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When there’s a fuss over what to name a baby, something is going on. In Matthew 1, while Zechariah was serving his priestly rotation at the Temple, the angel Gabriel appears and announces that, in spite of their advanced years, they will have a baby boy, and Gabriel is very clear about his name. “You will...
Why does Matthew write that the prophets say the Messiah will come from Nazareth when there is no such reference anywhere in the Old Testament? In Matthew’s birth narrative, Joseph is warned to flee to Egypt to escape the murderous plans of King Herod. After Herod dies, Joseph is told to return with his...
The season of Advent brings to mind not just the birth of Jesus but also his triumphant return—the first and second Advents. These twin poles remind us that the story of Creation is not static but was designed with an end in mind and that God is active in our world, moving that story forward. Creation...
The people who need the most to hear the news of Immanuel—that God is with them, are the people who have the least reason to believe that he is. When you live in relative comfort, it’s easy to believe in Immanuel. God is with us? Well, of course he is. The evidence is all around! We have life, liberty,...
Though the cross is the main symbol of Christianity, I have talked with some people who seem to think that the crucifixion of Jesus was the saving event of the incarnation, and everything that came before was simply prerequisite to that saving event. Indeed, a lot of the language of the church would lead to...
I have a a friend who is also in ministry and among the things that we share is a love for the Christmas season. Whether it’s because I’m a pastor or because I’m an adult—probably both—the Christmas season passes far too quickly. I like to savor it, so I like to stretch it out as long as possible. My friend...
The Grace of Remembering No More
The Messiah: A Nobody from Nowhere?
Advent: Creation and Consummation
When It’s Hard to Believe in Immanuel
The Incarnation: More than the Cradle and the Cross
Thanksgiving During the Christmas Season
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I am a lifelong student of the Bible, and have been a pastor for over twenty-five years. My desire through this blog is to help people see things in the intersection of Scripture and real life that they might have missed. The careless handling of the Bible is causing a lot of problems in our churches and our culture--and is literally turning people away from the church, and, sometimes, God. I hope to treat Scripture with the respect it deserves, and, even if you don't agree with what I say, give you some insight.
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