On Sunday, I preached from the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). There's lots of details and lots of theology there, so I had to cut out a discussion of an odd Hebrew word. In Leviticus 16, a word appears 4x, and it is the only time the word appears anywhere in Scripture. The word azazel … Continue reading Spiritual Dump Truck
Nuance is Needed: Foreigners in Israel, America, and the Church
Nuance is an endangered species. Few people offer it, few people seem willing to tolerate it. But a lack of nuance leads to a confusing cognitive dissonance. On the far right of the Christian political spectrum are those who contend America was and should be again a Christian nation. This group wants to reintroduce biblical … Continue reading Nuance is Needed: Foreigners in Israel, America, and the Church
The Devil
Verbal Kint, during his interrogation in the movie The Usual Suspects, comments, "The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist." Apparently, that quote is traced back to a 19th-century French poet, Charles Baudelaire. This past week, I looked at Genesis 3:15 as the protoevangelium, the first good news. It … Continue reading The Devil
It’s Complicated
I've recently been listening to an incredibly interesting book, The Protest History of the United States. Author, civil rights attorney and professor Gloria Browne-Marshall, describes the world as a "blessedly beautiful yet humanly hostile" place to live. In other words, it's complicated. That corresponds to what I see in the news. There is tremendous goodness … Continue reading It’s Complicated
Faith Complete by Works
Last week I preached from James 2:14-26, a passage that speaks of the importance of good works in the life of the believer. I stressed that, for James, it's NOT FAITH + WORKS = SALVATION. He didn't preach "add some works to your faith, then you'll be saved." What he does say is FAITH = … Continue reading Faith Complete by Works
God Entranced 