Covenant Church

In Jonah 4, Jonah prays a very dark prayer to God. Is this OK? Zack surveys Scripture and concludes that God can and wants to handle our darkest cries.

At the end of Jonah chapter 3, God changes His mind. But does He really? Zack discusses the debate between the "classical view" and the open theist view and proposes a third alternative.

Does repentance require emotion? Zack reflects on this question and discusses how critical it is that we pursue a relationship with a Personal God.

Jonah's entire rhetorically-savvy, apologetically-rich sermon that causes the repentance of 120,000 Ninevites is "Forty days more, and Nineveh shall be overthrown!" How was this possible effective? Zack discusses Spirit-inspired speaking and Spirit-inspired listening.

Is Jonah a factual historical account or an edifying parable? Zack discusses what is at stake with different answers to this question.

Jonah prays a profound prayer from the belly of the fish: Zack reflects on his deep knowledge of the Psalms and the importance of testifying to our saving God's many acts of salvation.

In this second sermon on Jonah 1, Zack explains how Jonah shows us much, much more than than God loves foreigners; it shows us that God loves those who seem outside the story, those whom we don't think God can, does, or should love.

After setting the historical scene (Ninevah, Tarshish, etc.) Zack explains how Jonah 1 teaches us that God loves the ninety-nine as well as the one -- and, through Jonah, shows us the lengths to which He will go to reach the one.

How, exactly, does the Gospel of Mark end (at verse 8 or at verse 20)? What is the significance of the fact that we can ask this question? If this gospel ends at v. 8, how do we understand an ending of seeming failure? This sermon concludes our 2+ year journey through the Gospel of Mark.

The stones would cry out: Zack meditates on this detail from Luke's telling of Palm Sunday to reflect on the cosmic scope of that day.

Zack traces a trajectory in the Bible's teachings about women -- as an example of how to read the Bible dynamically and faithfully.

Zack tells the story of St. Patrick -- and how St. Patrick's life mission to the Irish exemplifies Jesus' teaching to love your enemies. Like Jesus on the cross, like our own calling, Patrick loved with God's love.

Zack wrestles with how to understand the so-called cry of dereliction and, more broadly, the cross.

Simon of Cyrene helped carry Jesus' cross: Zack reflects on our also carrying crosses.

What turns a crowd into a mob and how does this affect our daily life? Why is Pontius Pilate mentioned in the Apostles' Creed? Zack explores both questions.

When a biblical story is not your story but the story of your people.

Reflecting on the slave whose ear was cut off, Zack makes a case for Christian pacifism.

Jesus in Gethsemane: Musing on four strange features of the story leads Zack to four observations.

How deep is God's forgiveness? Drawing upon a real historical situation from the third century A.D. and on the story of Peter's threefold denial, Zack attempts an answer.

Why did Judas betray Jesus? The question is surprisingly difficult to answer -- but some informed speculation can help illuminate some very important dynamics for Christian faith.

In this Epiphany sermon, Zack contrast two ways of Christ "illuminating" the world -- and argues that God often works in mustard-seed ways.

Why does the Christmas story include this horrible story of infants being slaughtered? Zack attempts to answer that question and, in doing so, explores the implications of our need for systematizing our faith.

In this short sermon, Zack tells the story of Damien of Molokai as an analogy for understanding the mystery of the incarnation.

What is our ultimate Christian hope? This Advent, as in Advents past, Zack sketches some of the answers to this question. This week, he focuses on what our hope for Sabbath Rest means.

What is our ultimate Christian hope? This Advent, as in Advents past, Zack sketches some of the answers to this question. This week, he focuses on how God intends to go beyond even restoring to fullness all that He had created.