It’s Christmas season again, when we reflect on Jesus’ first coming and anticipate his second. It might seem cliché for anyone vaguely familiar with Jesus to ask why he came. Obviously, he came to die in our place so we could be with him when we die, right? As critically true and important as that is, is that all? Why did Jesus say he came? A Reforming Prophet Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” John 9:39 One of a few reasons Jesus came […]
Author Archive: Matt Johnson
Harvesting the Fruit of Gratitude
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family or friends. There are so many things we can be thankful for that it’s easy to take for granted. Did you know that American Thanksgiving likely has specific connections to the Bible beyond the general platitudes of gratitude to God? At the end of the harvest in 1621, Christian colonists joined with natives to thank God for a successful harvest with a bountiful meal. Where else do we encounter a group of religious travelers praising God with a meal for an abundant harvest? A Harvest Festival Celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles […]
Our Identity in a Polarized World
We live in a crazy, polarized world. Politics, socioeconomics, and culture pull us apart. Even in Christian circles, with thousands of sects and denominations, we sometimes live as if it’s us versus them. Why is this? We all want to belong, to be accepted by a group or movement larger than ourselves. To achieve this, we define our identity with the groups we associate with. In this, two forms of idolatry emerge: pride and envy. But God has a better way. Pride: you must become like me If we naturally gravitate towards like-minded people, how do we handle those different […]
Remembering in Mind and Action
Today is Memorial Day, a holiday in the U.S. to remember the fallen service members of our military. There are many events and people in life worth remembering. What are some of your most important memories? Why are they worth remembering? What does it even mean for us to “remember”? Reacting to our recollection A few weeks ago it was Mother’s Day. Imagine you woke up and noticed the date marked on your calendar but carried on with your normal day. The next day you get a call from your mom, upset, “Did you forget yesterday was Mother’s Day?” “No,” […]
The Holy Weight of Glory
About a week ago I was one of millions who traveled to experience a rare opportunity: a total solar eclipse. I had heard that this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and indeed, it was amazing. While I gazed at the spectacle above, I couldn’t help but think of what Moses might have felt in Exodus 33:18-23. There, Moses asked to see God’s glory. God responded by eclipsing himself while he passed by, allowing Moses only a glimpse at his back. Even that limited encounter (and time with God atop Mount Sinai) caused an afterglow (or “horns”) on Moses’ head days afterward […]
Who is included in God’s family?
Often in Christian circles, we’ll toss around the idea of being a “child of God” or being included in God’s family. What does this mean? While God made everyone in his image, is everyone a child of God? Are some included and others excluded? If so, who? Sons of Abraham God has always desired a relationship with all people. However, we have the tendency not to reciprocate, preferring our own way. From the time of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3) through the rebellion at Babel (Genesis 11), people distanced themselves from God. As a result, God chose one family line, […]
What Was Jesus’ Life Mission?
If someone asked you why Jesus came to earth, how would you respond? Maybe you’d include some of the points found in the Nicene Creed: [Jesus], who, for us men for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the virgin Mary, and was made man; and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate; He suffered and was buried; and the third day He rose again, according to the Scriptures; and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of the Father; and He shall come again, with glory, to judge the […]
Spring, A Season Of Change
We are now over halfway through our journey through the season of Lent. A few years ago, during the pandemic, I wrote about this 40-day period of “spiritual quarantine” we call Lent that leads up to Easter. This time I want to focus on a different aspect of Lent: “lent” comes from the word meaning “spring season”. This week marks the official beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere. As I write this while snow is still falling here in Michigan, it can be difficult to imagine warmer weather on its way. The land of Israel has its seasons too. […]
A Parable On The Purpose of Parables
Why did Jesus teach using parables? This is the question his disciples asked him, to which he replied by quoting from Isaiah: And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand;keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’10 Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes;lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears,and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” Isaiah 6:9-10 Did Jesus purposely use parables to obfuscate the meaning of his message? Did he actually not want the people to be transformed by his teaching? At a surface […]
Your Invitation to God’s “Holy Day” Celebrations
Happy new year! I hope you are having a good holiday season. I use the word “holiday” deliberately here, not to obscure the centrality of Christ in Christmas, but to focus on the literal definition of “holiday”: a “holy” day. Throughout the year, we have various celebratory days that are “set apart” (that’s what “holy” means). The rest of the days are common, or unholy, by contrast. There’s nothing wrong with these ordinary days; they’re just not special like the others. As we start a new calendar year, did you know that God has a calendar full of scheduled holy […]