On Fridays, I post a work of art that has caught my interest. Since January, these posts are themed around the Minor Prophets, with occasional extras, such as this one about Jesus looking over Jerusalem before the triumphal entry. Previous posts in this series: Marc Chagall, Jerusalem Has Been Freed from Babylon Unknown, Zephaniah Addressing the People …
What Is Ash Wednesday and Lent?
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the traditional season of Lent, a 40-day journey (minus Sundays) toward Easter. Here are some common questions about Lent. "What is Lent all about?" Lent is more than a worn-out tradition marked by self-absorbed sorrow and meal-skipping. Instead, Lent is a journey into greater depths of life with Jesus …
Micah, part 1 [God in the Ruins]
This past weekend at Eastbrook I continued our series on the message of the minor prophets, "God in the Ruins," by looking at the first five chapters of the book of Micah. Micah prophesied to both the northern and southern kingdoms during the reigns of kings Jotham (742-735 BC), Ahaz (735-715 BC), and Hezekiah (715-686 …
Jesus, Jairus’ Daughter, and the Eyes of Faith
Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. 'Stop wailing,' Jesus said. 'She is not dead but asleep.' (Luke 8:52) This story is familiar for many of us. Jairus approaches Jesus about his sick daughter, and Jesus agrees to accompany Jairus to his home. On the way, someone meets Jairus from the house …
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“How Do You Know Me?”: Nathanael and real knowledge
"How do you know me?" Nathanael asked. (John 1:48a) The most astonished and revealing question of the first chapter of John's gospel comes here from Nathanael's lips. His encounter with Jesus reveals Christ's knowledge of each person: their background, their identity, their desires, their habits and practices. Philip finds Nathanael near Bethsaida and tells him …
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Matthew Erickson 