Why did you chose to wear the clothing you have on today? Clothing is often about form rather than function. We want to look good, look appropriate. But clothing is also about function. Do you wear a uniform for your job? Or perhaps your employer or hobby requires you to wear clothing that makes theContinue reading “Are you dressed and ready?”
Author Archives: joelkime
A Christmas Surprise [Fourth Sunday of Advent]
Today we’re going to meet shepherds. But as I studied these passages, what emerged was something surprising, something unexpected! During Advent, we have been following the readings in the Lectionary, and our first passage is Micah 5:2-5a. Micah gives us in verse 2 a prophecy of a future ruler who would come to rule overContinue reading “A Christmas Surprise [Fourth Sunday of Advent]”
When holidays are depressing [Third Sunday of Advent]
Editor’s Note: I’m playing catch-up with blogging Faith Church’s sermons. My doctoral coursework, a heavy load grading online classes I teach, and the holidays landed simultaneously these past few weeks! So before we jump back to the Deuteronomy series, I’ll survey the last few weeks of Advent, belatedly, of course. On the Third Sunday ofContinue reading “When holidays are depressing [Third Sunday of Advent]”
How to bring righteousness to the world [Second Sunday of Advent, part 5]
In this series on the Lectionary readings for the Second Sunday of Advent, we have been following the life and ministry of John the Baptist and the message God was proclaiming through John: a huge roadwork project. What is that project? God wants us to repent, so that he might bring righteousness on the world. Continue reading “How to bring righteousness to the world [Second Sunday of Advent, part 5]”
God’s road construction project [Second Sunday of Advent, Part 4]
Road construction, as we said in part 1 of this series on the Lectionary readings for the Second Sunday of Advent, is usually a nuisance. Today we learn that God wants to do a major road construction project. Will it be a nuisance? Do we need it? Let’s move to the third reading, Luke 3:1-6,Continue reading “God’s road construction project [Second Sunday of Advent, Part 4]”
A New Testament Psalm [Second Sunday of Advent, part 3]
Normally, our second reading from the Lectionary is from the collection of Psalms in the Old Testament. But for this second Sunday of Advent, the Lectionary takes us to the New Testament, to Luke 1:68-79, and guess what we find there? A Psalm! A New Testament Psalm. And one that I think you’ll find isContinue reading “A New Testament Psalm [Second Sunday of Advent, part 3]”
God wants to set you on fire [Second Sunday of Advent, part 2]
People are waiting for God to return. He is coming, and he tells us it could be surprising. He doesn’t mean “surprising” in the sense of us not knowing the timing of his return. We learned in part 1 of this series on the Lectionary readings for the second Sunday of Advent that God’s arrivalContinue reading “God wants to set you on fire [Second Sunday of Advent, part 2]”
God’s surprising arrival [Second Sunday of Advent, part 1]
How many of you love road construction? I mean how many of you get excited when you’re driving and the traffic slows to a stop, and you look at your phone and it tells you there is roadwork ahead? We recently had roadwork outside Faith Church as they were working on curbs for a newContinue reading “God’s surprising arrival [Second Sunday of Advent, part 1]”
How TO wait during hard times [First Sunday of Advent, part 5]
In this series of posts on the Scripture readings for the First Sunday of Advent 2019, we’ve been learning how to wait during hard times. In the previous post about the fourth reading, Luke 21:25-36, we heard from Jesus how NOT to wait. Now we continue in that passage, and Jesus teaches the proper wayContinue reading “How TO wait during hard times [First Sunday of Advent, part 5]”
How NOT to wait during hard times [First Sunday of Advent, part 4]
We have been studying the concept of waiting during dark times in this series of posts on the Lectionary passages for the First Sunday of Advent. In part 3, we introduced the fourth reading, Luke 21:25-36, where Jesus prophesies his second coming. Christians throughout the ages have been waiting for his return. That waiting canContinue reading “How NOT to wait during hard times [First Sunday of Advent, part 4]”
Engaging Scripture 