Hunting Ridge Presbyterian Church

Luke 4:14-30:     An inaugural speech usually sets the tone for the work ahead, touching on the key points which the president plans to focus on during his or her tenure.  It is the first speech of the presidency, and people pay very close attention to its’ content, no matter what their opinion of the speaker.  Jesus’ first sermon in his hometown serves as an inaugural sermon for the gospel of Luke.  He has begun his ministry in Galilee already, teaching in synagogues of towns and villages around the eastern rim of the Lake, but this sermon in Nazareth is an agenda-setting message which sets the tone for this entire gospel. 

            Sitting in the synagogue that day is the man who first taught him to read the ancient Hebrew texts from the scroll.  And the men he sat with to debate the meaning of the words of God.  And in the back was the old, old man who gave him treats Continue reading “Hometown Hero?” →

Luke 3:1-22

One of our shared experiences on our visit to our sister church was a breakfast time reflection based on Paul’s letter to the Philippians.  Pastor Dalia called it a “moving devotional” because there were different people present on different days, and there was always movement– some were serving the coffee, some were clearing the dishes from the table, some were coming and some were going.  Each morning we read in both languages a portion of Paul’s letter, working our way through it over six mornings.  We reflected on the passages together, sharing our varied perspectives, and the ideas we had in common.  We sang and prayed together. Continue reading “Changing Lives/ Life-Changing” →