In a way this morning’s passage is an appropriate one for us to consider this Memorial Day weekend for on Memorial Day we as a nation remember those from various branches of the military who have died in active service for our country. The freedoms these women and men died …
Our passage this morning is a brief psalm, or sacred song, credited to King David. This psalm is a psalm of praise and the first item of praise is none other than God himself. In essence this is a psalm from an earthly king who is awe of the heavenly …
Last week we considered Luke’s account[1] of Jesus’ ascension to heaven forty days after he rose from the dead, during which period he appeared to many of his disciples and even once to a crowd of 500. After presenting various of these post-resurrection appearances on Easter Sunday, Luke closes his …
Today is not only Mother’s Day—and a very happy Mother’s Day to all who are mothers!—but in the church calendar it’s also Ascension Sunday or Jesus’ last day on earth in bodily form when, before the eyes of his disciples, he ascended or rose to heaven. Technically the day of …
As we’ve mentioned in the Adult Ed class on the Holy Spirit—to which you’re all invited, by the way!—chapters 14–16 in the Gospel of John provide us with the most sustained teaching on the third member of the Trinity. But in these chapters we learn not only about the person …
This morning we’re going to move away from Jesus’ teaching to the impact that his life and teaching had upon his followers. In Acts 11 the apostle Peter provides a summary of how he personally was eyewitness to the Holy Spirit falling upon the Gentiles even as he had fallen …
Last week we considered for a second time how Jesus’ resurrection and post-resurrection appearances to his disciples provide a strong confirmation that his teaching prior to the resurrection was true. In this morning’s passage, following Martin’s preaching of the first 21 verses a few weeks ago, we have an opportunity …
Two weeks ago we noted the many times Jesus appeared to his followers from the time he rose from the dead on that first Easter morning until he ascended to heaven forty days later. These post-resurrection appearances are pivotal because they confirm that Jesus is who he said he was. …
Our passage this morning has such a very sad beginning and such a very joyous end. On the first day of the week—a Sunday that will turn out to be the very first Easter Sunday—one of Jesus’ disciples, Mary Magdalene—and, by the way, there isn’t a scrap of evidence in …
In chapters 40–55, the prophet Isaiah, whose name means “The LORD Saves,” is writing to exiles, 200 years in the future, offering them a word of comfort in a portion of his prophesy known as The Book of Comfort. But as we’ve heard in the Scripture reading, this portion of …
