Author Archives: KentHansen

Dear Friends: The account of Jesus healing the paralyzed man at the pool of Bethesda in John 5:2-15 has always intrigued me. John tells the story in an uncharacteristically spare fashion as the prelude to describing some of the most incredible claims of Jesus to divinity. The story stands on its own with the kind … Continue reading »

Jesus’ last instruction to his disciples was this: “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high” (Lk 24:49).

The disciples had just been traumatized by the crucifixion and shocked by the appearance of the resurrected Christ. They feared for their lives against persecution by the same religious establishment who had just killed Jesus (Jn. 20:19).

The temptation to get out of town and into the sheltering anonymity of the countryside must have been great. Jesus had told them to go out and preach repentance and forgiveness of sins in the name of the risen Christ to all nations beginning with Jerusalem (Lk. 24:47-48). The disciples were undoubtedly anxious to “get the show on the road.”

But Jesus added, “Stay in the city until you have…power from on high.”

The tapes play in our head with the persistence of an FM “oldies” station — “The Lord helps those who help themselves.” “When the going gets tough the tough get going.”

“We can’t just sit there and do nothing,” we tell ourselves. “We must do something.”

So we move on out–exhorting, organizing, building, growing, maintaining, struggling, burning out…. Whole industries serve this cycle. There are motivators, strategic planners, fund-raisers on the upside and counselors for the downside. Continue reading »

Dear Friends, People want answers. Lawyers have questions. It is not surprising that lawyers aren’t popular with people who want easy answers. What does surprise this lawyer is that so few people have questions. I am talking about not taking life for granted. Relatively few people inquire into the source, underpinnings and future of their … Continue reading »

Dear Friends: There are memories for me to sort through in this decompressed time without the stress of a work schedule. Good memories. Echoes of grace. I took on much of my life as a fight, but Christ arrived in my later years with a simple question–”If I love you, why fight?” His love left … Continue reading »

Dear Friends: I wrote this message during the Christmas season a couple of years ago, but it fits this week when Christianity pauses to remember what Jesus did for us. I wrote these words by way of the original introduction: “It is vapid sentimentality to separate the manger of Bethlehem from the cross of Calvary. … Continue reading »