Was I, worth that?

John 15:5–15 (ESV) 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. If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be…

Wash us clean

John 13:4–16 (ESV) He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” Peter said to him,…

Lucky, not lonely

John 13:1–4 (ESV) Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from…

“Please tell me that’s not what He said…”

John 12:44–50 (ESV) - Jesus Came to Save the World And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge…

One week to live

John 12:27–36 (ESV) - The Son of Man Must Be Lifted Up “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus…

A haunting Hosanna!

John 12:12–19 (ESV) - The Triumphal Entry  The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written,  “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your…

Daddy’s little dancing queen

At my age and with all I’ve done and seen over the years, it’s pretty difficult to surprise me. This is not the case with everyone.  Every ten years or so, I try to surprise your mother with a party that remembers her birth. She is easy to surprise - perhaps so easy that I’m going to start trying to make it harder on myself when I choose to do so. Watching her walk in, jump and scream every time…

Baseball Bubby – Baseball buddy

I can’t say for sure it was the first time, but I remember vividly sitting on the couch in the basement one night, tossing you a simple plastic ball. The kind that they fill those ball pits up with. Not too heavy, not too hard, but still a ball none the less. I had tried this before, with less than desired results, but this time was different, this time, YOU CAUGHT IT! Without hesitation, you looked right at me, giggled…

A resurrection story!

Matthew 28:1–10 (ESV) Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But…

There will be no resurrection story

Matthew 27:62–66 (ESV) The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than…