“Departing Orders Given” Matthew 28:16-20

The unexpected Jesus had come.  He had lived among the people and his disciples; he had died for the sins of men; he had risen and had now been seen by many witnesses.  It was time for him to go.  One last detail to cover…
As a Commanding Officer leaves his ship for any length of [...]

Read Full Post »

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!
 Pat Park is going to be helping me out with this coming weeks blog entries. 
We begin the New Year with some repetition from last week.  That’s because these passages are closely linked to Christ’s words in Acts One.   They’re worth reading twice.   
 Kip

Read Full Post »

Blog Junkie?

OK, so maybe I’m not a blog junkie after all.  Christmas was my match.  And now Mary and the boys and I are out in Hagerstown, Maryland, with Mary’s family for a few days.  Routines are flying out the window.  I like that for a few days, but then I start wanting some consistency again.  [...]

Read Full Post »

Let in the Light! Matt. 27:27-57

I think I have become a blog junkie.  I must be addicted to write on Christmas Eve (what are the chances that anyone’s going to read this?).  Who knows?  I might even write tomorrow on Christmas Day. 
Life is so full and full of changes that I value the few “constants” in my life which give me [...]

Read Full Post »

For this reason I was born John 18:28-38; Luke 23:6-25

The only time Jesus’ birth is directly referred to in the Gospel of John is in his conversation with Pilate.  Jesus says to Pilate, “In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.” 
What truth? 
I think Jesus is talking primarily about God’s self-disclosure [...]

Read Full Post »

What We Do With Jesus John 18:12-24; Matt. 26:57-27:10

Judas betrays Jesus for a profit, regrets it, and kills himself, losing everything. 
With curses Peter denies Jesus out of fear, repents of it, finds forgiveness, and becomes a bold evangelist. 
Caiaphas asks the right question, refuses to believe the answer, and condemns the Creator of the world to death, thereby condemning himself.       
What we do with Jesus [...]

Read Full Post »

Understand the Times Matt. 26:30-56

 “Are you still sleeping and resting?” 
I think it was easy for the disciples to sleep because they didn’t really believe anything was up.  They weren’t worried.  They didn’t understand or feel the gravity of the situation. 
Their bellies were full.  They had just heard a nice speech from Jesus.  As far as they were concerned, [...]

Read Full Post »

Relationship is Life John 17

“Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” 
Eternal life, as this verse declares, is primarily about relationship.  Knowing God is life.   
Jesus did not die on the cross just to save us from our sins.  He died on the cross in order to [...]

Read Full Post »

Birth Pains John 16

Part of the curse that came into the world after Adam and Eve sinned is that child bearing became intensely painful.  God told Eve, “I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children.”   
With each birth of new life comes the painful reminder that it is cursed because of [...]

Read Full Post »

Connected John 14 & 15:1-16

You all have our church’s mission statement memorized, right? 
No?!
You mean, you don’t you read the back of your bulletin every Sunday?  I’m shocked and dismayed!
Well, for those who have ears, let them hear the mission statement:  We are passionate about connecting people to Jesus, to each other, and to their purpose in life. 
Wonder where [...]

Read Full Post »