Who is church for? Is it a place where the rule followers and rule enforcers find a home? Is it a place where those that can’t seem to get life right are excluded and pushed away? Why is it that the rule followers can feel so comfortable in church while the rule breakers feel so…

There is no “middle road” in the life of faith. Our path cannot split the difference between God and the world. Either we are walking the path of wisdom or the path of wickedness. So what does it look like to follow the path of wisdom? Is it just a matter of being better? Of…

Seeing is believing, at least that’s what we’re told. We all know it’s not quite that simple. Sometimes our eyes play tricks on us. Sometimes what we see is so unbelievable even when we see it, we hold our minds in disbelief. And sometimes it takes believing before you can see. When Jesus performed his…

The way we approach God and the language of prayer is often filled with much reverence, pomp, and circumstance. While the heart behind that approach is rooted in a high view of God and his majesty, Jesus’s own instructions about prayer look and sound very different. What happens when we approach God with pleading that…

Jesus invites Mary and Martha into a deeper understanding of what it means to be a disciple. This encounter may have more to teach us about Jesus’ call to discipleship than how to have both active and contemplative faith. http://media.blubrry.com/provjeff/providencejeffcity.com/media/One_Thing_is_Necessary.mp3Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

The Good Samaritan ranks as one of the most well-known stories in all of scripture. The lessons it teaches are numerous and readily applicable to our world today, but its biggest lesson might be its most unexpected. In showing us a good neighbor, Jesus also teaches us the power a faith free from obligation, but…

There is only one place in all the gospels where we see something explicitly described as bringing joy to Jesus. A passage like that should get our attention and provoke joy in us too. Yet when we read Luke 10, it can lead to more confusion and debate than joy. What is it that made…

Following Jesus can lead you to some unexpected places. For 72 of Jesus’s first followers, it put them out as “sheep among wolves.” Yet when they returned from their mission, they rejoiced in the power they had while out on mission. As followers of Jesus, how do we reconcile these two characterizations of our mission:…

The Via Dolorosa (or Way of Suffering) in Jerusalem is one of the most visited parts of Jerusalem. It marks the path from Pilate’s fortress to Golgotha and the tomb where Jesus was laid. People flock to this path in order to walk the way that Jesus did and perhaps, in some way, experience the…

When you watch a movie (or read a book), you can never replicate the first time you watch it. Once you know the entire plot line, you can’t unsee it or “unknow” it. This bit of information can either enhance or detract from your experience the next time you watch the movie or read the…

Nothing can completely prepare you for the moment when you move from the driver’s seat over to the passenger’s seat so that your child can learn how to drive. It can be terrifying and no matter how good the student driver or the instructor there are sure to be moments where things don’t go as…

As Luke concludes this section of teaching, he gives us one more glimpse into the power and person of Jesus. He shows us just who Jesus is- a man full of power, but also a man that took the time to care for the forgotten and the outcast. http://media.blubrry.com/provjeff/providencejeffcity.com/media/Can_You_Hear_It_Too_.mp3Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

Packages have become a normal part of our everyday life, but receiving a package is still an event that can generate some excitement. So much so, that one of the most popular genres of videos on YouTube are “unboxing” videos. These are videos that simply show people opening boxes of items and showing what is…

Did Jesus’s family think he was crazy? When Jesus dismisses his family’s concerns what does that tell us about what Jesus was trying to do? These questions are central to our understanding of Jesus and his mission. What we learn is that family is everything for Jesus, but his family is much, much bigger than…

Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is share our stories- to bear witness to God’s faithfulness in our own lives and in the midst of our trials. John McClellan graciously shares with us his history of fighting anxiety and mental health. In doing so, he shows us that even in the midst of…

Soil, seed, lampstands, and jars. What do those simple objects have to do with God’s word? When Jesus uses parables, we would do well to listen and IF we do listen- he will speak. Time and time again we are told that if we seek God, we will find him. But the twin truth to…

Reading the stories of Jesus in the Book of Luke is compelling. Who wouldn’t follow a man that taught with such power, healed the sick, and raised the dead? It’s not every day (or ever) that someone like that comes along. Yet time and time again we see people reject Jesus. They walk away and…

The filter with which we view the world can tell us a lot about our theology. What do we see when we see people? What do we see when we see Jesus? Do we see problems? Do we see theological riddles? Do we see the world as one big exercise in theological theory and we…

There are few people in history that had the confidence of John the Baptist. His belief in Jesus as the Messiah defined every action he took for his entire life. From his miraculous conception to his off-beat preaching and lifestyle, he knew his cousin was the One and he needed to prepare the way. However…

Different people have different things that pop into their minds when they think of the person of Jesus. Some see kind and compassionate. Some see authority and power. The gospel writers didn’t have that dichotomy. For them, Jesus held and exercised all those characteristics and more. As Luke tells stories about who Jesus really is,…

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