By Todd Jones It might seem like an odd thing to do, but notice how our first reading in Luke 11 takes on a slightly different tone when it is considered in light of the last of our Lord’s words in chapter 10, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one ..
By Todd Jones Joy to the world, Christmas has come! For many, the joy of this holiday season is in the opened gifts and the abundant food and beverage options. The glow of that Christmas is fading fast. Our text today challenges us to rediscover the joy that gave a song of love for the ..
By Todd Jones With its meaty theological content and rich poetic imagery, it is no surprise that the lectionary lifts this portion of Philippians from its context. Exegetical Notes Verse 6: Our English too often comes off sounding like Jesus was something less than God, as if he merely appeared to be God. However, a distinction between μορφή and ..
By Todd Jones We all like to be a part of a winning team. Up to this point in the book of Acts, the church was the winning team. Yes, there had been arrests and there had been threats. However, the believers were bold, public preaching was well received, and the harvest was bountiful. The nature of “winning” ..