Holy Words From Holy Cross

Who can you not possibly imagine as the hero of a story told by God?  That may be exactly whom God is calling you to embrace and love.  Don't think so?  Read Jesus' story about the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-47), then reflect with us and decide for yourself...

Deep inner peace is something most people crave, but few people--even most Christians, who profess to serve the Prince of Peace--seem to be able to actually find.  What lessons can we learn from those who have actually found this elusive blessing, especially from Jesus, who possessed in so great a degree?

It is popular to ask, "What would Jesus do?" when seeking a proposed Christian response to any situation.  But is this a question that most people can really answer?  The Jesus we encounter in the Scriptures often defies our expectations of "gentle Jesus, meek and mild."  The real Jesus is both more challenging and more comforting than the Jesus of our imaginations.

What is the difference between a mere student and someone who will inherit the family fortune?  Who is more invested in learning?  Who is called to understand more deeply the principles involved in a given field of knowledge?  Through the sacrifice of Jesus Christians are not only forgiven of their sins, but made inheritors of eternal life and the Kingdom of God.  How should we act as people destined to inherit such a Kingdom?

As we ponder the mystery of Who God is and our salvation, what ought a Christian to pray for in the face of such glory?  Proverbs teaches us much this Sunday of the Holy Trinity.

It has been truly said that the Church of Jesus Christ is perpetually only one generation from extinction.  Christians have the Lord's promise that the Church never will die off, but that is no guarantee that the people we know and love will come to trust in the promises of God in Christ Jesus.  Moreover, faith in the God of the Bible has effects that go far beyond our destiny in "the next world."  This moment may be more pressing than many for Christians to take the Pentecost call to spread the good news of Jesus conscientiously...

Did the authors of the New Testament have the ability to record the details of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection correctly?  Was the story they recorded consistent... or too consistent?  Did they cover up "uncomfortable truths" in order to make the Jesus they portrayed more palatable to their Roman and Jewish audiences in order to win converts?  The answers are surprising for Christians and non-Christians alike.

Did the original witnesses of the resurrection intend to tell the truth about Jesus or did they make up stories in order to establish their new religion?  If they intended to tell the truth, weren't they too biased to be reliable?  Interesting questions to find answers to...

What kind of people were the first people to claim to see Jesus' resurrection?  Could they be trusted?  The Christian faith is founded upon their testimony, so it is important to consider the question of the character of those first witnesses.

What is the nature of a witness?  Who should you believe?  What bonafides make for a good reliable witness?  Today's sermon explores this topic... and what agreeing with a witness could mean.

Are Christians weak-minded, deluded, or emotionally immature?  Do they believe what they believe "in spite of the evidence" as one famous atheist puts it, ignoring what is inconvenient to their preferred worldview?  Or is deep Christian faith something entirely different than many people's assumptions, including the assumptions of some Christians?  The story of Thomas is an illuminating example for us of someone converted BY the evidence.  Can modern Christians have a similar experience?

Why do we seek life from things that cannot provide it?  We all do it.... Why?  What is the alternative?

The worst sorts of chains are the sort we cannot see.  Part of the meaning of Maundy Thursday is that it is the Lord's intention to set us free...

Many times in our Christian lives, our prayer lives can become dry, boring, difficult, or obstructed by anger, bewilderment, or rebellion.  At times like these we are blessed that we are on the spiritual journey with others, the friends of our Friend Jesus.  At times of difficulty in prayer, it is wise to phone a friend...

Of all the things that happen in prayer, God's work within us to make us more like Himself--holy--may be the most important.  What do Christians mean when we say God is "holy?"  How can we ever hope to acquire that characteristic?

While modern culture values knowledge and data, ancient cultures valued something harder to acquire: wisdom.  The Bible has five books dedicated to wisdom, and wisdom is spoken of throughout the New Testament.  How is wisdom different from mere knowledge or data?  Is the acquisition of wisdom something modern Christians need change their thinking about?

Of all things people report in their experience with prayer--exhilaration, frustration, boredom--distraction is by far the most common.  What do we do when we find ourselves distracted at--or from--prayer?

One of the things that interferes most with our prayer life is sin.  Sin makes us avoid God and makes God's presence in prayer hard to perceive.  The problem is, many of us are afflicted with sins of which we are largely unaware.  How do we discover these sins and let them go so God may increase the depth of our prayer?

Psalm 4 is an important part of the daily prayer of the Church... and for good reason!  In the midst of a life fraught with anxiety, change, and fear, this Psalm speaks to us of true rest and how to find it.

The more time we spend at something, the better we get at it.  Why do we expect an instant sense of connection with God in our prayer lives when we would not have that expectation for any other relationship?  Of course, God is not like any other person with whom we might have a relationship, but we are the same, no matter with whom we are interacting...