12312022 – Matthew 6. 24-34 The timing on this is perfect. Perfect for NEW YEAR’S EVE. The perfect time for a little REFLECTION. Matthew’s gospel is DIFFERENT from Mark’s. Matthew writes for a predominantly JEWISH or HEBRAIC audience. Matthew and his concerns – LIE ELSEWHERE from that of Mark’s. Matthew, you may recall, was a […]
12172022 – Matthew 1. 18-25 With just a handful of days TO GO before Christmas…many Americans will be scurrying and rushing around… completing their FINAL Christmas preparations or at least attempting to do so. This is a HIGH DRAMA time of the year. They will hopefully be COMPLETING their last-minute SHOPPING, finalizing their TRAVEL PLANS, […]
12142022 – Matthew 11. 2-11 John is IN PRISON. Fortunately for us, “that experience” is foreign to us. But it is NOT foreign to everyone, including, THE BAPTIZER. He was a “brand new political prisoner.” Everything about life in a cell was strange and understandably frightening. He was held underground, in a remote dungeon, cold […]
12072022 – Matthew 3. 1-12 John has always intrigued me. In a strange kind of way, I always look forward to his YEARLY visit. He gets us. It is like he peers into our souls, into our very beings. He sees what others apparently do not, and if they do, they say nothing. I am […]
11302022 – Matthew 24. 36-44 The situation was “MORE THAN DIRE.” The whole “Jesus movement” was “very SMALL” and “FRAGILE.” The followers of Jesus feared being “OUTED.” Being OUTED – many times meant being IMPRISONED or DEAD. When the gospel of Matthew was written there may have been A FEW THOUSAND people who “IDENTIFIED” as […]
11262022 – Matthew 24. 36-44 Please allow me to start out with a little bit of “a refresher course.” It is not often that we talk about “APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE,” “APOCALYPSES,” or that whole “genre of literature.” The first “apocalyptic writings” date to around the year 200 BCE. The word “apocalyptic” although “a big churchy word” […]
03022022 – Matthew 6. 1-6, 16-21 The Season of Lent is NOT about YOU. It is NOT about DEATH. It is NOT about DYING. It is NOT as “DARK” as you might think it is! It is NOT foreboding at all. It is NOT about giving up chocolate, nor is it about giving up streaming […]
112120 – Matthew 25. 31-46 Matthew’s gospel make it sounds so easy. And I am here to tell you, life is NOT so simple. Life is “pretty” complex. Heck, sometimes, “life” just seems hard and difficult. But the Gospel of Matthew makes it sound VERY “black and white.” Kind of easy-peasy. I DO […]
11182020 – Matthew 25. 14-30 In the first century, a TALENT was the LARGEST unit of currency AVAILABLE at the time. For us, it is the 100 dollar bill. Yep, a “talent was money.” A whole lot of money. Cool, hard cash! Some scholars guess or try to speculate that a talent would have […]
11182020 – Matthew 25. 14-30 In the first century, a TALENT was the LARGEST unit of currency AVAILABLE at the time. For us, it is the 100 dollar bill. Yep, a “talent was money.” A whole lot of money. Cool, hard cash! Some scholars guess or try to speculate that a talent would have […]