Weekday Word w/ Eric

Tag: christianity

  • Forgetting How to Be a Child

    I apologize that this reflection is out of order in our journey through Matthew.  The day before yesterday, I had gotten the post all ready to post and then got called away.  When I returned, I made the false assumption that I had indeed made the post. So, yesterday, I made the next post and…

  • A Serious Commitment to Goodness

    Matthew 18:6-9, The Message – But if you give them a hard time, bullying or taking advantage of their simple trust, you’ll soon wish you hadn’t. You’d be better off dropped in the middle of the lake with a millstone around your neck. Doom to the world for giving these God-believing children a hard time!…

  • “I Have Some Bad News About the Good News”

    Matthew 17:22-23, NRSV – As they were gathering in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands,  and they will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised.” And they were greatly distressed. Before we get to the main reflection today, I want…

  • Receiving the Disappointment of God

    Matthew 17:14-20, The Message – At the bottom of the mountain, they were met by a crowd of waiting people. As they approached, a man came out of the crowd and fell to his knees begging, “Master, have mercy on my son. He goes out of his mind and suffers terribly, falling into seizures. Frequently…

  • How to Lose Your Life. . . Only to Find It

    Matthew 16:24-28, CEV – Then Jesus said to his disciples:  If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross and follow me.  If you want to save your life, you will destroy it. But if you give up your life for me, you will…

  • Did Jesus Really Just Say That?

    Matthew 15:21-28, CEB – From there, Jesus went to the regions of Tyre and Sidon.  A Canaanite woman from those territories came out and shouted, “Show me mercy, Son of David. My daughter is suffering terribly from demon possession.”  But he didn’t respond to her at all. His disciples came and urged him, “Send her…

  • If You Want To Walk on Water. . .

    Matthew 14:22-33, NRSV – Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.  And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but by this time the boat,…

  • When Familiarity Doesn’t Breed Contempt

    Matthew 13:53-58, NLT –  When Jesus had finished telling these stories and illustrations, he left that part of the country.  He returned to Nazareth, his hometown. When he taught there in the synagogue, everyone was amazed and said, “Where does he get this wisdom and the power to do miracles?”  Then they scoffed, “He’s just…

  • An Expanding Family

    Matthew 12:46-50, NIV – “While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him.  Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.” He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” Pointing to his disciples,…

  • The “Runaway Train” of Anger

    Matthew 12:22-30, NLT – Then a demon-possessed man, who was blind and couldn’t speak, was brought to Jesus. He healed the man so that he could both speak and see.  The crowd was amazed and asked, “Could it be that Jesus is the Son of David, the Messiah?” But when the Pharisees heard about the…