Qualified

4 This is the confidence that we have through Christ in the presence of God. 5 It isn’t that we ourselves are qualified to claim that anything came from us. No, our qualification is from God. 6 He has qualified us as ministers of a new covenant, not based on what is written but on the Spirit, because what isContinue reading “Qualified”

Entering

28 “What do you think? A man had two sons. Now he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ 29 “‘No, I don’t want to,’ he replied. But later he changed his mind and went. 30 “The father said the same thing to the other son, who replied, ‘Yes, sir.’ ButContinue reading “Entering”

Celebration

After this I heard what sounded like a huge crowd in heaven. They said, “Hallelujah! The salvation and glory and power of our God! 2 His judgments are true and just, because he judged the great prostitute, who ruined the earth by her whoring, and he exacted the penalty for the blood of his servants fromContinue reading “Celebration”

Taxes

22 When the disciples came together in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Human One is about to be delivered over into human hands. 23 They will kill him. But he will be raised on the third day.” And they were heartbroken. 24 When they came to Capernaum, the people who collected the half-shekel temple tax came to Peter and said, “Doesn’tContinue reading “Taxes”

Babylon’s Fall

After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was filled with light because of his glory. 2 He called out with a loud voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a home for demons and a lair for every unclean spirit. She is aContinue reading “Babylon’s Fall”

saving vs losing life

21 From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he had to go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders, chief priests, and legal experts, and that he had to be killed and raised on the third day. 22 Then Peter took hold of Jesus and, scolding him, began to correct him: “GodContinue reading “saving vs losing life”

Parables…

31 He told another parable to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and planted in his field. 32 It’s the smallest of all seeds. But when it’s grown, it’s the largest of all vegetable plants. It becomes a tree so that the birds in the sky come and nest inContinue reading “Parables…”

David’s Heir

12When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come forth from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. 13He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. (2 Samuel 7:12-13, NRSV)Continue reading “David’s Heir”

The Glory of a Foreign King

This happened in the days of Ahasuerus, the same Ahasuerus who ruled over one hundred twenty-seven provinces from India to Ethiopia. In those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in the citadel of Susa, in the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his officials and ministers. The armyContinue reading “The Glory of a Foreign King”

Daniel Interprets the Dream

“This was the dream; now we will tell the king its interpretation. You, O king, the king of kings—to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, the might, and the glory, into whose hand he has given human beings, wherever they live, the wild animals of the field, and the birds of theContinue reading “Daniel Interprets the Dream”