I met six-year-old Kyle just before Christmas several years ago. He excitedly offered to recite the story of Jesus’ birth from Luke’s Gospel. He got to his favorite part—where the angels...

At first, Jesus’ friends are “startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost” (24:37). They simply cannot believe it is Jesus. He offers his wounds as proof. They...

The children’s story from church remained vivid in the minds of her three-year-old triplet sons as a mother from my congregation wrestled them into their pajamas one Sunday night. “I’m Jonah!”...

In the spring of 1988, a young man active in the anti-apartheid movement named Sfiso was showing me around his black township. Eight rifle-wielding members of the South African army leapt...

The warmth of the bread and the sweetness of the wine still linger as Jesus’ friends receive his tender gazes while he kneels and wipes their feet. But already the seed...

Today’s verses highlight the promise of the continuing presence of God and Christ within the Christian community. Verse 18 reflects Jesus’ speaking to the feelings of loneliness in the disciples. First,...

Clearly the Gospel writer intends these words for the church and the broader Christian community. The first message to the church is that obedience indicates or reflects our love for Christ....

The writer offers in verse 18 the basis for all that follows in today’s passage—Christ’s suffering that led to resurrection and new life for us. Verses 19-20 lend themselves to varying...

In today’s verses the writer moves from husband and wife references in verses 1-7 and entire household references in verses 8-12 to the entire community. Verses 13-17 challenge readers to strive...

The psalmist affirms, through national and individual thanksgiving, God’s providential deliverance. Verses 1-7 call Israel to acknowledge God’s power in bringing the people out of Egypt; verses 8-12 call the “peoples”...