RG AUDIO 021122   1 Thessalonians 1:1-10 Paul’s ministry in Thessalonica had been remarkably fruitful. He, Timothy, and Silas had gone there after a very tumultuous experience in Philippi. In a matter of weeks there was a wonderful response of many Thessalonians to the message of Jesus. When you read the letter you sense that […]

RG AUDIO 021022   1 Corinthians 16:10-18 1 Corinthians 16 is a “roll call” of fruitful servants. Paul writes the names of five different people who are giving themselves to the work of the kingdom of God. Paul mentions Stephanas with deep appreciation. He and his family were the first converts in Achaia and were […]

RG AUDIO 020922   1 Corinthians 15:50-58 Paul placed a high value on the work we do for the kingdom of God. His own testimony indicated that he was among the hardest working apostles (1 Corinthians 15:10). It was not an arrogant boast, but a recognition that the grace of God was working profoundly in […]

RG AUDIO 020822   Matthew 20:9-16 We expect that something is wrong with this story. I have heard some rather outlandish interpretations that have attempted to “make sense” of it. How could a person hire people at various times of the day as indicated in the story, and then, pay them all the same wage? […]

RG AUDIO 020722   Matthew 19:30—20:1-8 In a world where the primary measure of our worth is our productivity. Jesus makes one thing clear: the way we measure things is not the way things are valued in the kingdom of God. “Day laborers” exist around the world, people who gather at a place where those […]

RG AUDIO 020622   Psalm 34:1-10 In the middle of deep trouble, deliverance came just in time. What seemed like an impossible situation was met with the provisions of God. Maybe you have experienced relief like this. Perhaps you’ve received a serendipitous gift at the moment of a financial crisis. Maybe an estranged friend unexpectedly […]

RG AUDIO 020522   1 John 2:15-25 I remember taking the vacation of a lifetime with my family as a teenager. We spent two weeks living an “old west” life: staying on a dude ranch, panning for gold, canoeing, cooking dinner over a fire pit, and riding horses. It was such a fun and memorable […]

RG AUDIO 020422   Mark 12:38-44 How much is enough to give? We hear reports of mind-boggling amounts of money that wealthy benefactors give to charities and wonder how our small contribution could make a difference. But the point of giving is not for show. Neither is it to solve problems or even to make […]

RG AUDIO 020322   Mark 10:24-31 It is a bit unsettling to hear Jesus proclaim that it is hard to enter the kingdom of God. After all, haven’t we been taught that we are saved through God’s gift of grace? If that is so, how is it so hard? Perhaps we misunderstand the angle of […]

RG AUDIO 020222   Mark 8:31-38 It is impossible not to align myself with Peter in the encounter of Mark 8 with Jesus. I just cannot imagine keeping quiet if my beloved teacher spoke of giving in to the oppressors and allowing them the upper hand. Certainly we could come up with a plan of […]