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1 Timothy 4

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Randy Blacketer

Apostasy. It’s not a word that we hear too often in Christian circles, except in perhaps more argumentative circles. It’s not a word that one should use too quickly or easily. But it’s the term that the apostle uses here: Some will apostatize (ἀποστήσονται) in later days, or the last days. To apostatize is to…

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2 John

RB
Randy Blacketer

“All you need is love…” John Lennon’s iconic refrain still resonates in our culture decades after it was a hit for The Beatles, and so does the sentiment. From the first epistle of John you might get the impression that John agrees, since love is the overriding theme of that letter, mentioned well over 40…

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Matthew 6:5-15

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Lora Copley

Comments, Observations, and Questions to Consider: Helmut Thielicke preached to the church in Stuttgart in the declining days of Germany’s “reign of terror.” Screaming sirens, underground bomb shelters and fear surrounded his congregation. When Rev. Thielicke started a sermon series on this very text, his congregation was still worshipping in the Church of the Hospitallers….

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Matthew 15:29-39

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Lora Copley

Comments, Observations, and Questions to Consider Out of the two “Feeding the Multitude” miracles, this one of “the 4,000” gets considerably less airtime than its larger twin. It’s not just overshadowed by the numbers (5,000 men, 12 baskets, more verses) but also in seeming importance. Besides the Resurrection itself, the 5,000 feeding is the only…

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Mark 4:1-20

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Lora Copley

Comments, Observations, and Questions to Consider Why does the same message produce different returns? Consider the chapter before our text. Mark 3 is chock-full with Jesus-resisters. Pharisees tag-team with Herodians. Evil spirits blab the Messianic secret. Jerusalem’s doctrinal deputies censure Jesus as Satanic.  Judas is introduced as the betrayer. Even Jesus’ own family–including Mary meek…

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John 4:46-54

LC
Lora Copley

Comments, Observations, and Questions to Consider Jesus is no Ned Flanders. The “okely-dokely” nooberly-nice Evangelical neighbor of the Simpsons is a far cry from the Lord, who can come off as needlessly harsh, even rude.  Who says to a desperate father–with a feverish son at death’s door- “unless you people see miracles, you won’t believe?”…

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1 Peter 4:1-11

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Lora Copley

Comments, Observations, and Questions to Consider: Both new Christians and suffering Christians wonder “what kind of life have I gotten into?” In the first half of chapter 4 (our text), Peter addresses the worldview issues of the new believer; in the second half, the worry issues of the suffering one. These former pagans learn this…

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Luke 4:21-30

Epiphany 4C

Scott-Hoezee
Scott Hoezee

I confess that I don’t quite understand this passage. Or at least I don’t understand how it turns out. It’s not so much what is contained in this Lectionary snippet of verses 14-21 as in what follows when the people in the synagogue turn on Jesus with a murderous ferocity.  After all, Luke 4:15 assures…

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1 Corinthians 13:1-13

Epiphany 4C

Stan Mast headshot
Stan Mast

For this 4th Sunday after Epiphany, the lectionary returns for a 3rd time in a row to Paul’s 1st letter to the Corinthians, particularly this section focused on the divisions in that church created by their abuse of spiritual gifts. Having emphasized that all the gifts come from the same Spirit for the common good…

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John 8:12-20

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Heidi De Jonge

Jesus’ words in chapters 7 and 8 of John happen during a particular religious festival.  We look back to the beginning of chapter 7 to read about the Feast of Tabernacles (or the Feast of Booths).  Jesus’ brothers set out their ideas for Jesus’ travels – recommending that he go up to the Feast with…

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