Jesus at 2AM - A Humorous, Intelligent Look at the Bible, Church History & the Life of Faith

"Love is the name of the game" rolls regularly off my tongue; but what does it look like in practice? In this episode we examine some of Jesus's seemingly extreme demands of his disciples and discover they are not a loyalty test, but rather a call to love with vitality and devotion. Such love requires risk, but it can (and will!) change the world. Included are a few examples of what we can do toda...

Once again, Jesus disrupts dinner party decorum. In this case, it is to heal a man suffering terrible pain. A worthy cause, his Pharisee hosts, would agree. But this particular dinner was happening on the Sabbath, and, well...healings were "work" and should wait. Or should they? In this episode we get another look at Jesus's attempts to reveal the depth of the love of God (and the response of our...

The life of faith will have its share of sleepless nights. The question is whether we are having them for the right reasons. In this episode we look at Jesus's parable of the "narrow door" - a stern warning to those who, in their self righteousness, would never bother to question their citizenship within the Kingdom of God. But question they should, question we all should. NOT to foster undue fear...

Of one thing we can all be sure: the kingdom of God will upend expectations. Religious insiders will find themselves on the wrong end of rebuke while outsiders are welcomed as family. The lowly and humble will be raised up, while the strong discover their weakness; and the most most noble, royal work will be that of the gardener... In this episode regular guest preacher, Ian Farrell, examines a co...

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also..." This is not simply Jesus's way of warning about the stockpiling of earthly wealth, but rather an invitation to a more direct encounter with God. In this episode our regular guest preacher, Ian Farrell, explores the realm of the "sublime" - the encounter with God that is beyond words and yet of the greatest value.  The text for this epi...

As tension with the Pharisees intensifies, Jesus steps more fully into his prophetic role - warning of impending disaster for those who refuse to repent of their present religious and political allegiances. But to be understood, these warnings (and assurances) must be heard in their proper context. In this episode we practice interpreting such passages from a variety of perspectives to hear what J...

Jesus accepts the dinner invitation of a prominent Pharisee - a meeting that immediately erupts in scandal, as Jesus forgoes the ritual washing expected by his host. It leads to Jesus declaring a series of "woes" - like those of the early Hebrew prophets - condemning the Pharisees for dedicating such energy to the tiniest details of ritual while managing to ignore the greatest commandment of all:...

At first reading, it seems we have met a different Jesus! The preacher of grace and welcome has become a prophet of condemnation, declaring such things as: "Whoever is not with me is against me," and, "This generation is an evil generation..." How do we explain this change in tone? Why the threats of judgment? And what's so wrong with the crowds asking for a "sign" to verify Jesus's authority? In...

Does prayer make a difference in the universe? Really? Reeaally? Jesus's answer is: yes. And he offers all those who would be his followers instruction in how to pray, and, even more importantly, what the purpose of prayer is. It's a transformative lesson for any and all of us who seriously wonder prayer affects anything, and why our prayers so often seem unanswered. The text for this episode is L...

"Love is the name of the game" is a phrase you hear frequently around here, and it's true. But when love becomes a commandment, there is a temptation to turn love into duty, in which obedience to duty takes on a life of its own. In this episode we examine the story of two sisters, Martha and Mary. Martha obeys convention to love Jesus properly. Mary flagrantly violates every social norm to love Je...

The parable of the Good Samaritan is often taught as a morality tale about the importance of compassion (with overtones implying that such acts of generosity are means by which one secures a place in the heavenly afterlife). But Jesus's intent goes far deeper! In this episode we examine central command to love and the human temptation to draw boundaries that divide the lovable from the not-so-much...

The 70 disciples who were sent to bear witness to the gospel and embody the ministry of Jesus now return with an astonishing report: it worked! To their amazement, God has given them the power and resources they were promised, such that "even the demons submit to us." It is a lesson every disciple must learn time and again. And as we do, we discover that the gap between heaven and earth is far nar...

As Canvas celebrates our 5th anniversary, we return to our very first sermon - an articulation of the mission, vision and core values we felt called to embody. It's an inside look at the first days of a new church plant, and why we have shaped our community in the manner we have. Whether you are thinking of starting something new, considering making adjustments to an ongoing ministry or simply wan...

Finally, we come to the joy of Christmas! For weeks we have been examining Israel's fall from her priestly office, and with it the fear that God's project of salvation might be forever lost. But the God of love will not be thwarted, and last we learn how God will fulfill the covenant of with Abraham - God will become human, to carry out Israel's obedience himself! In this episode we look at the Je...

Israel's (and thus humanity's) situation has gone from bad to worse. The "trial" we witnessed in part 2 has become a verdict and sentence: exile (a symbol God may be abandoning the promise of salvation!). After all "What more was there to do [for Israel]" that had not already been done? What advantage had not been given? What blessing withheld? And still she could not fulfill her pledge of priestl...

Is God really a harsh judge, hovering in the heavens ready at any moment to accuse and punish? In this episode, we find ourselves jurors as God indeed places Israel on trial. And yet, even as God makes his case (airtight we might add), we hear not the rage of a king before a traitor, but the pain of a father who wants nothing but that his foolish children would recognize that they are chasing afte...

Few words terrify the typical Christian like "evangelism." It instantly conjures images of hellfire preachers on corners or, worse yet, the awkwardly forced conversation about Jesus with a "non-believing" friend (ugh!). It's worth noting that Jesus did neither of these, nor asked it of his disciples. Jesus did, however, send. He sent ill-equipped, nervous followers to carry the good news of the pr...

Interrupting your regularly scheduled sermon from Luke with a sermon for Advent... Advent is the season of preparation for Jesus's coming, a time to remember his birth in Bethlehem, yes, but primarily a time to remember that Jesus is coming again. In short, it is a time to get in touch with our need for a savior. In this episode we join the story of Israel in the days after the settling in Canaan,...

As Jesus "sets his face toward Jerusalem" (i.e., resolves to force a confrontation with the religious authorities), the conflict that will lead to his crucifixion begins to take shape. It starts with a rejection of Jesus as he seeks to enter Samaria (located between the regions Galilee and Judea) and continues with Jesus's rejection of some would-be followers. In this episode regular J@2AM preache...

Who is really doing the work of the kingdom? Is it those who profess faith in Jesus? Is it the professing and pious? Those who work wonders in his name? Jesus's answer is, once again...unexpected. And it - joyfully! - opens new door for our own work of love and for partnering with others. It turns out, "Whoever is not against us is for us."  

It is tempting in the life of faith to seek "mountain top" experiences - those moments when we feel nearly at one with God and alive with passion. We get the sense in those moments that we are being truly "spiritual" (which is the goal, right?...wait, is it?). In this episode we travel to a literal mountain top with Peter, James and John where they have a direct encounter with God. And what the ar...

At last Jesus's disciples seem to be understanding him! Jesus asks his inner circle: "Who do you say that I am?" And Peter responds for the team: "The Messiah of God!" Finally, Jesus's full identity is being recognized!...except that Jesus then admonishes Peter et al to tell this to no one; and furthermore, to be ready to take up their own crosses when the time comes. It is not quite the spiking o...

The gospel is ultimately the story of a king reclaiming his throne. In this passage we have Jesus and his allies crossing a body of water to land on foreign shores. The story includes the miracle of calming a storm and casting out demons. But the significance of what happens is very much deeper.