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The ‘stupidity’ of the cross

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The message of the cross of Jesus Christ has never been a popular one. In the ancient world, as the early church was just starting to pick up steam, the idea of God on a cross was particularly offensive and laughable to many. Last week I wrote about the Greek word “skandalon,” a word that the Apostle Paul used to describe the Jewish reaction to his preaching about the cross. It was a scandalous idea to most Jewish minds that the Messiah would suffer in such a way. In the same letter to the Christians in Corinth, Paul describes the Gentile reaction to the cross as mostly being one of rejection as well. To Gentile minds, the message of the cross was foolish, even stupid.

Keeping the wolves at bay

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When the Russians began their invasion of Ukraine, Ukrainian composer Adrian Mocanu heard the wailing warning of the air-raid sirens and said, “I thought the sirens sounded like giant wolves howling.” Well, metaphorically as it turns out, he wasn’t too far off in painting a picture of what was to come.

Take some cement and harden up

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I had a discouraging day yesterday.

Childhood toys that could kill

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Remember when you were a kid and the more dangerous something was the more fun it became? Isn’t that why we climbed trees or balanced on a fence post or rode our bikes really fast down hills?

The scandal of the cross

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There is a scandal at the heart of the Christian faith. This scandal makes it hard for people to believe in the person of Jesus and in the words of Jesus. The scandal is not some kind of hidden moral failing in a leader of a movement that has just come to light. It is out there in public view and is talked about from Christian pulpits regularly. The scandal is this: Christians believe that the Messiah, the Son of God, died a shame-filled death inflicted on him by his own Jewish leaders through the enforcement of Roman law. In a word, the scandal is about the cross on which Jesus suffered death.

Maybe I’m just getting old, cynical

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One of the lead front-page stories, second section, in the redoubtable Wall Street Journal this past weekend was all about how much is too much jewelry to wear to your private yoga lessons in New York City; really, there is a competition for who’s the most bejeweled. But the question was, when does it start to get in the way of “downward dog?”

She’s got Rod Stewart hair

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“I like your hair!” a woman at the party said.

The day my life changed forever

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Editor’s note — The author originally posted this column on Feb. 9, 2014.

Talking local add-on storage

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This time we’ll talk about local add-on storage. Why, with all the cloud alternatives? Read on and we’ll discuss why or why not and some options.

Is a trip to Scotland selfish?

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I asked my wife last year what she wanted to do to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. I was not expecting the word that came out of her mouth immediately.