We don’t have to be biblical scholars or master interpreters to understand what’s going on in today’s lesson text. John tells us everything we need to know.
Connections 05.28.2023: Receive the Holy Spirit
May 21, 2023 by
Our lesson title, “Receive the Holy Spirit,” comes from John 20:22, when Jesus breathes on his frightened disciples and blesses them with a new power that will remain even after he is no longer physically present.
Formations 05.14.2023: Body vs. Spirit
May 7, 2023 by
Sometimes passages like this one from Paul encourage unhealthy perspectives. If we read this text at face value, we might develop mistrust of our bodies.
Connections 05.07.2023: “Believe in Me”
April 30, 2023 by
Our lesson text encapsulates what, for me, are the two sides of the coin of faith: hope and doubt.
Formations 04.23.2023: The Power of Belief
April 16, 2023 by
There is really no way to win an argument against someone’s faith. Atheists and agnostics and others have tried for centuries to discount the beliefs of those who follow Jesus.
Connections 04.16.2023: The Hope of Christ in Grief
April 9, 2023 by
What’s the most powerful sermon you can remember? I remember one in particular. I was still in high school and had slept over at a friend’s house on New Year’s Eve.
Formations 04.02.2023: Welcome
March 26, 2023 by
I have always loved the images describing Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem. It truly is triumphal. Crowds of excited people lined the street.
Connections 03.26.2023: Restoration
March 19, 2023 by
As I grew up, skeletons always made me think of Halloween. Whether it was a homemade costume, flexible paper decorations hanging on school walls, or plastic bones sticking out of the yard.
Formations 03.12.2023: Consider the Cost
March 5, 2023 by
Jesus says some difficult words to the “large crowds” in our lesson text. We may wonder if Jesus was really as callous as he sounds.
Connections 03.05.2023: Movement
February 26, 2023 by
When we feel comfortable somewhere—we know the layout of the place, the character of the people, the dependency of the routines—it’s hard to think about leaving.
Formations 02.19.2023: Solomon’s Charge
February 12, 2023 by
In today’s text, a father’s death approaches, and he thinks of the legacy he will leave to his son. Has he taught his son enough?
Connections 02.12.2023: Partners with God
February 5, 2023 by
I grew up in First Baptist Church of Warm Springs, Georgia, a very small town with a huge amount of history.
Formations 01.29.2023: Israel’s King
January 22, 2023 by
In this passage, we see the regal David coming into his reign as Israel’s king. He is a strong, popular, comforting leader who makes his people feel safe.
Connections 01.22.2023: Jesus’s Ministry Begins
January 15, 2023 by
It must be a sobering moment for Jesus. He has just spent time on his own in the wilderness, enduring and overcoming the devil’s temptations. Now he comes back to civilization to learn that his cousin John has been arrested.
Formations 01.08.2023: Jesus’s Humility
January 1, 2023 by
Many leaders in our world, past and present, have come with fanfare and promises, conceit and power, riches and tailored suits. They’re surrounded by bodyguards who will protect them at all costs.
Connections 01.01.2023: Beginning a New Year
December 25, 2022 by
Jesus’s life began in great drama. His earthly parents rushed to be counted for the census only to get stuck in Bethlehem as Mary started having labor pains.
Formations 12.18.2022: The Blame Game
December 11, 2022 by
David used Bathsheba for his own gain, and Scripture doesn’t mince words about this. Most of the action verbs in 2 Samuel 11:1-4 are attributed to David: “David rose,” “sent,” and “lay.”
Connections 12.11.2022: Having Patience
December 4, 2022 by
We are often a backward-looking or forward-looking society. It’s hard to stay in the present. Many of us spend lots of time thinking about past decisions, memories, or events that we wish we could do over.
Formations 11.27.2022: Tamar, Seeker of Justice
November 20, 2022 by
While the past few decades have brought revolutions in the treatment and perception of women—especially in industrialized nations—there is still so far to go.
Connections 11.20.2022: A Promise of Home
November 13, 2022 by
Imagine being exiled away from your homeland—from all you know, all that feels familiar, all that makes you comfortable.
Formations 11.06.2022: Rebuilding
October 30, 2022 by
It’s easy to put off the things of God. Many of us struggle to make it through each work week, longing for the weekend only to watch it fly by once it arrives.
Connections 10.30.2022: So Stay Faithful
October 23, 2022 by
If we think about just the past decade in our world, we might feel inclined to say with Habakkuk, “Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise.”
Formations 10.16.2022: Giving for a Cause
October 9, 2022 by
In our household, I usually take care of the monthly bills and budget. Our regular payments include mortgage, vehicle, cell phone service, Internet, streaming services, water and sewage, and electricity.
Connections 10.09.2022: Practical Steps in Tough Times
October 2, 2022 by
This passage from Jeremiah contains some of the most quoted and most hopeful verses in the Bible. If you ever feel discouraged about where you are in life, just read Jeremiah 29:11-14a.
Formations 09.25.2022: Faith’s Foundation
September 18, 2022 by
I grew up in a small Southern Baptist church that felt like a safe place to ask questions, express doubts, and wonder about the Christian faith. Even so, our leaders encouraged a firm foundation.
Connections 09.18.2022: Financial Shrewdness
September 11, 2022 by
Last year, my husband and I decided to take on the expensive project of replacing the siding and windows of our home. We were unable to pay the company the entire amount upfront, and we didn’t want to take out a loan and pay interest to a bank.
Formations 09.04.2022: Spiritual Gifts
August 28, 2022 by
Have you ever taken a spiritual gift inventory? Some churches or ministry events offer these to help people determine the ways God has gifted them.
Connections 08.28.2022: Advice for the Ages
August 21, 2022 by
The writer of Hebrews knew what tempts, troubles, and tantalizes human beings. And those things haven’t changed much over the centuries since these words were recorded.
Formations 08.14.2022: A Humble Witness
August 7, 2022 by
Over the years, I’ve encountered many different types of witnesses for Christ. There was the screaming street preacher who promised eternal torment if we didn’t repent.
Connections 08.07.2022: By Faith
July 31, 2022 by
How many times in your life have you taken on a new venture, stepped into an unfamiliar experience, or made a decision that seemed like a choice between two undesirable paths?
Formations 07.24.2022: Judah’s Repentance
July 17, 2022 by
Today we have another biblical story about people who make morally corrupt choices. Similar to his brother Reuben, Judah tends to look out for himself above anyone else.
Connections 07.17.2022: Preparing and Learning
July 10, 2022 by
The second part of our lesson text tells the familiar story of sisters Martha and Mary—one focused on working and one focused on listening (vv. 38-42). Martha often gets shamed for her bustling busyness.
Formations 07.03.2022: Remembering Reuben
June 26, 2022 by
Most of us hope to leave a legacy of goodness—love, kindness, generosity, service, strength, devotion. We certainly make mistakes as we live our daily lives, but our goal is to recognize our failures and make amends.
Connections 06.26.2022: In Darkness and Despair
June 19, 2022 by
For people like me who cope with anxiety or other mental health issues, nighttime is often more of an obstacle to overcome than a respite to enjoy. The sun sets and we climb into bed, weary from the day and ready for sleep to come.
Formations 06.12.2022: A Prepared Place
June 5, 2022 by
Death is part of life. It seems ironic, but we all know it’s true. For me today, this truth hits my spirit hard. I woke up this morning to a devastating text message about a longtime friend—she was killed yesterday by a van driver as she bicycled in her rural town.
Connections 06.05.2022: The Holy Spirit
May 29, 2022 by
As a young child in church, I heard a lot of talk about the Holy Spirit. Sometimes this mysterious figure was called the “Holy Ghost,” making it more mysterious and even a little scary.
Formations 05.22.2022: Our Adoption
May 15, 2022 by
A solid foundation of trust and security is essential to healthy child development. Research indicates that the first three years of life are the most fertile for building this foundation.
Connections 05.15.2022: Open Doors
May 8, 2022 by
Over my four decades of involvement in church life, I have heard all kind of arguments against letting certain kinds of people into the group. There have been a lot of closed doors.
Formations 05.01.2022: Together and in Private
April 24, 2022 by
A few years ago I went with my parents and daughters to Amelia Island, Florida. It was a difficult time for my family, as my husband and I had separated and none of us knew what should happen next.
Connections 04.24.2022: Taking a Stand
April 17, 2022 by
Imagine taking a stand for something, being arrested for it, getting out of jail, and going right back out to take another stand, knowing you might be arrested again…or worse.
Formations 04.10.2022: The Triumphal Entry
April 3, 2022 by
We’ve come to Palm Sunday, a day of celebration. In some churches, people spread palm leaves on their sanctuary floors to honor the day Jesus came to Jerusalem for the last time.
Connections 04.03.2022: Knowing Christ
March 27, 2022 by
One of the questions evangelists and ministers often ask is, “Do you know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior?” I heard this question numerous times as a young child.
Formations 03.20.2022: The Adulteress
March 13, 2022 by
If we want to understand just how revolutionary Jesus was, we can look at his treatment of women. In his time, women were excluded from most of the societal positions that gave men prominence, financial security, dignity, authority, and good reputations.
Connections 03.13.2022: The Last Will Be First
March 6, 2022 by
A consistent theme of Jesus’ earthly ministry was inverting cultural expectations and standards. Think of how many times he met with the lowest classes of his society.
Formations 02.27.2022: The Rainbow
February 20, 2022 by
Rainbows are rare enough that their appearance feels magical. When we see a rainbow, we exclaim and point, and then we fall quiet and reflect. We stand on the ground and look up, marveling.
Connections 02.20.2022: Mercy and Justice
February 13, 2022 by
In this passage from Luke, Jesus urges us to display humility and mercy in our interactions with other people, seemingly turning justice upside down.
Formations 02.06.2022: The Real Story of Noah’s Ark
January 30, 2022 by
During their early years, whenever my kids needed a doctor’s visit, their favorite exam room was the Noah’s Ark room. Its focal wall boasted a beautiful mural of the delightful image many of us bring to mind when we think of that story.
Connections 01.30.2022: God Is Still Calling Us
January 23, 2022 by
Have you ever heard God speak to you? I have. In forty-four years of life, I’ve felt the nudging of God in many small moments. That voice hasn’t come to me out loud, through fire, or in any other spectacular way.