Thoughts Along the Way

Thoughts Along the Way J. Steven Beckham, retired ELCA Lutheran Pastor.

The Keys of HeavenThe body of the old man lay stretched out upon the table, prepared according to custom and covered wit...
08/18/2026

The Keys of Heaven

The body of the old man lay stretched out upon the table, prepared according to custom and covered with a shroud. The presbyter, who had been gazing out the window, or perhaps deep into his own thoughts, broke from his reverie, stood up, removed a papyrus scroll from the folds of his robe, then moved to the body lying on the table....

The body of the old man lay stretched out upon the table, prepared according to custom and covered with a shroud.  The presbyter, who had been gazing out the window, or perhaps deep into …

Thought PollutionMatthew 15:21-28 and Mark 7:24-30 Are there stories or sayings in the Bible that make you uncomfortable...
08/11/2026

Thought Pollution

Matthew 15:21-28 and Mark 7:24-30 Are there stories or sayings in the Bible that make you uncomfortable? This story of Jesus and the Canaanite woman has really bothered me for a long time, mostly because at first reading Jesus come off as a bit of a jerk. But here’s the thing: I think this story is supposed to be disturbing. It’s supposed to bother us....

Matthew 15:21-28 and Mark 7:24-30 Are there stories or sayings in the Bible that make you uncomfortable?  This story of Jesus and the Canaanite woman has really bothered me for a long tim…

Who Asked You to Walk on Water?Who Asked You to Walk on Water? Matthew 14:22-33 After healing a multitude of people and ...
08/08/2026

Who Asked You to Walk on Water?

Who Asked You to Walk on Water? Matthew 14:22-33 After healing a multitude of people and then miraculously feeding an even bigger multitude of people, Jesus was finally going to get some time to himself. Matthew tells us, “Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up the mountain by himself to pray.” …...

Who Asked You to Walk on Water? Matthew 14:22-33 After healing a multitude of people and then miraculously feeding an even bigger multitude of people, Jesus was finally going to get some time to hi…

Nothin’ Ain’t Nothin’There's no such thing as nothing. Matthew 14:13-21 In this Sunday’s gospel reading Jesus feeds more...
08/01/2026

Nothin’ Ain’t Nothin’

There's no such thing as nothing. Matthew 14:13-21 In this Sunday’s gospel reading Jesus feeds more than 5000 people with five loaves and two fish, so of course I’ve been thinking about quantum mechanics. Bear with me here. There are six accounts in the gospels of Jesus feeding multitudes of people from almost nothing: two accounts in Matthew, two in Mark, one in Luke and one in John....

There’s no such thing as nothing. Matthew 14:13-21 In this Sunday’s gospel reading Jesus feeds more than 5000 people with five loaves and two fish, so of course I’ve been thinking about quant…

Matthew’s String of PearlsThe kingdom of heaven is....organic. Matthew 13:31-51 From the very beginning of his ministry,...
07/25/2026

Matthew’s String of Pearls

The kingdom of heaven is....organic. Matthew 13:31-51 From the very beginning of his ministry, the preaching and teaching of Jesus was centered on and anchored in one single, clear message: “The time is ripe. The Reign of God is arriving. Change your life and trust the good news.”[1] Ever since Constantine this message has too often been either spiritualized or relegated to end times theology....

The kingdom of heaven is….organic. Matthew 13:31-51 From the very beginning of his ministry, the preaching and teaching of Jesus was centered on and anchored in one single, clear message:&nbs…

Life Among the WeedsLife would be almost perfect, dontcha know, if we just got rid of so-and-so....
07/19/2026

Life Among the Weeds

Life would be almost perfect, dontcha know, if we just got rid of so-and-so....

Life would be almost perfect, dontcha know, if we just got rid of so-and-so.

Whole Grain GoodnessYou reap what you sow... Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23; Isaiah 55:10-11 A sower went out to sow… I have a sp...
07/12/2026

Whole Grain Goodness

You reap what you sow... Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23; Isaiah 55:10-11 A sower went out to sow… I have a special fondness for this parable which I’ll explain in a moment. The parable of the sower, which appears in Matthew, Mark and Luke with slight but important differences, is an allegory, and when his disciples ask him to explain it to them Jesus tells them what the different elements represent....

You reap what you sow… Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23;  Isaiah 55:10-11 A sower went out to sow…  I have a special fondness for this parable which I’ll explain in a moment. The par…

Weighed in the BalanceMatthew 11:16-19, 25-30 “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, ...
07/05/2026

Weighed in the Balance

Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Inspiring words. Cherished words. But I struggle with these words from the Declaration of Independence, especially this weekend as we observe the 250th birthday of our nation....

Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, …

A Blessed Antidote for a Dystopian WorldWhile Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinner...
06/06/2026

A Blessed Antidote for a Dystopian World

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” When Jesus heard this, he said, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”...

While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew’s house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, “Why does your tea…

You Are Invited to Dance!You Are Invited to Dance One night when I was about 14 years old, I saw something that was almo...
05/31/2026

You Are Invited to Dance!

You Are Invited to Dance One night when I was about 14 years old, I saw something that was almost indescribably beautiful, something that left me completely spellbound. My mom and dad had gone out for dinner, just the two of them. I don’t know what the occasion was, but they had dressed up for it. Mom was wearing a black cocktail dress and Dad was wearing his best suit and tie....

You Are Invited to Dance One night when I was about 14 years old, I saw something that was almost indescribably beautiful, something that left me completely spellbound.   My mom and …

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