Posts by Rev. Steve Holm (Page 217)

John 20:19-23 “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” vs. 23                 According to John, after the resurrection, Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit into the disciples and told them that they were the extension of his mission. Moreover it is clearly implied that forgiving sins would be their central activity, that nothing was more important. Through the years the church has taken this imperative seriously and…

1 Peter 1:3-9 “Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” vss. 8-9 We believers are a curious lot. Although we never saw Jesus during his earthly sojourn, and even though we don’t now see him in the flesh, guided by the Spirit we…

Psalm 16:7-11 “You show me the path of life. In your presence there is fullness of joy; in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” vs. 11 Sometimes we forget that we can get a powerful dose of gospel from the Old Testament, and today’s passage is a perfect example. What the psalmist describes here is nothing less than the resurrected life that we have in Christ Jesus. During the Easter season, we are regularly reminded that Jesus is alive and…

Psalm 16:1-6 “Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; I have no good apart from you.’” vss. 1-2 Lent is over and Easter has begun. Through these next weeks, we’ll be reflecting on the shape of the resurrected life we have in Christ Jesus. Last Sunday it was good to come together for our annual Easter morning pep rally and sing the old familiar songs of triumph and…

Acts 2:14a, 22-33 “This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses.” vs. 32 There are a lot of explanations for the rapid expansion of Christianity in the first century. Some credit Paul with developing a message that offered freedom and hope to God-seekers, and that appealed to both Jews and Gentiles. Without him, they say, no one would even remember that crucified rabbi from Nazareth. It’s interesting to consider such arguments but the true explanation…

Matthew 28:1-10 “Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” vs 7 Recent news has focused on the attempts of genetic researchers, funded by Silicon Valley billionaire entrepreneurs, to unlock the secrets of aging and make it possible for human beings to achieve immortality. At the very least they hope to extend our…

Colossians 3:1-4 “So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.” vs. 1 As we take time to prepare for tomorrow’s celebration of resurrection, it’s important to remember that Easter isn’t just about Jesus. It’s also a time to sing praises for the resurrected life that is ours now in Christ. When the Holy Spirit called us to faith through the gospel, we also received…

Psalm  22 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer; and by night, but find no rest.” vss. 1-2 According to Matthew as Jesus hung on the cross on that fateful Friday we call Good, he endured scorn and abuse from all who were watching: soldiers, religious leaders, anyone who passed by…even the…

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 “the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’” vs. 23b-24 From the very beginning, followers of Jesus have gathered regularly for Holy Communion and used the same words remembered by Paul as he sent instructions to the Corinthians. What is said and done is the…

Hebrews 12:1-3 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us,” vs. 1 From the beginning followers of Jesus have believed that the dead in Christ are a part of what is known as the “church triumphant.” They have ended their lives in this world and now rest in peace…

Psalm 71:1-4 “Be to me a rock of refuge, a strong fortress, to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.” vs. 3 According to tradition Rev. Augustus Toplady was riding along a gorge in the Mendip Hills in England in 1763 when he took shelter from a sudden storm in a fissure in the rock. Inspired by the moment he later penned the words to a hymn called “Rock of Ages” that has touched the hearts of…

Isaiah 42:1-9 “I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness, I have taken you by the hand and kept you; I have given you as a covenant to the people, a light to the nations,” vs. 6 Isaiah lays out the role of the Suffering Servant quite clearly in these amazing passages written some 500 years before Jesus. It’s obvious from the context of these verses that the prophet identifies Israel with the Servant, but following Jesus’ resurrection…