Sermons on Spiritual Growth (Page 2)
Faith Beyond Borders
You’re probably aware of the animosity the Jews had for their Roman occupiers, so something in this passage immediately jumps out. This centurion–a daily visual reminder of Rome’s presence–has the kind of relationship with the Jews that several Jewish elders willingly went to Jesus to plead on his behalf. “He is worthy,” they said, which is incredible. Worthy? Really? A Roman centurion? They were obviously impressed with him, and so was Jesus. Luke tells us that “Jesus . . .…
“I Am With You”: God’s Unwavering Presence
I think most of us probably engage in some sort of reflection as we end one year and start another. There’s the inevitable “I can’t believe another year has passed” thought, as well as the sometimes fretful or perhaps hopeful anticipation of flipping the calendar to another year. This year I’ll lose the weight and keep it off. This year I’ll start an exercise program that I’ll stick to. This year I’ll get my finances in order. This year I’ll…
The Problem of Others: “The Woman You Gave Me”
A few weeks back we looked at how our view of God changed in Genesis 3, and a week later we reflected on how our view of self changed. But that’s not all. In Adam’s “defense” to God in the Scripture reading above, you see a hint of how our view of others changed as well. “The woman you gave me . . .” No longer are they allies and partners; now she’s the “other,” the enemy, the one to blame. It’s…
