Jesus at 2AM - A Humorous, Intelligent Look at the Bible, Church History & the Life of Faith
One pastor's attempt at late-night-level honesty about the Bible, church history, theological scholarship, spiritual practice and...God. (AKA how one nearly-de-churched thinker discovered that love is the name of the game.)
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Prayer in the Tradition of the Saints, Part 03: Augustinian Meditation
07/02/2025
Prayer in the Tradition of the Saints, Part 03: Augustinian Meditation
Continuing our experiential examination of contemplative prayer in the Christian tradition, we turn this week to the great Doctor of the Church, St. Augustine of Hippo (d. 430 AD) and the form of meditation that has developed in the Augustinian school. (It's quite similar to Ignatian contemplation, but rather than seeking to place ourselves - by active imagination - into a biblical scene of the past, Augustinian meditation seeks to bring the scene itself into the present. It'll make more sense as you listen!) As with the other episodes in this series, I highly encourage you actually engage in the meditation and not just listen while driving or dining or mowing the lawn. If you do, I think you'll find the experience very rewarding, mainly by having a moment or two of actual contact with God (and wouldn't that be cool)! In the intro I mention some previous series on the spiritual life, so here are some quick links to , , and . And I really would love to hear if this series has been helpful (or not)! You can reach me anytime at , or , chat with me on , or come find me on or I’d love to hear from you. And while you're at it, might you be up for supporting the podcast? You’re is a major help. As are your prayers, your online reviews, telling a friend or two! And in case you'd like to follow along with the passage, you can find it here: Thanks so much for listening and blessings upon you!
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Prayer in the Tradition of the Saints, Part 02: Ignatian Contemplation
06/25/2025
Prayer in the Tradition of the Saints, Part 02: Ignatian Contemplation
“How can I hear God’s voice?” “Would I recognize God’s voice if I heard it?” “How do I know if a sense of call is really from God?” These are some of the key questions of Christian spirituality. And thankfully, they are some of the very questions St. Ignatius of Loyola sought to answer (and did). What we are really talking about is the practice of discernment – learning to distinguish the voice of the Lord from the countless other voices (internal and external) that fill our lives. It is to take it as a given (I believe very rightly) that God is consistently speaking – to us. And thus our work is to become skilled listeners. (This is in contrast to the common fear that God must be sought by heroic means – that God speaks only to those who have achieved some impressive measure of holiness, often by great sacrifice or spiritual rigor. It is not the case! Jesus – throughout the Gospels – is constantly seeking to be heard and understood by regular old humans…) In many ways, the great task of Christian prayer is to quiet our mind as much as we can, to identify the voices that are likely not the Lord, and then to see if we can hear through the din the still, small, loving, compassionate voice of God. And for this work, the practice of Ignatian contemplation is excellent. In this episode we’ll take a brief look at the life of St. Ignatius of Loyola (it helps to understand how his method of contemplation developed) and then we’ll pray together with a guided contemplation. If you’ve not done it before, I hope you may find it quite a revolutionary experience! If you enjoy the guided Christian meditation, you can find more of them on the . And if you’d like to read the passage yourself while we pray together, you can find it here: Up for supporting the podcast??? You’re is a major help! As are your prayers, your online reviews, telling a friend or two and getting in touch! You can reach me easily at , or , chat on , or come find me on or (I'm slowly making my way back...), I’d love to hear from you!
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Prayer in the Tradition of the Saints, Part 01: St. Benedict and Lectio Divina
06/18/2025
Prayer in the Tradition of the Saints, Part 01: St. Benedict and Lectio Divina
Prayer - as in abiding, personal contact with God - is the very heart of the Christian life. And yet for most of us, the practice of prayer is a struggle (it often is for me as well). Indeed, “How can I feel closer to God?” is probably one of the most asked questions in Christian history. And the good news is: there is an answer! Actually, there are many answers. And in this short series we will examine (and experience) three of the best: the Benedictine answer, the Ignatian answer and the Augustinian one. Today we begin with the Benedictine method of prayer, often know by its Latin name: lectio divina or “divine reading.” It is a very simple but very powerful process of praying the scriptures that can lead to us to a very intimate experience of God’s love and presence. In this episode, we’ll explore the process of lectio divina, but even more importantly, we’ll practice it together (a form of guided meditation/prayer). (As an added bonus you’ll get a short explanation of what makes a Presbyterian a Presbyterian and why we would benefit greatly by adopting some very “Catholic” practices!) If you enjoy the guided Christian meditation, you can find more of them on the . And if you’d like to read the passage yourself while we pray together, you can find it here: Up for supporting the podcast??? You’re is a major help! As are your prayers, your online reviews, telling a friend or two and getting in touch! You can reach me easily at , or , chat on , or come find me on or (I'm slowly making my way back...), I’d love to hear from you!
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The Abundant Life, Part 13: Abundant Freedom (Conclusion)
06/11/2025
The Abundant Life, Part 13: Abundant Freedom (Conclusion)
With this episode we conclude our short series on the abundant life – exploring what it means to live a fully human existence in a world that that can been very dehumanizing. It's a series that has taken us deep into the 10 commandments, as I’ve been doing my best to make the case that far from being a checklist of restrictions, the 10 commandments are actually divine instructions for freedom—freedom from slavery, freedom from fear, freedom from our worst impulses, and esp. freedom the false gods we are so inclined to make for ourselves (and then worship in vain!). So today I want to go back to the beginning – to the story that started this whole endeavor: Jesus’ healing of the man born blind and to consider again what it means that God desires for us a life of abundance—full of breath, creativity, and joy. A life in which holiness not about repression, but as wholeness in love. The texts for this sermon can be found here: and If you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible (Thank you!!!) For more sermon series, resources and means of contacting me, simply head to , , or come chat on .
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The Abundant Life, Part 12: Coveting Never Helps
06/04/2025
The Abundant Life, Part 12: Coveting Never Helps
To put it bluntly, if it’s the abundant life we seek, then covetousness has to go. Mainly because yearning for the things of others turns life into a constant competition that we can never win. Whatever we possess or achieve, we can always find someone with "more." And the tragic result is a never-ending experience of deprivation and a fundamental dissatisfaction with our life (not to mention a sense of increasting tension with others). It's an important lesson brought to us by guest preacher Erika Karimi who started out as a Michigan based podcast listener and is now an ordained elder at Canvas and a regular part of our preaching rotation! (Maybe God has plans to use you at Canvas? Stranger things have happened!!) The text for this sermon can be found here: If you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible (Thank you!!!) For more sermon series, resources and means of contacting me, simply head to , , or come chat on .
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The Abundant Life, Part 11: Bearing Honest Witness
05/29/2025
The Abundant Life, Part 11: Bearing Honest Witness
In this episode we turn to – you guessed it – the 9th commandment: You shall not bear false witness. It’s instruction that – like all the commandments – seems, at first glance, very simple and straightforward: When you are called as a witness in a trial, do not give false testimony. But when we look a little deeper, we see that this commandment is filled with implications that I think are critical to explore if we are to live the abundant life – not the least of which is to recognize that in life, there will be conflict. Wrongs will be done. Harm will happen. There will be disputes that require adjudication. If life in the community of faith were easy, there’d be no need for a commandment about truth-telling. Indeed, it turns out that truth-telling is key for a healthy community. And in fact, can be very healing when wrongs have been committed. Sometimes the only justice that can be granted is an honest accounting of what has transpired. But owning wrongs goes a long way towards making repair. And yet there is another reason that the people of God are called to be honest brokers in all that we do – we bear witness to God himself, whom we believe raised Jesus from the dead! …a claim that strains credulity to its breaking point. If we want to be the least bit credible when it comes to bearing witness to Christ, we had best have a long reputation of integrity – intellectual and otherwise... The text for this sermon can be found here: If you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible (Thank you!!!) For more sermon series, resources and means of contacting me, simply head to , , or come chat on .
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The Abundant Life, Part 10: Don't Acquire What Isn't Yours
05/21/2025
The Abundant Life, Part 10: Don't Acquire What Isn't Yours
This is part 10 of our series on the abundant life as we try to figure out what it looks like – in practice – to live fully, to live richly as a human. It’s a search that has taken us deep into the 10 Commandments of all places - today to the 8th commandment and one of the most obvious lessons in life: You shall not steal. Seems clear enough: no robbing banks, no mugging anyone on the subway, go ahead pay for that pack of gum… And yet…, theft isn’t just about what we take with our hands—it’s about what we take with our power, with our privilege and sometimes what we acquire with our silence. It’s about the ways we allow systems to profit at the expense of others and about the trust we break when we misuse what’s been placed in our care. From corporations exploiting workers to governments selling out the public good, stealing is everywhere. And if we’re honest? It’s probably closer to home than we’d like to admit. But here’s the good news: we were never meant to live in scarcity, fighting for what we can get. God’s desire has always been for us to live fully, freely, abundantly—not by taking, but by giving. The lesson of this and all the “Commandments” isn’t mainly about checking moral boxes—it’s about stepping into the kind of life that brings wholeness, justice, and joy, both for ourselves and for others. The text for this sermon can be found here: If you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible (Thank you!!!) For more sermon series, resources and means of contacting me, simply head to or !
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The Abundant Life, Part 09: The Virtue of Integrity
05/14/2025
The Abundant Life, Part 09: The Virtue of Integrity
We continue our search for life and life abundantly, a search that has taken us to unexpected places, not least the 10 commandments – which has turned out to be far more than a list of religious rules, but a source of profound insight into what constitutes a fundamentally healthy life. Today we turn to the 7th commandment: "You shall not commit adultery." And by we I mean “not me,” in that you have here another sermon from Ian (who has really been helping share the preaching load with me, which is a huge help and a big part of my no-burnout strategy!). As you might expect, Ian’s first lesson is going to be: Don’t commit adultery. But there is much more to adultery than things sexual. I will let him explain the virtue of integrity... The texts for this sermon can be found here: and . If you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible (Thank you!!!) For more sermon series, resources and means of contacting me, simply head to or !
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The Abundant Life, Part 08: Treasuring Humanity
05/07/2025
The Abundant Life, Part 08: Treasuring Humanity
Today we arrive at the 6th Commandment: “You shall not murder…” That, at least, is how the NRSV translates it. But as you’ll see, there is much, much more to the 6th commandment than not murdering someone. (Though not murdering is a darn fine place to start!) The goal, however, is to go much farther than not taking life. Rather we are to honor the sacred gift of humanness and all the beauty that is inherent to human life. That is to say: if we want the abundant life, we begin by honoring humanity - our own and that and of everyone else. In this episode I highly recommend checking out the meditation app . (They are not sponsors, I have no financial stake..., it's just an app I love and think you might, too!) If you'd like to check out the biblical text for this episode, you can find it here: . If you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible (Thank you!!!) For more sermon series, resources and means of contacting me, simply head to or !
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The Abundant Life, Part 07: Honoring Family, Weighting Memory
04/30/2025
The Abundant Life, Part 07: Honoring Family, Weighting Memory
The 5th commandment tell us to "Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land the Lord your God is giving you." But what does "honor" truly mean? Is it obedience? Gratitude? Or something even deeper—a call to listen, to remember, and to carry forward the lessons of love and grace? Our world often teaches us to move fast, to leave the past behind, and to define ourselves solely by individual achievement. But the truth is, none of us walk this journey alone. We are all part of a story much larger than ourselves, one woven together by the people who have come before us and those who will come after us. Today, we’ll reflect on what it means to give weight to the past—not as a burden, but as a gift—and how that can shape the way we build a future rooted in love, connection, and abundance. The text for this sermon can be found here: If you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible (Thank you!!!) For more sermon series, resources and means of contacting me, simply head to or !
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The Abundant Life, Part 06: Sabbath Rest
04/23/2025
The Abundant Life, Part 06: Sabbath Rest
Today we arrive at the 4th commandment: "Remember the Sabbath..." And you get a sermon not from me (which is probably good because – as you might have guessed – I’m not great at Sabbathing!), but from our old friend, Rev. Ian Farrell – who is much better at Sabbath than I am. In this episode, Ian is going to make the case that Sabbath is not about the particular day we choose for rest, but about the attitude we carry about being a beloved child of God because of who we are, not what we do. It’s a lesson that we probably all understand at a superficial level. But letting our belovedness sink deep into our identity is a whole ‘nother matter…! If you'd like to follow the sermon text, you can find it here: . As a reminder, if you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible (Thank you!!!) For more sermon series, resources and means of contacting me, simply head to or !
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The Abundant Life, Part 05: Calling Rightly on the God of Love
04/16/2025
The Abundant Life, Part 05: Calling Rightly on the God of Love
Today we continue our journey through the Ten Commandments—not as a list of rules, but as a pathway to true freedom and flourishing, arriving at the 3rd commandment: "You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God." For many of us, this commandment has been reduced to a simple rule about avoiding bad words or not using God’s name in vain. But its meaning runs far deeper! The 3rd commandment is about the profound significance of God’s name, about the power of prayer and and the dangers of distorting faith for personal or political gain. To call on the name of the Lord wrongly is dangerous business. Whereas calling upon God rightly leads us into a life of deeper intimacy, integrity, and love. The text for this sermon can be found here: . If you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible (Thank you!!!) For more sermon series, resources and means of contacting Kirk, simply head to or !
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The Abundant Life, Part 04: The One Perfect Image of God
04/09/2025
The Abundant Life, Part 04: The One Perfect Image of God
In this episode we continue our look at what Jesus meant when he said he came to bring "life and life abundantly." It’s a study that has taken us not into the NT so much, but into the Old – specifically into the 10 commandment of all places. Indeed, today we look at the 2nd commandment “You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.” Which at first glance, sounds like a reiteration of the first commandment – have no other gods. But I’m going to argue that this is not the meaning of the 2nd commandment at all! Rather the God of Israel wants no idols of him! And there is a very, very important reason why…and it leads back to Jesus. I’ll let the sermon fill in the gaps... The text for this sermon can be found here: . If you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible (Thank you!!!) For more sermon series, resources and means of contacting Kirk, simply head to or !
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The Abundant Life, Part 03: The Freedom of Worshipping Rightly
04/02/2025
The Abundant Life, Part 03: The Freedom of Worshipping Rightly
"I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before me." It is the first commandment and it sounds...rather ominous. But if we take a moment to listen more deeply, what we discover is actually a call to radical freedom! In a world of myriad deities, each with a slight power over the necessities of life, the stress of keeping each placated was never-ending (and exhausting!)...perhaps not so unlike our world today... And yet, at Mt. Sinai - after the lived experience of rescue from slavery - the God of Israel declares complete sovereignty over creation; meaning that the endless drive to keep the gods satisifed is entirely unnecessary. And the one God who calls for loyalty is the God who freely saves the objects of his perfect love. Maybe far from ominous, the first commandment is a gift of peace, hope and joy - the very heart of what it means to live life abundantly! The text for this sermon can be found here: . If you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible (Thank you!!!) If you'd like to go back and find sermons and audio that Kirk presented at Canvas during his long hiaitus, simply head to the . For more sermon series, resources and means of contacting Kirk, simply head to or !
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The Abundant Life, Part 02: The Life-Giving Law of God
03/26/2025
The Abundant Life, Part 02: The Life-Giving Law of God
We continue our look at the abundant life by turning - quite unexpectedly! - to the 10 Commandments and consider the possibility that they are not meant to be the burden we so often imagine them to be, but are rather a gift pointing us to health, life and joy. They are, after all, the first instruction of a loving God to his chosen people. Perhaps love is more operative within the commandments than threat...? ( referenced in the sermon!) The text for this sermon can be found here: . If you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible (Thank you!!!) If you'd like to go back and find sermons and audio that Kirk presented at Canvas during his long hiaitus, simply head to the . For more sermon series, resources and means of contacting me, simply head to or !
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The Abundant Life, Part 01: What's Missing?
03/19/2025
The Abundant Life, Part 01: What's Missing?
We begin our look at the abundant life in Christ by examining what has gone wrong. Why do we find ourselves so taxed so often? Why does inner peace feel so ellusive, even though I have a genuine faith in God's goodness and love? To answer these questions we turn to the Apostle John and also to the theological work of St. Augustine and his metaphor of the "two cities" in which Christians have our citizenship. (Augustine's "City of God" is one of the great works of literature, bar none!) Join us as we explore both the theologial reasons we find ourselves caught in a world in conflict and the practical steps we can take to reclaim a life of abundance — one filled with love for God, self, and other - rediscovering the fullness of what it means to be human. It can help to follow along visually, so the text for this sermon can be found here: . If you'd like to go back and find sermons and audio that Kirk presented at Canvas during his long hiaitus, simply head to the . If you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible (Thank you!!!) For more series, resources and means of contacting me, simply head to or !
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The Podcast Returns!
03/13/2025
The Podcast Returns!
Yes, you read that correctly, the podcast is returning!! Returning on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 to be exact. It has been a long two-and-a-half years... a break I never expected. But a pretty bad case of burnout hit me hard and it's taken some time to recover and build some new habits that make podcasting possible once again! New episodes begin this coming Wednesday and each Wednesday thereafter - starting with a series on The Abundant Life, a very unexpected look at the 10 commandments. If you want to catch the end of the series , or , they are always available in the . There you can also find a (painfully long?) series that covers the entire if that sounds intriguing. And if you'd like to reach me (and I hope you will), the best ways right now are to directly or come find me on BlueSky where I'm . Thank you for ALL your generous support over the years and I'm excited to be back!
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Jesus and the Revolution, Part 03 - The Enemy and the Allure of Now
06/20/2022
Jesus and the Revolution, Part 03 - The Enemy and the Allure of Now
The divine rescue - of which the ministry of Jesus is the decisive act - is not merely to be understood as the securing of a heavenly afterlife for the faithful, but the restoration of a fallen creation. To be "saved" is to be set free, to be healed and to be counted a citizen of the "kingdom of God." But such freedom recognizes there we are presently captives, subjects of a hostile regime. There is an enemy that must be defeated. But identifying that enemy - the actual enemy - can be quite difficult. In this episode we turn to the story of Jesus's "temptation" in the wilderness as Matthew helps us see that this is Evil's attempt at a negotiated victory. Why not accept some comfort here, some glory there and a whole lot of earthly power? All that is required is to let Evil continue it's work behind the scenes... It's an offer Jesus managed to refuse..., but one we are quite often willing to accept in an instant. And the thing about deals with the devil is...there is never a deal. It can help to follow along visually, so the text for this sermon can be found here --> If you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible (Thank you!!!) For more series, resources and means of contacting me, simply head to or !
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Jesus and the Revolution, Part 02 - A Prophet as of Old
06/13/2022
Jesus and the Revolution, Part 02 - A Prophet as of Old
God's Revolution to Restore All Creation begins with a cry to all Israel to prepare for war. But not the war Israel expected... For decades tensions with Rome had been growing. Various political and religious sects (think Pharisees, Sadducees, et al.) were staking out their positions in the coming conflict. Swords and spears were beginning to be sharpened. And at that time, on the banks of the Jordan (the boundry of the promised land), John the Baptist beckoned God's people to "repent!, because the Kingdom of God (the restoration of God's direct reign in creation) has come near." The battle, the rebellion, is about to begin. It is time to choose a side and pledge allegiance to a leader - to the prophet God will send... It can help to follow along visually, so the text for this sermon can be found here --> If you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible (Thank you!!!) For more series, resources and means of contacting me, simply head to or !
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Jesus and the Revolution, Part 01 - A Call to Revolution!
05/05/2022
Jesus and the Revolution, Part 01 - A Call to Revolution!
At the heart of Jesus's ministry is the declaration that "the Kingdom of God has come near!" This is not merely a call for sinners to secure the afterlife, but the announcement that the fulfillment of the covenant of salvation is at hand! The God of Israel has arrived to depose the powers and principalities of this age and re-establish his reign over all creation. In short, the central proclamation of Jesus is a call to recognize - and join! - THE Revolution! In this new series, we take a detailed look at the Gospel of Matthew to understand the nature of the revolution Jesus has come to lead and what it means to pledge our allegiance to a new king. The text for this sermon is: And here is a link to Cotton Mather's quite distressing book: . If you value the podcast and are able to support the community from which it comes, you can make a tax-deductible (Thank you!!!) For more series, resources and means of contacting me, simply head to or !
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Hope in the Time of COVID, Part 19 - Resting for the Kingdom
04/21/2022
Hope in the Time of COVID, Part 19 - Resting for the Kingdom
The one commandment I disregard without a second thought is the one about resting. The irony, of course, is that I often ignore this divine call to honor the sabbath in what feels like the work of the Kingdom. And it has been more clear in the last two years than in most of my lifetime that there is work to be done. It is easy for good people to become overwhelmed with a sense of responsibility. Yet, the one with the greatest human responsibility of all, made public display of stopping, of resting... So this episode is a look at Jesus's pesonal need for rest, and the reminder (which my recent life shows I have yet to learn!) that we must stop neglecting the work of resting for the Kingdom. To read along or study further, the biblical text for this conversation can be found here: And here is how to connect with - the global relief agency of the Presbyterian Church USA. They do amazing work! You can also now share in !!!! We'd love to have you join us! Want more content from Jesus at 2AM? Check out the , where you can also learn more about how to . Up for connecting??? I'd love to have you !
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Hope in the Time of COVID, Part 18 - The Loving Road to Justice
04/01/2022
Hope in the Time of COVID, Part 18 - The Loving Road to Justice
No, your eyes do not deceive you...the podcast is back! (It never really left, but was definitely on leave of absence for a while...very sorry about that - some of the details are in the intro.) Then it's on to part 18 of our series: Hope in the Time of Covid. In this episode, we take a look at the difficult-yet-essential truth that the road to justice is paved in love. In this time when historic injustices are being revealed with painful clarity, we understand all the more the impulse of the oppressed to seek justice by means of violence. Even those of us who face little oppression can find ourselves shockingly enraged at minor transgressions against "what is right!" And we reflexively assume the person opposing us is the source of the wrong, our "enemy." If we can overcome them, we can achieve "justice." But that's not how true justice is ever established... And, if you're the type who likes to read along, the biblical text for this conversation can be found here: Did you know you can now share in ? We'd love to have you join us! You can also find a , links to the and much more on the . And for some very helpful resources on this subject, check out Want more content from Jesus at 2AM? Check out the , where you can also learn more about how to . Up for connecting??? I'd love to have you !
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Hope in the Time of COVID, Part 17 - Origin Stories
07/29/2021
Hope in the Time of COVID, Part 17 - Origin Stories
Does the 21st century nation state of Peru play an essential role in salvation history? Short answer: Of course not. God loves Peruvians! But Peru the cultural/political body is not critical to the plan redemption. So why do many American Christians suspect that the US, as a nation (or a cultural dimension of the nation), is a divinely ordained actor on the stage of cosmic salvation? The (mistaken) answer is located deep in both church and American history, and needs to be corrected for the health of both.
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Hope in the Time of COVID, Part 16 - Admitting the Problem (of Sin)
07/19/2021
Hope in the Time of COVID, Part 16 - Admitting the Problem (of Sin)
How do I, as a white, well-educated, heterosexual, Protestant, cis male, who would never knowingly sanction racism of any sort, reflect on "systemic racism"? For those of us who try hard to be good people (defined in no small part by being not-racist), the phrase can spark a reflexive defensiveness ("Not me!"). Yet the enduring effects of racism are clear... So how do I think about my part in the "system"? Might I be an unwitting participant in oppression? Can I ask myself the question? And what if yes...?
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Hope in the Time of COVID, Part 15 - On Love, Hope and Change
07/06/2021
Hope in the Time of COVID, Part 15 - On Love, Hope and Change
Hope is the belief that things can change for the better. And it is the question the gospel persistently sets before us: Are we naive in thinking that meaningful transformation is possible? And more naive still to believe that love is the means by which such transformation occurs? In this episode we look at the story of Nicodemus, a Pharisee confronted with Jesus's insistence that he be "born again from above" - that is to say: to surrender what he thinks he knows, and let God show him what love can do.
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Hope in the Time of COVID, Part 14 - What God Wants? Justice, Mercy and Humility!
06/23/2021
Hope in the Time of COVID, Part 14 - What God Wants? Justice, Mercy and Humility!
"How does one appease a deity? Gain a favor? Avert a curse?" Such questions stood at the center of Ancient Near Eastern religion (and of many cultures since...). And thus great effort has been dedicated to rituals and ceremonies and strict adherence to divine instructions. So what does the God of Israel want from his people? What are our instructions? (And is our purpose to gain a blessing or escape a punishment??) In this episode we turn to the OT prophet Micah's succinct articulation of God's answer.
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Hope in the Time of COVID, Part 13 - Jesus and Divine Justice
06/16/2021
Hope in the Time of COVID, Part 13 - Jesus and Divine Justice
As those called to share in God's project of restoration, justice is at the heart of our work. But what does the Bible mean by "justice"? The term easily conjures feelings and images not shalom (peace), but punishment - that divine justice is defined by the reward of the righteous and the proper condemnation of the wicked. (This is where much of the "law and order" language we hear in connection to politics arises!) But a closer look reveals God's concern is not judgment but compassion.
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Hope in the Time of COVID, Part 12 - Hope and Vision
06/04/2021
Hope in the Time of COVID, Part 12 - Hope and Vision
Essential to the life of faith is recognizing that hope is rooted in reality, in what is actually possible. The gospel has no room for fairy tales or wishful thinking, only for what can be accomplished in this time and place. And thus the work of maturity is to expand our vision for what is possible with God (short answer: healing, peace and restoration). The difference is subtle, but critical. In a world that is hurting deeply, the way forward is to see - as best we can - the world through Jesus's eyes.
/episode/index/show/jesusat2am/id/19343885
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Easter 2021: The Long, Slow Triumph of Love!
04/12/2021
Easter 2021: The Long, Slow Triumph of Love!
At the cross, Love and Evil went to war - the final confrontation between God and sin. And the question is: Who won? (It would be good to know, as the answer changes everything about how we live!) The New Testament, of course, argues passionately that Easter is the proof of God's victory, and as a result, the entire course of history has been transformed. But has it? And if, indeed, it has, how might we experience the change for ourselves? What are we to do to both share in and further the triumph of Love?
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Hope in the Time of COVID, Part 11 - Love and Revolution
03/31/2021
Hope in the Time of COVID, Part 11 - Love and Revolution
APOLOGIES for being away so long. No...really. I'm sorry for the extended absence (more in the intro).
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