March 22, 2009
?Fourth Sunday in Lent (B)
Numbers 21:4-9
"Pastor," she said, as she began to search for a way to share her heart, "our daughter has run away." As I listened she began to describe the problems she and her husband had been facing with their daughter. This was not the first time this had happened. Tears streamed down her face as she recounted all of what she saw as her failures as a parent. The pain was tremendous. Fear was rampant. She saw no hope.
?March 15, 2009
Third Sunday in Lent (B)
John 2:13-22
A few years ago Ray Boltz wrote and recorded a song entitled "Watch the Lamb." It tells the story of a Jewish father and his son making their pilgrimage to sacrifice their Passover lamb. The lad is charged with the responsibility of keeping up with the lamb. While they are traveling they come to the place where Christ is being crucified, and the father is heard saying to the lad, "watch the lamb." In this passage we see the people of God watching to make sure the sacrifice is perfect. But they miss the real Lamb.
1 Timothy 1:12-17
What words of encouragement can a father give to his son as he approaches manhood? While not a new idea, upon completion of his ninth grade, I took my son on a prayer retreat, just the two of us. Although it was not a long trip, it was a significant one. It was...
Philemon 1-21
The text is part of Paul's amazing letter written on behalf of a runaway slave, named Onesimus. After meeting Paul the slave is returning to his master with this letter of encouragement for him to be freed. Calling upon Philemon to forgive him, Paul encourages him to...
Proper 12 (B), July 20, 2003 Ephesians 3:14-21
One of the scariest moments growing up is when you say something
that sounds exactly like your parents, and you suddenly realize it is
not them but you. When I was about seven we visited my aunt in
Lubbock, Texas. Dad had already admonished us
Proper 13 (B), August 3, 2003 John 6:24-35
From my earliest memory I have always wanted to know more about
how things work, and "why" has plagued my vocabulary. My family often
told me the slogan of one of the tabloids, "Inquiring minds want to
know," was written just for me.
The Scriptu