One of the most remarkable things people believed about Jesus very early on was that he was the purest reflection of what God is really like. Believe it or not, thousands of years ago, people had divergent and conflicting ideas of what God was like. Even among the Jewish people, from whom Jesus came. For … Continue reading Navigating the Divide: Part 4–The Ancient Art of Truthing
grace
Marriage Isn’t For Everybody, But Here’s Fourteen Things If It’s For You
On occasion, I am given the honor of participating in the marriage ceremony of a couple. And as part of the officiating, I am asked to give a short meditation on the importance of a union between two people in a world that seems more bent on division. Or…I am usually asked. For a recent … Continue reading Marriage Isn’t For Everybody, But Here’s Fourteen Things If It’s For You
Older than Dirt: Part 9—It’s Also a Thought that Changed the World
I’ve never been to a U2 concert. There. I’ve said it. Confession is good for the soul. I’ve been to many other concerts put on by artists with immense talent and even significant depth. But I don’t think I’ve experienced the depth of an artist like I did while watching Bono sing on David Letterman. … Continue reading Older than Dirt: Part 9—It’s Also a Thought that Changed the World
Older than Dirt: Part 8—There Might Be Another Door, and You May Not Like It
People seem to be terrified that Jesus is as loving and forgiving and good as he is made out to be in the accounts of his life. There seems to be a real fear that grace is how the whole thing works, is how the One runs the universe, is the only thing the dirt … Continue reading Older than Dirt: Part 8—There Might Be Another Door, and You May Not Like It
Older than Dirt: Part 7—Jesus’ Preferential Option for the Party
Sometimes Jesus would be called a “glutton and a drunkard” by those outside his immediate circle. Which tells us one thing: Jesus was probably a lot of fun to be around. Calm down. I’m not suggesting that he was a glutton or that he often found himself inebriated. What I am saying is that … Continue reading Older than Dirt: Part 7—Jesus’ Preferential Option for the Party
Older than Dirt: Part 6—The Ten Commandments…Aren’t
To date, my wife and I have had only two houseguests that we would have considered challenging. From the moment they entered our home, all they did was eat, keep us up at night, and constantly demand our attention. Never helped with the dishes. Never said thank you. In fact, for the first year, they … Continue reading Older than Dirt: Part 6—The Ten Commandments…Aren’t
Older than Dirt: Part 5—Try Not to Step in the Blood
If you wanted to make peace with a nearby tribe in the ancient Near East, it usually required spilling a lot of blood. I’m not saying that this should make sense to us now, but somehow it did make sense to them then. Instead of spilling each other’s blood, they would take a few animals, … Continue reading Older than Dirt: Part 5—Try Not to Step in the Blood
Older than Dirt: Part 3—The Age of Grace
For those who follow Jesus and the Way of Jesus, seeing an image of the cross is a sign of forgiveness, of hope, of death defeated. But it wasn’t always that way. Those that would know Jesus before his death would not have believed you if you were to tell them that the Roman cross … Continue reading Older than Dirt: Part 3—The Age of Grace