Asking for a Drink of Water

So [Jesus] came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon. A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “GiveContinue reading “Asking for a Drink of Water”

Poison or Medicine

Then [after Jesus was baptized] Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil. He fasted forty days and forty nights, and afterward he was famished. The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.”Continue reading “Poison or Medicine”

The Fast I Choose

Shout out, do not hold back!   Lift up your voice like a trumpet!Announce to my people their rebellion,   to the house of Jacob their sins.Yet day after day they seek me   and delight to know my ways,as if they were a nation that practiced righteousness   and did not forsake the ordinance of their God;they ask of me righteous judgements,   theyContinue reading “The Fast I Choose”

Ethic of Neighborly Love

“You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a sibling, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a sibling, you will be liable to theContinue reading “Ethic of Neighborly Love”

A Dream Realized

Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Land of Zebulun, land of Naphtali, on the road byContinue reading “A Dream Realized”

The Spirit Interrupts

Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spreadContinue reading “The Spirit Interrupts”

Alone No More

Dexter: In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “BlessedContinue reading “Alone No More”

The Great Yes

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” ButContinue reading “The Great Yes”

From Debt to Life

[Jesus] entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore treeContinue reading “From Debt to Life”

The Power to Change

Then Jesus told them a parable about their need to pray always and not to lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor had respect for people. In that city there was a widow who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Grant me justice against myContinue reading “The Power to Change”