King of Kings and Lord of Lords
Read: John 19:1-16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. (Rev. 19:16) In 1743, King George II famously stood to his feet during a performance of Handel’s Messiah. At that moment, the choir was singing the Hallelujah chorus. The lyrics repeat a name […]
Faithful and True
Read: Luke 22:39-46 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True. (Rev. 19:11) A missionary walks away from his faith after 30 years in the field. A worship leader decides she no longer believes in God. A pastor wonders where to go with […]
The Vine
Read: John 15:1-11 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. (v. 5) When I was young, I visited my great-grandparents in Florida. One of the most incredible things about their house, […]
The Way, the Truth, and the Life
Read: John 13:36-14:7 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) Our family was lost. My husband and I had taken our four young kids out for a hike, and we’d foolishly left the path, and now we […]
Resurrection and Life
Read: John 11:1-7; 17-27 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life.” (v. 25) Ten years ago, a friend was diagnosed with cancer and given months to live. But the end didn’t come. Doctors were amazed by the way she defied all odds, continuing to live for a full decade longer than […]
Good Shepherd
Read: John 10:10-18 I am the good shepherd. (v. 14) Every year, our church puts on a Christmas pageant. We cast the children of the congregation in familiar Nativity roles, from a couple of young girls as angels to a trio of elementary-aged boys as wise men. And every year, maybe because of the size […]
Door
Read: John 10:1-9 Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. (v. 7) Our dog barks anytime a stranger approaches our house. From her perch looking out the upstairs window, if she sees a delivery person outside, she runs down the stairs and barks until they leave. Thankfully, our mail […]
Light of the World
Read: John 8:1-12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world.” (v. 12) While we were staying together at a retreat center on the Oregon Coast, my friend went walking on the beach at sunset and stayed too long. Wandering up and down in the dark, she could not find […]
Bread of Life
Read: John 6:25-40 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life.” (v. 35) What are you hungry for? When we miss a meal, we feel the physical sensation of a rumbling tummy. But other things can gnaw at us as well: a stack of unpaid bills, a sense of loneliness, a fear of […]