(REFLECTIONS ON Galatians 1:1-10) As we read Paul’s letters in the New Testament, we must keep mind that Paul’s writings addressed different questions, issues, and challenges that the churches faced during his time. They were specific, problem solving, but also in God’s amazing and mysterious ways, transcend time and space. Although they are very personal letters […]
15–21 December 2019. Revelation 7 (click to read). When we worship Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords, of course we don’t mean that Christ is just our King and only our Lord. No, Christ is King and Lord over all people. People in all countries, all cultures, all religions, and all times […]
26 May – 1 June 2019. Ephesians 1 (click to read). Taiwan is full of social clubs that bring people together based on a shared interest. There are clubs for people who like dancing, who like hiking or painting, there are sports clubs that support particular sports teams, and even cooking clubs. But the church is […]
3–9 February 2019. Matthew 23 (click to read). We all know about Jesus’s incredible love, his graciousness, mercy, and gentleness. But in today’s reading we see a very different side of Jesus. We see him truly furious. Matthew 23 is unique in all the gospels, because it’s in this chapter that we hear Jesus’s harshest, […]
20–26 January 2019. Matthew 13:36–58 (click to read). At the very end of John’s gospel, the disciples sit by the sea with the resurrected Jesus and eat breakfast together. During that meal, Peter quietly approaches Jesus and tries to ask questions about one of the other disciples (21:20–23). But Jesus immediately stops Peter and, in […]
6–12 January 2019. Matthew 5:1–20 (click to read). Ever since the ancient days of the Old Testament, followers of God have known that they cannot simply open up scripture and immediately understand the will of God. Scripture needs to be interpreted, and wise teachers are needed for that. In Nehemiah 8:8 we see how Ezra […]
30 December 2018 – 5 January 2019. Hebrews 12:1–13 (click to read). When we look back over the past year we see that there have been good times but also difficult times – times of stress, sadness, and even suffering. Hebrews 12 talks about the way suffering can be used by God the Father to discipline […]
2–8 December 2018. Psalm 87 (click to read). Psalm 87 is one of the so-called “Songs of Zion”, hymns that praise Zion (another name for Jerusalem) for its role in God’s work of ruling and blessing the world. Jewish scholars tell us that Psalm 87 may have been sung by pilgrims on their yearly journey […]
4–10 November 2018. 1 John 2 (click to read). Many years ago I was invited to participate in a church meeting. The thing I remember most from that day was one church elder who stood up and shouted at others, angrily waving his arms around, pointing his finger at others, and aggressively attacking and criticizing […]
9–15 September 2018. Jeremiah 35–36 (click to read). Our lives are full of people who want us to listen to them. Teachers and bosses tell us what to do, advertisements tell us what to buy, and even our friends try to influence us to do what they want. Wherever we turn, people are trying to […]