“How could I not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been eaten out by fire?” The king asked me, “What is it, then, that you wish?” I prayed to the God of heaven and then answered the king: “If it please the king, and…[read more]
When the time for his being taken up was approaching, he deliberately set himself to travel to Jerusalem. He sent messengers before him. Luke 9: 51-2 In a footnote to these opening verses of the middle section of Luke’s gospel, Luke Timothy Johnson points out that the literal translation of the phrase he translates as…[read more]
“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.” Matthew 18: 3-5 This morning in the United…[read more]
“Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than this.” And he said to him, “Amen, amen, I say to you you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” John 1: 50-51 At…[read more]
Now thus says the Lord of hosts: / Consider your ways! / You have sown much, but have brought in little; / you have eaten, but have not been satisfied; / You have drunk, but have not been exhilarated; / have clothed yourselves, but not been warmed; / And whoever earned wages / earned them…[read more]
At the time of the evening sacrifice, I, Ezra, rose in my wretchedness, and with cloak and mantle torn I fell on my knees, stretching out my hands to the Lord, my God. I said: “My God, I am too ashamed and confounded to raise my face to you, O my God, for our wicked…[read more]
The children of Israel—priests, Levites, and the other returned exiles—celebrated the dedication of this house of God with joy. Ezra 6: 16 “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it.” Luke 8: 21 We are living in a time that constantly reminds us of the truth…[read more]
People who long to be rich are a prey to temptation; they get trapped into all sorts of foolish and dangerous ambitions which eventually plunge them into ruin and destruction. ‘The love of money is the root of all evils’ and there are some who, pursuing it, have wandered away from the faith, and so…[read more]
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the…[read more]
All the people and the tax agents had heard and justified God by being baptized with John’s baptism. But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s plan for them by not being baptized by him. “To whom shall I compare the people of this age? Who are they like? They are like children in the…[read more]
“How could I not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been eaten out by fire?” The king asked me, “What is it, then, that you wish?” I prayed to the God of heaven and then answered the king: “If it please the king, and…[read more]
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