Have you ever had someone question your rightful authority? Have you ever given a truthful answer only to be called a liar, ridiculed, lectured, and mocked? Have you ever experienced ill consequences as a result of someone else’s false decision of who you are, your intentions, or your actions? If you have, you know how terrible you may feel as a result.And yet, this is exactly what Jesus faced! It...  Read More

Joshua went up to him and asked, ‘Are you for us or for our enemies?’ ‘Neither,’ he replied, ‘but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.’ - Joshua 5:14As we survey the Old Testament this week, one of the passages we will encounter gives instructions to circumcise all the Israelite soldiers before they go to battle. On the one hand, this makes no military sense. Blood loss from surge...  Read More

As I begin this week’s newsletter, I need to print a “retraction” of sorts. During the first service on Sunday, I mistakenly said that when a father holds up the “afikomen” during a Jewish Passover Seder, he says, “This is my body broken for you; take and eat.” The result is that it made it sound like Jesus’ words of institution at the Last Supper. I knew it wasn’t right at the time, but got lost ...  Read More

And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” Luke 22:15-16As Jesus was introducing his disciples and us to the Lord’s Supper, he gave us an imaginative clue about the future. One day, Jesus said, he will be feasting again with all of his disciples. After all the...  Read More

Have you ever arrived at a ban­quet or a special event and been surprised at the beauty of the table that has been set up for the occasion? Sometimes, a decorative “centerpiece” draws your attention. Sometimes, it’s the place settings. And, sometimes, it's the food itself.In Psalm 23, we are reminded that the Lord prepares a banquet for us. There is a sense of intentional care and hospitality, as ...  Read More

“The wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready.” Revelation 19:7Every culture gives a special place to weddings. They are celebrations of beauty and life. They declare not only the love between a man and a woman but also the community's hope for the future. Great time and effort are invested in planning and preparations. Family and friends travel from great distances to ce...  Read More