Reading: 1 John 5, 2 John, 3 John, Psalm 38 Today we wrap up John’s general epistle to the churches, and read two personal letters from the apostle to members of churches with whom he was clearly quite familiar. The second and third epistles of John are very short and
Reading: 1 John 3-4, Psalm 37 As we continue reading the first epistle of John we will find what sounds exceedingly like the Evangelist repeating himself. Yesterday we read his opposition to some early forms of Christian heresy that were already at work in the first generation of believers. Much
Reading: 1 John 1-2, Psalm 36 What do you do when someone you once respected starts telling lies? When a hero stands revealed as less than perfect? When cracks appear in even the most inspirational of saints? It is tempting to excuse it with a pithy saying. “Nobody’s perfect.” But
Reading: 2 Peter 1-3, Psalm 35 Peter’s epistles, like that of James, are written to a general audience. They don’t have a city, church, or person they are addressed to, indicating that they were intended for the Christian world at large, and that their instruction is intended to be generally
Reading: 1 Peter 3-5, Psalm 34 Ever been beaten because you wore the wrong hat? History is replete with instances of unnecessary and bizarre conflict. One of the most ludicrous is the 1922 Straw Hat Riot in New York City. At the time, it was considered socially unacceptable for a
Reading: 1 Peter 1-2, Psalm 33 When I was in high school the “open world” video game was coming into its own. These were games that offered enormous amounts of choice to the player. You wanted to fight your way through your encounters? You could do that. You want to
Reading: James 4-5, Psalm 32 We continue today in the letter of James to the people of God scattered among the nations. James is primarily addressing the mode of life of these believers. He is applying the great commandment to love your neighbor as yourself through the lens of Jesus’
Reading: James 1-3, Psalm 31 Now here is a letter that has generated some controversy. Martin Luther found the letter of James extremely frustrating, calling it “an epistle of straw,” and advocating its removal from regular teaching. On the other hand, James is probably the most easily understood writing in
Reading: Hebrew 11-13, Psalm 30 When I was in high school and pretty obsessively reading whatever science fiction or fantasy I could get a hold of, I came across a little classic called Ender’s Game. There is a lot I could say about the psychological aspects of this particular book,
Reading: Hebrew 9-10, Psalm 29 Today we come to the Temple. Recalling the Story of the Hebrew Scriptures, one will remember that the Temple was a place of extraordinary importance. First there was a tabernacle, a tent version of the place. It was built in the desert following the Israelite