One of the scripture readings for this coming Sunday is Matthew 16:21-28. It’s not the main one I’m preaching on, but the last line of it is one I still want to address this week…      Thank God for blogs!      The passage is the one in which Jesus rebukes Peter by saying, “Get behind me, Satan!” It’s always an “ouch” for me when I think about Jesus using “Satan” to refer to one of his disciples. Maybe it helps to know “Satan” means “adversary.” Jesus has just foretold his Passion – his suffering and death – and Peter doesn’t like the idea. Peter even says, “This won’t happen to you.” Peter is wrong of course, and Jesus lets him know in an extremely firm way.      The passage continues with Jesus teaching his disciples that not only will he go to the cross, but his expectation is that those who follow him will also “take up their cross.” In laying down his life, Jesus offers us life; when we are willing to lay down our o...

     Every month I let one of my old mentors, Laurence Hull Stookey, guide me back through the beatitudes and the fruit of the spirit, day by day by day. I receive his guidance in the only way left to this world now that he has gone on, through his written word. So nearly every morning Dr. Stookey writes to me through his book on daily prayer in the Wesleyan tradition, “This Day.”      Recently I arrived once more at the beatitude (found in Matthew 5), “Blessed are the peacemakers.” Once again I was struck by the realization that the world we live in is not acquainted with peace. I was reading and praying in the little side chapel at First United Methodist Church in Albuquerque, just off the main sanctuary, reflecting on these thoughts and gazing at a stained glass depiction of Jesus bearing the words, “would that even today you knew the things that make for peace.”      Those who are acquainted with peace, or want...

     We’re about to start several small groups at First UMC, Albuquerque, all studying Adam Hamilton’s book on the Apostles’ Creed, “Creed: What Christians Believe and Why.” Even if you can’t join us for the study, I would invite you to enter into a season of thinking about what you believe. Shane Claiborne offered the following words about Adam’s book: “In an age where there are many competing versions of Christianity, Adam brings us back to the basics. This book is a beautiful contribution to a better Christianity – a Christianity that looks more like Jesus, a Christianity that is known for love again.” I would agree about the need to get back to the basics as disciples of Jesus Christ… both in belief and practice.      As far as we can tell, the original Apostles’ Creed dates back to the 2 nd or 3 rd century, and is referred to as “The Old Roman Symbol.” I thought I would include its original text in this invitation to either study a book toget...

     When I started seminary, I had a “commuter room” on campus for a night or two. My roommate for the first night was a student from Korea who was on his final year of seminary. English was his second language, and he had learned to boldly ask native speakers to edit his papers, for he wanted to get the most out of his education and do his absolute best.      So, since I was his roommate, he asked me to edit his papers that semester.      Apparently, I did a pretty good job, because a few weeks later, while sitting on an outdoor bench near the dorm’s front doors, another Korean student, whom I did not know, came up to me and said, “Are you Jon? Could you edit my paper for me?” Word got around, and I quickly found an on-campus ministry as a supplier of feedback on papers. (And, wanting to be helpful, I did it for free.)      Most of us don’t seek out correction. Our culture seems to value feedbac...