2007 picture of Ray Sparre

Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67



February 9, 2014

Good afternoon, dear ones.

Since it’s so clear that I’m not going to get to the production of another original—and since I quite like what I did 4 years ago—I’ve decided to hit you with another old one. My memory is such that I don’t really remember it—it’s like reading someone else’s writing. If that’s true of the author (me), I’m hoping it will be the same for the reader (you).

Thano was called to work early, so we had the boys till 12:30pm. We attempted to attend church in Canby, and we made it about on time, only to find that services were cancelled. The place was empty. I guess they didn’t figure there were many nuts like me that are rarely intimidated by snow and ice. Oh well.

There’s still a lot of snow out there, but it’s going fast with the warmer temperature. Just a bunch of slush.

Love, Dad/Ray.


09 February
Passage: Matthew 26:57-75
Focus: "He began to call down curses on himself…” Matthew 26:74.

I can only imagine what kind of curses Peter was making on himself. My hunch is that it went something like this: “I swear I don’t know this guy! I’ve never seen him before in my life! May my tongue be ripped out from my toenails if I’m not telling the truth! May the God of heaven squash me right now and mince me and fry me on an eternal skillet if I know anything about this jerk!” He thought that surely those hanging around this exciting trial would leave him alone after a tirade like that. But then the rooster crowed…and his mind cleared. Now he was really bothered. Being guilty of some very wrong things, he now did a very right thing. “He went out and wept bitterly”…before God.

Peter was actually wasting his breath though. He didn’t need to call down curses on himself. He was already into the realm of the cursed. If I’m reading my Bible correctly, everyone who denies Christ is automatically cursed. It was only his repentance and recommitment to Christ that freed him from that curse. Jesus makes reference to this curse in the last story He tells in the previous chapter. “Depart from me, you who are CURSED, into the eternal fire (which is something like an eternal skillet) prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41).

Consider a few other scriptures on the matter of curses.

Be reminded that we are touching on the very heart of the Gospel—that repentance and reception of Christ frees us from the built-in curse of sin and its consequences. Be very careful to avoid disowning Christ in any way, shape, or form.


“The wages of sin is death; let’s quit before payday.”