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Revelation 5:1-10

KP
Kory Plockmeyer

Comments and Observations If one searches Google Images for the phrase “Jesus’ second coming,” the top results all have a few things in common: 1) there’s a lot of light, 2) there’s a lot of horses, and 3) Jesus is white, both in clothing and skin color. One of my personal favorites even has what…

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John 2:1-11

Epiphany 2C

Scott-Hoezee
Scott Hoezee

Apparently we are going to have to revise our definition of “glory.” Sometimes things happen in life that make us update long-held notions and definitions. It reminds me of the scene from the movie A Beautiful Mind in which the socially inept genius mathematician John Nash (played by Russell Crowe) haltingly proposes to his girlfriend…

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1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Epiphany 2C

Stan Mast headshot
Stan Mast

All four of the lectionary readings for this second Sunday after Epiphany share a similar emphasis on God’s abundant grace to his people. Psalm 36 sings God’s praise for his love and power poured out on his people. Using gorgeous language Isaiah 62 promises the exiles that their God will restore them to their former…

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Acts 15:1-21

AP
Al Postma

I’m going to start with the obvious observation that talking about circumcision is not simply an abstract theological conversation. The core of the discussion might be theological principles that are rooted in the biblical story, but the consequences of it are painfully practical. In the case of people new to the faith, being informed that…

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Acts 28:17-31

AP
Al Postma

General Reflections: “Let me tell you about that pastor.” I’ve had a conversation with a pastor who was new to a church and I asked him what he thought about his predecessor. His reply: “I’ve never met the pastor, but I don’t like him!” As a new pastor, there were people who had shared their…

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Mark 8:1-13

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Joel Schreurs

As the great philosopher Yogi Berra once said: It feels like deja vu, all over again. There are the hungry crowds, stranded in a “remote place” (much too far from the nearest McDonald’s).  There is Jesus and his bleeding heart, ever “compassionate” but also (from the disciples’ point of view, at least) ever impractical.  And…

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James 1:1-18

JS
Joel Schreurs

When was the last time you experienced pure, unrestrained joy? For most of us, “joy” is something that goes hand in hand with the best moments in our lives.  It erupts, unbidden, when everything is going our way.  At the birth of a child.  On our wedding day.  After opening an acceptance letter to our…

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Matthew 13:10-17

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Mary Stegink

Comments, Observations, and Questions to Consider Thus far in the Gospel of Matthew Jesus has been busy.  He’s been teaching and preaching, he’s been healing, he’s been explaining, he’s been gathering disciples, and he’s been traveling.  And, here in chapter 13 he does something new.  He tells his audience a story – a parable –…

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2 Corinthians 7

MS
Mary Stegink

Comments and Observations Recently my congregation lifted up their voices and sang “Blessed Be Your Name” (Matt and Beth Redman).  The song speaks of the ups and downs in life – we sang of the times when we’re “in the land that is plentiful, where your streams of abundance flow” we sang of the times…

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Hebrews 6:1-12

MS
Mary Stegink

Comments and Observations In the well-known and well-loved musical The Sound of Music, the governess Maria spends some time teaching her young charges how to sing.  She starts the lesson by saying (in song, of course) “Let’s start at the very beginning – a very good place to start.  When you read you begin with”….

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