I’m going to give this a try. If you like The Master’s Table, follow this link to became a fan on Facebook. I’ve put this off for a long time out of a deep rooted fear that no one likes this site. I’m only half joking.
Author Archives: Clark Bunch
It’s Good to Remember
September 11, 2001. Chances are you remember exactly where you were and what you were doing when you first heard the news. We spent the next several hours – perhaps days – listening to the radio and watching the news reels again and again. It’s been nine years, and with debate raging over a Ground Zero mosque and Terry Jones’s Burn a Koran Day the issues are still very much alive. Discussion continues over exactly what to do at the site of where the Twin Towers once stood, because everyone cannot agree on exactly how to honor those that died. One thing is as clear as ever: we will always remember that day.
In Joshua Chapter 4 the Hebrews finally get to cross the Jordan River and enter the promised land. The LORD has Jeremiah command a leader from each tribe to take one stone, and place it in the midst of the river where the priests stood bearing the Ark of the Covenant. When future generations ask what those stones mean, they are to be told the story of when God held the river and His people crossed on dry land. It will be a memorial for ever. Continue reading
On the Lighter Side (5)
If you don’t get it, click here.
Stephen Hawking Settles Things Once and for All
Stephen Hawking’s latest book, The Grand Design, goes on sale next week. Here’s a preview:
“Because there is a law such as gravity, the universe can and will create itself from nothing. Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the universe exists, why we exist,” Hawking writes. “It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the universe going.” Continue reading
More Than Enough
More Than Enough happens to be a song by Chris Tomlin. It’s about how God’s supply is more than enough for our needs. I’ve borrowed the title, but tonight I was thinking about something other than his song. Take a look at these verses from Exodus 36:
2 And Moses called Bezalel and Oholiab and every craftsman in whose mind the Lord had put skill, everyone whose heart stirred him up to come to do the work. 3 And they received from Moses all the contribution that the people of Israel had brought for doing the work on the sanctuary. They still kept bringing him freewill offerings every morning, 4 so that all the craftsmen who were doing every sort of task on the sanctuary came, each from the task that he was doing, 5 and said to Moses, “The people bring much more than enough for doing the work that the Lord has commanded us to do.” 6 So Moses gave command, and word was proclaimed throughout the camp, “Let no man or woman do anything more for the contribution for the sanctuary.” So the people were restrained from bringing, 7 for the material they had was sufficient to do all the work, and more.
In order to build the tabernacle according to God’s instructions, the Hebrews were asked to donate the materials. Carpenters, goldsmiths and seamstresses were asked to do the skilled labor. In this passage, stuff just poured in until Moses had to command them to STOP giving. Wow. Can you imagine that happening today? What if the ushers had to push people away from the offering plates because they were full? What if the soup kitchen had more food than they had hungry people to feed? What if the local coat closet was busting at the seams, and they ask people to stop giving them winter coats, gloves and scarves? The Hebrews had an abundance of materials because they had basically plundered Egypt as they were leaving. They didn’t steal anything; the Egyptians not only let them leave, they begged them to take whatever they wanted and get out. They were commanded to leave quickly. God provided them with an abundance of loot before asking them to make a donation.
Whatever God asks us to do, he has already provided us with more than enough to do it with. Whether its material, or finances, or talent and ability, God provides for us all we need and more, then asks us to trust him with it. Whatever God has called us to, he equips us to be able to do. Even if we can’t see it yet. God knows what he can do; sometimes he just wants to prove it to us.
Bible Survey: Abraham Sacrifices Isaac
I still think starting Bible Survey was a great idea. I wish we were halfway through the New Testament right now instead of still in Genesis, but when were promised everything we want, right?
There is just so much to say about Abraham. His story runs from Genesis 12 to 25, and I’ve found it hard to summarize or skip anything. In Genesis 22, Abraham is willing to and almost does sacrifice Isaac. There are some good lessons in the story about God, and they are all about his love and mercy toward sinners, not about him being vicious, cruel or scary.
Read Abraham Sacrifices Isaac at Bible Survey.
Baptism and Re-Baptism
There’s a story in 1 Samuel about the Israelites carrying the Ark of the Covenant into battle with them. They had beaten by the Philistines and wanted a rematch. So they carried the Ark with them into battle so that, in their own words, “it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies.” Rather than asking God to save them they thought “it” would save them. They confused the symbol with the thing it represented. The symbol is not the thing.* Continue reading
The Strange Relationship Between Abortion and the Death Penalty
The focus of this blog is religion and theology, and I try not to promote a political agenda. I’ve always found something a bit odd though. The same people – and I will try not to give them a label – the same people that oppose the death penalty often favor abortion rights. Their logic astounds me. Continue reading
Two Videos
These are two short films that I’ve seen in the past week. Enjoy. Discuss if you like.
Jesus Junk
I can’t believe it’s been 2 years since I posted Cross of Christ, a light-hearted little rant about the image at left. That’s an mp3 player in the shape of a cross. I asked if this was just another piece of Jesus Junk, a commercialized piece of whatever that nobody actually needs but retailers imagine Christians will buy. I buy Christian CD’s and t-shirts, and there are some other items that are pretty legit. I shop Christian bookstores mostly for books but have bought “other” things there as well. But some people buy Christianized versions of products they already own. Or ridiculous things that they would never have bought if it wasn’t shaped like a cross, or wrapped in tiny scriptures, or embossed with an image of Jesus.
The Jesus Christ Show has an extensive collection of Jesus Junk. I’m sorry if 1) that expression offends you, and 2) you bought/own any of the items pictured. I mean no disrespect to Jesus using that term, and imagine he has facepalmed himself a time a two over some of the things people market Christians just to make a buck. Browse the pics, have a laugh, and remember: none of us conform to his image perfectly. I fail every single day and he loves me in spite of myself.
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