The Greatness of God
Richard A. Kauffman
Soon after I began my ministry years ago, I participated in a retreat at Spruce Lake Camp in the Pocono Mountains in northeastern Pennsylvania. The retreat was for both adult and youth leaders of youth groups. It was such a spiritually stimulating event that one high school youth went to the retreat leaders to tell […]
Time for Celebration
Richard A. Kauffman
Here’s a question for you to ponder: did God command Sabbath-keeping because the Sabbath is good? Or is it good because God commanded it? Think on that! Some years ago I had a one-semester sabbatical. We were originally going to Oxford, England, but at the last minute our housing fell through. So we had to […]
Sabbath Ceasing
Richard A. Kauffman
Did God command Sabbath keeping because it’s good? Or is it good because God commanded it? That’s an age-old issue that can be asked of any divine command.
Show and Tell
Richard A. Kauffman
Until about the age of six, my family went to the East Chestnut Street Mennonite Church in the city of Lancaster, PA. We children were all given a penny bank that was modeled after the church building as it looked in the 1950s. It was made by one of the pastors who was a pattern […]
The Blessing Place
Richard A. Kauffman
Zephaniah, a minor prophet, consisted of nine prophetic oracles (that is, messages from God). Eight of these oracles were judgment against Judah and Jerusalem for their pride and failure to keep the covenant. This book was written during King Josiah’s reign, a reform-minded monarch. Despite his best efforts, there was still a great deal of […]
A Symphony in 3 Movements
Richard A. Kauffman
I’ll let you in on a little family secret: At one time I was known in my family for driving on an empty tank of gas. Family members knew that if they drove my car, their first task might be to go straight to a gas station to get some gas. It was partly strategic: […]
Alms from the Poor?
Richard A. Kauffman
We know what this story is about, correct? A poor widow comes to the Temple. She’s dependent on the kindness of others, since widows in that socio-economic context didn’t get to control their husband’s estate. She has two small coins, which she put into the Temple treasury. She could have saved one for herself, but […]
Did Job Get a Passing Grade?
Richard A. Kauffman
“Have you considered my servant Job?” That’s a question God asks twice in the book of Job. Yes, for the last 3 Sundays, and yet again this morning we are considering God’s servant, Job. I remind you what this Job story is about. Job is put to the test: Satan—not the devil but one of […]
Job’s Bitter Complaint
Richard A. Kauffman
Mark did a terrific job last week launching our 4-Sunday series on Job. He used his law background to good advantage. I wouldn’t want to oppose Mark in a court of law! Job asks the really big questions of life: Who is God? Where is God? Who are we as humans? Why is there suffering […]
Cure or Healing?
Richard A. Kauffman
Duane Beck, a retired Mennonite pastor, says that when he started his first pastorate right out of seminary, he preached repeatedly on the theme of discipleship. He discovered that the members of his congregation were committed Christians who had every intention of deepening their life of discipleship, but they didn’t or couldn’t for some reason. […]
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