I've been studying for a message I'm giving this Saturday morning on "Christ our Coming King" for Eastbrook's monthly men's breakfast. I came across this quotation from N. T. Wright in his book Surprised by Hope, that captures so much in such a small space that I couldn't help but share it. What we have here, …
Jürgen Moltmann on Crucifixion
During this past Lent I read through Jürgen Moltmann's classic work The Crucified God. I am just finishing it up, but it is both an intellectually challenging and deeply moving book. As I draw near to the end, there are some real jewels in his writing. In my mind, the entire book was worth reading simply …
Vulnerability of the Powerful: an illustration from King Hussein
This past weekend in my message, "The Sent Son," from Luke 20:1-19, I shared an illustration from Kenneth Bailey's excellent book, Jesus through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels, from the life of King Hussein I of Jordan. I am trusting Bailey about the accuracy of the story since he writes: "I was able …
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Bonhoeffer on Fear
I've been rereading Dietrich Bonhoeffer's classic book, Discipleship, over the past month or so. As I was reading this past week, a paragraph from his reflections on Matthew 10:26-39 stood out to me. Here it is: Human beings should not be feared. They cannot do much to the disciples of Jesus. Their power stops with the …
Henri Nouwen on Compassion
Here is a quotation from Henri Nouwen that I shared in my message, "Compassion," this past weekend: God is a compassionate God. That is the good news brought to us in and through Jesus Christ. He is God-with-us, who finds nothing human alien and who lives in solidarity with us. He is a servant God …
Matthew Erickson 