So they took Jesus; and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. This is another detail unique to John…and easy to miss because it is tucked within and along side other more dramatic details like the gruesome...
The Power of Giving
posted by DJL
I’ve written before about how the transformative power of dedicating yourself to making a contribution to whatever group you’re a part of, whatever persons you’re surrounded by, and in any situation you find yourself. This attitude is, I think, one of the hallmarks of great leadership...
John 19:14b-16a
posted by DJL
He said to the Jews, “Here is your King!” They cried out, “Away with him! Away with him! Crucify him!” Pilate asked them, “Shall I crucify your King?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but the emperor.” Then he handed him over to them to be crucified. We have...
John 19:14a
posted by DJL
Now it was the day of Preparation for the Passover; and it was about noon. We have noticed time and again that John is a master artist, carefully crafting scenes to witness to the truth of Jesus. For this reason, we’ve grown accustomed to hugging the details of John’s narrative, trusting...
Preaching With Power
posted by DJL
In the late Seventies, the Rev. Dr. Andrew Willis and the late Rev. Dr. Randolf L. Jones began exploring the possibility of finding a seminary home for their work with African American Pastors and their hopes to establish a program of study that focused on, and supported, the needs of the African American Church community in Philadelphia. After meeting with a number of disappointing responses, they brought their proposal to The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia and, as Dr. Jones was fond of recounting, “While others said no, Lutheran said ‘YES’!” And the rest, as they say, is history. As with all great histories, this one...