When Professor Clayton Critcher moved to teach at a college in the San Francisco area he figured the up-side of his long, daily commute would be driving across the Bay Bridge every morning and enjoying the scenery. “Unfortunately,” he said later, “I appreciated what I saw for about three days and then started growing blind …
Dealing with Sin in the Church: Notes from Matthew 18
Sin and forgiveness. We deal with these things daily. Perhaps one of the most painful and difficult times is when we deal with sin and the need for forgiveness within the church. It seems that as followers of Christ we should understand these topics and live accordingly. Christianity is known as a faith marked by …
Continue reading "Dealing with Sin in the Church: Notes from Matthew 18"
Jesus Pursues Sick People
Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:31-32) I am glad that Jesus pursues sick people. In Luke 5, Jesus reaches out to a man with leprosy, a paralyzed man, a social outcast who …
What Are You Thankful For?
Giving thanks and showing gratitude to God is an act of worship. This is why we read in Psalm 106:1, "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever." But it is not just for the material goods or obvious blessings that we are to be thankful for. In fact, the …
The Divine Dance and Christian Unity
This past weekend in my message at Eastbrook, I mentioned that we have to learn to live in the dance of the Triune God if we want to walk in unity as believers. Let me explain. One of the great theological descriptions of the Trinity is the Greek word perichoresis, which conveys the sense of …
Matthew Erickson 