Monthly Archives: April 2023

2320 – “Divine Truth Breaks Through”

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John 20:15-18 New International Version

15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

If We Care—Do Something

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   Tucker is gone!
   Long live democracy!
   And kindness.
   And decency.
   And above all—truth.
   What’s this got to do with the Gospel?
   The Gospel is all about kindness and decency and truth.
   Tucker has preached “replacement theory” in over 400 of his shows—the idea that there is a plan to replace our “heritage” population of white people with foreign folk.
   Fear sells–especially to older people who are afraid of human diversity.
   I grew up in Kemp, Texas. We had two Jews and a few Hispanics. There were black people, but great effort was made to keep them “in their place.”
   Separate.
   That was the world of the 1950s and it is still the world Tucker longs for.
   I’m tired of it.
   I’m tired of racism.
   I’m tired of homophobia.
   I’m tired of Christians thinking they can be mean to the neighbor and claim to live for Jesus Christ.
   And I’m ashamed.
   I am deeply ashamed of every Methodist who left the UMC, thinking they are doing something for God by rejecting that teenager who is gay or trans.
   And I’m saddened.
   Very saddened by all of you good folk out there who know better, yet you are doing nothing to take a stand.
   You are leaving the church to the misguided and the ignorant.
   Do something.
   Find a church where the truth is proclaimed—and get involved in it. Stand for Christ and against evil.

(I look forward to that Meet ‘N’ talk on May 7—10:00 a.m. Drop me an e-mail if you are coming.)

The Way

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   The Disney organization criticized the Florida war on gay people.
   And a certain governor declared war on Disney.
   But Disney seems to be winning. The governor is no match for The Mouse.
   Just after the governor announced he may, for spite, build a prison right nest to Disney World, the Disney people announced a new LGBTQ event at the theme park.
   The Mouse is roaring.
   God bless The Mouse!
   This is really the last hurrah, you know.
   Prejudice is aging.
   Younger generations are free from the old hatreds and fears.
   It’s mostly older church folk still being nasty to the neighbor, mostly those raised on “inerrantism.” 
   That’s the belief that the Bible is without error, cover to cover. All scripture carries the same authority. Deuteronomy is as important as Matthew.
   So, you can choose your image of God from a thousand years of writings.
   Choose the God we know in Christ who loves even his enemies or choose the God who hates and kills the Amalekites.
   Inerrantists can be as ugly as they want to be. 
   An inerrantist reading of the Bible can make people meaner than they would be without the Bible.
   Sadly, many young people who reject the old hatreds also reject the Church and Jesus Christ.
   They think Christians are ignorant and unkind.
   We must let them know better: Christians who truly know The Lamb—are on the side with The Mouse.

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Listen, our Meet‘N’Talk for readers of this “Little Box” is coming—Sunday, May 7, 10:00 a.m. Drop me an e-mail if you’ll be here. Let’s get together.     

2318 – “Instant Transformation”

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John 20:11-18 New International Version

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).

17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”

18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.