Epiphany
When Peace Feels Distant
How do you find peace when God seems distant and everything feels like it is conspiring against you? The ancient psalmist has an answer.
Christian Year & Seasons
Save the best until last!
Ever noticed how the best surprises come last? At Cana's wedding, Jesus flipped the script on tradition. When the wine ran dry, he didn't just refill - he upgraded. His first miracle teaches us: divine timing turns ordinary moments into extraordinary gifts. Read the whole story
christmas
New Year, New Project!
Join me at my new site, The Rhythm of Grace, which features a new format for my weekly newsletter. Subscriptions are free, and you can unsubscribe at any time. You can also follow the Facebook page, The Rhythm of Grace as well. This site also has a new theme, Today
christmas
1st Sunday after Christmas: Jesus in the Temple
We're in the middle of the 12 days of Christmas until Epiphany. While you might be tempted to pack Christmas up, wait until January 6 for the Magi to appear. We'll talk about the meaning of that next week, but this week we have one of
Lectionary Yr C
Answering God's Call: Mary's Song and Our Response
For those who have listened to my podcast, God's Time, I appreciate your tuning in. Beginning today God's Time is moving here to ChuckWarnock.com each week. That way if you only want to listen to a 5-6 minute summary, or listen and read the meditation,
Advent
Radical Reordering: Preparing the Way for Christ
We're approaching the third Sunday of Advent and today we encounter two unusual "preachers" -- one on the roads of rural Georgia, and one in the Judean wilderness near the Jordan River. Both have something to teach us in their unorthodox ways. Luke 3:7-18 (NIV)
economics
Sermon: God's Indictment, Instruction and Invitation
Last Sunday I preached from Isaiah 1:1, 10-20 NIV. Amazingly, the circumstances in Isaiah's day in 742 BC were similar to those in 21st century America. Politicians disagreed on how best to provide security for the nation of Judah. Strategic alliances to combat national enemies such as
Lectionary Yr C
Taking the Light Down from the Mountain
Last Sunday I preached on the Transfiguration of Jesus. But the lectionary reading this year couples the story of the mountaintop Transfiguration of Jesus with the healing of a young boy down in the valley. The common interpretive wisdom on this passage (Luke 9:28-42) is that you have to
Culture
Feed the Homeless to Turn Night into Day
Yesterday the city of Raleigh, North Carolina chose to make feeding the hungry a crime. The mayor and city council of Raleigh ought to read today's lectionary reading from Isaiah 58:9b-14. Isaiah instructs Israel to stop oppressing people, to feed the hungry and meet the needs of
Hebrews
Why Samuel, David, and a Bunch of Others Need Us
The book of Hebrews was written to encourage Christians of the first century to remain faithful despite persecution. Examples of great heroes of the faith like Abraham, Moses, David, Daniel, Elijah and Elisha; and, events like crossing the Red Sea, the battle of Jericho, the survival of the lions'
ethics
Stop Doing Bad Stuff, Start Doing Good Stuff
undefined Sometimes Scripture is complex and difficult to understand. But, sometimes it's just simple. Isaiah 1:1, 10-20 is an example of the simple. Isaiah says to the nation of Judah, "...stop doing wrong. Learn to do right..." Pretty simple, and amazingly difficult. Here's
Colossians
The New Living Dead
First it was vampires, now zombies. Our appetite for the bizarre and scary seems to know no end. Of course film-wise, it all started in 1968 when George Romero directed the cult classic, Night of the Living Dead. Even the Library of Congress has recognized that film as a giant