Anabaptist and Quaker essays, sermons, and other writings
Let me tell you about the Good Teacher. He indwells you. He has always indwelt you. He speaks through your conscience, warning you not to do evil. If you remember telling a lie or stealing something when you were a child, you may remember that it gave you a kind […]
9 What then? Are we any better off? Not at all! For we have already charged that both Jews and Greeks are all under sin, 10 as it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one. 11 There is no one who understands; there is no one who […]
For much of the Christian Church, today is Pentecost Sunday. It commemorates the day when the Holy Spirit, previously breathed into the eleven disciples by the risen Christ1, fell upon ten dozen assembled believers2. Peter, standing among them, explained to astonished bystanders that this was the “outpouring of God’s spirit […]
“Pray without ceasing,” advised Paul (1 Thess 5:17). But how do we do that? What do we do? If we’re called to unceasing prayer and are serious about accepting this call, the Lord Himself will show us how, and we’ll do it! And not only that, we’ll be brought into […]
I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate… I can will what is right, but I cannot do it. – Romans 7:15-18 NRSV … her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has […]
Listen, and hear my voice; Pay attention, and hear my speech. – Isaiah 28:23 NRSV There is nothing more desirable than to hear from God directly. Then we can know that our thoughts and behaviors are being watched by our Creator and found either acceptable or in need of correction. […]
The third Sunday in Advent is Gaudete Sunday, or Rejoicing Sunday, and the lectionary scriptures all proclaim the joy of God’s work in the world. And yet, beloved church, I have to tell you, I was having a hard time accessing some joy to preach about. It’s been a very […]
But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. – Matthew 12:36 KJV Pan rhēma argon, reads the original Greek, which the New Revised Standard Version translates “every careless word.” Or we might say, “every empty, […]
When have you been able to put it on the calendar ahead of time that a certain day was supposed to change your life? For many of us, a wedding day might come to mind. That date is saved far in advance, with tremendous preparation ahead of time; making vows […]
The doorbell rings, and there, standing on the mat, are a pair of door-to-door evangelists: Jehovah’s Witnesses, maybe, or Latter-Day Saints, or something else. We’re sure that if we let them in, we’re going to end up disagreeing in a way that leaves everybody feeling icky. They’ll want us “saved,” […]