Scandalous Company
Sabbath Day Thoughts — “Scandalous Company” Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26 He was scandalous, that miserable Matthew. All day long, he sat in his roadside tent outside Capernaum along the busy highway, the Way of the Sea, the great Roman road that stretched from Egypt to Damascus. For good reason, Matthew was little loved by his neighbors.…
With You Always
Sabbath Day Thoughts — “With You Always” Matthew 28:16-20 The disciples felt both overwhelmed and a little scared after their mountaintop meeting with Jesus. As the risen Lord said goodbye to his friends, he entrusted them with the continuation of his ministry. “Go and make disciples of all people,” Jesus said, “Baptize and teach!” The…
On All Flesh
Sabbath Day Thoughts — “On All Flesh” Acts 2:1-18 People around the world are learning other languages with the help of Duolingo. The free downloadable app is best known for its mascot Duo, a bright green cartoon owl who flaps his wings and wiggles his tail feathers when you complete a particularly successful lesson. 103…
The End Is the Beginning (Look out!)
Sabbath Day Thoughts — “The End Is the Beginning” Acts 1:1-11 Here in the United States, the Ascension of Jesus is perhaps the least celebrated of Christian Feast Days. That isn’t true around the world. From Indonesia to Ivory Coast to Iceland, Ascension is both a religious and a public holiday—no work, no school. In…
You Are Welcome
Sabbath Day Thoughts — “You Are Welcome” Acts 8:26-38 Not everyone feels welcome in church. Visitors or newcomers to churches can feel uncomfortable. On Sunday mornings as the church fills and old friends turn to one another in the pews to chat and catch up on the latest news, visitors may feel like socially awkward…
The Rock of Refuge
Sabbath Day Thoughts — “The Rock of Refuge” Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16 There are 120 million people worldwide in need of refuge this morning. Some are refugees, forced to leave their homeland to seek the safety of another nation. Some are internally displaced people, still within their homeland but driven from their homes. Persecution, war, ethnic…
With Glad and Generous Hearts
Sabbath Day Thoughts — “With Glad and Generous Hearts” Acts 2:42-47 She was just so darned cute. Strawberry-blonde curls, big blue eyes in a rounded heart-shaped face, a smattering of freckles strewn across her cheeks—what my Grandmommie referred to as the “Angel’s Kisses.” Strangers stopped in the grocery to pinch her cheeks. The batting of…
Songs and Stories for Eastertide
Sabbath Day Thoughts (and songs) — “Songs and Stories for Eastertide” John 20:19-29 This message includes hotlinks for each of the hymns. Click and sing along, if you wish! Our first hymn features words originally written in Latin in the fifth century. These lyrics have been sung by Christians to celebrate the resurrection for more…
Roll Back the Stone
Sabbath Day Thoughts — “Roll Back the Stone” Matthew 28:1-10 We all carry stones. Almaza a-Sultan shoulders the stone of injustice in her life in a Gaza refugee camp. Although her family has no connection to Hamas, their home was destroyed by bombs early in the Israel-Hamas War. Life in the camp is tough. Almaza…
What the Lord Needs
Sabbath Day Thoughts — “What the Lord Needs” Matthew 21:1-11 Disciples have been seeking to discern what the Lord needs for centuries. It started with those four fishermen—Peter, Andrew, James, and John. There they were, tending their nets on the shore of Galilee when Jesus came along with his invitation, “Follow me.” According to Matthew’s…
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Joann White 