If you ask me, it is one of the most disturbing stories Jesus ever told. (You find it in the Gospel of Luke, Chapter 16:19-31.) It tells of a rich man who, during his earthly life, was greedy and unhelpful to a poor man named Lazarus who simply wanted a few crumbs from the rich… Continue reading The Great Gulf
Category: Grace
Tell Me the Old, Old Story
It is interesting to note that at this point in Dr. Luke’s narrative we come to a series of stories that must have fascinated some listeners and confounded others: The Parable of the Lost Sheep The Parable of the Lost Coin The Parable of the Lost Son The Parable of the Shrewd Manager All the… Continue reading Tell Me the Old, Old Story
Paid in Full – Mark 15:1-26
Jesus Before Pilate 15 Very early in the morning, the chief priests, with the elders, the teachers of the law and the whole Sanhedrin, made their plans. So they bound Jesus, led him away and handed him over to Pilate. 2 “Are you the king of the Jews?” asked Pilate. “You have said so,” Jesus replied. 3 The chief priests accused him… Continue reading Paid in Full – Mark 15:1-26
Betrayed – Mark 14:53-65
Jesus Before the Sanhedrin 53 They took Jesus to the high priest, and all the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the law came together. 54 Peter followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. There he sat with the guards and warmed himself at the fire. 55 The chief priests and the… Continue reading Betrayed – Mark 14:53-65
True Love – Mark 14:1-25
Jesus Anointed at Bethany 14 Now the Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were scheming to arrest Jesus secretly and kill him. 2 “But not during the festival,” they said, “or the people may riot.” 3 While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table… Continue reading True Love – Mark 14:1-25
On the Mountaintop – Mark 9:2-8
2 After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. 3 His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. 4 And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5 Peter said to… Continue reading On the Mountaintop – Mark 9:2-8
Defeating A Legion – Mark 5:1-20
The man’s words always chill my soul a little: “My name is Legion, for we are many.” The demon-possessed man, tormented, prone to self-harm, both afraid and fearsome to others, this man encountered Jesus among the tombs. Jesus cast the demons out, sending them into a herd of pigs, which further terrified those who witnessed… Continue reading Defeating A Legion – Mark 5:1-20
No Such Power Mark 4:21-41
They knew his teaching was profound and had a certain authority about it that none of the other teachers had. They knew, or at least heard, that he was able to perform miracles – even raise the dead. Now, they were astonished to witness that even the wind and the waves obeyed Jesus’ command. Thousands… Continue reading No Such Power Mark 4:21-41
The Word Along the Way Mark 4:1-20
There were so many that he had to sit in a boat offshore while the crowds gathered at the shore. Clearly, they were hungry for the word he had to offer. Telling them stories, touching on the things – the images with which they could best identify – he taught them about life. So it… Continue reading The Word Along the Way Mark 4:1-20
Back to Basics with IGW3
As the 2019 Lenten/Easter season begins, we are excited to announce a new ministry – and a new look – for this blog. It’s called IGW3 – which as you can see above stands for… In God’s Word In God’s Will In God’s Work We live in complicated and confusing times. We believe that the… Continue reading Back to Basics with IGW3
IGW3 - In God's Word, In God's Will, In God's Work 