Helpful teachings, either mine, or someone else’s.
Lazarus: A Model of Jesus’ Resurrection
1A man named Lazarus was sick. He lived in Bethany with his sisters, Mary and Martha.2This is the Mary who later poured the expensive perfume on the Lord’s feet and wiped them with her hair. Her brother, Lazarus, was sick.3So the two sisters sent a message to Jesus telling him, “Lord, your dear friend is very sick.”
4But …
Jesus at Hanukkah
22It was now winter, and Jesus was in Jerusalem at the time of Hanukkah, the Festival of Dedication.23He was in the Temple, walking through the section known as Solomon’s Colonnade.24The people surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.”
25Jesus replied, “I have already told you, and …
11“I am the good hshepherd. The good hshepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. 12A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their ishepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock.13The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and …
This post is an email exchange between an atheist friend and myself. I will add to this as the conversation continues.
Dear Friend,
I have a story below I would like to use to initiate a conversation. Please don’t look at this as a set up for a trap and try to find a way around it. You know I’m not out to “win” and I won’t “rub your nose …
1“I tell you the truth, anyone who sneaks over the wall of a sheepfold, rather than going through the gate, must surely be a thief and a robber!2But the one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and …
Spiritual Blindness
35When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
36The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.”
37“You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!”
38“Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus.
39Then Jesus told him, “I entered …
A True Story
There once were two men who both had a lot of land. In some places their land was very, very close to each other, in other places more distant. For the sake of storytelling, lets name them Edwin and Alfred.
After a while Edwin decided he really wanted a certain piece of Alfred’s land. He knew it was a prized piece of land and Alfred would not …
Jesus Brings Light to the Blind
1As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth.2“Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”
3“It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in …
33“But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You …
The Unbelieving People Warned
21Later Jesus said to them again, “I am going away. You will search for me but will die in your sin. You cannot come where I am going.”
22The people asked, “Is he planning to commit suicide? What does he mean, ‘You cannot come where I am going’?”
23Jesus continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You belong to this world; …
“You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings.32And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”