Acts 5:27-32 & John 20:19-31 - We hear it all the time: "When God Closes a Door, God opens a window..." God opening and closing doors as a metaphor is both ancient and Biblical. What do the lectionary readings have to say about Jesus and doors? And why is knowing the difference between Pharisees and Sadducees so important? [I'm looking at you, "King of Kings" movie...]

Acts 10:34-43 & John 20:1-18 - One of my favorite aspects of Bible is that there were multiple human authors inspired to write to multiple human audiences. We have multiple voices and multiple perspectives that all testify to God's work in the world. Jesus' resurrection is no exception. I love that Mary, Peter, John, the angels and Jesus all notice differently, and that we are allowed to see their perspectives. So, c'mon, and let's notice who notices what in John's resurrection account!

Luke 22:14-23:56 - I don't know about y'all, but sometimes it feels like words just don't have meanings anymore. Words like "justice," "save," "defend," and "fix" are used to describe injustice, persecution, abandoning and ruining. Folks in power throwing around worthless words is nothing new, though. In fact, in addition to everything else that Jesus endured in the Passion account, worthless words from the disciples, his accusers, Pilate, Herod, and those who tortured him to death stung Jesus as he journeyed to the grave. So, then, do we give up on the power of words entirely? No, Jesus shows the worthlessness of the words of others by his own, true, life-giving words.

Isaiah 43:16-21; Psa 126; Phil 3:4b-14; John 12:1-8 - How do we intentionally forget? Think of a pink gorilla - now, stop thinking about it! How well does that work? And yet, forgetting can be healthy, and necessary for moving on in the present and future. The lectionary texts this week have 4 examples of mentally moving on when something new comes along.

Joshua 5:9-12; 2 Cor 5:16-21 & Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32: Sometimes we've gotta take the spacewalk - completely untether from everything, let go, and jump off toward the new. Spring is a good time to think about this. In the lectionary readings for the week, we have three stories of letting go of what is past, and moving into the future. And, I remember the first time I ate carob pods...

1 Cor 10:1-13; Luke 13:1-9 Repenting isn't a game. We can enjoy grace all we want [and we should!], but God's goals don't stop there. God wants transformed humans who are deeply committed to learning how to love each other better every day. Jesus and Paul use current events and ancient stories to incite their audiences to repent. now.

Luke 13:31-35 - Jesus makes a pretty stark comparison between himself and Herod, using two female animals. Those who ruthlessly pursue and then cling to power are like vixens who search for chicks to devour. Jesus is like a mother hen, who only wants to gather and protect her chicks. Jesus insists that we reflect on who we trust ourselves with and who we should follow.

Deut 26:1-11; Rom 10:8b-13; Luke 4:1-13. Oh boy, this one is near and dear to me. Repeated stories, prioritizing books of Law, holiday genesis, foreigner love, redemptive empathy... Come and learn why Deuteronomy is one of God's favorite books of the Bible, and can be yours too!

Exodus 34:29-35; 2 Cor 3:12-4:2; Luke 9:28-36 I'm tempted to quote the intro to the Reel World here... After the golden calf episode, after the sin in Eden, after the relationship fell apart, after we saw who Jesus really was, after the veil slips or the mask comes off, it can be difficult to know what to do next or where to go. It's temping to try to put the veil right back, or find a new mask. But that's not what God wants. If intimacy is the goal, than the things that disguise or deceive and not really the protection that they can seem to be, but more of a betrayal of truth. Moses covers the impact that God is having on him - whether for himself or for other people. Peter wants to get some tents going to cover up what he is seeing - this cannot be happening out in the open! The true goal then, as now, is to see - and be seen - with unveiled faces.

Gen 43:3-11; 1 Cor 15:35-38, 42-50; Luke 6:27-38 - Looking at Judah's moral arc - is he an inhumane monster, a practical realist just trying to do the best he can in a bad situation, or the saint of the story who sets things right? Yes, all of the above. Just like us, Judah has to undergo a sort of death to self so that he can become who God and his family want and need him to become. In his story, we see our own!