Daily Archives: May 21, 2025

Friday’s Word – Some Scholars Don’t Know

Posted on by
Reply

I believe Jesus is Lord. He was crucified and raised from the dead—His body transformed and the tomb empty.

I believe Jesus was right about God—and He is the only one who was right in all of ancient history.

No one else knew that God IS unconditional love.

I believe all of this.

I have good reason to believe all of this.

Everything I believe is supported by the actual experience of God.

But I do not believe anything we know is not true.

John Polkinghorne is a smart guy. He is a physicist who became an Anglican priest.

He says when we die, we cease to exist until the General Resurrection, when God “remembers us” back into existence.

Say what?!!

We know that when we die, we move immediately into God’s realm.

This is what people experience in NDEs.

N. T. Wright, author of The Resurrection of the Son of God, is considered a great scholar.

He says when we die, we enter a kind of sleep until we are raised from the dead at the (yet again) General Resurrection.

At that time, he says, Jesus will bring all of the dead from heaven back to earth to be reunited with their bodies—

And to live here—on earth. Here? On earth? Forever?!!

It appears Jesus is going to set up shop in Jerusalem and rule as potentate from there.

WE KNOW BETTER!

Everyone who has an NDE tells us heaven is our home. When we at last lay this old body down, we will never need it again.

Some scholars just don’t know beans.

Max’s Corner

Posted on by
Reply

Memorial for Dan Mitchell

Not this Saturday, but the next—May 31 at 11:00 AM.

Blake will provide the music.

No Class This Sunday

I’ll be away this Sunday, attending the final service at the church I served before coming to St. Matthew—First Presbyterian in Grand Prairie, which is closing. Class will resume the following Sunday.

Breakfast This Sunday

It’s a “We Bring” Sunday—so pitch in if you can.

Breakfast at 10:30 AM.

This Sunday

I’ll be out, and Mary is still on vacation.

But you are in for a treat—my good friend, Rev. Dr. Steven Langford, former pastor at First UMC in Arlington, will be preaching. Steve is a fine preacher, and it’s not often we welcome guest voices in our pulpit.

Be present. Give him your support.

Give him a warm Saint Matthew welcome.

Kristi will be back.

The choir will sing.

Come be lifted by a fine service.

Other Notes

The remarkable Kieth Butterfield, age 97, has been removed from hospice.

Some of you noticed we left quickly after worship last Sunday. My sister wasn’t feeling well and we went straight from church to the ER. Turns out she hadn’t slept the night before, and that was the issue. She’s fine now.

God Bless—MB

Kids’ News – Living the Golden Rule

Posted on by
Reply

This week in class, we spent time with one of Jesus’ most famous teachings—The Golden Rule.

“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” – Luke 6:31

But we didn’t stop at just the one verse—we looked at the bigger story around it.

In Luke 6, Jesus is talking to a large crowd of people. Some were curious, others were hurting, and many hoped to hear something to change their lives. And Jesus said something that probably surprised them:

“Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who mistreat you.” – Luke 6:27–28

Wait—love your enemies? That’s not easy. It’s hard enough to love our friends when we’re having a bad day! But Jesus was teaching something radical. He didn’t just want people to follow rules—He wanted them to learn how to live with mercy, the way God loves us.

That’s where the Golden Rule comes in: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” It’s a way to practice empathy—putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. When we live this way, we aren’t just being polite—we’re acting like Jesus. He showed us that real love takes action, even when it’s hard.

In class, the kids did an amazing job talking about what empathy means and how we can show it to others: listening, sharing, helping, and forgiving.

We also had a very special Sunday as we celebrated Mother’s Day. We made crafts, shared stories, and thanked God for the women who love and care for us like Jesus does—with strength, patience, and lots of grace.

And of course, our classroom continues to be full of wonder! After our nine chicks hatched during Easter week (plus a surprise tenth the next day!), we moved on to our butterfly project. Our caterpillars have formed cocoons, and we’re keeping watch, hoping to release the butterflies on a Sunday morning soon.

What We Learned

✔ The Golden Rule comes from Jesus’ teaching to love, even when it’s hard.
✔ Empathy means understanding how others feel—and responding with kindness.
✔ Jesus calls us to live with mercy, not just toward friends, but toward everyone.
✔ We can honor others—like our moms and caregivers—by living out Jesus’ love every day.

See you in church!