Exodus 34:29-35 Luke 9:28-36 Kim and I have been watching a TV series recently on Netflix, and at the beginning of each episode a narrator tells us everything that has happened up until this point – very briefly, in about a minute. It feels weird. Because when you binge-watch shows on Netflix or Amazon or other streaming services, it feels unnecessary to have a voice telling you everything that happened on your TV screen five minutes ago. The way we read the scriptures in church, though, we could use some of those narrations. Someone to say, “Previously, in the Gospel of Luke…” so we know what happened eight days before. Because that is how this passage from Luke begins: Eight days after he said these things, Jesus took Peter, James, and John up to the mountain to pray. Well, what were those things he said eight days ago? We might decide […]
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Do You Know Jesus?
Mark 8:27-38 Do you know what Jesus looks like? Would you recognize him if you saw him pushing a cart at the Food Lion or walking down Division Street? Do you know Jesus? I think I would recognize him – you know, from the pictures. If he hasn’t changed his hair, that is, his beautiful long wavy hair. And if he still wears those long flowing robes, definitely I would recognize him. If he hasn’t changed his style too much, I would know him. But even if he has I would know his blue eyes, his beautiful smooth skin. You all have seen the pictures, too, right? You know. Our Jesus is beautiful. The Warner Sallman painting, The Head of Christ, is the one. When Americans imagine the face of Jesus we are most likely to envision this face. A serene looking man gazing off into the distance, serious but not stern. More than 500 million copies of this painting have been sold […]
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