We mustn't stay on the mountain. The valleys are plentiful and THAT'S where Jesus calls us.
According to this passage, the Christian narrative is nothing if it is not about restorative justice.
The Gospel takes on many forms. And many of those forms stir the pot and threaten the status quo.
Sometimes one part of the body is hurting and the other parts of the body have to call an audible to compensate for the disability. Sometimes too much focus is given to one part of the body and the other part of the body suffers because of it. Having all the members work together to form a body that can live a fulfilling and productive life is no small task.
Baptism is no mere appetizer; it's a full, five-course meal to be celebrated and explored!
You see, there was a cruel tyrant who always felt insecure about himself. So insecure, in fact, that he was scared of a baby. And people who are insecure lash out. He had been told that this baby would grow old and save the people that he enjoyed oppressing. He, after all, was a political leader who thrived on oppression. Things worked best for him when the people thought he was their savior. But this baby was about to change all of that and he would have none of it.