"Jesus walked the earth rehumanizing the dehumanized and cleansing the unclean. Why? Because his heart refused to sleep in. Sadness confronted him in every town. So wherever he went, whenever he was confronted with pain and longing, he spread the good contagion of his cleansing mercy. Thomas Goodwin said, 'Christ is love covered over in … Continue reading Quote of Note #192: Love in Human Flesh
Bible Note #59: The Delight of Feasting on God’s Presence
“Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4 (NIV) The idea of “taking delight” or pleasure in the Lord is one that we modern Western Christians have a tendency to spiritualize in a way that, I think, David and ancient Israelites did not. We want this … Continue reading Bible Note #59: The Delight of Feasting on God’s Presence
Quote of Note #191: Motives and the Public Life of Christians
"Often we need to be shocked into an awareness of the motives that really shape our thoughts and actions, and we must respond to these revelations by pleading for the mercy that will allow us to repair our ways. All of this must happen in contexts where the basic issues of sin and grace are … Continue reading Quote of Note #191: Motives and the Public Life of Christians
Bible Note#58: Zacchaeus #2–Some Background
In order to understand this encounter between Jesus and Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-9), we need to know a little bit about the geography of the Holy Land in Jesus' time. So, let’s start with this question: where was Jericho and what was Jesus doing there? I’ll address the second question first. What was Jesus doing in … Continue reading Bible Note#58: Zacchaeus #2–Some Background
Bible Note #57: Zacchaeus #1–The Real Zacchaeus and That Terrible Children’s Song
Christians, especially American Christians, can be really good at sanitizing the gospels in order to make Jesus less offensive. We want a version of Jesus that doesn’t make us uncomfortable, one that fits with our American way of seeing things. The story of Jesus’ encounter with Zacchaeus is a case in point. One of the … Continue reading Bible Note #57: Zacchaeus #1–The Real Zacchaeus and That Terrible Children’s Song
Pastor Note #139: Learning to Live without Chains in Christ’s Victory
Here’s a truth that is very dear to me. When Jesus went to the cross, he did not merely take my guilt with him. He took my sin. He died not merely to gain forgiveness for me but to set me free from the power of sin. In his resurrection from death, he demonstrated not … Continue reading Pastor Note #139: Learning to Live without Chains in Christ’s Victory
Quote of Note #190: Racism and Division in the Church
"The Church must speak out with one voice against bigotry and racism. We have been too quiet. The time is now. A platform has been placed in front of us and we must speak with clarity and truth. We've made a mess of things, but there is a way forward. It will require us to … Continue reading Quote of Note #190: Racism and Division in the Church
Quote of Note #189: Racism and White Christians
"Black theology is alien to most white people--and if they hear a little bit of it in a negative context or out of context, they are likely to have serious problems with it. Racism creates anger. Because of the blatant racism of the past and its common occurrence today, many white Christians do just enough … Continue reading Quote of Note #189: Racism and White Christians
Bible Note #56: Mark 10:35-45 & Serving or Ruling Over
So, we’ve just come out of an election. Some Christian folks are delighted. Some Christian folks are despairing. Both are wrong because both are badly misguided. The first group—the delighted group—is delighted because they believe they now have their hands on the levers of power. The second group—the despairing group—is despairing because they believe they … Continue reading Bible Note #56: Mark 10:35-45 & Serving or Ruling Over
Quote of Note #188: Rejecting Bitterness and Resentment
"Before we determine how to live in a world where our highest hopes are not satisfied, we must ask, What does one do under such circumstances? One possible reaction is to distill our frustrations into a core of bitterness and resentment. The person who pursues this path is likely to develop a callous attitude, a … Continue reading Quote of Note #188: Rejecting Bitterness and Resentment
Gary Chorpenning's Notebooks 