The Rambling Disciple

One could argue that idolatry is the root of all sin. The very act of placing something above God, even if that thing is very good and created by God, fundamentally disrupts the created order and causes harm. The worship of other gods is the first of the Ten Commandments for a reason as it is the foundation of the other.  In many ways I think that the ancient world was far smarter than we are. They looked at all the different aspects of life and assigned gods and goddesses to them for worship. They knew, while we often deny, that they were worshipping things like sex, money, power, violence, and so on. So, they named the deities and erected temples and altars in their honor. There was no pretense that they were doing anything different. We are just as idolatrous and pagan as the Romans, Canaanites, and Egyptians ever were. The big difference is that we refuse to acknowledge it. As a society in general we like to avoid "religious" trappings anywhere we find them. This is true ...

  This is the written version of my final sermon at the Church of Christ Northwest, preached on my last Sunday as youth minister there. It is formatted like a letter, specifically a New Testament letter.      To the Church of Christ Northwest in Peoria, Illinois, peace be upon you all. May our glorious God and Father pour out mercies unnumbered in your midst, may our Lord Christ Jesus’s faithfulness never leave you, and may the Holy Spirit’s presence flood your hearts and lives. May you continue to seek out the Triune God with fervor and love as you bring about the establishment of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.        I would encourage you, my brothers and sisters, on this final day of fellowship. While I rest assured that the bonds that tie us together are woven through eternity, as the One who has bound us together is eternal, and that I will see many of you again in this current age, now comes the end of a particular season. I sincerely pray to ...

A key motif throughout scripture is that of the wilderness. The Israelites, once freed from Egypt, head into the wilderness towards Sinai. When they refuse to trust in the faithfulness of God and believe in the bad reports of the unfaithful spies, they are led once again into the wilderness. David hides from Saul in the wilderness. In the prophets God often speaks of bringing his people back into the wilderness. Jesus goes into the wilderness immediately after his baptism. The church is described at times of being in the wilderness. At first glance the wilderness may seem like a bad place. There are no cities, no civilizations, and no resources. Everything out there from the wildlife to the weather is trying to kill you. If you go out alone you will not survive. Strangely, the Bible often talks of the wilderness fondly. In the prophets God yearns for the days when Israel wandered in the wilderness. For David and Elijah it is a place of safety from their enemies and in the time of the N...