Innerdriving

Inquirers Class  Week 1 So maybe " Everything  " is stretching things just a bit since I probably left something (minor) out.  But to make up for it, I'll include some pictures from our trip to Israel! Dome of the Rock This may be the best picture to start with because the 3 major world religions - Christianity, Judaism, and Islam - all come together at this site - the Dome of the Rock. It is located in the Old City of Jerusalem just behind the gates where Jesus entered the city on Palm Sunday.  I took this picture from the Mount of Olives which overlooks the Garden at Gethsemane.     Inside The Dome of the Rock is the Foundation Stone where, according to classic Jewish and Islamic teachings, God created the world, Abraham was ready to sacrifice Isaac, and Mohammed began his night journey. The second Jewish Temple stood on this site until 70 AD and the Mosque is actually patterned after the Byzantine Church of the Seat of Mary....

Easter 6C John 5:1-9 May 26, 2019 St. Matthias I saw this week that it is now less than 100 days until the first Alabama game of the season, so I thought I’d tell you a football story.   In 1971, I was a 14-year-old 5 foot 4 inch football player who weighed in at around 114lbs including my pads and helmet.   I was a 3 rd string wide receiver – a 3 rd string free safety – and the quarterback of absolute last resort.   Needless to say – I spent a lot of time on the sidelines.   I only got into the game at the very end.   Usually with less than a minute to go - when we were way behind – and the coach was mad – he would turn around to all us guys with clean uniforms and glare.   I still remember the day when Coach hollered out my name for the first time.   I didn’t even know he knew who I was.   I think the score was something like 56 to 0 and we had the zero.   I put on my helmet, ran toward the field and the Coach grabbed me...

Easter 5C Acts 11:1-18 May 19, 2019 St. Matthias            I think our first lesson this morning is one of the most interesting stories in the Bible.   We tend to think and want the folks in the Bible – at least the good guys – to be really good.   Of course, we want the bad guys to be really bad.   But in this story – it doesn’t really work that way.   The Apostle Peter is in the holy city of Jerusalem.   He came from the city of Joppa which is on the Mediterranean Coast of Israel just South of Tel Aviv.   The early Christians in Jerusalem knew that there were now Gentiles who had heard how Jesus had come preaching the Good News of the Kingdom of God and how He had been crucified and 3 days later rose again.   These Gentiles now believed.            And this was a big deal.   You see the early Christians in Jerusalem still th...

Easter 4C John 10:22-30 St. Matthias May 12, 2019            It is good to be back at St. Matthias.   I want to begin this week by wishing all of our mothers a Happy Mother’s Day.   I saw my mother in Illinois a few weeks ago and I will be calling her this afternoon.   If your mother has gone on to Glory, then thank her in your prayers.   I believe that those who loved us in this life also love us in the life to come and can hear us when we pray.   We also celebrate today - Good Shepherd Sunday.   We call it that because we traditionally read the scripture lessons on this Sunday that describe Jesus as the Good Shepherd of his people.   Now as most of you know, for the past 2 weeks, Phyllis and I have been in Israel and I have come back with at least a year’s worth of sermons.   We went to Galilee and Nazareth and the city of Joppa where Peter healed Tabitha in our first readin...

Our Trip to the Holy Land April 28 - May 10, 2019 You hear about a place all of your life, study it in seminary, preach and teach Sunday School for Caesarea in Galilee behind us almost 30 years - and then you see it.  I stood in Israel on places where we know in all certainty that Jesus actually stood, sat, and knelt as He told the people that God loves them.  Over 70% of Jesus's time was spent along 9 miles of shoreline on the Sea of Galilee and we have seen it during the first 2 days of our trip.  You think you may know how you will feel - I did - and I was wrong.  It was powerful and overwhelming and amazing.  We all know that pictures say a thousand words.  I will try to give you lots of pictures and as few words as possible. Quick Note - we are always at the mercy of the internet it seems - which was out last night - so I didn't get to post this entry until Wednesday morning. Arriving in Tel Aviv View along the shore of th...