The Wesleyan Way

"I thirst" (John 19:28 KJV). How? How can God's Son be thirsty? Most of the time when we think about Jesus, we think about spiritual things: faith, trust, hope, salvation. But as Jesus hangs on the cross, things are very physical. Jesus says, "I thirst." The cross keeps us from thinking that our faith and our beliefs are other-worldly. Jesus lived here. Jesus suffered and died here. His message is for us here. The truth is, if we're going to meet God, we'll meet him here. As you read the Gospels, you'll notice the writers are minimalist with their descriptions of the crucifixion. They report "they did this," then "they did that." No gory details. Just "I thirst." Why does Jesus say this? Earlier Jesus said, "Whoever drinks from the water that I give will never be thirsty again" (John 4:14; 6:35) and, "All who are thirsty should come to me!" (John 7:37). So, what does this mean? In the Bi...

Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your hearts, with fasting, with weeping, and with sorrow; tear your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, very patient, full of faithful love, and ready to forgive (Joel 2:12-13 CEB) Today is a new beginning. A new season. And anytime we step into something new, we can feel vulnerable. We know our own brokenness. This is a season where we journey through the wilderness of our hearts and souls to the heart of God. This is a time that calls for us to walk carefully and to think deeply. And if we are to make progress on our pilgrim's path, then we must be willing to lay bare all that is hidden, buried, or repressed inside of ourselves. This path is uncomfortable. But if we want to move closer to God, then it is a path we must take. Lent doesn't make sense. It's counter-intuitive. We begin with death and move towards life. Today, many Christians will go to chu...

In the winter months of 27-28 AD, John the Baptist came out of the Judean wilderness. Crowds gathered to the desert lands where the river flowed into the Dead Sea. This was a movement like no one had ever seen before. At a ford of the Jordan, John cried, "Repent for the kingdom of God is near!" When he ended each sermon, he would walk to the river's edge and stand in the shallow water. Hundreds came forward to be baptized. John would place a strong hand on everyone who came forward, then the people would humble themselves and bow their knees in the muddy river until they could hear the rush of water in their ears. Toward the end of that winter, as the crowd began to thin, Jesus came, almost unnoticed, and was baptized. One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, "You are my dearly loved Son, and ...

Epiphany is when we remember the magi's visit to see baby Jesus. Epiphany means "manifestation." This day is a celebration--not because of the gifts given to baby Jesus--but because of what God has done through Jesus. Through Jesus, the divine glory has been made manifest. Through Jesus, God's glory has been made known to all. What this really means is that now the world finally gets to see what God is truly like. In the time of King Herod, after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, magi from the East came to Jerusalem, asking, "Where  is the child who has been born king of the Jews?" . . . they set out; and there ahead of them, went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. (Matthew 2:1-2a, 9) If you're an artistic type who's interested in Christian art, light is the traditional symbol for Epiphany. . . . the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land o...