Pound for pound, this morning’s Scripture lesson from the Gospel of Mark packs quite the punch. This strange story of a man who daily lives with the unraveling of his mind easily ranks right up there with the most bizarre stories in the Bible. A man named Legion is labeled demonical, and the town residentsContinue reading “Every Which Way But Loose”
Author Archives: First Presbyterian Church
Lies We Love
Among the great questions of human existence is the conundrum of why good things happen to bad people and why bad things happen to good people. The Old Testament book of Job is the place where Scripture wrestles mightily with that eternal question. The book’s namesake, Job, is a wealthy man living in a landContinue reading “Lies We Love”
Becoming an Unlikely Ally
No other Old Testament character is as universally revered and respected as Moses. Four of the world’s great religions – Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Bahai – all proclaim Moses a vital prophet of God. And with good reason! A one-time prince of Egypt who frees his people from Pharaoh’s bondage of slavery and leads themContinue reading “Becoming an Unlikely Ally”
Fidgety Faith
Try to forget, if you will, everything you think you know about the apostle Thomas. And please start with the dreadful nickname “Doubting Thomas” that hangs over the apostle like a dark cloud of shame and guilt. Please forget that somewhere along the way you were taught or otherwise came to believe that the mainContinue reading “Fidgety Faith”
Dear Diary
Suffice it to say that preachers over the years have not been kind to the woman who takes centerstage in this morning’s lesson. All we know from the Gospel of John is that she’s had five husbands, and in the setting of this story, the man with whom she’s now living is not her husband.Continue reading “Dear Diary”
Labor Day 2020: Do You Want My Job?
May you lead lives worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, as you bear fruit in every good work and as you grow in the knowledge of God. ~ Colossians 1:10 COVID-19 mostly has brought bane, but for those with eyes to see, the pandemic has not been without blessing. Early on in ourContinue reading “Labor Day 2020: Do You Want My Job?”
Broken Dreams
By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down;Yeah, we wept, when we remembered Zion.There the wicked carried us away in captivity,Required from us a song.Now how shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?– Boney M, Rivers of Babylon Indeed, how do we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land? TheContinue reading “Broken Dreams”
A Bedtime Story
Everyone loves a good conversion story. That’s why you always end up perched on the edge of your seat whenever someone tells an inspiring tale of living a smoldering train wreck of a life, but then one day “finding Jesus” and rising from the ashes in triumphant victory over the mortal sins of a sordidContinue reading “A Bedtime Story”
What’s It Going to Take?
Up until now, over the past few weeks, in our sharing of Bible stories that speak to God’s presence when human plans fall apart, God has been the One doing the unraveling. For always-good divine purposes, God has been the One tugging at loose threads in the fabric our lives and reweaving those stands intoContinue reading “What’s It Going to Take?”
Unraveled Salvation
When you mention the biblical name Zacchaeus, three descriptors of the character in Luke’s Gospel usually spring to mind: First, Zacchaeus is short – “a wee little man was he.” Second, he’s good at climbing trees – sycamores in particular. And third, nobody likes him. Most people neither welcome Zacchaeus nor want anything to doContinue reading “Unraveled Salvation”