April 3, 33

According to geologists, this may well be the date Jesus was crucified:

To analyze earthquake activity in the region, geologist Jefferson Williams of Supersonic Geophysical and colleagues Markus Schwab and Achim Brauer of the German Research Center for Geosciences studied three cores from the beach of the Ein Gedi Spa adjacent to the Dead Sea.

Varves, which are annual layers of deposition in the sediments, reveal that at least two major earthquakes affected the core: a widespread earthquake in 31 B.C. and an early first century seismic event that happened sometime between 26 A.D. and 36 A.D.

But the earthquake clues are not enough to prove the story:


In terms of textual clues to the date of the crucifixion, Williams quoted a Nature paper authored by Colin Humphreys and Graeme Waddington. Williams summarized their work as follows:

• All four gospels and Tacitus in Annals (XV,44) agree that the crucifixion occurred when Pontius Pilate was procurator of Judea from 26-36 AD.
• All four gospels say the crucifixion occurred on a Friday.
• All four gospels agree that Jesus died a few hours before the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath (nightfall on a Friday).
• The synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) indicate that Jesus died before nightfall on the 15th day of Nisan; right before the start of the Passover meal.
• John’s gospel differs from the synoptics; apparently indicating that Jesus died before nightfall on the 14th day of Nisan.

When data about the Jewish calendar and astronomical calculations are factored in, a handful of possible dates result, with Friday April 3, 33 A.D. being the best match, according to the researchers.

You can read the rest of the story here

Memorial Day

If it causes you anguish, step outside the box...forget that these words are being spoken by a Greman General during WWII...listen only to what he is saying...


Thank you to all who have served and to all who have worked behind the scenes to give them the opportunity to serve. May God Bless...

Pentecost...

in 2 minutes...

from Busted Halo

As an FYI, the symbol of the United Methodist Church is called the Cross and Flame.

Can you guess what the flame stands for?

The history and significance of the Cross and Flame emblem are as rich and diverse as The United Methodist Church. The insignia's birth quickly followed the union of two denominations in 1968: The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church.

Following more than two dozen conceptualizations, a traditional symbol—the cross—was linked with a single flame with dual tongues of fire. The resulting insignia is rich in meaning. It relates The United Methodist church to God through Christ (cross) and the Holy Spirit (flame). The flame is a reminder of Pentecost when witnesses were unified by the power of the Holy Spirit and saw "tongues, as of fire" (Acts 2:3).

The elements of the emblem also remind us of a transforming moment in the life of Methodism's founder, John Wesley, when he sensed God's presence and felt his heart "strangely warmed." The two tongues of a single flame may also be understood to represent the union of two denominations.

The Blessed One

Jesus is the Blessed One.  The word benediction, which is the Latin form for the word blessing, means "to say (dicere) good things (bene)."  Jesus is the Blessed One because God has spoken good things of him.  Most clearly we hear God's blessing after Jesus has been baptised in the river Jordan, when "suddenly there was a voice from heaven, 'This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him'"  (Matthew 3:16-17).


With this blessing Jesus starts his public ministry.  And all of that ministry is to make known to us that this blessing is not only for Jesus but also for all who follow him.

                                                                        Henri Nouwen 

Tomorrow, we celebrate Pentecost...the coming down and the movement of the Holy Spirit that resulted in the birth of the Christian church. 


An ancient church father, Origen, said, “The weakness that the Spirit helps us with is the flesh. Whenever the Holy Spirit sees our spirit struggling with the flesh and being drawn to it, he stretches out his hand and helps us in our weakness” (Gerald Bray, ed., Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture: New Testament VI, Romans [Downers Grove, Illinois: Intervarsity Press, 1998], 229). What a blessing that the Holy Spirit remembers us and helps us in our weakness.

We cannot walk this journey alone. God, the Father and Jesus, the Blessed One, reach out to us through the working of the Holy Spirit to accomplish all God would have us do. That still small voice, that feeling in your gut that you just can't shake, that's the Spirit's touch...do not take His direction lightly. For although it may seem like He has chosen an unlikely path, it is always the best one.

Venerable Bede

May 25th is the feast day for a saint known to us today as "The Venerable Bede,". He lived in England 673 to 735, spending his life from age 7 in the Wearmouth Abbey in Northumberland. As a Benedictine, his hours would have followed a regular schedule of worship and prayer, study, teaching, and writing.

Bede was a very wise man and  wrote 25 commentaries on the Bible, many of which are still used today. He also wrote a comprehensive guide to English history to date (History of the English Church and People) which gained him the title of "The Father of English History".In 1899, Bede was made a Doctor of the Church by Leo XIII. He is the only native of Great Britain to achieve this designation.

Bede was moreover a skilled linguist and translator, and his work with the Latin and Greek writings of the early Church Fathers contributed significantly to English Christianity, making the writings much more accessible to his fellow Anglo-Saxons.

On a side note, Jarrow Nonastery was founded in 682. The dedication stone:

still survives and it is very possible that Bede himself helped with the setting and the building of the church.

MethodX

Why are Christians

I saw this posted on a friends Facebook page:



The text read:
When you do a search on Google, suggestions are shown based on popular searches by other users. It can give us an authentic look into the mind of our culture. This video is based on actual search results. It is a thought provoking and convicting challenge to all believers.

I decided to try the Google search myself and found that all the letters posted gave negative answers right off...except:

for the letter "H"...Why are Christians so "happy" was #2
for the letter "L"...Why are Christians so "loving" was # 1
for the letter "N"...Why are Christians so "nice" was # 1

That was it...the 23 other letters had either no response of a negative one, or two or three or more. Much food for thought here...

Unique Wedding photos

If you live in Kansas you know about a tornado! But, I doubt many of you would like one to be a part of your wedding photos!

"I saw the tornado forming even before the wedding started," Caleb said. "I told my dad but he said not to worry about it." The couple was focused on their big day, despite the twisters.

"I was getting married, I really didn't care about the tornado," Caleb said. "I told Candra and she said she didn't want to hear about it right now." Although it formed the backdrop for their photos, the tornado steered clear of the Pence family farm where the ceremony took place.

Caleb's mother was quoted as saying:  "It was very classic: boots, jeans, wheat and tornado. You can't get any better than that for Kansas."