"God gives us real treasures; we are rich people, but only if we put this capital into use. Forgive your brother; then you will also get peace for yourself. Otherwise you are a dead spiritual capitalist."
Tag: Bible
Bible Note #60: Zacchaeus #4–Getting into the Story–Jesus Make a Lot of People Mad
So, I’ve now provided some background material (see links to previous "Zacchaeus" posts at the end of this post ) for understanding this powerful encounter between Jesus and the chief tax collector in Jericho—maybe more background information than you really wanted (judging from the amount of traffic those earlier posts have generated). Let’s now dive … Continue reading Bible Note #60: Zacchaeus #4–Getting into the Story–Jesus Make a Lot of People Mad
Bible Note #59: Zacchaeus #3–Tax Collecting in Roman Palestine
Right up front, Luke tells us two key pieces of information about Zacchaeus. He was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. These two facts were not unrelated. Zacchaeus was rich because he was the chief tax collector of the region. Let’s review some of what it meant for Zacchaeus to be a tax … Continue reading Bible Note #59: Zacchaeus #3–Tax Collecting in Roman Palestine
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
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
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
Pastor Note #138: The Way of Jesus: Selfless Service OR Coercion and Domination?
The Way of Jesus: Selfless Service OR Coercion and Domination? The Church of Jesus Christ in America has to decide whether it will embrace coercion as a tool of mission and ministry or not. This decision is not a new one for Christians. Throughout our history, we have frequently embraced a love affair with coercion … Continue reading Pastor Note #138: The Way of Jesus: Selfless Service OR Coercion and Domination?
Quote of Note #183: Giving Myself Away for Christ
"But the truth is that there is enough time and enough wealth to go around. The people in the churches every Sunday outnumber the people who are on the streets and the number of people who are on welfare. If the church took up the responsibility of caring for the poor, of living internationally, of … Continue reading Quote of Note #183: Giving Myself Away for Christ
Gary Chorpenning's Notebooks 