By Bob Hiller - Something rather significant happened in the NCAA championship this past Monday night. No, it’s not that I filled out the winning bracket in my pool. That dream died on the second afternoon of the tournament. No, the significance lies in how Villanova won. This is their second championship in the last … Continue reading What the Church Can Learn from Villanova
By Joel A. Hess - “For they were afraid!” That’s the end of Mark’s gospel. After being told that Jesus had risen from the dead, they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone—for they were afraid! The last words of Mark are … Continue reading For they were afraid! Happy Easter
By Cindy Koch - Yesterday, you stepped right into the most emotional time of the year for any Christian; Praise songs and prayers, tears and guilt, suffering and death, celebrations and shouts for joy. The week leading up to Easter Sunday tells the epic story of our Lord Jesus Christ. The transition from happiness to … Continue reading Forgetting the Emotions of Easter
By Paul Koch - Today is the celebration of the pinnacle event in all human history. Today we rejoice in the great working of God who interceded at a specific moment in time to overturn the power of darkness and sin and death. This is the dawn of a new day and the promise of … Continue reading Behold, this is our God
By Tim Winterstein - It's Holy Week, so what else would I be doing but watching two films about Jesus' last few days? Two long movies. Two movies that inspired controversy and discussion and debate. Two movies that present two different Jesuses. And frankly, I don't care if movies want to use different devices to … Continue reading Passion and Temptation
By Bob Hiller Whatever happened to old Barabbas? You remember Barabbas from the Passion narrative, don’t you? He’s the robber (John 8:40), the notorious insurrectionist and murderer (Matt. 27:16; Mark. 15:7; Luke 23:18-19) who is bound for the cross the same week Jesus was on trial. When Pilate took up the custom of releasing a … Continue reading Whatever Happened to Barabbas?
By Paul Koch - How is this night unlike all other nights? It is a significant night to be sure, but just what is it that makes it so important? Well, for starters, this night marks the initiation of the great events of our Lord’s passion. If you were to say that our Lord’s story … Continue reading Forgiveness is in the Blood
