Presby-Musings

The Jesus I thought I knew as a teenager was soft-spoken, sensitive, loving and kind--except when he encountered people who didn't believe in him.   The Jesus I learned about in youth group had no patience for unbelievers.   In fact, I was under the impression that when he encountered unbelievers, Jesus would often straight up tell them that they were going to hell.   I wasn't aware at the time just how much the Jesus I thought I knew looked so very much like the pastors and youth leaders, who taught me.  When it did occur to me, I decided I didn't really want to follow them or their Jesus at all.   Thankfully, many years later I not only discovered fresh images of Jesus that contradicted those angry, judgmental images, I also discovered that I really and truly wanted to follow him and dedicate my life to trying to live into his example.    In the early days of my journey, I found that it's impossible to read the Gospels and come up with a nea...

The passage of Scripture that I read today for my daily Bible reading came from the book of Revelation chapter 7.  I'm reading through the New Testament again this year, and am nearing the end, so I'm making my way through the rambling writings of John the Revelator once more.   The passage I read today describes a scene of cosmic worship and praise.  The Revelator writes:  I looked again. I saw a huge crowd, too huge to count. Everyone was there—all nations and tribes, all races and languages. And they were standing, dressed in white robes and waving palm branches, standing before the Throne and the Lamb and heartily singing: Salvation to our God on his Throne! Salvation to the Lamb! All who were standing around the Throne—Angels, Elders, Animals—fell on their faces before the Throne and worshiped God, singing: Oh, Yes! The blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving, The honor and power and strength, To our God forever and ever and ever! Oh, Yes...

For most of this week our daily devotions will be reflections based on the sermon I preached earlier in the week for Christ the King the Sunday.  In the sermon, I made the assertion that if Christians truly believe Jesus is in charge, they should be without fear, worry, anxiety, etc.  Our devotions will be centered on that premise for the first part of the week--and then we'll turn our thoughts toward thankfulness as the week progresses.   As part of my daily readings this morning, I read the story of how the Apostle Peter had to explain to the church leaders at Jerusalem (who were all Jewish) how God had led him to go to the house of a Gentile--a Roman centurion named Cornelius, who accepted Christ and received the gift of the Holy Spirit.   The church leaders in Jerusalem, were not too thrilled that Peter had basically broken all kinds of religious laws when he not only entered Cornelius' house, but also ate dinner with him, and then claimed that he and "all...

Imagine... It's the first century, and you are gathered with your family and some of your close friends in a grotto below the street of the town where you live.  You are a Christian, a follower of the Way of Jesus.  And you are about to be baptized. The place you are gathered is a cistern to catch rain water.  Everyone seems nervous and solemn.  A man standing near the cistern, beckons each of you forward.  You take off the robe you are wearing and step naked into the water.  The man proclaims that you are "buried with Christ in his death," and that "you are raised to new life in his resurrection."  And he does this "In the name of the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit ." As you emerge you are given a white robe and the man anoints you liberally with oil.  Above you on the street, you can hear the sounds of your town waking up.  A rooster crows and a cart rumbles past.  If anyone on that street above knew you were here, the...