HeIsGreater

12June2009 Luke 20:25

25 “Caesar’s,” they replied. He said to them, “Then give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s.” In this day of corporate buyouts and off-shore investments, I began to think about the many ways people avoid their financial responsibilities. I recently heard about someone declaring bankruptcy so that they could avoidContinue reading “12June2009 Luke 20:25”

11June2009 Luke 20:14

14 “But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ Killing was not the first option for these tenants. They had already refused to pay their due to the owner and had treated his representatives with increasingly harshContinue reading “11June2009 Luke 20:14”

10June2009 Genesis 23:7

7 Then Abraham rose and bowed down before the people of the land, the Hittites. Showing proper respect takes many forms in many different cultures. In many militaries around the world a salute is rendered to the higher ranking person who then returns the salute. We use titles like Mr. President, the Honorable, Doctor, andContinue reading “10June2009 Genesis 23:7”

9June2009 Luke 20:2

2 “Tell us by what authority you are doing these things,” they said. “Who gave you this authority?” I recently had the privilege of visiting Herculaneum, the ancient Greek city destroyed by a volcanic mud flow from Mount Vesuvius. As I walked through this city that was buried for almost two thousand years under volcanicContinue reading “9June2009 Luke 20:2”

8June2009 Genesis 23:3-4

3 Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites. He said, 4 “I am an alien and a stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.” Grief is one of the most powerful emotions. It can drive us, even asContinue reading “8June2009 Genesis 23:3-4”

7June2009 Luke 19:37

37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: It is one thing to praise God and something entirely different when we praise God for something we haveContinue reading “7June2009 Luke 19:37”

6June2009 Luke 19:25

25 “‘Sir,’ they said, ‘he already has ten!’ The cry for justice comes all too often. Right in the middle of this parable, when obvious justice is happening, the cry for justice comes. All of us with kids have heard the words, “That’s not fair.” People want equality, not justice. They want the surface toContinue reading “6June2009 Luke 19:25”

5June2009 Genesis 22:12

12 “Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” God knows what is most important to us. He knows our every thought. For Abraham, this son who arrivedContinue reading “5June2009 Genesis 22:12”

4June2009 Genesis 22:1

1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he replied. Sometimes it would be better if you hadn’t showed up. I remember those days in gym class when the teacher would call the role. I hated that. I always seemed to get picked last when it came toContinue reading “4June2009 Genesis 22:1”

3June2009 Luke 18:25

25 Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Some things are impossible for humans. Only God can accomplish them on our behalf. Entering God’s kingdom is one of those tasks. This is a God-sized task. ItContinue reading “3June2009 Luke 18:25”