Words to Live by… 5-29-16

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What we encounter in Matt 11 is enough to make us rethink our whole approach to discipleship, all over again. First, we have the encounter with John’s disciples, as John, in prison and under sentence of death, asks, “Is it really you?” To which, Jesus replies, “Tell John what you’ve seen and heard. The deaf hear, the blind see, the lame walk, the dead are raised.”… Read More


Words to live by… 5-22-16

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Well, the words of Jesus ring true once again. How different from churches today. There is a thought that if we can just “get ’em saved,” then keep them in church services, folks will pick up, by osmosis, what it takes to be a disciple and to learn other stuff. Not so with Jesus. He laid it all out there.… Read More


Words to live by… 5-15-16

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One of the single most important lessons we can learn, in all of life, is that when the devil has done all that he can do, in opposing us, he’s actually done all that he can do. He has nothing left, nothing up his sleeve, nothing in his pocket, nothing. This is important because when the Kingdom of God comes forth in power, there will be that clash of light and darkness, resulting in turmoil and upheaval throughout society.… Read More


Words to Live by… 5-8-16

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There’s a lot going on here in Matt 10; much of which cannot be adequately understood, except for the perspective of Matt 16. In Matt 16, Jesus spoke of the need, among his followers to take up their cross and follow him. He spoke of the seeming paradox that those who seek to save their lives will lose them, but those who lose their lives, for his sake, will find them.… Read More


Words to Live by… 5-1-16

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There is, of course, the way the world looks when the Good Shepherd manages his flock. And then, when the thief sets his hand to manage the flock, the differences are readily apparent. What does the world look like when the god of the power of the air/god of this world is in charge? That’s what Jesus is highlighting in Matt 10.… Read More


Words to live by… 4-24-16

And so we continue to look at the marching orders given by Jesus to those first 12 who were being sent out. A couple of things come to mind. First, the same power and authority Jesus invested in the other guys, he invested in Judas Iscariot as well. Secondly, he gave them ministry territory equal to their capacity to face and successfully manage the challenges that would confront them.… Read More


Words to Live by… 4-17-16

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We’re looking, not only at the instructions Jesus gave his disciples, newly designated apostles, but also the impact of that commissioning on us, too. Remember? Everything has to start somewhere. There is no question that these instructions and this commissioning, as well as the impartation of authority and ministry gifting here belongs only to the apostles.… Read More


Words to Live by… 4-10-16

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So, what is it that happens when, after the On the Job Training, Jesus turns his disciples loose? He gives them authority to do all the stuff he’d been doing. He’d demonstrated his heart of compassion, so they would understand WHY he did what he did, and he sent them out in pairs, so that they would begin to learn the power of multiplication as well as a fresh perspective.… Read More


Words to live By… 3-27-16

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WHAT DID THEY DO WITH JESUS? HEY, DID YOU FEEL THAT? WAS THAT AN EARTHQUAKE? WHY ARE ALL THESE SOLDIERS ALL LAID OUT? WHO CARES? GOOD RIDDANCE. SOMEBODY GO TELL JOHN! PETER, TOO! WE DON’T KNOW WHERE JESUS IS! TELL ‘EM!

Can you imagine that scene that Sunday morning? Normally we tend to think of it in pretty quiet and placid terms.… Read More


Words to live By… 4-3-16

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As we return to Matthew’s gospel, we take a few moments to remind ourselves of what’s going on at the end of Matt 9. Jesus is walking out the steps of effective ministry for the disciples: teaching, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing all their sickness and disease. That model of ministry is important because, when we get to Matt 10, he commissions 12 of the disciples to join in that ministry with him.… Read More