Date: Third Sunday after Pentecost ~ June 13, 2021 Texts: Ezekiel 17:22-24; Psalm 1; 2 Corinthians 5:1-10; Mark 4:26-34 Context: The season of Ordinal/Ordinary Time focuses us on the ongoing work of God the Holy Spirit in the world, the Church, and our individual lives. The readings today collectively point us towards the miraculous and counter-intuitive nature of… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – June 13, 2021
Category: Theology
Reading Ramblings – May 16, 2021
Date: Seventh Sunday of Easter, May 16, 2021 Texts: Acts 1:12-26; Psalm 1; 1 John 5:9-15; John 17:11b-19 Context: The lectionary designates this the final Sunday of the season of Easter. While technically accurate, it’s unfortunate that by falling on Thursday, the Ascension of our Lord is generally overlooked by the Church. The readings emphasize our relationship to our resurrected… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – May 16, 2021
Reading Ramblings – May 9, 2021
Date: Sixth Sunday of Easter ~ May 9, 2021 Texts: Acts 10:34-38; Psalm 98; 1 John 5:1-8; John 15:9-17 Context: We near the end of the Easter liturgical season. The readings become more and more pointed – what is the response of God’s Easter people, how do we live who wait the return of our Lord in… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – May 9, 2021
Reading Ramblings – May 2, 2021
Date: Fifth Sunday of Easter ~ May 2, 2021 Texts: Acts 8:26-40; Psalm 150; 1 John 4:1-21; John 15:1-8 Context: To appearances, Satan and the world continue to gain the upper hand over Jesus and his followers. Stephen has just become the first Christian to die for his faith. Yet Luke does not take the… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – May 2, 2021
Reading Ramblings – April 18, 2021
Date: Third Sunday of Easter – April 18, 2021 Texts: Acts 3:11-21; Psalm 4; 1 John 3:1-7; Luke 24:36-49 Context: As we continue in the season of Easter (and every Sunday is really a celebration of Easter, regardless of the liturgical season) the readings emphasize the effects of the resurrection reality. Though a bit confusing… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – April 18, 2021
Envy
It’s hard to know what to talk about at this point in our preparations for overseas church work. It isn’t as though things aren’t happening, it’s just that they aren’t the exciting sorts of things that partners are looking forward to hearing about. We aren’t deployed to the field yet. We don’t have beautiful pictures… Continue reading Envy
Reading Ramblings – April 11, 2021
Date: Second Sunday of Easter – April 11, 2021 Texts: Acts 4:32-35; Psalm 148; 1 John 1:1-2:2; John 20:19-31 Context: Easter is a season as well as a specific date. Our Lord rose three days after his crucifixion, and this unparalleled event in human history is given a liturgical season to better flesh out more… Continue reading Reading Ramblings – April 11, 2021
Reading Ramblings Intro
For years now – over a decade – it has been my practice to provide some food for thought on the readings for worship. This does several things. It helps me begin my process of thinking about the texts for the upcoming Sunday, including some preliminary isogogical and exegetical work. It also hopefully has been… Continue reading Reading Ramblings Intro
He Is Risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia! There is nothing else that matters as much as this. No deeper reality. No greater hope. No more present comfort. He is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
What Do You Mean We Have Partners?!?!
How is that even possible? Just a few days officially on the job, and already support is being raised, partnerships created. If you doubt miracles, I can assure you they are real! I started getting notifications from a fund-raising group associated with our denomination that people were already partnering with us, sending in money to… Continue reading What Do You Mean We Have Partners?!?!
The Nelson Family Indonesia 