Jesus has given the world this incredible prayerRecited every day and prayed in almost every language,- it contains the essence of what everyone needs to say to God and ask of him• and yet, when Jesus taught this prayer to his di...

The next point of Jesus’ sermon has to do with prayerI don’t think you need me to teach you anything about prayer- one year in Russia, an orphan tried to teach me the alphabet• but she gave up on me – there was just one letter, I...

 Peter and Andrew were knee-deep in Lake Galilee. A school of fish swam near shore, so they threw a net into water, dragging out whatever it collected. Jesus, walking the shore that morning, stopped and called to them. When they turned and...

Today we reach the end of this second part of the SermonBut not until Jesus takes us all the way to end of the trail we’re on- we've been following a theme that began with Jesus saying,Do not think that I have come to abolish...

There’s a fateful story in the Bible that begins like this:It happened, late one afternoon, when David arose from his couch and was walking on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; and the woman was...

You know the directory in the mall, with the little star that reads, “You are here”?Well, let's figure out where we are in Jesus' Sermon- we’ve been through the Beatitudes • we've made the transition from Jesus’ closing remarks t...

 Approaching 2025, I found myself struggling with hope for the new year- I think of myself as an optimist• for instance, Divorce equals two Christmases and two birthdays- but today's world looks grim• vicious election cycle...

We need to know where we are in Jesus’ SermonVerses 17-20 are the heart of the Sermon (perhaps the heart of the entire Bible)- these verses hold the key to interpreting the rest of Sermon• unfortunately, many Christians read this...

Back in the days, when I was the pastor of a sizeable church,We would celebrate Christmas with big productions. One year, when the stage was crowded with props and children, the music still ringing in our ears, I went to the microphone w...

These last two Beatitudes on Jesus’ list are not easy to digestJesus envisions a grim future for us – and if so,- we’re expected not only to survive it, but to rejoice and be glad• John Chapman was the Abbot of a monastery in Bri...

The central miracle asserted by Christians is the Incarnation. They say that Godbecame Man. Every other miracle prepares for this, or exhibits this, or results from this.C. S. Lewis, ". . . In the Christian story God descends to ...

Jesus is sitting on a mountain overlooking Sea of GalileeHe is teaching a course on “Christian Spirituality”- we are now five weeks into his introduction: The Beatitudes• prior to teaching this course, Jesus had been announcing, ...

When I began preparing today’s talk, there was a sudden moment when I felt very smallThe spiritual wisdom of Jesus rivals every other enlightened text- even gurus, like Gandhi, who rejected Christianity have admired the Sermon• r...

Welcome back to Jesus’ Sermon On the MountHe begins with the Beatitudes – not to be confused with "benedictions"- they are more like a series of riddles• he describes conditions in which people are already blessed◦ already ac...

Recently, I came across an interesting ad:The caption said, “Free AI Sermon Generator”“Free AI sermon outlines help you preach a confident, creative message. AI sermon starter ideas make your sermon fresh and relevant.”- I realiz...

Last week I gave my introduction to the Sermon On the MountThis week we’re going to look at Matthew’s introduction- but first, I have a question – and it’s for me as much as anyone:Are we ready for this?- the Lor...

A couple weeks ago someone told me,“Your next series of talks should be about The Sermon On the Mount”- that title has a pleasant ring to it, doesn’t it?• isn’t that where Jesus talks about birds and lilies? Love your enemies? Do...

The prophetic ministry of Elijah provides one of the most entertaining stories in all the Bible. When it comes to phenomenal miracles, Elijah’s only rival would be Moses. His spiritual stature as a man of God is equal to the greatest heroes in ...

Psalm 3 is the most loved, most quoted, and best known of all PsalmsThere are lots of reasons for this.It’s short – just six verses. But though it’s so short it’s incredibly deep.It’s simple – easy to understand.  The Lord, ...

 This first sentence of 2 Kings is an odd way to begin a new chapter. The transition from the previous book to this one could have been much smoother. For instance, the last lines of 1 Kings provide all the explanation we need for this new...

 King Ahab left the battlefield, victorious over the Syrians, but he arrived home moody and sullen. In theory, there’s no reason for kings to be “moody and sullen.” If they are troubled, they have counselors. If they feel sad, the...

 Today’s episode requires an explanation, because my plan was to skip this chapter. For the past seven weeks we’ve been immersed in the story of Elijah, but for some reason he does not appear here; not even his name is mentioned. But that ...

 The Elijah with whom we spent time in the previous chapter is hardly recognizable in this episode. He is no longer the prophet who lost heart and had been wallowing in defeat, sulking in a cave. He was transformed. Once again he is on the...