This is the introduction sermon for the “Ears to Hear” teaching series on the parables of Jesus. We’re taking another look at these enigmatic stories with an ear toward what they might have to say to us today. Because we are not only daily being formed by the practices in which we participate, but we…
In the Gospel according to Luke, Jesus is led by the Spirit into the wilderness. There he confronts the devil and resists three temptations. These three temptations aren’t just instructive for us personally, they also describe perennial temptations the church faces in relationship to society. They are: 1. Empire Economics; 2. Idolatrous Nationalism; and 3.…
After having completed the 12-16 and 9-11 sections of Romans, we are leapfrogging over the 5-8 section to the 1-4 section, and returning to the foundation of the Christian faith: The Gospel. In Romans chapter 1, we discover that the Gospel Paul preached wasn’t the ‘Romans Road,’ but was instead about Jesus, not us; Good…
The relationship between Paul and Timothy teaches us about Christian mentoring. Paul recognizes the contribution Timothy’s mother and grandmother have made to his faith. Paul encourages Timothy to “stir up” the gift from God that is already within him. This is an important truth for us to internalize when we are tempted to impose our…