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Sometimes we tell a simple story of discipleship: believers are “in” and unbelievers are “out.” Although the dichotomies of John’s Gospel can reinforce this notion for us (e.g., light and dark, above and below; see (...)

The “longer” reading assigned for this Sunday consists of 114 verses; the alternate, “shorter” reading (Luke 23:1-49) consists of 49. The preacher has to make a decision about which is to be read during worship. (...)

The Gospels’ passion narratives press us to consider multiple realities regarding Jesus’ prosecution and death We see the politics of human society. On one level, it’s an all-too-familiar story. Powerful and privileged people conspire with (...)

Similar to the gospel lesson for Palm/Passion Sunday, the reading for Good Friday is an extended lesson comprising the whole of Jesus’ passion. John18-19 takes the reader from Jesus’ arrest, through his trials (first before (...)

John’s Passion account is its own sermon, extending from betrayal at a place across the valley to devotion at the foot of the cross; from Peter’s three-fold denial to Pilate’s three-fold acquittal; from the many (...)

Who has power? In the world, there are many claims to power and illusions of power. John crafts the passion narrative so that the reader may come to see the power of God in a (...)

On Easter Sunday, the church proclaims, “O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!” (Psalm 118:1). Jesus Christ is risen. And in Christ, we too shall rise.  God’s (...)

What is a disciple to do in the wake of Jesus’ resurrection? Following the Easter story of Jesus’ appearance to Mary Magdalene, two parallel stories in John explore the responses of disciples to the message (...)

Psalm 118 is a bounty of riches. Scholars debate whether the imagined speaker is a solitary individual or a great throng. Of course, we live our lives before God as both. The Psalm’s rousing invitation (...)

This passage focuses on Jesus’ identity and his relationship with the Father.1 Although the gospel itself emphatically declares Jesus’ identity from the opening sentence (1:1), his identity and the source of his ministry remain a (...)