RG AUDIO 050218   2 Corinthians 2:1-11 In 2 Corinthians 2, the Apostle Paul addressed how the congregation should deal with a particular person who had caused division in the church at Corinth. Paul called the people to forgive and gently restore him into the life of the community. He does so, at least in […]

RG AUDIO 050118   Acts 26:9-18 “Been there. Done that. Have the t-shirt.” This little slang phrase is helpful sometimes. It means someone has experienced something to the extent that it’s as if they stayed around and bought a t-shirt as a souvenir commemorating the experience. Sometimes it’s easy to forget the Apostle Paul “had […]

RG AUDIO 043018   Luke 7:36-50 A story in Luke 7 is about a woman “of the town” who has not lived a very peaceful life. Her sins, which were many, caused the Pharisee in whose house Jesus was eating to turn up his nose at her and question why Jesus would allow such a […]

RG AUDIO 042918   Colossians 3:15—4:1 I teach a percussion group at a local high school. One of the really neat things about this group is it’s diversity. These students might not normally hang out together, but when they are playing and marching, they are all working together with a common purpose. It’s a great […]

RG AUDIO 042818   Philippians 4:10-23 I’ve read many times when a ship is sinking, the passengers or crew reach a point when someone says, “Every man for himself!” Regardless of how they might have worked together to that point in the story, many times they face the life-and-death struggle of the end alone. The […]

RG AUDIO 042718   1 Thessalonians 2:17—3:7 First Thessalonians 2 again reminds us of the importance of Christian community. We are given a glimpse into the pastoral heart of the Apostle Paul, who was was deeply connected with the believers at Thessalonica and wanted to see them badly. Finally, when he “could stand it no […]

RG AUDIO 042618   Luke 8:40-56 My wisdom teeth had to come out. The surgeon used a general anesthesia, knocking me out so I would not even be awake when he sorted it all out. I remember the moment they put the medicine into my IV. No matter what, I was about to go to […]

RG AUDIO 042518   Ruth 1:6-18 Ruth 1 is about the transforming power of community. Naomi, a foreigner in the land of Moab, found herself widowed and her sons dead. She was literally left with nothing- no land, no status, no family, and no hope. She began her return journey to Judah, presumably to beg […]

RG AUDIO 042418   1 Kings 17:17-24 Sometimes life is a roller coaster. Sometimes it seems like circumstances go from bad to worse, just when things were beginning to look up. In those moments of challenge and suffering, we are tempted to despair. That is what happened to the widow in today’s passage. They had […]

RG AUDIO 042318   1 Kings 17:1-16 Twenty-three years ago I had the privilege of marching in a top-tier Drum and Bugle Corps that toured the country all summer. In the midst of long days of rehearsals and performances, mealtimes became very important. On those days, when we had been working hard since sunrise and […]