Salvogesis

“He told them this parable: ‘Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When they sprout leaves, you can see for yourselves and know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that the Kingdom of God is near.” I grew up in Victoria, BC. There we would always have a green Christmas – which it looked like we might actually get here this year. Growing up there, we had snow maybe once every four years or so and when we did, it was gone in about a week. Every February, when much of our great country is still covered in snow, Victoria has its annual flower count. I recently found the statistics for 2002. In that year Victoria counted 8,521,514,876 flowers on that day in February. [1] When I first moved to the Prairies some years ago now – we lived in Winnipeg – I noticed that Februaries in Winnipeg are a little bit different than in Victoria. Instead of + 8 billion flowers, in Winnipeg we had what felt like - 8 billion degree temperatures. It is great her...

This parable of the lost boy is the third of three stories. Who here likes to lose things? How do you feel when you lose your keys? You know that feeling? You think you put them somewhere but they are not there. You are running late. You need to be somewhere and your keys are missing. This is like the first story, the parable of the lost sheep (vv. 8-10). . Now imagine that you find your keys; you go to the mall, buy groceries, and then walk to where your car is (or at least where you think it is) but it is not there. Your car is lost. You look around. You fumble for your fob trying to make the horn honk or the lights blink but it is icy and you have your hands full and you are sure that this is where you left your car but it is lost and you are frantically scanning the parking lot wondering where it might be. This is a parable of the lost coin (vv. 3-7). Now imagine that you are still standing there completely disoriented with your hands full, in the middle of the parking lot...

When I was living in Winnipeg we used to walk the streets Friday nights to share the love of Christ, offering friends a warm meal or a place to stay. Nights went very late; so, I was often exhausted and looking forward to my one day to sleep in – Saturday. This one Saturday about 6am my young daughters come bounding into our room. “Daddy, what’s a trout?” my four year-old, asks as she and her sister climb on my bed. “What’s a trout?”  “A fish, why do you ask?” “A fish?” “Yes, a fish.” “Oh…Like Nemo…?” “Sort of, I think Nemo is a Clown fish.” “Oh”, she says. “Daddy,” asks my three year-old who has been sitting here the whole time, “what’s a trout?” “A fish.” “Like Nemo?” “No.” “Daddy?” “Yes dear!?” “What’s a trout?” “A chipmunk; a Chipmunk!” I snap back with all the composure of one who has not had enough sleep. The girls run out of the room laughing. I pull a pillow over my head, trying to get back to sleep, wondering what just happened and why....

This is my farewell talk to all of you, my friends here at Stoney Mountain Penitentiary, next week I won't be here. Honestly, I’ve really enjoyed living in Winnipeg the last couple of years. It was good getting to know all of you as well. In a week or so I’m getting out. I’m going to miss you guys but (you know what) I’m kind of happy to get out. I don’t know if you can relate to that at all. I’ve been in Winnipeg for about 2 years now and I’ve been at the college that whole time where they tell me what to do, what to wear, when and where to go and, if I want to do anything different, I have to meet with my advisors, my workers, and have tons of paper work filled out. Many times, by the time I have jumped through all the hoops, it’s too late to do the programme that I wanted to do anyway. I don’t know if you would know what that is like. Oh wait? Maybe there are some similarities between us here. All kidding aside, I know it’s not the same but I am still looking forward to bein...

Every Friday morning at 7am we walk through and around Toronto's Regent Park where we live and work, praying for the neighbourhood, the people who live our the neighbourhood, the people who have lived in our neighbourhood and the people who will live in this neighbourhood. Regent Park was North America's oldest housing project. Many people from all over the world have lived in or around this area when they first arrived in Canada. Many people lived here as they were unable to work or find work. Many, many children have lived in this area for a long time. The nieghbourhood is changing. The low-income housing is being replaced by market-value housing and  - that is an answer to prayer - we will see what happens in the long term. In the short term there is violence. This is sadly still a violent community. Many times the community members are on the receiving end of violence perpetrated by people coming here from other parts of the city. Not too many weeks go by without us hea...

Jesus is portrayed here as almost a workaholic. He is working late and he takes his work home; his work right now is casting out demons and he has a lot of work to do. It is dinnertime. He comes to a house to eat but there are so many people that he just keeps working: he and his disciples don’t even take time for a meal. His family is worried about him. They are no doubt worried because he’s not eating anything. He is not taking enough time for himself. He is not taking time to relax. He is just working without a break. Is it any wonder that his mother and brothers, throw up their hands when they hear all of this and say, Verse 21,“He is out of his mind” – “he’s crazy!” Jesus’ family decide it is time to take charge and make him rest. (The Greek word here KRATESAI is the same one used when the authorities ARREST someone. This is what his family is doing.) They are so concerned about him that if Jesus won’t take care of himself, they will take charge of him because, as they underst...

Today we are speaking about Romans 10:9: “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” And, Romans 10:13, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” These are some of the basics of the whole Christian faith (cf. TSA doc. 7). Therefore as we launch into our time today, along these lines I thought that I would share a story that I shared here for the first talent show I was blessed to be a part of here. This story is one I've heard about a kind elderly lady, who in her heart upon a public confession of faith is experiencing the pure joys of Christian love. This lady, Emma, she goes into a local Christian bookstore and sees a “Honk if you love Jesus” bumper sticker. Feeling particularly good that day because she has just come from a great choir practice and prayer meeting, she buys the bumper sticker and she put it on her car – professing her faith publicly. She recalls, ...