Hans Fallada “An Old Heart” – A Deep Lesson

In 1936 in Germany the noose of Nazi totalitarianism was tightening around the country.

JwJ #54 5:42-47 Religious Leaders #6

^5:42But I know that you do not have the love of God in you.

A Pentecost Parable

I have never been able to locate the source of this little tale. But it seems worth repeating as a reminder that the purpose of Pentecost was to gather, never to create division or bring judgment.

JwJ #53 5:37-41 Religious Leaders #5

^{5: 37} And the Father who sent me has himself testified on my behalf. You have never heard his voice or seen his form, ³⁸ and you do not have his word abiding in you, because you do not believe him whom he has sent.

JwJ #s 50-52 5:22-30 Addendum – Judgment

Readers of these notes may have noticed that I passed over John 5:22-30 without addressing the difficult topic of “judgment”. I confess at first, I just wanted to duck the whole subject. But it will not go away if we are to faithfully read the whole of John’s Gospel.

JwJ #52 5:30-36 Religious Leaders #4

^{5: 30} “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge*; and my judgment is just, because I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me.

Preparing For Pentecost

Six years ago, as Easter was approaching, I read to the congregation in my sermon an unusually long quote written by a young man named Benjamin Moberg.

JwJ #51 5:25-29 Religious Leaders #3

^{5: 25} “Very truly, I tell you, the hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.

COVID Diary #24 Bread

It is Sunday morning. I am getting ready to host live zoomchurch online. The doorbell rings at the front door of our house.  Not entirely over-joyed to be interrupted in my preparations for “church”, I answer the door.

JwJ #50 5:19-24 Religious Leaders #2

^{5: 19} Jesus said to the Jews, “Very truly, I tell you, the Son can do nothing on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, the Son does likewise.