The Bible is peppered with stories of resistance, of people in the midst of oppression or suppression somehow finding ways to express some power. The book of Esther is one…
In these linked stories from Jesus's ministry in Jerusalem, we see the message: preaching sacrifice for others while using their sacrifice for your own ends is the opposite of holiness.
The final escape from Egypt by the Israelites came at a terrible cost. The scripture tells us that the cost is not what should be celebrated, but the escape. Every…
Shiphrah and Puah's names were passed down through history because, in the face of Pharoah's terrible and unpredictable anger, they found a way to nonetheless save the children they were…
It's important that Jesus's transfiguration comes only after he warns Peter not to be ashamed of his impending death. We are reminded that it is easy to promote Christ when…
Rehoboam inherits his throne, surrounds himself with princelings, and does not pay attention to the work required to keep a kingdom together. In his cruelty, he loses the prized status…
When we read the Bible informed by archaeology, we find support, illustration, contradiction, and absence. Sometimes, we peel back the layers and find ways stories were used to inspire peoples…
The condemnation of Jesus is full of ironies. But it's also full of the unspoken fears in empire. The crowd's fear of suffering the same fate as Jesus; Pilate's fear…
What is right action? What is righteousness? In the midst of Jesus's trial, we see people representing the power in Jerusalem all around him, afraid to take ownership of their…
Solomon's exploitation of labor and subjects split the kingdom. Pope Leo X's exploitation of distant Catholics split the church. But as we Protestants stripped down sanctuaries in a move toward…
Luke's story shows us that working to change oppression comes at a cost. There are always powerful objections. Do Good Anyway. Work for Love rather than Hate, and break down…
When were the moments God acted with power in your life?
Wait, did Abraham just complain that he didn't have anyone to give all his money to? I mean, it's great rhetoric about the pointlessness of wealth without family, but still....
Sometimes, we are tempted to stop listening, to talk amongst ourselves, and to avoid proclamation. But Jesus calls us to proclaim the good news, to liberate the oppressed, to declare…
Having told our stories, the only question is: What is the story that God has led the world around us to demand us tell of the future? What is our…
Last week, we started our stories with the Story of Me. Where do we come from. This year, we continue with the great definition of the Story of Us that…
Sometimes, words of challenge have to come from those closest to us.
In the 8th century, bad futures were on the horizon for the Northern kingdom of Israel. But even as geopolitics were about to turn against Israel, the prophets cried out…
