Kindle Notes & Highlights
baptism is primarily an event, as it was with the baptism of Christ, 'a solidarity plunge' in the waters of Jordan that flow through our neighborhoods today; that
Our baptism immerses us in the affairs of our neighborhood, our nation, and the world. It marks us for ministry in the name of Christ's love, with justice and peace
is the lifelong task of conversion
Christ.
Conversion is a lifelong process, not a one-time event
Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to him from every quarter.
People had to come to him--like John the Baptist, who seemed to stay away from towns. The had to leave their everyday lives.
the illness of self-affirmation and culturally defined holiness. Phyllis Tickle Author and speaker Millington, Tennessee
Deliver me, dear Lord, from the crippling sin of self-affirmation, and make me, like Levi, both humble enough and grateful enough to receive you always and everywhere into myself. Amen.
came together again, so that they could not even eat. 21When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, "He has gone out of his mind." 22And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebul,
Our families never understand!
Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he protected him. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed; and yet he liked to listen to him. 21But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet
"Do not even go into the village."
He takes the man away from the village, restores his sight, and tells him not to go back to the village. Why? He also took the deaf man away from the group in an earlier healing. Why?
them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 35For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save
Idea: maybe we think more in terms of serving the Christ, turning our talents that way instead of the world's way, and that might be like losing one life and gaining another. ??? It is not like we literally die--?
24Immediately the father of the child cried out, "I believe; help my unbelief!" 25When
everyone will be salted with fire.
9Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."
What if they married against God's will?
you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. 3If anyone says to you, 'Why are you doing
Tbe colt had never been ridden! So it was not tame or trained.
When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14He said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples
Not the season for figs. What did Jesus expect?
Since it was not the season for figs, he went up to inspect the tree to see if there was anything on it. The tree, with all its leaves from a distance, was actually barren. It made a promise
So tbe tree should not have had leaves. This is a good explanatiom. Tree and temple advertised what they were not
