Clotheslines

Today, August 6th, holds a special place in our church calendar. It is designated as the Feast of the Transfiguration. Holy Scripture tells us of the time Jesus took Peter, James and John up a mountain to pray. But what happened on the mountain would change the apostles understanding of Jesus forever. While they are praying, a cloud comes over the foursome and Jesus’ emerges glowing in light, so much so that the apostles have to cover their faces, the light is that bright. An

Having been away on vacation for three weeks, it’s time to once again focus…and today’s focus couldn’t be more perfect: Prayer. We all know the Gospel passage where the apostles ask Jesus how to pray. But what Jesus taught may be surprising to some. He didn’t teach about the position of your hand, or that you had to be kneeling. Human beings came up with all those ideas. But Jesus? He was more interested in your attitude, your motivation and the idea of conversation with God.

Today we’re going to look at part of Paul’s letter to the Galatians. While most of Paul’s letters express joy and love to his readers, this letter was written by an angry Paul! The people in Galatia that Paul had baptized were good, solid Christians. But since Paul’s visit, false teachings had infiltrated Galatia: You must become a Jew before you can become a Christian. And what exactly did that mean? You must obey all Jewish law and that will earn your right to salvation! Ho

Living with Jesus was filled with surprises. On any given day Jesus would do something remarkable, and I’m sure the disciples didn’t know whether to get excited for each coming day, or to be concerned about any ramifications that might occur. He fed thousands of people with one simple boxed lunch. He cured sick people. He walked on water. And he even took the time to sit with children and enjoy their antics. Another strange event happened when Jesus cured a man possessed by a

I often share a portion of my Sunday sermon in the Clothesline, but I’ve been led in a thoughtful direction today. So, here goes! Have you ever taken the time to think about the awesomeness of God…the one who created everything out of nothing and lays it all at our feet, asking only for our devotion and love? A creation that came to be with nothing but a word… “Let there be light” and everything began. And even after sin entered the world because of disobedience, mankind was

Christmas, Easter and Pentecost…three special feast days in the Christian Church. And did you ever notice the progression from one feast to the next, that there is more and more that we don’t understand? It’s true. We go from the birth of a baby, to a resurrection from the dead, to the concept of the Spirit of God living within us. It certainly is difficult to understand, but we don’t have to. We only have to believe! Jesus promised that when he returned to His Father in heav

This past Sunday was the last Sunday before the Feast of Pentecost, the day the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles, which is also the birthday of the church. As it was for the past few weeks, the Gospel was again taken from John’s Gospel…Jesus’ Farewell Discourse—several chapters of what Jesus said to his apostles on the night before his arrest, trial, crucifixion and death. It's hard to imagine what it must have been like for the apostles. They didn’t know what was abou

The Easter season is coming to a close tomorrow, with the Feast of the Ascension. Fifty days of glory in the shadow of His Resurrection. Jesus had spent three years with his apostles, preparing them to teach and bring others to know and love the Lord. On that infamous Friday, he was nailed to a cross, died a horrible death and was buried in a borrowed tomb. But we know that three days later he rose from that tomb and walked the earth again for fifty days, proving to those who

During this Easter season, our New Testament readings are taken from the Book of Revelation. While this book is often difficult to understand, it is nevertheless…exciting! The apostle John wrote about this cosmic battle between good and evil where Satan is cast into a bottomless pit. It’s only then that “the holy city, the new Jerusalem” descends out of heaven. God “will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death and mourning and crying and pain will be no more.” Then God sa

Have you ever thought about the fact that Jesus isn’t selective about those whom he loves and those whom he wants to save? There is a story of a man who used to pass the time in an airport, looking at each person, and asking himself, “Did Jesus die for that person?” Then he would expand his gaze and look around for the oddest person he could find, and again think: “Did Jesus die for him, too?” And finally, he ends his thinking by sharing with a friend sitting next to him, “It