Pastor Craig's ConSpiritu Blog

You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.   ( Matthew 5:21-26) This week we continue with some thoughts towards the Sermon Se...

Today I want to pause for a moment and look a little closer at a description of the Realm of Heaven about which I have been recently writing and preaching. I use the term “Realm of Heaven” as a translation of the Koiné Greek expression, basileian tōn ouranōn (βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν), which is often translated as “kingdom of heaven.” There are those who object to the use of hierarchical and monarchistic descriptions of God and heaven, redolent as they are with references to human despots, dictators and tyrants. This attitude is in keeping with the teachings of Jesus when he told his disciples: “Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (...

Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17-20) I have recently started a sermon series entitled, “Okay, Jesus, Now What?” We have just celebrated Advent, Christmas and Epiphany. Jesus has arrived (again). Fine and dandy, but what now? This sermon series focuses upon the Sermon on the Mount , found in the fifth through seventh chapters of the Gospel According to Matthew. The basi...

I began this blog last Monday, and the busy events of this last week intervened before I completed it. Maybe the slight passage of time will assist in the reception of these thoughts… I have been shocked and speared through the heart these past few days by the horror of the recent shootings in Newtown, Connecticut. I am well-assured that I am not alone in these feelings. As I have struggled as a person whose call is to put into words that which is ultimately beyond description – the immensity and power of  God’s love, mercy, justice and grace – I have been at a loss for an adequate way to articulate a response that is helpful, truthful, and insightful, and which does not simply regurgitate the many canards and nostrums circulating on Facebook and the Internet.  Last Sunday, as we prepared to have our hearts lifted by the magnificent tones of our choir’s cantata, I paused before we lit the three candles of Advent to remind the congregation that it was because of just such ...

Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. For six days you shall labour and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns. For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it. ( Exodus 20: 8-11) Someone has said that in our high-pressure, consumerist, business-driven culture, the most radical thing to do is to pause and do nothing. In fact, it’s not just radical, it is revolutionary. But radical is a good word to use, because it means getting to the root of things. And when considering spiritual things, returning to the Bible is a good way to get back to the root. So it is that when we return to the Bible we find that the idea of pausing, taking a rest, and not being a slave to “produc...