Weekday Word w/ Eric

Tag: faith

  • Belonging is Discipleship

    Scripture:“Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.”— 1 Corinthians 12:27 Reflection:The apostle Paul gives us an image that is simple enough for a child to understand and profound enough to shape a lifetime: the church is a body. Not a brand. Not a weekly show. Not a loose collection of religious consumers.…

  • When Woundedness Leads to the Wrong Conclusion

    Scripture:“But Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came.”— John 20:24 Reflection:There are seasons when stepping back makes emotional sense. A person gets wounded, disappointed, or exhausted, and distance feels safer than closeness. That can happen in families, in friendships, and yes, in churches. Sometimes church becomes the…

  • Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For

    Scripture:“Then Agrippa said to Paul, ‘You almost persuade me to become a Christian.’”— Acts 26:28 Reflection:There is something haunting about that word almost. Agrippa was not hostile to Paul. He was not ignorant of what he was hearing. He was not far away from the truth. He was close enough to feel its pull, close…

  • Hidden Grace (In Plain View)

    Scripture:“Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.” (Luke 24:15–16) One of the strangest parts of the Emmaus story is that Jesus is right there, and they don’t recognize him. They’re looking at him, talking to him, walking with him—and still… nothing clicks. And if we’re honest,…

  • Emmaus Road Condition

    Scripture (Luke):“Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus…” (Luke 24:13)“While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them.” (Luke 24:15) There’s something quietly honest about Luke’s Emmaus story: the disciples aren’t in a sanctuary, they’re not in a prayer meeting, they’re not…

  • Early Dawn Disciples

    Scripture:“On the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb…” (Luke 24:1)“But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.” (Luke 24:11) Luke’s Easter begins in the half-light—early dawn, when most of the world is still asleep, when grief is still heavy, when faith…

  • The King Riding a Borrowed Donkey

    Scripture:“He rode on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.” (Luke 19:28)“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Luke 19:38)“God has made him both Lord and Messiah—this Jesus whom you crucified.” (Acts 2:36) Palm Sunday is an outsiders parade in Luke. Jesus enters Jerusalem without the usual symbols of power—no warhorse, no…

  • Do You See This Woman?

    Scripture:“Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, ‘Do you see this woman?’” (Luke 7:44) Luke tells a dinner story where a “sinful woman” enters, weeps, anoints Jesus, and is silently condemned. The host’s judgment is not subtle: “If Jesus knew what kind of woman this is…” In Luke’s world, women carried reputations…

  • Grief Stops the Parade

    Scripture:“When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, ‘Don’t cry.’” (Luke 7:13) Luke tells the story of a widow in Nain who has lost her only son. In that society, this wasn’t just emotional devastation—it was economic and social vulnerability. A widow without a son could quickly become invisible,…

  • The Women in Jesus’ Family Tree

    Scripture:“He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble.” (Luke 1:52)“Tamar… Rahab… Ruth… the wife of Uriah…” (Matthew 1:3, 5–6) Luke doesn’t give us a genealogy the way Matthew does, but Luke absolutely gives us the same theology: God lifts the lowly and works through the overlooked. Matthew makes that…