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“Did you hear what I just said?” is a question I ask my kids a lot. The answer is almost always yes. But when I follow up with, “What did I say?” it usually reveals what I already suspected—they heard my voice, but they weren’t actually listening. If I mention something they really care about,… Read more
As we’ve studied chapters 11 and 12 of Matthew this week, you might have picked up on a theme—people are noticing Jesus and it’s starting to cause a ruckus. His announcement of the kingdom of God has been met with honest questions (v. 11:3), resistance (v. 11:23), challenges (v. 12:10), and even accusations (v. 12:24). Read more
Living in Iowa in the month of February makes me think about Mr. Tumnus describing the White Witch to Lucy Pevensie in “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” He says, “It’s she who makes it always winter. Always winter and never Christmas; think of that!” As I look out my window while writing this,… Read more
Many of us are familiar with the broad sweep of the Gospel story. We know that once Jesus begins his public ministry, he has some tussles with religious authorities, and these conflicts eventually lead to his betrayal, arrest, trial, and crucifixion. But sometimes this familiarity can cause us to overlook stunning moments in the text,… Read more
