Dear Partner in Preaching, Welcome back to Mark! After six weeks in John’s “bread of life” chapter, you’re probably more than ready to come back to the extended story Mark is telling about Jesus. But what an odd place to land: right in the middle of an argument so routine it feels peculiar to read about it in the Bible. I mean, I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty sure I’ve not only overheard this argument before, but actually participated in it. About washing your hands before dinner, that is. In fact, it was a fairly routine part of the day when my kids were younger (and only occasionally – but still! – a part of our...
John 20:17-18
posted by DJL
Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and...
Matthew 16:1-4
posted by DJL
The Pharisees and Sadducees came, and to test Jesus they asked him to show them a sign from heaven. He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red’ And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You...
Matthew 15:1-9
posted by DJL
Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands before they eat.” He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said,...
Faith and Ethnicity
posted by DJL
Can we be more than an ethnic church? That’s the question I’ve been pondering since reading an article in this morning’s Star Tribune about the loss of ethnic identity in Minnesota. The author, focusing in particular on the descendants of German, Norwegian, and Swedish immigrants of the...