The Need: Harvesters, Not Harvest

Luke 10:1-20 New International Version (NIV) Jesus Sends Out the Seventy-Two 10 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers…

Dead Man Talking

Luke 7:11-17 New International Version (NIV) Jesus Raises a Widow’s Son 11 Soon afterward, Jesus went to a town called Nain, and his disciples and a large crowd went along with him. 12 As he approached the town gate, a dead person was being carried out—the only son of his mother, and she was a widow. And a…

Honoring Real Mothers

Read 1 Kings 3:16-28 On Facebook and elsewhere, people often say “Happy Mother’s Day to all mothers.” That may be a good wish, but mothers who aren’t happy because they have become mothers are not likely to become happy.  In fact some of these unhappy mothers hurt and some have already killed their own children. So,…

Can You Tell the Time?

John 2:1-12 New International Version (NIV) Jesus Changes Water Into Wine 2 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.” 4 “Woman,[a] why do you involve me?” Jesus…

The Best Second Fiddle: Playing Our Part in God’s Plan

Luke 3:15-22 New International Version (NIV) 15 The people were waiting expectantly and were all wondering in their hearts if John might possibly be the Messiah. 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with[a] water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you…

Stargazers, Sorcerers, and Seers

Epiphany Sunday, January 6, 2013 “Some sources of divine revelation may be shocking if not downright offensive. But God cannot be boxed in.” Matthew 2:1-12 New International Version (NIV) The Magi Visit the Messiah 2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi[a] from the east came to Jerusalem 2 and asked, “Where is…

Can you jumpstart your spiritual growth?

Luke 2:41-52 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) The Boy Jesus in the Temple 41 Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. 43 When the festival was ended and they started to return, the boy Jesus stayed behind…

Pregnant With Hope

Fourth Sunday of Advent Gospel Reading Luke 1:39-56 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) Mary Visits Elizabeth 39 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, 40 where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth…