Dying?
Visiting the National Museum in New Delhi recently, I came across this sculpture dating back to the 10th century.
This is Yama (यम in Sanskrit), the lord of death in Hinduism. (Actually one finds this god also in Sikhism, Buddhism, in Chinese, Tibetan, Korean, and Japanese mythology, as well as in Iranian/Zoroastrian tradition.)
And no wonder. Humankind has always worried about death. What happens afterwards? Speculations have abounded fueling most of the after-life
Irony!
The Agra Fort, another UNESCO World Heritage site, dates back to early 1100s. It was captured and fortified by the Mughal emperor of India in the late 1500s, Akbar, the grandfather of Shah Jahan—the one who had the Taj Mahal constructed as a mausoleum for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The fort is about 2 miles away from the Taj. But grandfather and grandson had different proclivities: the former liked his buildings, including the Agra Fort, in red sandstone, the latter
Mark 1:21–45
Following Jesus is not a self-serving enterprise, but one of selfless service.
And He came and raised her up,
holding her hand; and the fever left her,
and she served them.
Mark 1:31
Jesus has just called disciples to follow. How should they? This pericope provides the first answer.
Mark 1:21–45 is a fast-paced description of the spreading of Jesus’ fame. It is set in and around Capernaum, in the space of two twenty-four hour periods (1:32, 35), and contains all the
Memorial!
Besides the teaching and preaching and connecting with friends, the highlight of my recent trip to India has got to be the Taj Mahal. While I had seen it from afar in the past, this was the first time I got to go inside the complex that includes not only the white-domed masterpiece but a number of other structures and gardens.
Truly an incredible sight!
No matter where in Agra you are, you can see it on the banks of the R. Yamuna, and no matter what angle you view it from,
Tower!
I was in India the last couple of weeks, the first of which was spent sightseeing—yup, expect several weeks of RaMbLeS on this!
(I was teaching preaching the second week.)
One of the fascinating monuments that I’d heard of in my childhood days in India but never got to see was the Qutb Minar located in the capital city, New Delhi.
This remarkable structure was built by some of the sultans of Delhi in the early 1200s. It is about 240 feet tall, tapering from 10 feet in
Mark 1:1–20
The life-journey of discipleship, the beginning of the establishment of God’s kingdom, involves suffering.
And passing by the Sea of Galilee, He saw Simon and Andrew,
the brother of Simon, casting a net in the sea; for they were fishermen.
And He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you become fishers of people.”
And immediately they left the nets and followed Him.
Mark 1:16–18
Quite an interesting beginning for a Gospel: Mark jumps right into the middle
Abe Kuruvilla is the Carl E. Bates Professor of Christian Preaching at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, KY), and a dermatologist in private practice. His passion is to explore, explain, and exemplify preaching.