Jonathan L. Best Holy Week, Reflection

A Short Reflection on Maundy Thursday

12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s … Continue reading A Short Reflection on Maundy Thursday

cthomasparks Justice, Reflection, Sermon

Injustice in Defense of an Idol: A Reflection on Matthew 2:1-18

Author Note: A Sermon delivered to Orange City United Methodist Church (Orange City, FL) on January 2, 2022. When I was a child, our church did the same Christmas play, every year. It was basically the standard amalgamation of the Gospel stories—it combined the Shepherds from Luke with the Magi from Matthew, with interspersed carols for … Continue reading Injustice in Defense of an Idol: A Reflection on Matthew 2:1-18

cthomasparks Justice, Margins, Reflection, Sermon

Tamar, Judah, and Marginalization: A Reflection on Genesis 38

Author Note: A Sermon delivered to Orange City United Methodist Church (Orange City, FL) on November 7, 2021. Every part of the Bible screams “Gospel”; some just need to be squeezed harder than others. That’s what one of my professors told me, anyway. This passage strikes me as one that needs quite a bit of squeezing. … Continue reading Tamar, Judah, and Marginalization: A Reflection on Genesis 38

cthomasparks Reflection, Sermon, Suffering

God’s Deafening Silence: A Reflection on Job 19:1-8

Author Note: A Sermon delivered to Orange City United Methodist Church (Orange City, FL) on August 8, 2021. “How long ago was that day?” Job thought. He’d been so distraught and disturbed, he could merely only observe that time had continued to progress unrelentingly, unmercifully, without noting its amount or meaning. Time had continued—was it … Continue reading God’s Deafening Silence: A Reflection on Job 19:1-8