While we have not yet fully recovered from our travels, I wanted to take some time to thank One Christian Dad for nominating us for the 3rd Annual Titus 2:1 Awards. My wife and I were extremely blessed as we read about it on my smart phone while on vacation. Now that I’ve had some time to rest a bit and catch up on email and social media, let’s answer some questions.

If you could have dinner with any historical Christian figure, who would it be and why?

This is a thought that crosses my mind regularly. My mind goes to Paul, Silas, Peter, and John the most often. Today, as I think about this question, my answer leans towards two other names, James and Jude. We only got one letter from Jude, and it turned out to be very different from the letter he had set out to write. I’d love to sit down with him to learn some more about the issues he was seeing in the church at that time. I find myself returning to Jude so often these days.

What 1 burning question would you ask?

“What happened next?” would undoubtedly be the biggest question. I’d probably also like to hear what he was eager to write about our common salvation.

Jude 1 (ESV)

¹ Jude, a servant of Jesus Christ and brother of James,
To those who are called, beloved in God the Father and kept for Jesus Christ:
² May mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you.

³ Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints.

Where and what would you eat?

After having spent over a week with extended family in Puerto Rico, I’d say it would be in a home on the coast, with fresh-baked Puerto Rican bread (pan de agua), seafood stuffed mofongo, with a fresh salad. After dinner, a nice cup of coffee.

What was the last Bible verse you read?

Well, Jude 1 for this post. Prior to that, however, I was reading Matthew 15:1-9 for a Facebook Discussion on my personal page.

Matthew 15:1-9 (ESV)

Traditions and Commandments

1 Then Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, ² “Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat.” ³ He answered them, “And why do you break the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? ⁴ For God commanded,‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ ⁵ But you say, ‘If anyone tells his father or his mother, “What you would have gained from me is given to God,” ⁶ he need not honor his father.’ So for the sake of your tradition you have made void the word of God.⁷ You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said:

⁸ “‘This people honors me with their lips,
    but their heart is far from me;
⁹ in vain do they worship me,
    teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”