or goats. Paul explained to Timothy that the law … Continue reading Sunday Summary: Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Blind Spots and Double Standards
Last month, in this post, I mentioned blind spots and double standards. What are blind spots and double standards? And who cares? Everyone should care about blind spots and double standards because they make us antagonistic toward each other, especially toward the people we want to love. A blind spot is an area of life … Continue reading Blind Spots and Double Standards
Sunday Summary: Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
The readings for the thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost are taken from Deuteronomy 30:15-20; Philemon 1-21; and Luke 14:25-35. Deuteronomy records Moses’ last words to Israel on behalf of God. Life and good, death and evil are contrasted, plus the results of each. Moses uses the word “choose,” but this choice is not up to us nor are … Continue reading Sunday Summary: Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost
Sunday Summary: Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
The readings for the twelfth Sunday after Pentecost are taken from Proverbs 25:2-10; Hebrews 13:1-17; and Luke 14:1-14. All three lessons speak to how we might be of service to others—care-givers on behalf of God, who is always caring for us. Proverbs urges us to keep searching for what is best: for God; for righteousness; for … Continue reading Sunday Summary: Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
Sunday Summary: Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
The readings for the eleventh Sunday after Pentecost are taken from Isaiah 66:18-23; Hebrews 12:4-29; and Luke 13:22-30. Isaiah, like so many places throughout the Old Testament, emphasizes God’s love for and work among the nations. As Abraham, himself, was called out of the nations and as Isaac was generated from God’s promise, so the … Continue reading Sunday Summary: Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost
Sunday Summary: Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
The readings for the tenth Sunday after Pentecost are taken from Jeremiah 23:16-29; Hebrews 11:1—12:3; and Luke 12:49-56. False prophets speak their own thoughts, promising peace while contradicting God’s design and Word. Jeremiah prophesies the fury of the Lord in order to turn them back. God is near, not far away as if He did not know … Continue reading Sunday Summary: Tenth Sunday after Pentecost
Sunday Summary: Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
The readings for the ninth Sunday after Pentecost are taken from Genesis 15:1-6; Hebrews 11:1-16; and Luke 12:22-40. All three lessons center on faith. Faith, belief, and trust (FBT) are all the same word in New Testament Greek and Old Testament Hebrew. FBT means to be at rest in honesty about dependence on God. Each of … Continue reading Sunday Summary: Ninth Sunday after Pentecost
Student Questions: Last Things
As the student questions series concludes, I’m taking one final look at ideas for conversation inspired from a text we use in Core Theology class at Concordia University-Irvine–Called to Believe by Steven Mueller. In this episode we conclude by considering chapter 15--Last Things. Some thought prompts for discussion: What are the four things that we can … Continue reading Student Questions: Last Things
Free to promote ourselves?
In a recent post, I discussed how the redeeming work of Jesus sets us free from concerns of self-preservation. But what if God's power to set us free is misused by us for self-promotion? As long as we live in this body, the corruption of Adam at work in us will be consumed with itself. If … Continue reading Free to promote ourselves?
Sunday Summary: Eighth Sunday after Pentecost
The readings for the eighth Sunday after Pentecost are taken from Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14; 2:18-26; Colossians 3:1-11; and Luke 12:13-21. King Solomon wrote Ecclesiastes as a warning against spending our lives on trying to get what we do not have or cannot keep. The word translated “vanity” is better translated “breath,” as when you see your breath on … Continue reading Sunday Summary: Eighth Sunday after Pentecost