THE TWENTY-FIFTH DAY OF OCTOBER IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND FIFTEEN. A gracEmail subscriber observes that most Christian churches he has known emphasize Jesus more than they emphasize God his Father. However, Jesus identified himself as 'the way' to the Father, making Father God the destination to which Jesus is the route. Is this a problem? * * * Throughout John's Gospel narrative, Jesus repeatedly identifies himself as the Son of God the Creator who is the faithful God of Israel and the only living God. Jesus explains that he has come to earth on a mission from the … [Read more...]
Family Notes 21/10/2015
THE TWENTY-FIRST DAY OF OCTOBER IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND FIFTEEN. MORNING PRAYERS One delightful way to begin a morning filled with an awareness of God's holy presence and awesome power is to participate in the Morning Prayer service, via podcast, of the Episcopal Church of Garrett County, Maryland. The 14-minute service of worship includes Scripture readings and prayers, a general confession, the Apostles Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and more. You will find this service each morning at: www.episcopalchurchingarrettcounty.org/morningprayer IN THE NEWS Now and then God … [Read more...]
HIMSELF OR OTHERS
THE EIGHTEENTH DAY OF OCTOBER IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND FIFTEEN. Dereliction. Darkened sky. Now abandoned. Anguished cry. Godforsaken. "My God, why?" For our sake, Jesus experienced the suffering of death (Heb. 2:9; 13:12). Death by crucifixion was intentionally and notoriously painful. One who looks closely at the English adjective "excruciating quickly finds at its root the Latin word for cross. When the metal spikes impaled his wrists, Jesus already had survived a bloody scourging, savage pummeling, and a crown of thorns pressed into his scalp. Yet worse … [Read more...]
BUT WHAT IF I AM WRONG?
THE ELEVENTH DAY OF OCTOBER IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND FIFTEEN. A gracEmail subscriber says that for many years he read his Bible, did good deeds, struggled against sin, and supported his church--but never enjoyed a strong confidence of salvation. One day while reading Ephesians 1:13, he heard Paul refer to the gospel as "the good news of our salvation." He realized that we are saved through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ as our representative, not through some record of our own performance--and he has felt at peace with God ever since. Lately, however, he has been … [Read more...]
Family Notes 07/10/2015
THE SEVENTH DAY OF OCTOBER IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND FIFTEEN. GRACEMAIL SUBSCRIBERS FIND 'LITTLE GRAY SQUIRRELS' TO THEIR LIKING If essays had emotions, one might suppose that last Sunday's gracEmail titled "Little Gray Squirrels" is tingling with delight at the warm reception it received from gracEmail subscribers. Following is a representative sampling of feedback from "Little Gray Squirrels." Amen! (Jerry Pardue) . . . Excellent response (Craig Churchill) . . . In Missouri, we find little gray squirrels tasty (Greg Carman) . . . I love it! (Sharon Green) . . . Great … [Read more...]
LITTLE GRAY SQUIRRELS
THE FOURTH DAY OF OCTOBER IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND FIFTEEN. A gracEmail subscriber writes: "No matter what the question, you answer them all the same. In the first paragraph you say, lawyer-like, 'It might be this way.' 'In the second paragraph you say, 'It might be that way.' In the third paragraph you say, 'Joy, grace, Jesus, and little gray squirrels.' Can't you ever just give a clear, straight answer?" * * * * * On some subjects, as least, I plead guilty as charged. For the record, I began preaching and teaching Scripture in 1961 and was not licensed as an attorney … [Read more...]
Family Notes 30/09/2015
THE THIRTIETH DAY OF SEPTEMBER IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND FIFTEEN. LEROY GARRETT (1919-2015) Four years short of the century mark, Dr. Leroy Garrett, 96, fell asleep in Jesus at 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2015. He was a lecturer, editor, and author among Churches of Christ and Christian Churches for over seventy years, and was a member of the Singing Oaks Church of Christ in Denton, Texas. Garrett was preceded in death by his wife, Ouida, and by numerous near of kin. Surviving him temporarily are a son, David, one grandson, two great- grandsons, and a brother, … [Read more...]
‘MY’ EKKLESIA WITH EMPHASIS
THE TWENTY-SEVENTH DAY OF SEPTEMBER IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND FIFTEEN. Once when Jesus and his disciples were in the region of Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked them who public opinion considered him to be (Matt. 16:13-20). The report was mixed. One of the prophets in general, some were saying; others, a specific, particular prophet such as John the Baptist or Elijah. And what do the disciples think? Peter, then still known as Simon, replied for the group. "You are the Christ/Messiah, the Son of the Living God." Jesus responded by giving Simon the new name Petros, making a … [Read more...]
Family Notes 23/09/2015
THE TWENTY-THIRD DAY OF SEPTEMBER IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND FIFTEEN. CREATION UNDERRATED God is our beginning and end, [therefore] our journey will not be meaningless, for God surrounds and enfolds our time in his eternity . . . [O]ur creature-relationship to God defines our essence . . . Taking creation and the Creator seriously can transform the way you feel about the world around you and your own existence. And taking the faithfulness of the creator seriously by coming to embrace the doctrine of God's all-embracing providential care, can begin to liberate us from the … [Read more...]
MESSIAH/CHRIST — ANOINTED
THE TWENTIETH DAY OF SEPTEMBER IN THE YEAR OF GRACE TWO THOUSAND AND FIFTEEN. A gracEmail subscriber understands that the word "Christ" in the phrase "Jesus Christ" is a title and not Jesus' last name. She knows that "Christ" is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word Messiah, which means "anointed." Now she wonders whether first-century Jews in Palestine expected one specific Messiah at the End, or looked for several "anointed" ones. * * * It was widely held among the Jews of Jesus' day that God would anoint one or more special persons through whom he would vindicate his faithful … [Read more...]
