Blog
Most of the posts you’ll find here first appeared as podcast episodes. You can listen to each episode on the page or read the slightly edited transcript. You’ll also find questions for personal reflection or discussion.
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At first glance, this story seems to say that followers of Jesus must all sell everything they have. But digging deeper, we see that Jesus was getting at the rich ruler’s heart, revealing what he really trusted in. But salvation is only possible with God.
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A rich ruler comes to Jesus convinced of his own goodness. But when Jesus challenges him to sell everything he has and give it to the poor, the ruler is confronted by his own lack of goodness. This story teaches us that only God is good.
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A Pharisee and a Tax Collector walk into the temple. Both pray to God but their prayers are very different. The Pharisee seeks to prove his own righteousness. But the Tax Collector admits his faults and asks for God’s mercy. And he, the sinner, walks away right before God. Because we all need God’s mercy.
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One of the things we have to wrestle with is the gap between what Jesus says and what we see. He says he will act swiftly with justice and yet we see injustices that have continued for a long time. But this story shows us that Jesus will return with justice.
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Throughout Luke 18, there are stories of people who are undervalued and quieted by society. But each time, Jesus welcomes them. In the first parable, an unrighteous judge finally grants justice to a widow to get her to stop bothering him. Our God, far from being annoyed at our persistence in asking for help, actually…
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This healing is unique in several ways–it’s at a distance, to a whole group, and it’s not immediate. The men are healed as they are going on their way to see the priest. This required faith. But only the man who came back to thank Jesus was commended for his faith. Because saving faith is…
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Amy C Walters 