Preachrblog

“Jesus Prays” John 17:20-26 Quite often the lectionary sets before us a reading of Holy Scripture that turns out to be hauntingly applicable to current events in the news of the day.   I suppose it should not surprise us, for God’s Word is always relevant.   But it struck me this week as I studied our Gospel reading from John 17 and heard about yet another school shooting in our own state of Texas. What’s the connection?   Prayer.   Even as Christians we may disagree about what the best solution is for school gun violence (or if there is any practical solution at all), what we can all agree on is prayer.   Prayer for the victims and their families.   Prayer for the parents who will be grieving the loss of dear children.   Prayer that God would work through this senseless violence to bring about good, as he promises to do for those who love him.   We can even pray for our enemies, and that God would turn the hearts of those who seek violence ...

  Revelation 21:1-7 “All Things New” We have been hearing, this Easter season, from the Book of Revelation in the place of our usual Epistle reading.   And I, for one, really appreciate that the lectionary does this.   Not only because Revelation is one of my favorite books of the Bible, but also the passages that are chosen – some of the highlights, really, some of the most precious passages of promise in this last book of the Bible. We see Christ as he appears to John in chapter 1.   We see him again pictured as the Lamb who once was slain in chapter 5.   We glance over John’s shoulder, as it were, to see the great multitude clothed in white in chapter 7 – a picture of the church in glory.   And in these last couple of weeks we read from chapters 21 and 22 – the last couple of chapters of Scripture – and see a picture of the eternal destiny of all who are in Christ.   And what a glorious destiny it is.   Like the happy ending of all happy ...

John 21:1-14 Two meals. One in the upper room. One on the beach. One in Jerusalem, the other in Galilee. One of bread and wine, the other of bread and fish. Both hosted by the Savior. Both providing just what he means to give. Much had happened between these two meals… Jesus took them to the garden to pray. Then Judas came with the armed men. Jesus was arrested, tried, mocked and beaten. Peter denied him that night in the courtyard, even calling down curses, “I DO NOT KNOW THE MAN!” Then the rooster crowed. Early on Friday the trial went to Pilate, then to Herod, then to Pilate again. Finally to Golgotha, and to the cross, where Jesus was hung and where he suffered and died. They took him down, laid him in the tomb, and rested on the Sabbath. Sunday morning, angelic greeters told the good news, “He is not here. He has risen!” Then he appeared. He appeared to Mary and the women. He appeared to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. He appeared to the 10 disciples in the locked uppe...