Jeremiah 31:27-34 - "Into Exile: Written on the Heart"

Synopsis: God promises a new covenant to the Hebrew folk in the midst of Exile. This new covenant is not written on stone tablets or codified into law, but written on the hearts of God’s children. The law was necessary in the adolescence of faith, but after achieving maturity and the fullness of faith we discover the rules were always a precursor to the relationship with God and neighbor. As Christians reading this Hebrew Bible text, we cannot help but hear Paul’s teaching on the Holy Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit over and above the law. This freedom in Christ is the culmination of the promise to write God’s law on our hearts.

Keywords: Jeremiah, Exile, promise, law, grace, Holy Spirit, relationship, freedom, liberty, Christ, ethics, legalism, love

"Joy Sunday: The Upside-Down Kingdom" - Luke 1:46-55

On Joy Sunday, we hear a glorious Cantata from J.S. Bach and a Song of Liberation from Jesus’ mother Mary. Music lifts us from the mire of life and reminds us of the promises of God for a future where every story matters, every life has worth, and every hunger is satisfied. How can we keep from singing with such Good News?

"Every Story Matters" - Deuteronomy 6:4-9, 20-21

On All Saint’s Day, we remember the stories of our loved ones who stepped from life into Life. Moses challenges the people of Israel, standing on the precipice of the Promised Land, to never forget the story of the God who liberated them from slavery, by telling the story to their children every time they wake up, walk around, and come back home. In time, when our children will face the trails of life, they will remember the story we shared with them all along the way–of a God who loves us, liberates us, and will never let us go.