The disciples were gathered in a house…in the upper room… behind locked and closed doors. They were afraid…they were very afraid. They were still afraid. Afraid that the Judean elite would come after them next…No, they were sure of it. The knock at the door and the soldiers would be there any time. That’s when […]
This is the day I have waited for. The Season of Easter is now officially over and the “new season” of Pentecost begins. I love this day. We needed the color change from white to the boldness of Red. It is like fresh air… Springtime freshness Windows open… Bedding on the line… It is a […]
A third century historian wrote these words about those who followed Jesus somewhere around the year 250. “Christians cannot be distinguished from the rest of humanity by country, language or custom. They do not separate themselves into cities of their own; they use no special language, nor do they follow an eccentric pattern of life. […]
I have told you many times – how and in what ways the Gospel of John is different. In John’s gospel the disciples do not approach Jesus and say, “Rabbi, teach us to pray.” There is no Lord’s Prayer recorded in John. No, Our Father… The closest we come to it – is this High […]
People (as you know) can be very opinionated. When it comes to an opinion – everyone seems to have one, but not everybody shares theirs. “Some opinions” are better kept buried within…left unspoken…unstated. The problem with opinions of course is, they are “a view” or “a judgment” about something – but they are not necessarily […]
I want you to know and realize that John’s gospel follows the classic form of a farewell “address”…or a farewell “speech.” In it, Jesus addresses those who will be his survivors, those who will succeed him. “They” who will carry on… He is talking to his disciples. The immediate group. That is the context. We […]
John’s gospel has been called “the gospel of questions” by some. The questions raised in the gospel pop out at you – after you think about them…and realize that they are even there. Questions of course, are “an essential part” of our every day conversations. They serve as “invitations to dialogue” and “aid” in the […]
I ran across this Greek word this week, the word being “monai.” It seems that the word “monai” was originally associated with caravans… The caravan that I am talking about was not made by Dodge, Nissan or Chevrolet. Rather the “monai” that I am referring to usually consisted of a group of people or animals […]
Context is everything and always has been. Do you know that this is a radical text? This is the kind of stuff – that got Jesus killed! In the case of our gospel text for this evening…the starting place…or the jumping off place…must be – with the previous chapter to it. So, it is out […]
Let’s talk about the “Good Shepherd” … just for a little bit… When it comes to Jesus as the “Gate” of the sheepfold… This goes all the way back in time…to the day and the time… When out in the hinterlands… The shepherds would take their sheep to graze and to water them… Often times […]