Rev. Zach

  Isaiah 58:1-12      1 Corinthians 2:1-12     Matthew 5:13-20 A few days back I had an eye opening conversation about scripture with another parent I met at my daughter’s speech competition. He is, among other things, a doctor, a naturalized citizen from Pakistan, and a Muslim. We did not talk about politics. We did not talk about our differences. We talked about common interests, and when it came to scripture (both the Quran and the Bible) we talked about the importance of historical context. Truth is timeless, but if we forget to locate the events of scripture in their time and place we can end up missing the truth all together. I think that is particularly important today, as we read from Isaiah about a right and wrong way to worship. The very idea that there is a wrong way to express faith might be a little offensive to some, but Isaiah is pretty clear about the fact that the people are not worshiping God correctly. Just to set the...

Isaiah 40:21-31     1 Corinthians 9:16-23     Mark 1:29-39 “And Jesus went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.” Have you ever wondered what that message might be?  We have portions of what we believe were some of his sermons, but can you imagine hearing him preach for yourself?  Talk about a message that transforms your life!  Think about the most inspiring message you have ever received, and then imagine that the person who delivered it was able to remove all of your doubts and fears and make you feel more complete and purpose filled than you ever thought that you could. I don’t mean to dumb Jesus down to the level of a motivational guru, but isn’t the message of Jesus that repentance draws you into God’s presence in a way that connects you with all of creation?  Isn’t salvation as much about our lives today as it is the promise of eternity?  Isn’t that the Gospel – the Good N...

First Presbyterian – Lafayette, Louisiana February 5, 2012 – Epiphany (5B) Isaiah 40:21-31 1 Corinthians 9:16-23 Mark 1:29-39 The ending of the Isaiah passage we read today reminds me of a game that I have played with old and young alike. It's what some call an "ice breaker", because it gets people to say something about themselves that reveals a little about their character without forcing them to become truly vulnerable. Specifically - verse 31 reminds me of the ice breaker we did in our recent Session retreat. I asked our Ruling Elders to answer one of two “what if” questions. The first was, what if you were an animal? What kind of animal would you be and why? The second option was, what if you had a super power? What would it be, and why? I will not disclose the individuals and their answers, but there was one answer that attempted to encompass both questions. This person said, “You people are thinking small. I would be an eagle that could fly superson...