sacramental effort

My Annual Conference in North Texas is sharing in a conference wide bible study of Luke and Acts. I've been asked to share my thoughts on three chapters (one a week) and I figured I would share these thoughts with you as well. I invite you to comment below if you are either impressed OR offended! One of the repeated themes in this chapter centers on Jesus’ exposure of the hypocrisy of the chief priests, legal experts, and elders . The Common English Bible uses the term “legal expert” where the New Revised Standard Version uses “scribe.” I find this funny, because all of these terms (priest, elder, religious expert, Pharisee, etc.) have a contemporary equivalent to people like me and others who are trusted with knowledge and theological training and tasked to use it. It should be noted that , instead of sharing their wisdom and knowledge, in chapter 20 the “experts” spent their time trying to trip up Jesus .   The author of Luke makes a point to expose the hypocrisy of thes...

The Lord asks,  “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Into communities experiencing the pain of homelessness, hunger, and poverty. “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Into a mission field that is in dire need of Christ’s love. “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Into the world as the church to break down the walls of injustice and undo the  divisions caused by fear of the stranger. “Here am I; send me!”  The old and the young, the energetic and the exhausted. “Here am I; send me!”  The rich and the poor; the unemployed and the overworked. “Here am I; send me!”  Servant leaders; employees and employers, stock brokers and broke shelf-stockers, CEOs and custodians, legislators and landscapers, doctors and duct workers, oil industry executives and gas station attendants. Holy, Holy, Holy Lord! God of power and might. Heaven and earth are FULL of your glory. Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of t...