Sermons From My Heart: Recent Episodes
Craig Condon
This show is a recording of the sermons I have preached as a Lay Minister with the Anglican Parish of South Queens, Diocese of Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, Anglican Church of Canada
The righteousness of God is the theme of Paul’s letter to the Romans. The fact that God is always in the right is both a challenge and a comfort. Mankind must realize that the rightness of human action is determined not by the moral standards of society but by the unchanging revelation of an eternal God. The closer mankind gets to the righteousness of God, the more uncomfortable he becomes about his own unrighteousness. The gospel realizes this and shows mankind how to become righteous before God.
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While Romans contains the good news of salvation and sanctification based on the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, Paul begins with the bad news: all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Only by agreeing with the bad news does the good news become life and light to the lost. Romans is a book of practical exhortation. The good news of Jesus Christ is more than facts to be believed. It is also a life to be lived-a life of righteousness befitting those who have been justified freely by God’s grace-through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
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Isaac and Rebekah knew God had chosen Jacob to continue the line of God’s promise that had begun with Abraham, continued through Isaac, and would culminate in the birth of the Messiah. In spite of this knowledge, they didn’t train Jacob for his role or to teach him to wait on God’s perfect timing. They didn’t tell Jacob and Esau that God had different plans for each of them-plans they should seek, obey, and rejoice over. Instead of training their children to know and trust God’s revelation, God’s will, and God’s plans, Isaac and Rebekah followed their own emotions-their own feelings and preferences. Thus, Isaac loved Esau, and Rebekah loved Jacob.
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At first glance, the three stories we heard in Matthew 9:9-13,18-26 don’t have much in common. We have a tax collector, a woman with a bleeding disorder, and a man with a sick daughter. What could they possibly have in common? If we look deeper, we find that they are all sinners, or sick people.
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Ephesians 3:14-21 might be the most glorious prayer in the New Testament other than the prayers of the Lord. Paul addresses all three members of the Trinity in his request for inner strength. Inner strength is absolutely necessary to spiritual survival because the outer strength of humans is so fragile
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When I was in the Scouting Movement in the 1970s, I learned that the Scouts motto was “Be prepared.” Peter offers a similar motto to his readers. Our personal testimony is one of the most powerful and compelling tools God has given us in reaching nonbelievers with the Gospel.
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Have you ever made a pilgrimage or taken a trip and felt like an outsider? The word “pilgrim” can mean anyone who is living away from home-temporary residents, exiles, strangers, foreigners. Christians are citizens of heaven, not of earth. They are outsiders, and it is to outsiders that 1 Peter is written, including 1 Peter 1:3-9.
These outsiders have been given the sense of belonging, the inheritance, and the honour that society refuses to give them. They have been reborn into God’s family. They may be seen by society as worthless, but God sees the tested value of their faith as more precious than gold. Christ’s resurrection has given outsiders such as us new life in the present and the promise of salvation and an eternal home.
In the meantime, they live in hope. This hope is not the mere wishful thinking that we express when we say things like “I hope things go well for you.” Their hope is a firm confidence grounded in God’s character and God’s saving actions. By raising Jesus from the dead and giving them new life, God has shown them and us who He is and what He can do. The word “elect” simply means “chosen.” God the Father chose His children for salvation and foreordained that they would be set
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.When Mary and Mary Magdalene arrived at the tomb where Jesus had been placed after His crucifixion, they found it empty. An angel told them that Jesus had risen from the dead. The women were told to go quickly and tell His disciples.
The women experienced fear and great joy. Joy and fear often mix in the working of the gospel. Fallen humans-even when redeemed-cannot help feeling great fear in the presence of the holy God and His angelic servants. Fear simply rises in us when we are confronted with a threatening moment. The fear is physical. It takes the form of an adrenaline burst. It makes the heart race. It gives us the energy to flee for survival. Over time, the stresses of fear take their toll in many illnesses that wear down both physical strength and mental well-being.
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Have you noticed that almost everywhere you go online you need a password? You need one to log in to your bank’s web site. You need one to log on to sites such as Amazon or Facebook. If you forget your password, it can take some effort to create another one.
The people in ancient Rome were looking for the password that would give them access to God. Some thought that careful obedience to the Law of Moses was the key. Others thought that doing good deeds was the key. Others thought that deep philosophical knowledge would please God.
Paul claimed in Romans 5:1-11 that there is only one password that we need to remember: Jesus Christ. In Christ everyone has access to God’s grace, and the entire picture is reversed. Instead of us trying to reach God, God is trying to reach us through His grace. Bible scholars consider Romans 5:5-8 a central point of God’s love for humankind. It expands on John 3:16
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When the world around us does not prize the church and its message as much as it does the newest Super Bowl commercial, we can hold our heads high: we’re on the side of God’s foolishness! We will win! It’s easy to find hope and promise in 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. It’s much more difficult to let its message shape our lives.
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Paul wrote about the new way of seeing things. The new way to look at the world could only be understood after Jesus came. Paul explained that the wisdom he taught was not worldly wisdom, but a wisdom revealed through the apostles and prophets. Paul admits that he came to the Corinthians in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. This is a healthy attitude in preparation for ministry. Only the power of God can fill the Christian’s heart and life with what is needed for effectiveness.
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There is an old saying that absolute power corrupts absolutely, and Genesis 11:1-9 is a good example of this. The Tower of Babel stemmed from the builders’ sense of their own power. They were thinking too big: a tower to the sky. The tower was built on sameness, on conformity, on a denial of difference.
Shinar, in the region now known as Iraq, was the location of the ancient kingdom of Babylon. The mighty leader Nimrod was the one who decided to draw all people together to form a powerful society and secure their unified might by constructing a massive tower-a symbol of human pride. When people are united, nothing is impossible
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In the 1970s there was a comedian named Flip Wilson. He performed characters such as Brother Leroy and Geraldine Jones. One of his most famous lines was “The Devil made me do it!” In Genesis 3:1-24 we heard a story where the devil really did make someone do it!
Many people try to discredit the Scriptures. They claim that the Bible is ancient, so it doesn’t apply to today’s world. How can words written thousands of years ago have any bearing on life in our modern world? These people claim that the Scriptures are not inspired by God but are merely stories invented by the early church. The miracles of Jesus, even His resurrection, are described as myths. These false ideas should not surprise us. Satan, who hates God’s Word, tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden. He wants us to doubt God’s Word.
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Even in our darkness, we have hope that the sun will come up soon and it will be light again. We light up the Christmas tree and we light up our houses. Light gives us hope in the midst of a dark world. Isaiah gives us that kind of hope. He spoke of the returning Messiah, one who would come to lighten our burdens, to right the wrongs, to restore all things to the way they were meant to be. This Messiah would be for everyone-Jews and Gentiles.
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Have you ever noticed that life is made up of decisions? Decisions reveal the inner nature of a person. People make decisions based on conditioning that is determined by their goals and priorities.. We are responsible for our own decisions, but we are also accountable to God.
Jesus presents three very significant contrasts in Matthew 7:13-21. They are:
1. The broad way and the narrow way.
2. Bad fruit and good fruit.
3. Doing and failing to do the will of God.
The first contrast-the narrow way and the broad way-is a contrast between the abundant life which Jesus offers and the way of selfishness, which has no restraints. Jesus consistently teaches how hard it is to follow Him. The two gates in verses 13-14 represent every person’s choice: Following Jesus or following any other path. Only the more difficult, less-chosen gate to follow Christ leads to life.
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Today’s society can own this psalm as its own. Stress helps us realize how much we need God to steady our lives. We also need God’s forgiveness, because we have also turned our backs on God. We worship things like money, power and sex. Chaos and sin are running wild in this world. If you don’t believe me, look as what has been happening in the United States since Donald Trump returned to the White House. We need to atone for our sins and those of our ancestors. We need God to hear the cries of the prisoners, the oppressed, those bound in Satan’s darkness and the darkness of their own compromised theology. We need God to glorify His name and vindicate Himself against those false idols who blaspheme Him and reproach Him and His Son. When we pray about something for the sake of God’s name, we urge Him to act in order to defend His reputation, to make His glory known, to honour Him, and to let others see His majesty and greatness.
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We as Christians live in the tension between faith and obedience, worship and work. One must lead to the other or we will have half a gospel. Psalm 50 demands faith that acts. It calls for worship that works.
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In Matthew 12:1-14 we read about two incidents that took place on the Sabbath. These incidents illustrate what Jesus meant when He invited His followers to find rest in His way of life. In each account, Jesus shows that the “burden” of the Sabbath is to do good by meeting people’s needs. The word “lawful” is important in this passage, in which Jesus had disputes with the religious leaders of the day.
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A plumb line is a builder’s tool for determining that a surface is straight. All sin and its resulting judgment is measured against the holiness and righteousness of God. This new understanding enabled Amos to fearlessly stand as God’s spokesman and accept Israel’s coming judgment as both necessary and just.
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God asks us the same question He asked Elijah: “What are you doing here?” What motivates us to be in church, a minister’s study, a particular job, a particular church activity, or a retirement hobby? What will we do with our lives, short as they are compared to God’s timeline? What are we afraid of? What keeps us from claiming our divine destiny? When life questions us, we may discover new sides of ourselves and the divine-human presence in our lives.
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For most of us, the idea of strength in weakness doesn’t make any sense. Strength and weakness are opposites. They don’t go together at all. Weaknesses are bad and are to be avoided at all costs. Strengths are good, and something all of us want. That explains why most of us do everything we can to avoid, overcome, or conceal our weaknesses. They make us feel vulnerable. They can even frighten us.
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Have you ever wondered what it will be like in our heavenly home, also known as New Jerusalem? John uses the image of the city in the passage we heard from Revelation as an image of the qualities of life that make up the new heaven and the new earth.
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Several years ago there was a renewal of worship in the church. It was not a renewal of the liturgy. It was based on a liberal theology with a resulting change in language and theatre. It was not based on the Holy Spirit. It was a change on the outside rather than on the inside. Its centre was first in the Jesus movement of the 1960s. It brought in many “flower children” and their hippie culture. They were also responding to cultural change.
The heart of this renewal was the recovery of biblical praise. Churches returned to using open Bibles as the lyric sheet. The most important part of this renewal was the insistence that worship be directed to God Himself, rather than to the congregation. For example, the chorus “He is Lord,” became real worship with the change to the second person singular pronoun. The new chorus became “You are Lord.” Before we are ready to worship, however, we must know the God to whom we are to direct our praise. This is revealed in Psalm 113
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God invites us to join in a relationship with Him and our neighbours, and He wants us to respond. He wants us to join Him and fellow believers in the heavenly feast. That is why Jesus died on the cross and rose again. He paid the price for our sins so that those who believe in Him can be reconciled to God.
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On January 27, 2025, the world observed International Holocaust Remembrance Day. The world also observed the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, where the Nazis murdered 1.1 million people-mostly Jews but also Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war, gay people, blacks, Jehovah Witnesses, Freemasons, disabled people, and other “enemies of the state.” Should we forgive such unspeakable evil? Could we, even if we tried? These complicated questions are raised by the story of Joseph, especially in Genesis 45:3-11 and 15.
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When you were young, were you ever told to mind your manners? In that respect, “minding” is more like “remember” or “pay attention to.” It’s a matter of “keeping it in mind.” That is the type of minding we read in Psalm 19.
Psalm 19 reveals the God who is continually communicating with us through His works and through His Word. The psalm begins with a meditation on the works of God: “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament shows His handiwork.” As we “listen” to the heavens we hear God’s glory. They “continually declare” as they both worship the Creator with their praise and witness his glory to us. If you want proof, go outside on a clear night and just stare up into the sky for several minutes. Soak up the grandeur, majesty and vastness of the starry host-and then think: My God made all this. Nature is only a name for an effect, and the cause is God. The touch is his.
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How many of you received clothing for a Christmas gift this year? Did you know that when Jesus was born He gave us a gift that is similar to clothing? The apostle Paul talks about this in Colossians 3:12-17. We are to put on the garments of Christian grace.
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The events in Luke 19:11-27 took place just before Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, where His earthly ministry would find its painful fulfillment. Jesus once again had to correct misconceptions about His kingdom. In this story of the nobleman, his citizens and his servants, Jesus presents three very distinctive lifestyles.
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Joel 2:21-27 is a reminder of how God has provided for us in our lives. In the good times and in the problems solved and health restored, we are quick to inhale and ask for more, but in the not so good times…in the hard places of life that are not so easy to chew and almost impossible to swallow, we rarely even finish the first helping.
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In Luke 9:1-6, Jesus sent His disciples out with a specific purpose. He wanted them to do what He did-heal the sick and cast out demons. Realizing they were not qualified, He gave them power and authority to do as they were instructed in Luke 9:1. No degrees required, no extra clothing, no cash, no food-just a complete dependence upon Jesus’ power and authority.
The disciples were wildly successful-so much so that Herod Antipas, the ruler of the area, heard all about it and said, “I beheaded John the Baptist. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” Herod was both frightened of Jesus and fascinated by Him, as we read in Luke 9:7-9. Reports of the remarkable ministry of Jesus’ disciples led to speculation that either John the Baptist had risen from the dead or Eijah (who had prophesied centuries before in the same territory that Herod now ruled) had returned. Herod became fearful and jealous as rumours reached him that someone was performing mighty miracles in the region.
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We all do it. Whatever the defining factors are-race, denomination, political views, gender, economic class, or interests, too often we categorize people as “in” or “out.” These categorizations are demonstrated when we play favourites. The sin of partiality is one of the most subtle of all. Partiality reveals a non-Christian sense of values. James wrote in James 2:1-17 to warn believers of the sin of partiality and to remind us of God’s sense of values. He taught his readers to avoid partiality by observing three specific principles.
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Have you ever said to yourself, “if only I knew God’s thoughts?” Some people seem presumptuous to think that they do know God’s thoughts. They’re full of advice and act as if they understand exactly what God thinks and what He would do in every situation. Too often such people fail to recognize that God’s thoughts and ways are far beyond our ability to understand. His ways are typically not our ways.
God’s Word does give a glimpse into His thoughts and desires. He calls us to forsake our worldly thought patterns and learn His principles for life because conventional, worldly wisdom is the exact opposite of God’s ways. By saturating our minds with God’s Word we begin to see both God’s message and His method.
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Solomon also lacked wisdom when he became king of Israel. In 1 Kings 2:10-12 and 1 Kings 3:3-14, we see the “passing of the torch”. King David died, and the throne passed to his son Solomon. King David’s death marked the end of a momentous 40-year reign in Israel’s history. The line of David would continue on Israel’s throne, eventually culminating in the birth of the Messiah.
Solomon was known for his wisdom and wealth, and 1 Kings 3:3-14 tells how he got these gifts. Solomon’s rise to power was not easy. He had to wrestle the kingdom from his brother in a deadly campaign against popular military leaders and a high priest. The writer of 1 Kings thought it was important to show the other, more benevolent side of Solomon. He was not only a shrewd politician but also a mild and pious ruler (at least in the early part of his reign) whom God blessed with great abilities.
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Has anyone ever told you that certain tasks or occupations are women’s work or men’s work? That attitude was very strong in Old Testament times because women and children were seen as nothing but property. Women had very few rights. They were seen as second class citizens in the eyes of everyone but God. We see a good example of how God uses women to do His work in Judges 4:4-23.
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2 Samuel 11:1-15 is part of the larger story of David’s sin. This story does not gloss over anything. It dramatizes David’s humanness in an unforgettable way. It also reminds us that in accomplishing His purpose God is always forced to use fallible people. It warns against presumption upon position and status, that all people are vulnerable, and that no one is above God’s law.
The more likely reason for the inclusion of this story, which shows David in such a bad light, is to explain the events that come in the succeeding chapters as a result of God’s judgment upon David. The repercussions of David’s sins do not end with the death of his and Bathsheba’s son but seem to lay the foundation for a whole series of tragic events-rape, murder, and insurrection. The shock waves that began in a lustful heart on a rooftop were still being felt when David lay dying and was being pressured to make Solomon his successor on the throne.
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Have you ever paused to consider that you have a key part in God’s plan for salvation and reconciliation? We, as saved Christians, have been adopted into Christ’s family. The apostle Paul explains this in Ephesians 1:3-14.
Verses 3-14 contain the longest sentence in the Greek New Testament. It is as if Paul does not want to take a breath until he has communicated everything God has planned for His people, from eternity past until eternity future. This prayer is rooted in the content of Paul’s life. Expressed in prayer is a great new understanding that Paul has talked about but never fully developed in other letters: the abolishment of the barrier between Jew and Gentile in the fellowship of one church is not only a part of God’s plan for them, it is the key to understanding God’s plan for the whole universe-His intention to unify the entire universe in Christ Jesus. This is big thinking and big praying.
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The passage we heard from 1 Samuel 17:1,4-11 is one of the best-known and most loved stories in the Bible. The story has embedded itself in the culture and language of humanity. It is so well-known that it has become the way of describing any conflict in which there is a marked difference between the combatants, whether they are athletes, companies, or nations.
This story has a special appeal for Christians, partly because of the natural support for the underdog. A larger reason for its popularity is that so many of us can identify with the situation. We are constantly challenged in our lives by the giants of the world, and we find courage and inspiration in David’s idealism and his faith in God. This is not just a story about a young man fighting a much larger enemy. It depicts the conflict of the ages. It is a story about the battle that has been raging ever since Satan rebelled against God-the confrontation between good and evil, between God and His enemy.
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It can be easy to look upon those around us with judgment based on their flaws or faults. As we grow in our faith, the opposite starts happening. Instead of looking down on others, we begin to see them for who they truly are-children of God, unconditionally loved by Him
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Trinity Sunday is the one Sunday in the church year when we do something a little different. Instead of talking about Old Testament stories or Jesus’ teachings or healings, we talk about the Trinity-God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The Trinity is not specifically mentioned in the Bible, but it is there. Trinity is not an easy concept to understand or explain. In fact, many preachers decide to take Trinity Sunday off!
In order to understand the Trinty, we have to understand both the Old Testament and the New Testament. The time of the Old Testament was the time of God the Father, and that is referred to indirectly in Isaiah 6:1-8. The New Testament era was the time of God the Son in the form of Jesus Christ, followed by the time of God the Holy Spirit, who dwells in the hearts and minds of all believers.
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What does it mean to be connected? Well, it means three things. First, it means that we have power. When we say we have connections, it means that we have access to power and wealth. It means that we can get things done. When we are connected to each other through our faith in Jesus Christ, it means that we are strong and can get things done. Our faith gets nourishment and strength from both Christ and our fellow believers. As our faith strengthens, it bears fruit in the form of bringing benefit to ourselves and to the lives of others while doing God’s work in the world.
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Do you ever get tired of people who do nothing but complain? If so, then perhaps you can understand why God sent the poisonous snakes among the Israelites in Numbers 21:4-9.
These verses describe the last recorded occasion on which the Israelites complained about the food God provided and their longing for the good food they had in Egypt. The other times they complained God provided food and water, but on this occasion God responded by sending poisonous snakes. Many people died from the snake bites.
All of us complain when things do not go our way. We get upset with long lines or slow drivers, but the real reason why we are impatient might actually be because of God. God’s harsh response to the complaining of the Israelites is especially unnerving when we consider how often we show the same impatience in our lives. God often responds by sending “poisonous snakes” to stop us dead in our tracks, to confront us with the truth of the futility of thinking we can simply go our own way. God wants us to trust Him more than anything else in the world. When we don’t, we are in big trouble.
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Amidst the ruins of World War II Germany, a woman named Basilea Schlink brought together a small group of women in a faith community. They believed God wanted them to build a chapel, but they had nothing more than prayer, faith, and the encouragement of Scripture. They prayed, and land was donated, but repeatedly the building authority said, “You can’t build on that land.”
One morning she read this passage from Colossians 2:10: “(Christ) is the head of all rule and authority.” She decided to walk 45 minutes into town to visit the building authority and, on her way, a car slowed to offer her a ride. The driver was the town’s mayor. “This man is the high official of our town that the Scripture spoke about,” she realized, and in five minutes she was able to explain her request. The building permit was granted, and a prayer tent was erected on the property as the women asked God to provide the missing $61,990 of the $62,000 needed to build. The funds came in. Schlink wrote that “this experience deeply etched into our hearts our responsibility to hang on in faith when a situation seems hopeless, for then the name of the Lord can be glorified before many people. “
In Romans 4:13-25, Paul analyzed Abraham’s faith so that people would know what constitutes faith. God’s promise is independent of the law and rests squarely on the principle of faith. Abraham’s faith was based on confidence in God. When God’s people look to the law for justification instead of looking to God, failure to keep the law makes them guilty and they face death instead of life. The object of faith is that which really matters more than anything else.
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Here’s a questions for those of you who have children. Do you love your children? Do you want what is best for them? Godly parents love their children. They always want the best for them. God our heavenly Father loves us as His children, as Jesus mentions in Matthew 7:7-12. He always gives us good gifts. He offers eternity to us free of charge. He loves us so much that He sent His Son to die for our sins on the cross.
When we read that Jesus is moved with compassion, it means that He feels Himself so deeply into the sufferings of the leper that it is just as if He Himself is suffering as a leper. Jesus is not moved with pity-that is too condescending; not with sympathy-that is too superficial; not with empathy-that is too distant. Not just mind for mind, hand for hand, or even heart for heart, but stomach for stomach, blood for blood, gut for gut, Jesus feels His way into the leper’s needs, just like he feels His way into our needs today.
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How can you tell a true prophet from a false prophet? The question was an urgent one for the audience that Deuteronomy 18:15-20 addresses. After Moses, who was the pre-eminent prophet-dies, how will the people know the will of God? They can’t consult sooth-sayers and mediums like the nations around them do, so how would they know who speaks for God? When we stand at the threshold of something new, we know that the path ahead will be both challenging and rewarding. We wonder how it will turn out for us. God’s compassionate response to the people’s complaints is a powerful testimony to the love God holds for His people.
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In Genesis 15:1-11,17-21, Abram wants to know who God is, and how God can be trusted, especially since there had been a delay between God’s promise of an heir for Abram and its fulfillment. In verse 1, the phrase “Do not be afraid” is heard. This is the first time this phrase has been recorded in the Bible. Fear comes when God’s people take their eyes off of the One who promises and begin to worry about the promise. Because Abram refused great wealth in Genesis 14:21-22 and did not have an heir, He needed to know that God was his shield and exceedingly great reward---his Protector and Provider.
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Had the wireless radio been on, they would have known the Titanic was sinking. The radio operator of another ship had tried to relay a message to the radio operator on the Titanic letting him know that they had encountered an ice field. But the Titanic’s radio operator was busy relaying passengers’ messages and rudely told the other radio operator to be quiet. The radio operator on the other ship turned off his radio and went to bed. Ten minutes later, the Titanic struck an iceberg. Their distress signals went largely unanswered because few other ships were listening.
First Samuel 3:1-10 focuses on listening for God and His varied movements within our lives. God always talks to us through insights, encounters, hunches, dreams, bursts of energy and inspirational thoughts. Our calling is to listen to the many voices of God that are often hidden in everyday experience, and then follow God’s guidance. These voices shape our encounters with God in our own unique ways.
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The good news of Christmas is linked to Christ’s birth, and Christ’s birth is explained in Galatians 4:4-7. Figuratively speaking, God’s calendar had a day with a big star on it-when the time was right for Christ to be sent forth into this world. Jesus was born when Rome was conquering and ruling the known world. The Roman Empire built roads that connected cities, towns, and military bases. These roads allowed the Gospel of Salvation to be taken all over Europe. Travel was safer than it had been earlier, a mail system was in place, and a common language existed. There was open idolatry, spiritism, and demon worship. The religious establishment was almost completely corrupt. With the absence of war, many people were rediscovering art, literature, and philosophy, and they were asking questions. All of this was part of God’s perfect, divine plan.
It was always God’s plan for Christ to be born, live among us, die for our sins, and rise again. Revelation 13:8 calls Him “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” This means that before there was a planet called Earth and a garden called Eden, before there was a couple known as Adam and Eve who ate of the forbidden fruit, God knew that humanity would blow it. He had a plan. His Son would come to earth and be born in a manger, live a perfect life, and die on the cross for the sins of the world.
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Today is Reign of Christ Sunday, also known as Christ the King Sunday. It is an affirmation that Christ and not our national interest, personal self-interest, or political leaders is to be our ultimate concern. Psalm 100 teaches us how and why to worship God as our King. Psalm 100 celebrates God’s loving presence. We are God’s beloved sheep, protected and nurtured by the good shepherd. Thanksgiving and praise are the only responses to divine providence and care. We can live joyfully because love rules the sun, stars, and humankind.
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Who is in charge here? Who is in charge of the world? Ezra 1 answers these questions simply and repeatedly: God is in charge. Ezra 1:1-11 illustrates God’s sovereignty over His people-indeed, over all peoples, and over all of human history. It provokes us to reflect on the scope, security, and scandal of God’s sovereignty. God is described as having the power to move a king who himself claimed to be “king of the world, great king,…king of the four rims (of the earth).” God also moved in the spirits of the Jews who decided to return to Jerusalem. Finally, Ezra and Nehemiah implied that the Lord brought the people up from Babylon to Judah, just like He brought the Israelites from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land.
Just as God stirred up the spirit of Cyrus to act on behalf of His people, so also can He act in the hearts of those in authority over us to act for our benefit. He is sovereign, and He acts in response to prayer. God not only moves the spirits of unbelievers such as Cyrus to act in certain ways, but He also moves the spirits of His people to particular actions. To walk in the Spirit is to obey the initial promptings of the Spirit.
God holds sway over all of human history. Human hearts and political processes also stand under the sovereign rule of God. God’s reign is not limited to His own people-He can raise up even a foreign king to fulfill His prophecies. God’s sovereignty does not obliterate human freedom and responsibility. Human beings can and do act contrary to God’s will and will be held accountable for their wrong choices. As we take the fullness of God’s sovereignty seriously, our ways of thinking and acting will change. We will begin to see our secular jobs and spiritual turf as places where God’s standards still apply. We will also think differently about national affairs, such as prayer in schools, poverty, racism, health care, and education. God’s rule extends to every aspect of life, so we can feel secure.
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If we are to be effective in anything we do for God, He must be in the midst of it. Unless God’s power is seen among us, we will be just another person who has religion. Unless we show His life to others, they will see only good behaviour that is easily counterfeited by moral people. Moving out in presumption will end in failure and frustration.
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Have you ever noticed that sometimes people have short memories? We see a good example of this in Exodus 16:2-15. Gone from Egypt for only a month, the people accused Moses and Aaron of deliberately leading them into the wilderness to kill them. They forgot the parting of the Red Sea. They had struck their timbrels and sung their lyrics of praise there in their triumph over Pharoah as they looked back and saw his army drowned on the seashore-but now, they were hungry. They could not believe that God could satisfy their hunger even after He delivered them from the hands of death. The need for bread in this early stage of the journey out of Egypt provides both God and God’s people with an opportunity to understand and trust each other.
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In 1 Kings 3:16-28, we see an illustration of the supernatural wisdom with which King Solomon was blessed. In Israel, the king was the ultimate “judge” of the land, and any citizen, even the basest prostitute, could petition him for a verdict.
Solomon carefully lived by God’s rules at the start of his reign, and God gave him success. Solomon asked God for wisdom, and with it, God gave him economic prosperity and fame. God expects everyone to use their gifts to do His will. When they do, everyone else benefits.
It is an exciting thing to experience God as the living God. Too often we are so caught up in the routine of life, even church life, that we miss the drama of calling out to Him and knowing that He hears us and answers us. Biblical life is intensely personal. God has opened Himself up to us and we now enjoy a living relationship with Him. Since He is our King, He intervenes on our behalf with mighty acts of deliverance. He does not abandon us to the grinding laws of nature or to our foes.
Throughout history many terrible things have been done by individuals who were motivated by a lust for power. Especially despicable are those who dressed their ambitions in the clothing of religion.
If there is anyone who should stand out for distinctiveness, it is those of us who are children of God. When we display our nobility, not arrogantly, but boldly, the world will resent our nobility, and the world will try to squeeze us back into its mold. That’s what Joseph’s brothers tried to do to him. They tried to make him conform, but he had been transformed, and he would not conform. God had a plan for him. God said, “Joseph, you’re going to be different. You’re distinct.” God says the same thing to us today. We are different, We are distinct.
Daniel 7:9-14 is a vision of the divine throne from which judgment will come. God gave Daniel the ability to prophesy which empires would rise and which would fall because world powers are under God’s control. Through this vision, God told Daniel about the coming of the Messiah and the final judgment. Daniel didn’t understand everything he saw, because some of the events would not take place until five hundred years later.
There is a beautiful celestial object that glimmers in the night sky. It is called the Orion Nebula. It is the nearest “star factory” to Earth and is a bright, stellar nursery where hundreds of new stars are being born. It is visible with the naked eye unless there is light pollution, cloudy weather, or a problem with our eyes. No matter what the weather is like, no matter at what point in the earth’s rotation we are positioned, and no matter at what point in the revolution around the sun we are coasting, the nebula remains there.
According to Psalm 139:7-10, that is how it is with the Holy Spirit. God’s abiding presence is not determined by the weather in our hearts that may obscure or reveal His loving activities in our lives. His presence is not determined by how we are feeling on a particular day of the year, or how we are faring during a particular season of our lives. The Holy Spirit is always present, active, and in reach.
In Mark 12:13-17, we see another attempt by Jesus’ enemies to trap Him. This time there is an “unholy alliance.” The members of the Sanhedrin combined with the Pharisees and Herodians to snare Jesus in a trap. The Herodians were Jews who let it be known that political expediency overruled religious convictions when survival is at stake. Hate flashes back and forth over the wide differences between the two groups. It led to the point where the Sanhedrin convinced the Herodians and Pharisees that their enmity would be better spent against their common enemy, Jesus. They were a good example of the old saying that “the enemy of my enemy is my friend.”
In Romans 6:1-11, Paul addresses people who were baptized or preparing for baptism. He talks about the purpose, function, and goal of baptism, in relation to all human beings who are held under the grip of sin and the reign of death. Through baptism, humanity can make the transition from sin into grace.
We live in a society that is a go-along-to-get-along generation. We don’t like confrontation. We don’t want to comment on the way other people live or don’t live their Christian lives. Who do we think we are to insist that others should be consistent in their faith? Who died and left us in charge? What the Christian movement needs now are more disciples who are more consistent, more devoted to the Lord, and more zealous for His Kingdom and righteousness. Such disciples would not be able to keep from calling for the repentance and renewal our generation of Christians needs so badly.
Israel’s redemption and the redemption the psalmist sought in this passage point to the work of Jesus. God redeemed all His chosen people by ransoming them from the oppression of sin, again in two ways: at the expense of the enemy of our soul, who was bound with all his angels and is destined to eternal condemnation; and at the price of Jesus. By binding the devil and taking our sins on Himself, Jesus redeemed us from sin’s oppression and set us free to live according to the Law of liberty and love.
There is a story of an old prospector in the last century who had to make a long journey across a hot desert. He couldn’t carry enough water to make the journey without dying of thirst, but he was told that there was a well halfway across the desert. He set out and sure enough there was a well right where the map indicated. When he pumped the handle, the well only burped up sand. Then he saw this sign: “Buried two feet over and two feet down is a jug of water. Dig it up and use the water to prime the pump. Drink all the water you want, but when you are done, fill the jug again for the next person.”
Sure enough, two feet over and two feet down was enough water for the prospector to prime the pump or finish his journey. Should he pour the water down the well or should he drink it? Most of us would probably drink the water that was buried. We don’t know who wrote the sign on that old pump. It could be a cruel joke. We could pour that water down a worthless well only to watch our lives drain away for lack of water.
The events in John 7:37-39 took place during the Feast of Booths, or Tabernacles. Every morning during the feast there was a procession to the fountain that supplied the water for the pool of Siloam. The priest filled his golden pitcher as the choir sang. Then the crowd proceeded to the temple carrying branches and twigs in the right hand, reminding them of the huts they built in the wilderness. In their left hand they carried a lemon or citron, a sign of the harvest. They proceeded to the altar waving the branches and singing. The priest went to the altar at the time of the sacrifice and poured the water into a silver funnel through which it flowed to the ground.
On the seventh day the crowed circled the altar seven times to celebrate God’s gift of water when Moses struck the rock in the wilderness at Meribah. It was at this moment in the midst of the celebration that Jesus stood and cried, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.” This invitation was rooted in the time and place when Moses faced the thirsty crowd at Sinai crying out for water, and almost in desperation, he struck the rock, and water came out abundantly. As the rock was struck in the wilderness, Jesus will be struck and broken open and life will flow forth to be shared with everyone who will come and drink.
The events that took place during the period between the Resurrection and Christ’s Ascension were as critical for us as they were for the disciples and the early followers of Jesus. What He said and did during that period solidified what had been, and raised expectation for what was to come. The same preparation for power must happen in us. We need to understand who the Holy Spirit is, what we can expect when He takes up residence in our minds and hearts, and what we can do to open the riverbed of our personalities for His flow. The infallible proof of His resurrection and victory over death were critical to the birth of the church, as His disciples were about to give their lives in Christ’s service.
Have you ever noticed that life isn’t fair sometimes? We do the right thing and people misunderstand us or mistreat us or they run their own selfish agendas. We end up with the raw end of the deal. Have you ever noticed that? When that happens sometimes we want to “tear that person’s head off.” Some of us can do that and we have become pretty good at it in time.
Then along comes Jesus. The Son of God-miracle man extraordinaire. If anyone had the right to tear some people apart when they arrested Him, beat Him, spat on Him, and mocked Him-well, He did. He said nothing, and they nailed Him to a cross. Why? Why didn’t He say something? Why didn’t He give them hell?
In 2 John 1:1-13, John’s concern about Christians obeying the commandment concerning love is forcefully emphasized. The phrase “love one another” occurs 13 times in the New Testament. Jesus used it four times and said that believers’ love for each other would show that they were His disciples. The apostles Paul, Peter, and John reinforced this nine times in their letters. Genuine love for God is shown through obedience. Love and obedience are the result of the Holy Spirit’s work in the life of a believer. The truth that Christ is both God and man, Lord, and Saviour, is more than a set of propositions. It is living, and it abides forever.
False teachers, whom John calls deceivers and antichrists, were spreading false teachings. To keep walking in the truth was how John’s readers would defend against such teachings. Some people think that only the sincerity of one’s beliefs is important, but the truth of those beliefs is what matters. All truth is found in Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God.
Second Timothy 4:1-11 is part of one of the last letters the apostle Paul wrote before he was put to death. In this letter, Paul gave his apprentice Timothy instructions about how to do his work as a minister. These instructions also apply to all Christians.
Timothy was told to continue the work Paul had begun, just as Joshua did after Moses and as Elisha did after Elijah. Timothy was told to not only preach the word in all situations, but be ready to properly address his audiences, persuading with a clear presentation of the truth, rebuking in the face of sin, and course-correcting with patient exhortation and instruction as needed.
When you were a child, were you a fan of superheroes such as Superman, Wonder Woman, Spiderman, or Batman? If so, you aren’t alone. Children want to know secrets and tap in to something beyond the ordinary. Even as adults we want to believe that there is a hidden factor in life that we can tap into and fulfill our destiny. We are fascinated by the idea of extrasensory perception, or ESP, of somehow communicating mysteriously across miles. Most of us hope that there is a force or power out there that is trying to get through to us to improve our lives. The last place most of us think of finding that power is in the Christian faith. Christianity often seems dull. Christianity may be true, but sometimes it isn’t very exciting. That’s because we forget that the most powerful force in the universe is present within us. That force is the Holy Spirit. This is the message of the Emmaus Road story, which we read in Luke 24:13-35.
Ezekiel 37:1-14 is a prophecy. In this prophecy Ezekiel is taken to a valley in which he sees the skeleton remains of a fallen army that was slain long ago and never buried. This army represents the people of Israel after the fall of Jerusalem. What he sees happen is a source of great hope for God’s people. He sees in the resurrection of the bones the revival of God’s people. This passage looks forward to a day when God will gather the remnant of His people to Israel again. He will breath new life into them in such a way that the whole world will see the miraculous hand of God.
You have likely heard the old saying about getting a taste of your own medicine. It means having something done to you that you do to others. We see a good example of this in Jeremiah 7:21-28. God was disgusted with the Israelites. They had provoked Him to anger. Now they would get a little taste of what it felt like to be provoked. Enemies would come upon them. They were no longer to be the object of Jeremiah’s cries or of his prayers. The protective covering that they had was removed because even the ordinary things of life were contaminated by idolatry.
In Isaiah 1:10-20, we see another case where the Israelites have turned away from God. The Israelites were still offering sacrifices, but they used them to attempt to manipulate God, so God rejected their worship. God wants worship from a sincere heart. He will not accept the so-called worship of those who mistreat others.
Christ in His obedience corrected the wrong Adam did in his disobedience. Christ is not Adam’s successor but his Saviour. They are alike only in the sense that both had universal significance: Adam for death, Christ for Life. The key is the phrase “much more.” Whatever humankind has inherited from Adam, they have much more in Christ. By using the words “abound” and “reign” to describe the action of sin, death, and grace in human experience, Paul used the reality of sin and death as an illustration of the reality of grace, which is not always easy to understand.
Christ’s one act of salvation was far superior to Adam’s one act of rebellion. One Bible commentator said,” that the one single misdeed should be answered by judgment, this is perfectly understandable: that the accumulated sins and guilt of all the ages should be answered by God’s free gift, this is the miracle of miracles.” Christ’s reign in life is greater than Adam’s “reign” in death.
One of the problems that pastors, church leaders and Christians have to face is that of false teachers. The problem has existed since the church was established. When false teachers get a foothold in a church, their influence can be most damaging. In that way, they are similar to the devil. Satan starts by introducing a little lie and casting doubt. False teachers do the same thing.
The characteristics of false teachers stand in stark contrast to the characteristics of faithful elders. These false teachers are rebellious, deceptive, and motivated by personal gain rather than by concern for the gospel. For example, some false teachers on the island of Crete taught that the Gentiles had to be circumcised and observe Jewish laws as part of their faith. This teaching caused confusion and dissention in many churches during Paul’s time. It was ultimately addressed at the Jerusalem Council, which is referred to in Acts 15.
Psalm 27 reminds us that in times of joy or in days of distress, when we look for God, we will find Him when we remember what He has done for us in the past. We also find Him when we turn to the cross and the empty tomb. Jesus assures us that God has not forgotten us. God has said, “Seek my face,” and He is waiting to be found because, in Christ, He first sought and found us.
In the passage we heard from Hebrews, the writer is explaining Jesus’ death on the cross in terms the Jews could understand. The writer talks about the fourth and final qualification of the high priest in the Temple-purity. Before the high priest could offer sacrifices for the sins of the people, he had to offer sacrifices for his own sins and those of his household. The writer emphasizes that Christ is superior to earthly high priests. Sacrifices were offered all the time because the people sinned all of the time. They needed a perfect priest and sacrifice to provide access to God permanently. Jesus is that permanent and perpetual priest.
A Christian’s uniqueness in the world should be apparent in his or her morality, mood, money, mouth, and manners. To avoid sinning in the heat of anger, God’s people should not nurse, rehearse, discuss, or project their anger onto others. Instead, they should control their anger and deal with it quickly to prevent the enemy from gaining any ground in their hearts. Paul also calls us to honest labour as a sign of the newness of life. This honest labour is to be used to create something that can be given to someone who is needy. We are also to be kind to each other.
One of our former rectors once told me that the prophecies of the Old Testament were fulfilled in the New Testament, and the reading we heard from Isaiah 2 is a good example. Isaiah talks about the coming of the Lord, which was fulfilled when Christ came to earth on the first Christmas over 2,000 years ago.
Isaiah had a vision for Jerusalem and the nation. He called for a spiritual renewal and a re-commitment to the covenant and trust in God. Isaiah saw Jerusalem and the Temple as potential beacons for all the nations. He called the people to be faithful to God, to put aside plans for a military solution to their problems and instead seek peaceful ways.
If an angel said to you, “Your prayer is heard,” what would it mean for you? What is the “too good to be true” news in your life? You may have given up believing God can bring it about. You may think you’re too old to start something new and exciting. Remember that people in their nineties have written plays and governed nations. Whatever it is that might seem too good to be true for you, remember Zacharias.
His reaction to all that the angel had predicted was disbelief. It was all too good to be true. He was like Thomas, the disciple who doubted the Resurrection and said, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand in His side, I will not believe.” He was given proof, and he believed.
All of us have had moments when we regretted things we did or said. Many of us think that our past sins or regrets have robbed us of many good years. Many of us wish that we could be like kids on a playground who have a concept of a “do-over.” When they’re playing kickball and the ball gets stuck in a tree, or when they’re playing basketball and the ball sticks between the backboard and the rim, a chorus of “do-over” spontaneously erupts. It’s an unspoken rule that every kid knows.
In Joel 2:23-32 God tells the Israelites that they can have a “do-over” if they repent. Joel foresaw a time of plenty, when the people would acknowledge the goodness and sovereignty of God. God promises to “repay” His people “for the years the locusts have eaten.” The locusts came as the result of sin, but in God’s grace He wanted to bring restoration. Joel prophesied that God would pour out his spirit on all humanity. We do not have to live in the past and live in defeat.
The events in Genesis 28:10-17 took place just after Jacob cheated his brother Esau out of his birthright as Isaac’s firstborn son and after Jacob received the blessing that Esau was supposed to receive from their father Isaac. Consequently Esau threatened Jacob’s life. Jacob left home and headed out from Beersheba with the birthright, the blessing, and little else besides his own wits….or so it seemed!
At some stage of his journey, Jacob settled down for the night, picked a rock for a pillow, and tried to get some sleep. That is when God came to Jacob in a dream. In the dream Jacob was reminded that God was able and willing to maintain communications with His children even in the most desolate places and lonely times. During the dream God reiterated the covenant He had with Abraham. It described the blessing which would come through Jacob’s family to the whole world. But then God moved from generalities to specifics which were of great interest to Jacob. God promised that He would always be with Jacob. The promise of the divine presence would be both a source of encouragement and, at times, a source of embarrassment to Jacob as his life unfolded. Jacob realized for the first time in his life that he is not the centre of the universe.
In Luke 16:19-31 we see a powerful situation of role reversal. The world is turned upside-down-or rather, right side up. Mary sang about a situation like this in the Magnificat. The poor are filled with good things and the rich are sent away hungry. The powerful are brought down and the lowly are lifted up.
The Pharisees thought they were entitled. They had the strange idea that money was deserved. Money was a sign that they were blessed by God, and poverty was the result of God’s curse. Jesus said that this idea was false. All of us are stewards of what we have, and we are to use it to bless others, to bring life, to bring health and hope and joy. In contrast, the mention of crumbs, sores, and dogs made Lazarus a nobody in the eyes of the Pharisees. They saw such things as proof of divine disfavor. They saw such people as not only unclean, but also hated by God.
Jesus didn’t question how the rich man got his money or that he had it. The rich man wasn’t even necessarily a bad man. The rich man might have been a deeply caring man who was dismayed by unemployment and inflation figures, or he might have been a generous donor to charitable causes. Regardless of whatever else he was, in this story he was blind to the person in need who was sitting outside his gate. He was sentenced to eternal damnation for his casual indifference to the person right at his door.
Most of us have heard the old saying “Judge not lest ye be judged.” In Luke 7:36-50 we see an example of this saying. Simon judged the prostitute, and in turn Jesus judged Simon. Most of us do not need the help of others to judge ourselves. We know that we have sinned, perjured ourselves, done or said things that we should not have done or said, and not done or said those things we should have done or said.
The first readers of the Letter to the Hebrews needed encouragement in the face of persecution. They were called to follow the perfect example of Jesus, who overcame difficult circumstances. Hebrews 13:1 begins a section where the author gives readers practical examples of how they might serve the living God rather than turn away. The phrase “brotherly love” is composed of two Greek words meaning “tender affection” and “brother.” Brotherly love is a natural result of the Christian life.
Has your life been full but not fulfilling? Has your life been successful but not significant? Perhaps you feel that your life has been cheered by other people but is not important to God. Perhaps you’re feeling restless inside. Perhaps God is telling you to do something different from what you’re doing right now. How much of your life are you really willing to surrender to God? Perhaps God is telling you to do His work in our world, like He is in the passages from Jeremiah 1:4-10, Psalm 71:1-6, Hebrews 12:18-29, and Luke 13:10-17.
Have you ever had one of those days when nothing goes right? It feels like the world is against you. To make matters worse, someone might tell you that God is always faithful, and you want to punch that person in the mouth. Biblically, that someone was the prophet Jeremiah. We see an example of this in Jeremiah 31:31-34.
Most of us live between memory and hope. We remember what God has done in the past with gratitude, and we hope that He will do it again. This makes our present sorrows and discouragements bearable. It is a sign that we need revival. Revival is the inrush of the Spirit into a body that threatens to become a corpse. It brings new life and fresh vigor. It brings renewed momentum. What can we do during these times? That’s the issue in Psalm 85.
Have any of you ever had to deliver bad news? It isn’t an easy experience. I know because I’ve had to deliver bad news. The prophets in the Old Testament often had to deliver bad news to the people. We see a good example of this in the passage we heard from Jeremiah.
Jeremiah’s preparation was over. God was ready to give Jeremiah the word of the Lord for the nation-first an indictment and judgment against Israel for worshipping other gods, and then a call for the people to turn from their sinful ways before it is too late. God leveled several accusations against a people who did not find it easy to keep their faith in the mundane, day-to-day world.
The events in Amos 8:1-12 happened almost 3,000 years ago, but they could read like headlines from today’s news. Amos lived during the reign of King Jeroboam II, whose reign was characterized by territorial expansion, aggressive militarism, and unprecedented national prosperity. His people took pride in their misguided religious beliefs, their history as God’s chosen people, their military victories, their economic affluence, and their political security.
There are times in our lives when we have to say goodbye to the ones we love. It could mean saying goodbye to a family member or friend that we have visited, or a loved one who is dying. Parting isn’t always easy, but it is a necessary part of life. The passage we heard from 2 Kings 2 is an example of a parting of the ways.
You have probably heard of the famous quote from the Scottish poet Robbie Burns that “the best laid plans of mice and men often go astray.” The evens in Acts 16:9-15 are a good example of this saying. The apostle Paul wanted to preach the Gospel in the Roman province of Asia, which extended to the coast of Greece. Paul was convinced that this was the next step in the strategy for reaching the Gentiles.
The Holy Spirit prevented Paul and his companions from going there. Paul was sensitive enough to the Spirit of God that he could tell the difference between no and yes when it came to discerning God’s will-and he was obedient enough to respond to both. This time, God directed Paul to leave Asia Minor and go into Europe.
There is always outward evidence when God works in the hearts of believers and Acts 4:32-37 is a good example. The Holy Spirit began to bring the early believers together as a corporate body. The Jerusalem believers had a very mature view of material possessions: what they possessed was not their own-it belonged to God. The people of the Jerusalem church lived with open hands. From their open hands, other could take what they needed, and into their open hands, God could put more resources to share. Believers realize that all they have belongs to God. When a Christian brother or sister has a need those who can meet it have a moral obligation to do so.
Why should we praise God? It is because praise is the clearest and most direct means by which we declare our dependence on God. It repeats our trust in Him in the midst of life’s trials. It shows our loyalty to the One who died for us. It is a voluntary act of gratitude offered by the saved to their Saviour, by the healed to the Healer, and the delivered to the deliverer. When we praise God for His grace, we give Him what He deserves, and He offers us a joyful heart. Praise becomes an effortless expression of our love for God. It leads us to a state of bliss and inner peace.
There is no more beautiful description of the work that God has given Christians to do in the world than is found in Paul’s statement in 2 Corinthians 5:18 that Christ has “given us the ministry of reconciliation.” True religion is always interested in the nature of man’s relationship with God. In the sense that every child has some kind of relationship with his or her parents, each and every one of us has some kind of relationship with God. It was God’s intention since creation for people to live in a relation of trust and obedience. But sin entered the world and created a hostility to God’s will and an estrangement from Him. Then God’s action through Christ was a reaching out in love to reestablish the relationship. When Paul had to define his ministry and ours, he took a phrase from the world of politics: “We are ambassadors for Christ.” In Paul’s world this metaphor would be clearly understood as describing the act of representing Christ in the Roman Empire. In verse 20 Paul is relating this to our role. We play that same role for the kingdom of God.
In Luke 11:14-23, Jesus has to deal with two enemies-a demon and the Pharisees. Demons could be disguised in many forms, including physical ailments. In this case, the demons controlled the man’s vocal cords and prevented him from speaking. The demon was no match for Jesus’ power and authority.
This led to another kind of evil-opposition from the Pharisees. What caused people to hate Jesus? It was their pride, their vanity, and their sensuality. These are at the root of all of our sins. That’s why we stay the stupid things that we say and do the stupid things that we do. That’s why some in the crowd said the ridiculous things that they said and did the most scandalous thing possible-accusing Jesus of healing by the power of Satan.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to experience God’s glory? Have you ever wondered how God’s glory would change you? If you answered “yes” to either of these questions (or both), then you can appreciate what happened to Moses in Exodus 34:29-35. This passage gives us a glimpse of God’s glory. He provided another glimpse of His glory in the person and ministry of Jesus.
All the heroes mentioned in Hebrews 11:32-12:2 were the foundation stone on which others would be laid. They would be completed in those who would come later. We are those stones. We give the saints of old the joy and satisfaction realized by those who are able to look back and see.
This psalm points out the two areas where God has chosen to reveal Himself. “The heavens” refer to what appears in the sky above. “The firmament” means the expanse of God’s creation. The entire universe testifies to the Creator and brilliantly displays the glory of God. God has placed the sun (an object of worship among the pagans) in the heavens and is therefore supreme over it. The figures of the bridegroom and the runner picture the sun’s glory and power as it moves across the sky. Since it is so glorious, how much more glorious must its Creator be.
The events in Mark 3:7-12 happened after the Pharisees conspired with the Herodians to kill Jesus. He had to decide if He would force them to act immediately and risk short-circuiting His ministry or if He would leave the scene to bide His time while He prepared for a major move that would bring His ministry of servanthood to full maturity.
Jesus set a good example for us to follow. He withdrew to the sea to regain His balance in the rhythm of life. Work is an activity of high intensity and high production, but even creative work has to be balanced by a period of rest so we can work again. Modern society has upset the rhythm of life. Work has been devalued and play has been invaded by the purpose of work. Because of the multitude of leisure options, play has been subjected to a time-clock schedule. Work is a necessary evil, play is work, worship has become idolatry and rest is a short course in death.
Have you ever had a vision from God in which you were given a message to share with the people? If you have, how was the message received by the people? Was it accepted or rejected? If it was rejected, you can sympathize with how the prophet Ezekiel felt in Ezekiel 3:4-11.
Sometimes we lose Jesus. We get so busy in our daily routine that we never give him a thought. Then, one day we realize that He is missing. Do you know what we need to do when that happens? We need to retrace our steps and go back to the place we left him. Where do we usually find him? In his Father's house!
Jeremiah’s message is one of reassurance. We need this reassurance in order to absorb what will follow throughout Advent. Many messages in this season of Advent are filled with words of doom and gloom. A good example of this is found in Luke 21:25-36. God’s new era will emerge out of the Israelites’ history and life experiences. He will fulfill His promises in ways that are in line with His previous promises.
This coming Sunday-Nov. 21, 2021- is Reign of Christ Sunday. It marks the end of the church year, so it is the church’s version of New Year’s Eve. It is the day when we remember that Christ is our King and that He will return one day to claim his kingdom here on earth.
It is not an ancient festival in the Christian calendar. In fact, it was only established by Pope Pius XI in 1925. It was established at a time when Europe was in chaos. Inflation was rampant, and colonialism was at its worst. The seeds of evil that would eventually grow into the Holocaust and World War II were being planted. Pope Pius XI established the Festival of Christ the King to declare that Jesus Christ is King
The Book of Revelation is the story of Jesus himself. After the opening greeting, John gives us a prophetic description of Christ’s Second Coming. Although each of the seven churches received a special letter from Christ through the Book of Revelation, each congregation could read what was written to the others because everything was contained in one large letter. God’s people have the same advantage today. To have the same perspective of the divine Head of the church is convicting. Modern churches could solve some of the problems they face today by reading God’s recommendations to each of the seven churches.
All three members of the Trinity-Father (“Him who is and who was and who is to come”), Son (“Jesus Christ”) and Holy Spirit (“seven Spirits”)-were involved in creating the Book of Revelation.
They were present at the beginning of time, and they will be there at the end of time. God is Lord over all of history-past, present and future. There is more to be expected from Him than what we have experienced so far. God the Father is described as Yahweh, the One who ultimately is, and who makes Himself known, the One who is author of grace and peace. The Holy Spirt is described as being in fellowship with the Father and Son, and who from that presence also sends grace and peace to the churches and to us.
The words “Alpha” and “Omega” are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. In this passage they point to the eternity of Christ and to His all-inclusive power. Jesus is the boundless, timeless and powerful One. Unlike humans and everything else, God doesn't have an age--there was never a time when He didn't exist! But even though He has no beginning or end, He still chose to be born on earth and die on the cross so we could be saved. He made that sacrifice so we could be with Him forever.
The conversation between and Jesus and Pilate allows John to proclaim in his Gospel that Jesus is a king with a divine authority. Jesus was accused of plotting to overthrow the government, and he was being questioned by Pilate. This gave Jesus a chance to tell his side of the story. Jesus argues that his kingdom is founded on truth. This is in contrast to earthly kingdoms which are founded on power.
Hello boys and girls!
This coming Sunday-November 21, 2021- is a very special day in our church year. It will be Reign of Christ Sunday, and that’s the day when we celebrate the fact that Christ is the King of our lives. Now there are good kings and there are bad, evil kings.
It will also be the church’s version of New Year’s Eve. The following Sunday-December 5, 2021- will be the first Sunday of Advent. Not only does it mark the beginning of another year in the life of the church, it also marks the beginning of the season where we prepare to celebrate the birth of Jesus. In other words, we prepare ourselves for Christmas.
Have you ever had difficulty trusting someone or something? If so, you’re not alone. Psalm 16 is a psalm of trust. King David was the writer, and he trusted God. He tells us that we can trust God as well. God has asked us to trust him in the midst of the trials of life. We can trust God because He is present with us in every moment of life. We can be confident in a God who counsels and makes us secure and promises eternal pleasures. In contrast, those who go after the pleasures of the world reap nothing but sorrow. Nothing can shake us loose from the grip of God’s grace if we remain close to Jesus and our hope remains focused on His return. Only Jesus can provide the cure for the loneliness many of us experience in life today.
We’re getting closer to the end of our church year. In fact, Sun., Nov. 21, 2021, is Reign of Christ Sunday, which is the church’s equivalent to New Year’s Eve. As we draw closer to the end of the church year, our Gospel readings begin to emphasize the signs of Christ’s Second Coming. In fact, Jesus talks about some of these signs in Mark 13:1-8.
In a sermon often called the Olivet Discourse (because it was delivered on the Mount of Olives), Jesus gave the disciples and us a look into the future. The sermon spoke to both the destruction of the temple by the Romans in 70 AD and the destruction to come when Christ returns. Jesus’ sermon focused attention on preparedness, readiness to suffer, and trust. Jesus began his description of the events to come by emphasizing that many people will claim to be Him. All of them will deceive the people. As the time of Christ’s return draws near, wars and rumours of wars will escalate in number or intensity or both. These conflicts will involve both nation states and ethnic groups. Natural disasters will gain more worldwide attention.
The story of Ruth and Naomi and the Parable of the Widow’s Mite provide some very interesting contrasts between the Christian’s way and society’s way. Both are stories of how God uses the culture of Jesus’ time to do his will in our society and teach us how we are supposed to care for each other.
There are a lot of rules in the Bible. It may sometimes be difficult to remember all of them. If we can just remember and obey the two commandments that Jesus said were the most important, all of the rest would follow. Then we would enjoy life the way God intended it.
David is calling us to verbal, public, personal praise. He is calling us to worship that lifts our hearts and draws us into a spontaneous, robust chorus of delighting in the name of the living and trust God. The angelic vision in the Psalm creates proper respect and reverence before God’s glory. Those who have seen God’s glory will find that the best reaction is to respect God.
Hello boys and girls!
How many of you have a little brother or a little sister? How about a puppy or a kitten?
How do they get attention when they want something? They whine or cry when they are hungry, thirsty, tired or wet. For example, babies don’t care if they are home or in a restaurant or even in church.
What do you do if you want to get someone’s attention? As we get older, we learn to be more reserved about making our wants and wishes known. Or do we? Today we will hear the story about a man who was not at all bashful about letting Jesus know that he needed something.
Jesus never fails as our high priest. He knows how to minister to us in the way that benefits us the most and matures our faith in him. Christ did not have to atone for his sins because he never sinned. He only needed to atone for us once. He saves us once and for all.
In 1927, the silent film “Wings,” a World War I film about two American aviators, won the first Academy Award for Best Picture. When it was being filmed, production stopped for several days. Frustrated producers asked the director why. He replied, “All we have is blue sky. The conflict in the air will not be as visible without clouds. Clouds bring perspective.” The director was right. Only by seeing aerial combat with clouds as a backdrop could the viewer see what was really going on.
We see a good example of a similar situation in Job 42:1-6,10-17. At the beginning of his suffering in Job 3:3-5, Job complained that “May the day perish on which I was born…May a cloud settle on it.” Job continued to suffer until God spoke. Then Job exclaimed in Job 42:5, “I have heard of you…but now my eye sees you.” Job had an encounter with God, and that changed his view of God’s purposes.
In Mark 10:35-45, Jesus once again told his disciples everything that would happen to him in Jerusalem-his trial, death, resurrection and ascension. James and John seized this opportunity to ask for the highest positions of honour in his kingdom-at the right and left hands of Jesus. They forgot that God controls the final destiny of each and every one of us. They expected a moment of glory, and they wanted to enjoy it. No wonder Peter and the rest of the disciples were upset. Jesus saw that a power struggle was developing, and he had to do something about it.
The disciples would have been wise to remember the old saying, “Be careful what you wish for.” Jesus warned them that they would suffer like he would suffer. He told them that they would be martyred for their faith, and in fact they were martyred for their faith. James was the first of the disciples to die for Christ. John was the last. He died in exile as an old man on the Greek island of Patmos.
How many of you have seen the movie Saving Private Ryan?
It’s a war film set during the invasion of Normandy in World War II. The film is about U.S. Army Ranger Captain John H. Miller (who was played by Tom Hanks) and his squad as they search for Private First Class John Francis Ryan (who was played by Matt Damon). Private Ryan was the last surviving brother of four servicemen. Captain Miller lost several of his men in their search to find him. After finding him, Captain Miller himself was mortally wounded. As he laid dying, he told Private Ryan, “Earn this.”
Years later Private Ryan stood in front of Captain Miller’s grave and said, “Every day I think about what you told me that day on the bridge. I tried to live my life the best I could. I hope that was enough. I hope that, at least in your eyes, I’ve earned what all of you have done for me.” He turned to his wife and said, “tell me I have led a good life.... tell me I’m a good man.”
Private Ryan asked the same question many of us ask ourselves: “Have I done enough with this one and only life God has given me?” On our own we can’t answer that question, but with Jesus’ help the answer is clear. He died for us so that we don’t have to do anything. By his grace we can live lives that are satisfied with good things, as the writer of Psalm 104 tells us. The question then becomes “Is the work of Jesus enough to make me satisfied and significant?”, and the answer is always a resounding “Yes!”
This coming Sunday-Oct. 10, 2021-Canadians will celebrate Thanksgiving. It is a time when we pause to celebrate and give thanks to God for everything he has given us, and the best way to give thanks to God is to pray. Giving thanks is one of three types of prayer, the other two being supplication and intercessions (which means speaking to God on behalf of someone else). Regardless of the type of prayer we use, we must remember that prayer is not just for our sakes or needs.
What do we really need? Our society is based on acquisition of things, especially wealth. We are concerned about what we do not have, especially people who are considered to be “have not”. Jesus is saying that it doesn’t matter how hard we try to get things, we can’t accumulate more than what God can provide for us. If we are called to our heavenly home by God, what good will earthly goods be? After all, we can’t take them with us. What Jesus is saying in the reading we just heard from Matthew’s Gospel is that we must put first things first. In other words, we are to seek first the Kingdom of God, and we must do this every day. To seek the Kingdom, we must first seek the King.
A few years ago I read a news story about an elderly lady who died. The coroner’s report read “Cause of death…malnutrition.” At the time of her death, she weighed 50 pounds.
When the authorities began their investigation into her death, they found that her house was a pigpen. She begged food from her neighbours and got what little clothing she had from the Salvation Army. She appeared to be a hermit, but that was not the case. In the mess officials found two keys to safe-deposit boxes at two local banks. In one box were over 700 AT&T stock certificates and hundreds of other valuable stocks, bonds and financial securities along with a stack of cash amounting to over $200,000. The other box contained over $600,000 in cash. Altogether the lady had a net worth of over one million dollars. The estate went to a distant niece and nephew, neither of whom dreamed that their aunt had a cent to her name.
The lady wasn’t saving her money. She was worshipping it, just like many people worship material goods such as food, clothing and shelter. She would have been wise to heed the words of the apostle Paul in 1 Timothy 6:7: “Don’t put your hope in wealth, which is so uncertain. But put your hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” God doesn’t tell us not to stop worrying about food and shelter and clothing because we don’t really need them. He knows we need them. He wants us to stop worrying because he has promised to take care of every need we have.
There are so many different types of shows on television, including game shows, one of which was “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” Most of us would answer yes to that question. A famous comedienne once said, “I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor. Believe me, rich is better.” I wonder what Jesus would have to say about that.
The answer is found in Mark 10:17-31. The young man was perhaps in his mid-thirties. Luke describes him as a ruler, a person of prominence. In the ancient Middle East, it was considered undignified for a man to run; however, this one threw his respectability to the wind, rushed to Jesus, and fell on his knees before Him. The man recognized that he was missing something important-eternal life-but he did not understand that salvation is about what God does for sinners rather than what we do for God.
Jesus is trying to tell us that we are to show concern for the less fortunate in society. In Jesus’ time, women and children were among the least fortunate in society. They had very few rights. In fact, women were seen as the property of their husbands. A man could divorce his wife for seemingly petty reasons such as burning the meat, not keeping the home clean or getting older. All he had to do under the Law of Moses was to write a bill of divorce, give it to the woman and send her on her way. It is no wonder that prostitution is mentioned so many times in the Bible. It was the only way a divorced woman in that society could support herself and her children, especially if she did not have any other male relatives who could support her.
Hello boys and girls!
Has anyone ever told you to get lost or go away? Has anyone ever told you that they didn’t want you around? How did that make you feel?
There is one person who will never tell us to go away. In fact, he wants all of us to come close to him. His name is Jesus. Let me explain by reading a story to you from Mark 10:2-16.
The Gospel passage from Mark 10:2-16 appears at first glance to be two unrelated stories, but there is a connection between the two of them. Both stories tell us how Jesus cares for the outcasts and the less fortunate in society and how he expects us to treat them.
In Old Testament times, children and women were on the lower levels of society. Women were seen as nothing more than property, and children were considered to be useless until they were old enough to help out around the property. Women could become the victims of divorce for reasons as minor as burning the meal, not keeping the house clean or for getting older. As a result, if they did not have another male relative to support them, they usually ended up in prostitution.
I'm going to take you on a short walk down memory lane. Some of you may have heard of a singer/songwriter from the 1970s by the name of Ray Stevens. He was famous for writing and recording comedy songs such as "Bridget the Midget", "Ahab the Arab", "The Streak" and many others. He did record a few serious songs, the most famous of which was "Everything is Beautiful". That particular song starts with a group of children singing words that tie in nicely with the topic of my homily today. The verse goes something like this:
Jesus loves the little children
All little children of the world
Red and yellow, black and white
They are precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world.
In Mark 10:13-16, the disciples try to prevent the children from coming to Jesus to receive his blessing. In his stern rebuke, Jesus reminds the disciples that the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Does this mean that the kingdom belongs to children, or does it mean that the Kingdom belongs to those who are LIKE children? I believe it's the latter.
James 5:13-20 begins by referring to two ends on the spectrum of life-suffering and cheerfulness. Suffering refers to affliction of any kind-physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual. It includes anything that causes trouble or affliction. James’ remedy is to tell us to pray. This passage focuses on the life-transforming power of prayer. Every state of mind or mood is a call to prayer.
It’s easy for us to turn to God when our lives are unraveling or when we feel overwhelmed. It’s also easy for us to see prayer as the last option or treat it like a time-waster that keeps us from solving our problems on our own. James argues that the best solution to our problems is prayer. Prayer doesn’t mean that God will end our pain, but it does mean that He will give us patience and perseverance. In James 5:7-12, the word patience is used seven times. In verses 13-20, the word prayer appears seven times. Prayer is the key for dealing with situations that require patience. Take the apostle Paul, for example. Several times he asked God to remove the thorn in his flesh but God said that “my grace is sufficient for you.”
In 2012 Dr. Michael Youssef, who is the founder and President of Leading the Way Ministries, wrote an article about a Christian Sunday school teacher who was leading a class of boys. After a conversation with one of the boys, the young man prayed and received Christ. That young man was D.L. Moody, who became one of the greatest evangelists of his time.
On one of his trips to England, D.L. Moody preached at a church pastored by another great evangelist named F.B. Meyer. Moody invited him to come to the United States to preach. At one service, a man named J. Wilbur Chapman gave his life to Christ and became a great evangelist. One of the people he led to Christ became his travelling companion. That companion was evangelist Billy Sunday.
After Billy Sunday preached in Charlotte, North Carolina, a group of farmers asked God to do something great for the world, starting in Charlotte. They invited an evangelist by the name of Mordecai Hamm to preach in Charlotte. During one of his services, three young men came forward to receive Christ. Their names were Billy Graham, Grady Wilson and T.W. Wilson. Billy Graham became one of the most respected evangelists of our time, and the Wilson brothers became administrators with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
While we are on earth we will never understand what God is doing through each and every one of us. We will understand this only when we get to heaven. One lone Sunday school teacher impacted generations of Christians by doing God’s work. If that one Sunday school teacher can have such an impact, just think of how our ministries or our gifts can be used by God to impact the world.
Salt has been important throughout history. In fact, at one time people used to be paid with salt. Because salt has been so important it’s not a surprise that Jesus told us in Mark 9:50 that we are to be like salt to the world. In particular he said, “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with each other.” What he meant is that we should flavour our world with both our love and Christ’s love. The world needs that love because there is a lot of bitterness and hatred in the world today. He also meant that we should allow him to use us to make the world a better place. If we show Jesus’ love in everything we do, we can do much to reduce bitterness and bring peace to our world.
What is the one human quality that drives us to success while causing all sorts of problems at the same time? It is ambition. Ambition is one of the driving forces in our lives. It propels us to excel in our jobs. It pushes us to reach our goals. It can give us a reason for living. Ambition is one of the tools that the world uses to measure success.
There is another way to measure success-one that is not of this world-and that is the topic of the Gospel reading from Mark 9:30-37. We sometimes think that we can measure success the way the world does. We mistakenly believe that if God receives glory for what we do, then it should be glorious for us also. We must remember God’s faithful servants from the Bible, and we must remember that their situations were far from easy or glamorous.
How many of you play sports? How many of you won or were on a team that won? It’s fun to win, isn’t it? Now, who actually lost or was on a team that lost? That wasn’t fun, was it? Everyone likes winning or being first, but no one likes being last or losing.
The disciples felt the same way at times. For example, in Mark 9:30-37, they argued about which one of them would be first in God’s Kingdom. Jesus said that anyone who wants to be first in God’s Kingdom must be last on earth by serving everyone, including the less fortunate.
I want to take you on a trip down memory lane for a minute. Some of you may remember a famous comedian named Flip Wilson. He had a TV show in the 1970s, and on this show he had such famous characters as Geraldine Jones and Brother Leroy. He also had some famous lines, including one that ties in nicely with the reading we heard from the Book of James. That line was, “The devil made me do it!” The characters in Flip Wilson’s comedy routines often blamed the devil for leading them into trouble, and they were partially right. The devil can’t make anyone do anything, but he can definitely tempt us and influence our choices.
The devil is part of earthly wisdom, and James contrasts earthly wisdom and heavenly wisdom. People’s lives reflect the source of their wisdom. There is “earthly, unspiritual, devilish” wisdom that leads to “envy and selfish ambition” in the individual and “disorder and wickedness of every kind” in society. Against this, there is “wisdom from above” that is “first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits…” Trouble arrives, he tells us, when we act based on earthly wisdom and not out of faithfulness to God.
Christ’s death represents atonement for sin, and the beginning of God’s eternal, messianic rule. Nothing can make up for the loss of our soul, but there are many times when we exchange our souls and our lives for worldly things instead of spiritual things. Worldly things do not lead to eternal life. Those who give up their lives for the sake of Christ and the Gospel will find eternal life. This concept was very evident to the readers of Mark’s Gospel because they faced persecution and conflict. They saw this as a challenge to be faithful. We have the same challenge today. The world is still hateful to both Christians and the Good News of the Gospel.
Healthy compromise occurs when we can “give in” without sacrificing our values and beliefs. A different kind of compromise leads us to abandon sound ideas or standards, leaving us morally and spiritually bankrupt. We live in a world full of temptations that urges us to compromise our godly values. When we choose to compromise, we pay a price, even though it may not seem immediately apparent to us or to other people. Satan wants us to believe the lie that no one gets hurt when we compromise our core values, but that lie has cost people their jobs and ministries, children their innocence, and at times it has cost people their very lives.
Have you ever noticed that Jesus often does things that we don’t expect him to do? Take the stories we read in Mark 7:24-37, for example. He does two things that we don’t expect him to do.
The writer of Song of Songs uses a series of images and poems to describe God’s love for us. They represent the joys, the ups and downs, even painful longing when apart. It is a relationship between two people who love each other. In the case of Christians, it is a relationship between us and God. It is a contrast to references comparing an adulterous woman to Israel’s idolatry. It shows the longing, joys and sorrows that occur when we are separated from God. Both humans and God experience these feelings.
All of us have certain core traditions and beliefs that are important to us. They make us who we are, they define our own behaviours and the way we think other people should behave. That is what lies behind the passage from Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23.
Instead of tempting us to do evil things, God gives us good gifts. The phrase “Father of lights” reminds us of God’s unchanging nature. The God who put the stars, sun and moon in their places faithfully presides over our lives and provides everything good, and we must thank him for these gifts. As the old hymn which we often sing on Thanksgiving Sunday says, “All good gifts around us are sent from heaven above…”
The choice to accept Jesus is a difficult one. Godly people will still face difficulties in life, including persecution. God’s ways are not our ways, and that is why the Gospel message is hard to accept. It is costly because in order for us to accept Christ’s death and resurrection as the way to eternal life, we also have to experience our own form of death and resurrection. We have to die to our worldly way of life and rise to a new life in Christ. There are times when our faith in Christ will be harder than we expected. Each of us must answer the question, “Where can we go?” Jesus promises us eternal life. We face troubles in this life here on earth, but they pale in comparison to the joy of Christ revealed in us as mentioned in Romans 8:18.
There is a price to pay when we follow Jesus. He calls us to give up our worldly life with all of its sinful pleasures and follow a life that will lead to even greater pleasures in heaven. For most of us, that is not an easy choice to make. We have grown comfortable in our daily lives. They are like a pair of shoes that we have broken in. They feel so darn good, and the life we are leading feels so darn good. Most of us don’t like change. We get set in our ways. We get stuck in the rut of daily life, and we don’t want to get out.
When we receive Christ, His Spirit takes up residence in the core of our being, giving us an internal power that we never had before and transforming our hearts from hateful and rebellion to loving and obedient. Our hearts control our words and actions. It isn’t easy for us to accept ourselves; to love and be loved, to feel worthwhile to ourselves and others. It is a time of overwhelming grace when we accept the fact that God knows us thoroughly and loves us thoroughly.
We need to receive Jesus’ spiritual food on a regular basis, just like the Israelites needed to receive the manna and quail from God every day. Without it, we will always be spiritually hungry. We can’t get enough spiritual food by going to church only at Christmas or Easter or on special occasions such as weddings, funerals, baptisms, or confirmations. Our spiritual hunger can only be satisfied by regularly studying God’s Word and applying it to our lives. This means regular attendance at Sunday worship services.
A few years ago there was program on the Investigation Discovery Channel called “I Almost Got Away with It”. The story of David and Bathsheba would have been a perfect one for that show, especially the part where the prophet Nathan confronted David. David thought that he had committed the perfect crime by having an affair with Bathsheba and covering it up by killing her husband. Unfortunately, he was caught by the one true, perfect, all-seeing and all-knowing God. David forgot that God sees everything that his people do. It reminds me of the line from the Christmas song “Santa Clause Comes to Town” that goes like this:
He sees you when you’re sleeping
He knows when you’re awake
He knows when you’ve been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake.
Do you have Jesus in your heart? In the Bible, the word “heart” refers to your innermost being--the place where your thoughts, feelings, and desires come from. The Bible says our hearts are sinful, which is why we need Jesus to free us from sin and change the way we think and the things we desire. When we trust in Him, He comes into our hearts--not physically but spiritually. Trust Him to change your heart today.
All of us have been afraid at one time or another, even adults. Being scared is nothing to be ashamed of. When we invite Jesus into our lives, we don’t have to be afraid, because we aren’t alone.
Have you ever had to prepare a meal for a large group of people with little or no advance notice?
When you prepared that meal, did you ever stop to wonder how you would do it, especially if you realized that you did not have enough food and you did not have the time or money to go to the grocery store? If that is the case, perhaps you can sympathize with the disciples in the story of the feeding of the crowd, which is written in John 6:1-21.
The Gospel reading which we just heard from John 6:1-21 is full of rich imagery. Although the story of the feeding of the 5,000 appears in all four Gospels, John’s version has a slightly different meaning. In fact, John includes only seven of Jesus’ miracles in his Gospel, and in each miracle the believer is brought closer to God. Each miracle invites us to reflect on what the miracle says about Jesus.
John most likely included this version of the feeding of the 5,000 to provide additional information that was not recorded in the other three Gospels. For the early Christians, this story got to the heart of something they knew was important about Jesus, about who he was, what he was up to, and what he found to be important. John’s recording of this miracle showed the creative power of Christ and set the stage for Jesus’ talk about the “bread of life” in the remaining verses of Chapter 6. The purpose of John’s Gospel is to show that Jesus is the mind of God in human form, so the signs in John’s version of the feeding of the 5,000 are designed to show God at work in the lives of his people.
How do you handle it when your plans get changed, even for good reasons? Do you feel disappointed or angry? The passage from Mark’s Gospel gives us some ideas about how to handle unexpected changes in plans.
Jesus’ disciples led busy lives. They were tired. They were too busy from ministry with Jesus and the people to even find time to eat. Jesus displayed His concern for practical matters. His disciples had just returned from a ministry trip, so He expected them to “come aside…and rest awhile.” Jesus saw the problems and suggested that they get away and get some rest.
Herod’s story was one of impulse, pride and stubbornness, and the story of our lives is similar. Herod gave his word to his stepdaughter Salome in front of his friends, so he had no choice but to agree to her demands. To do otherwise would have led to a loss of power. Politics overruled principle. Herod was infected with guilt both physically and psychologically. Guilt does that to everyone. Herod had greater concern for his pride and reputation than for truth and integrity. Believers and unbelievers alike can easily allow peer pressure and public opinion to turn them away from doing what they know in their hearts is right.
The passage we heard from Ephesians expresses a new understanding that Paul has talked about in his other letters but never fully developed. The abolishment of the barrier between Jews and Gentiles is the key to understanding God’s plan for the universe. His plan was and is to unify the entire universe in Christ Jesus. That is God’s gift to us, and we should be grateful for what He has done for us.
The author of Ephesians refers to God’s gift of grace as a lavish inheritance. Something we didn’t earn, but which is gifted to us. How often do we settle for less when God is dying to give us grace? How often do we settle for the tired old habits of religion—legalism and dogmatism- instead of waiting in expectation for the lavish gift of forgiveness, the mystery of adoption by God? How do we correct our vision?
The Gospel reading from Mark 6:1-13 occurs just after the healing of the woman with a hemorrhage and the raising of Jairus’ daughter from the dead. It is two different stories about faith, and that’s where the similarity ends. Unlike the two miracles that we heard about in Mark 5:21-43, which demonstrate faith in Jesus, the first parable we heard in this passage is about the lack of faith.
There is nothing more natural than to grieve the death of a friend. The ability to grieve is God’s gift which allows us to process our loss in such a way that we can go on living without a sense of grief. Just like Jesus wept at the grave of Lazarus, David and his men grieved when they heard of the death of the soldiers, Saul and Jonathan. David honoured Saul, but he celebrated his dear friend Jonathan. David did this because what he was at least in part was because of Jonathan. Friends play important roles in shaping our spiritual destinies.
In this story we saw how much Jairus loved his daughter and would do anything for her. God our heavenly father is the same. He loves us so much that he would do anything for us, including sending his son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins.
Something else that we learned was that with God anything is possible. Jairus’ daughter was dead, and the situation was hopeless, but Jesus raised her from the dead because of Jairus’ faith. When we face hopeless situations, we must remember what Jesus said-“Only believe.”
Jairus came to Jesus in faith, and the woman reached out to Jesus in faith also. Jesus felt her tug of faith on his robe. He ignored the disciples’ response to the question of who touched him. It was no ordinary touch. He wanted to bring the woman out of the crowd and into a public profession of faith. He responded to her need and Jairus’ need by giving of himself just like anyone who responds to human need by giving something of themselves.
Both Jairus and the woman had given up on human efforts. They reached out to Jesus as a last resort. We are often the same. We often try to solve our problems by human means, and only when human means fail do we turn to God. A better alternative is for us to turn to God first for help. Sometimes that means God will use human means to help us.
The Gospel reading from Mark 5:21-43 is a pair of stories about faith and Jesus’ power over life and death. The woman with the hemorrhage showed great faith in spite of obstacles. The story of Jairus and his daughter demonstrated great faith on the part of a religious leader. Both came from different social classes. Jairus was a well-to-do member of the religious establishment-a group that often opposed Jesus. The woman with the hemorrhage was poor and a social outcast. The difference in social classes did not matter to Jesus. He treated both of them equally.
In each case, the “establishment” could not offer a solution to the problem, but Jesus could, in spite of opposition and laughter. Jairus was desperate because his child was dying, and as those of you who are parents know all too well, a parent of a sick or dying child will do almost anything to save the child. Jairus was so desperate he knelt at the feet of the one person who could help him-Jesus.
There are several aspects of grace giving. First, grace giving is systematic. Paul told the Corinthians to abound in this grace. He implied that this is a framework in which they and we can grow in faith as Christians. Giving can be spontaneous, but it can and should be planned. There are several examples in the New Testament of planned giving by the church and by individuals. A commitment to give is the start of the system of giving.
Storms often bring out our true spiritual condition. Too many of us want faith to be nice and simple and easy. Faith requires hard work. It involves coming out of ourselves to trust and care. If we lose faith, we lose hope and our ability to care. Fear wipes out faith. Discipleship is a life of faith. Faith is a deep, bedrock trust in God’s presence in the world, the church and our lives. When the storms of life occur we come to the truth of just how deep our faith is.
Safety is not an absence of trouble. It is the presence of Jesus. He has command over everything, even though it doesn’t appear that way to us. The fact that He slept through the storm reflects his human nature. The fact that He calmed the storm proved that he was fully God at the same time.
Before he gained public prominence as Israel’s champion and king. David learned humility and confidence in the Lord while out in the fields tending sheep, with no one but God watching. Only faithfulness in the small things prepares God’s servants for greater service in His kingdom. David had confidence in his gifts, experiences and abilities. He needed them to face the giants in his life. Likewise, people need to have confidence in their own abilities if they are to face the giants in their lives. These gifts, experiences and abilities come from God.
The parable of the sower explains how the kingdom can start in the hearts and minds of each and every one of us. Someone-a minister, a parent or another faithful servant of God-plants a tiny seed of faith in each and every one of us. It doesn't matter how the seed is planted, only that it is planted. Those of you who were farmers or who have planted any type of seed know that it can take a long time for the seed to grow into a strong, vibrant plant. We can water it and fertilize it all we want to, but nothing can speed up the process. It has to grow on its own, and we don't know how it grows.
For Jesus, action in response to the call of God marks what it means to be a member of God’s family. Relationships in God’s family are couched in terms of doing God’s will. At this point in the story, the will of God is not defined. Jesus offers another invitation of hospitality that is about meeting people where they are, accepting anyone who is interested in God’s kingdom and responding to need no matter who is asking or when or how they ask. We have to trust Jesus and the invitation to join him and believe that together we will take part in spreading the Good News of God’s kingdom.
Instead of asking why Jesus got so much flack, we should ask ourselves why we aren’t getting more flack. Why aren’t we pushing the boundaries of what is socially and religiously acceptable in order to reach more folks with the always surprising, often upsetting, unimaginably gracious and ridiculous love of Jesus? If that’s the kind of love we want to offer, we must ask ourselves if we are communicating that message in our words and our deeds loudly and clearly, both in the church and in the community.
How many of you have wanted something that someone else has? Well, you’re not alone. Envy and coveting have been around since the beginning of time. One of the Ten Commandments even says, “You shall not covet…” It’s too bad that the Israelites and the elders in the reading from 1 Samuel 8:4-20 didn’t remember that commandment.
There are many mysteries in the Christian faith, one of which has to do with the nature of God. How can we understand God who is described in the Bible as both the one true God and the God we know as Father, Son and Holy Spirit? Trinity Sunday, is the one Sunday when we consider this important part of the church’s doctrine, instead of considering a teaching or message from Jesus.
Let me ask you this. Is something a gift if you have to pay for it? If you have to pay for it or do something for it, it isn’t a gift. When someone gives you a gift, it doesn’t cost you anything. All you have to do is accept it. What is the one thing you should not do when someone gives you a gift? The one thing you should never do is ask “How much did it cost?”
What do you think is the greatest gift anyone can receive? It is the gift of eternal life. Jesus talks about this gift in John 3:1-17.
One of the most famous Bible verses is John 3:16: "For God so loved the world." Just how great is God's love and how could we measure it?
The Trinity is a difficult concept to understand let alone preach about, and part of the reason is because the Trinity is not specifically mentioned anywhere in the Scriptures, even though the concept of the Trinity is mentioned throughout the Bible. There is always a danger when a man-made concept is introduced into something God has created. The early church introduced the concept of the Trinity to explain how God works in our lives to restore our relationship with him.
In essence, the Trinity is the belief that God is one in essence, but distinct in person. In other words, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are somehow distinct from one another, yet at the same time they are completely united in essence, will and tasks. God has a life in which all three members of the Trinity relate to each other, give to each other, and love each other.
Have you ever wondered why God allows bad things to happen to his people? Well, God uses all of our circumstances to work for our good when we have faith. In other words, when we are Christ-like, God can take the negative circumstances of our lives and use them for our good, especially if using them for good fulfills his will for our lives. It’s like an oyster taking a grain of sand-something that irritates the oyster-and turning it into something of great value-a pearl.
All of God’s creation is subject to his authority, including the biggest sea creatures. All of creation must praise him. In return, he takes pleasure in everything he has created. They depend on him, and in return he is generous to them. They can rely on him. We are part of God’s creation, so we can also depend on him.
God gives life. He makes the world new again and again. Creation is God’s and it exists for him. He cares and provides for creation, and in return everything he has created gathers in what God gives them and returns a portion to him. This is what the term “tithing” means-giving back to God a portion of what he has given us. God’s spirit has touched all of us in amazing ways, and we must share what we have been given with others.
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday dear Church
Happy Birthday to you!
On Pentecost Sunday, we celebrate the birth of the church. On the day of Pentecost over 2,000 years ago, the Holy Spirit came to the disciples, and through the Holy Spirit the church was born. It is a time when the church traditionally concentrates on the gift of the Holy Spirit and the ways in which it strengthens the church. It is a time to consider how the Spirit has created and sustained faith in our lives. It is a time to explore how the Spirit empowers our witness so that others might have faith.
The power of the Holy Spirit ignited the disciples. Peter was ignited and gave one of the most powerful sermons in history. It included both the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy and a strong rebuke/accusation. The effect was remarkable. The message pierced the hearts of the people, and as a result more than 3,000 people were baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit. When these new converts returned home, they spread the message, and thus the church was born.
In the passage we heard from John’s Gospel, Jesus addressed His disciples. They heard His words while He was with them, and they were with him from the beginning of His ministry. Jesus’ speech took place on the night before He was crucified. The disciples were so concerned about their own future that they weren’t the least bit curious about Jesus’ immediate future. Jesus knew about their concern and encouraged them with a wonderful truth. The Holy Spirit would be far superior to Jesus because the Spirit could be everywhere at once, whereas Jesus could only be in one place at a time. The disciples and all future believers would always be in communion with God.
The Spirit continues to guide us and the church today. Our circumstances change daily thanks to new technologies and politics, but the Holy Spirit is ready to help us relate God’s truth to new situations. In every new circumstance, the same Holy Spirit guides us to re-learn old, faithful truths and to apply those old truths in new and faithful ways.
A few years ago, I preached and led worship at a church in a community near where I live. During the children’s talk I mentioned that Jesus told his disciples that he would be returning to the Father, but that they would receive the Holy Spirit. I compared the Holy Spirit to the batteries in a flashlight.
Light is amazing. Without it, we would not be able to read and discover the world around us. Just like we need physical light to see the world around us, we need spiritual light to see and understand God. Jesus is that spiritual light, and we see in Luke 24:44-53 how he shined a spiritual light on the disciples before his ascension. He helped the disciples to see that shining a light on sin helps those who have lost their way to see him, and he helps us to see the same thing today. He also shined a light on the Old Testament prophecies about his death and resurrection. Luke reminds us that Jesus came to satisfy all of the prophecies made about him in the Old Testament.
What would you say to someone if you knew that you were seeing them for the last time? If you were dying, what would be the last words you would say to your family and friends? If you’ve ever thought about the answers to these questions, then you can appreciate what was going through Jesus’ mind in the Gospel reading from John 17:6-19.
This reading is part of Jesus’ farewell speech to his disciples. He is preparing them for his death, resurrection and ascension. He knows that his disciples will be rejected by the world as he was. In this passage he hands over his mission to his disciples and all believers who come after them. The disciples have spent the last three years in training. Now it is time for them to pass the final test and go into the world.
Jesus’ farewell address can also be our farewell address to the world. When we die to self, we die to our old earthly way of life. We are disconnected from the world and connected to God when we live our lives in God’s mercy and kindness. If we have accepted that mercy and in return we show mercy and kindness to everyone we meet, then we are connected and present to God.
Several years ago, when I was working for a local lumber mill, the company had a contest where the employees were encouraged to come up with a slogan that portrayed the company’s mission. The slogan was to be used on all of the company’s promotional material. The winning entry was “Together We’re Better”, and it reflected the employees’ desire to work together to produce top-quality products.
Christianity can use the same motto, because together as Christians we can go a long way to fulfilling God’s call in our world. In order to do this, we need the power of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 1:8, Jesus told the disciples that they would receive God’s power through the Holy Spirit, and in John 17:1-11, Jesus prayed to the Father to send his power to all of Christianity through the Holy Spirit. Our definition of power is different from God’s definition of power. God’s definition of power is the ability to carry out a purpose-in this case, his work in the world. By coming together, we have even greater power.
The events in Acts 10:44-48 occurred as part of Peter’s first sermon to the Gentiles. Peter received a vision from God. In that vision, a sheet unfolded from heaven. On that sheet were animals of all kinds, including animals that were unclean under Jewish law. God commanded Peter to eat, but Peter refused because of Jewish dietary laws. God replied that He has made these animals clean and what He made clean could be eaten. This vision was a metaphor for God’s command to expand Christianity to include the Gentiles, who were also considered to be unclean by the Jews.
If you were going on a long trip, what would you say to your family and friends before you left? If you knew that you were going to see someone for the last time, what would you say to them? When your children moved away from home, what did you say to them? In each case you probably gave them some instructions of words of advice. Well, in the Gospel passage from John 15:9-17, Jesus gave us and his disciples some final instructions or words of advice. This passage is part of the final instructions that Jesus gave to the disciples the night before he was crucified. It follows the passage about the vine and the branches, but it goes even further. Instead of talking about abiding in each other or loving each other, it talks about serving each other, which goes hand in hand with loving each other.
Have you ever wondered how you can share the Good News with the people you meet? If so, the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26-40 is a good teaching manual. Philip was leading a revival in Samaria that was leading multitudes of people to Christ. God called Philip from evangelizing the crowds to evangelizing to one person, but that one person-the eunuch-led to the spread of Christianity to the African continent. Philip must have wondered why God would take him out of a revival and place him in a desert, but he trusted God.
What does it mean to be connected? Well, it means three things. First, it means that we have power. When we say we have connections, it means that we have access to power and wealth. It means that we can get things done. When we are connected to each other through our faith in Jesus Christ, it means that we are strong and can get things done. Our faith gets nourishment and strength from both Christ and our fellow believers. As our faith strengthens, it bears fruit in the form of bringing benefit to ourselves and to the lives of others while doing God’s work in the world.
Our actions will speak louder than any words we will ever speak. When we call ourselves Christians, we are opening up our lives for inspection, and our lives become active witnesses for Jesus. People will respond to our good deeds and thoughtful acts of caring. In fact, people will want to know more about Jesus as our deeds prove to them that our faith is more than just talk.
John 10:11-18 is part of a longer discourse in which Jesus tells his disciples and us that he is the way to heaven and eternal life. In this passage he explains this concept by comparing himself to a shepherd. The image of a shepherd was one that was common among members of his audience. Palestine was more of a pastoral region than an agricultural region, so shepherds were very common. Sheep are quite dumb. They will follow anyone who leads them, even if it means that they will be led astray. A good shepherd watches out for his flock and protects them even to the point of sacrificing himself.
People need someone to take care of them. Who takes care of you? Jesus also looks after us, and he tells how and why he cares for us in John 10:11-18. Jesus referred to himself as the good shepherd so that the people would know what he was talking about. Jesus was preaching in Palestine, and sheep were quite common in that area. Sheep are not very smart though. They were easy prey for animals such as bears, foxes or coyotes. They needed someone to protect them from harm and to lead them to fresh grass to eat. They needed someone who would be willing to die to protect the sheep. That person is a shepherd.
Acts 4:5-12 features a boldness characterized by the Holy Spirit, which shows up just in time of need. The passage recalls the words of Jesus in Luke 12:11-12: “When they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how you are to defend yourselves or what you are to say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you that very hour what you ought to say.” Both passages foresee how Jesus’ followers will respond. For example, Peter is filled with the Holy Spirit in Acts 4:8 and answers in a way that Acts 4:13 calls “boldness”.
Have you ever wondered how the disciples were able to accomplish so much after Jesus returned to heaven? The answer is revealed in the story of Peter and John and the healing of the lame man. We read what happened because of that healing in Acts 3:11-26.
Jesus worked through Peter and the Holy Spirit to heal the lame man. Jesus had two main purposes for healing the lame man:
1.He loved the lame man and released his healing power because of the compassion and concern in His heart.
2.He wanted the people to know that the movement he started when he was on earth was continuing through His disciples, in whom He was living through the Holy Spirit.
Peter directed the attention away from himself and toward Jesus. We as Christians are encouraged to follow the same pattern.
Hello boys and girls!
Has anyone told you something that was so amazing that you could not believe it?
Sometimes people like to tell us things that we can’t believe. For example, some people might have told you that there is no such thing as the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus.
Have any of you ever heard of a book called “Ripley’s Believe it or Not?” The man who wrote it enjoyed collecting stories that were unbelievable but true. For example, a young girl from California once swung 68 hula hoops on her body at the same time. A man once had a chicken that laid a square egg. The world’s largest hot dog was over 3000 feet long, weighed 885 pounds and took 103 butchers to carry it. As I mentioned a few moments ago, these stories are hard to believe, but they are true.
Even the Bible has stories in it that are true even though they are hard to believe. For example, Thomas the disciple refused to believe the other disciples when they told him that they had seen the Risen Saviour. He was not with the other disciples in the room when they saw Jesus on the first Easter night. He refused to believe them until he could see Jesus in person. One week later all of the disciples (including Thomas) were in the same room when they saw Jesus again. Jesus knew that Thomas needed proof of his resurrection, and that’s why he invited Thomas to put his finger in the nail holes in his hands and the spear hole in his side. Only then did Thomas believe.
Some people are like that today. They refuse to believe that Jesus rose from the dead because they have not seen him with their own eyes. They want concrete proof. On the other hand, all of us know that Jesus rose from the dead because we believe it in faith. We do not need to see it with our own eyes. We have faith in Jesus’ promise that he would rise from the dead.
Let us bow our heads and close our eyes for a moment of prayer. Dear God, thank you for sending Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. Give us the faith we need to accept the Resurrection by faith. We ask this in the Name of Your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ, AMEN.
Bibliography
1.“Believe It or Not!” Retrieved from webservant@sermons4kids.ccsend.com
2.“Identification, Please.” Retrieved from webservant@sermons4kids.ccsend.com
Thomas refused to believe the news that Christ was alive. We are the same today. In many cases, we can’t believe everything we hear. That’s why agencies such as the police and Phone Busters always warn us about scams. We can’t trust everyone and everything. Trust in political figures is at an all-time low. Trust in the church and its leaders has also been eroded, especially by recent scandals .
It’s no wonder, therefore, that when someone tells us something so incredible, we don’t always believe what they say-gossip being a notable exception, particularly gossip about celebrities. In most cases, we demand concrete proof. In some cases, concrete proof or some other supporting evidence is required, such as in a court of law. We need to probe and test what others tell us. We need to judge it according to Jesus’ teaching. Specifically, we need to ask three questions:
1.Is this loving?
2.Does that harm anyone?
3.Am I bringing peace as Jesus did?
Picture the scene in John 20:19-31. All the disciples except Thomas are in a room behind locked doors at night. It was common for early Christians to meet at night. In times of persecution they were forbidden to meet during the day, so they had to meet at night. The disciples are scared. They saw their leader brutally killed, and they are afraid that they will also be killed. In more ways than one, the room and the situation are dark.
Suddenly, Jesus appears. He walks through the locked door. The first words Jesus says to the assembled disciples are, “Peace be with you.” They are terrified, first for fear of the Jews and because they thought they were seeing a ghost. But when Jesus shows them His wounds, they know this is their Lord. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would come. Just as God created humanity with His breath in Genesis 2:7, He gave the Holy Spirit to His disciples by breathing on them. God is recreating humanity in Christ. The darkness of the room is dispelled by the light of Christ.
Jesus gave the disciples and us a mission, but we and they can’t begin this mission of healing and peace without the power and energy of Jesus’ risen life. Jesus breathed on these men. As God breathed His life into that first man and he became a living soul, Jesus shared the intimacy of His own life with His disciples that they may be a new humanity, recreated and empowered for their mission.
Do you like eggs? There are so many different ways to fix eggs -- fried, scrambled, or hard boiled. You can make an omelet or a breakfast burrito. You can eat them by themselves or mix them with chicken or tuna to make sandwiches. Eggs are also used to make delicious treats such as cookies, cakes, and pies.
Have you ever wondered why some eggs are white and some eggs are brown? Well the answer is quite simple. White chickens lay white eggs and reddish brown chickens lay brown eggs. Is there any difference between white eggs and brown eggs? Well, yes, white eggs are white and brown eggs are brown.
"What about the inside?" you may ask. On the inside they look just the same. The color of the shell has nothing to do with an egg's quality, nutritional value, or flavor. On the inside, all eggs are the same.
You know, that is true of people too. Some people may be light-skinned and have blond hair and blue eyes. Others may be dark-skinned and have brown hair and brown eyes. On the outside, they may look different, but on the inside they are the same.
The passage from John 20:1-18 is the key point of our faith because it is about the Resurrection. Christ’s resurrection is the basis of our faith. Without it:
1.The Gospel would be meaningless.
2.Forgiveness of sins would be hopeless.
3.Present life would be joyless.
4.Godly living would be fruitless.
5.Future life would be worthless.
The resurrection of Jesus is like the quiet dawning of a new day heralding the defeat of the night. Our Saviour meets us personally and intimately at unexpected times and places. When we meet Him, our grief and doubt are overcome. We are flooded with joy and peace as we move from sight to faith.
For Christianity, the passion narrative is built, at least in part, on the Passover narrative. In Matthew’s Gospel, the disciples gather in the upper room to celebrate the Passover meal, at which time Jesus institutes the Lord’s Supper, offering the wine as a sign of the blood of the covenant poured out for the forgiveness of sins. While Passover had nothing to do with the sins of Israel, it does speak of liberation, and the cross is itself understood in that context. In John’s Passion narrative, the connection of Jesus to the Passover Lamb is even more explicit. He is crucified on the day of preparation for the Passover, the day when the Passover lambs are sacrificed in preparation for the feast. Thus, for John, Jesus is the Passover Lamb, through whom liberation takes place. It is his blood placed on the doorposts as a sign to the angel of death. The good news, the gospel, is that God is a liberating God, and in our worship, we are invited to continually retell the story of how God acts to liberate.
Psalm 31 is an accurate description of Jesus’ agony while on the cross. Just like the psalmist, Jesus cried out to God in despair. In this psalm we have a picture of a seriously ill man whose violation of God’s will led to emotional pain and bodily weakness. Although Jesus was perfect and sinless, He took all of our sins on Himself as He was on the cross. Those sins were represented in His bodily weakness.
In Philippians 2:1-13, Paul talks about unity and servanthood. To live in unity, or to be like-minded, believers must practice three things: harmony, humility and helpfulness. When we value ourselves, we demonstrate Christian humility. We mirror Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve. When we take the very nature of a servant, we have the mindset of Jesus. When we serve, it takes our minds off our desire to be served. The danger of being a lover of self is inherent in each of us. As we put aside our desires and become more selfless, we will enrich those around us, show God’s love wherever we are, and develop the mind of Christ. When we welcome those we consider to be below us, our eyes are opened to the stories of those we meet. It’s such a simple way to love-one that changes our lives and the lives of those around us.
The readings we heard from Isaiah and Philippians talk about how we are to live like Christ, including suffering for our faith. Isaiah talks about the servant who submits to the father's will. Paul tells us in Philippians to be like Christ. Christ was the suffering servant Isaiah referred to-the servant who submits himself to the father's will and a cruel, painful death to save us.
John 12:20-33 marks the beginning of a change in Jesus’ ministry. The coming of the Greeks is seen as anticipating the coming of the Gentiles into the community of believers. While it is true that before the events in our Gospel reading Jesus spoke to the woman at the well and healed a woman’s daughter, the primary focus of Jesus’ ministry until this point in time was the people of Israel-the Jews. The visit of the Greeks reflected the Pharisee’s statement in verse 19 that the whole world has gone after Jesus. Their arrival prompted Jesus to acknowledge that the hour had come for him to be crucified, and by his death and resurrection, he will draw all people to him, including the Gentiles.
Each and every one of us can be a priest!
Does that statement make sense to you? After all, when we hear the word “priest” we often think of the ordained clergy who preside at weddings, funerals, baptisms or weekly worship services. The truth is, we are all priests. Let me explain by talking about the role of a priest as outlined in Hebrews 5:5-10.
What do you think is the hardest thing we would ever have to do? Well, one of the hardest things we have to do is to be a follower of Jesus. Following him is one of the best things we can do because when we die we will go to heaven to be with him. It’s also one of the hardest things we can do because we might have problems when we follow him. What problems might we have? Jesus said that we would have trouble because we follow him, and that trouble might include dying for him, but if we die because we believe Jesus we will live with him in heaven. He talks about this in John 12:20-33.
Boys and girls, can you tell me about occasions when you’ve had to help other people, especially when you didn’t want to or when you’ve been in a bad mood? Well, that’s what Jesus expects us to do. He expects us to help others even when we don’t want to help them. He expects us to love others just like he loves us.
We are sinners. There is no human cure for the ills of the soul. As the people who were bitten looked on the image of the serpent and were healed in Numbers 21:4-9, so may sinners look to the Saviour and be cured of the sickness of our nature. Our destiny is not determined by our actions, thoughts or intentions, but by our nature. We start out as sinners, opposed to God. Jesus didn’t come for the good, but for those hopelessly lost without Him. Our most desperate need-salvation from our sins-can only be obtained by faith in Jesus as our substitute and Saviour according to God’s plan.
Jesus had a high regard for pure worship of His Father. He wanted to rid the temple of the abuses that had crept into that worship. The moneychangers and sellers obeyed Jesus for several reasons:
1.They were punished by their consciences
2.They thought Jesus was a prophet, and the Jews had respect for prophets.
3.Jesus had a wide reputation among the people, and many of them thought He was the long-promised Messiah.
4.He made people tremble in His presence.
The basis for the psalmist’s worship is that God answers prayer. God’s silence was over. God does not turn away from the psalmist. The psalmist’s enemies were silenced by God’s actions. God hears the cries of the poor, the oppressed and the forgotten. He gives us hope in responding to the evils of our day. How do we think about all our relations (past, present and future) when making daily decisions to ensure that we are answering the pleas of the afflicted? How do we fashion our lives to reflect God’s plan to satisfy the poor? As we proclaim God’s deliverance to the people, we are also delivered. As we bless people with God’s abundance, we are also blessed.
Christ’s death represents atonement for sin, and the beginning of God’s eternal, messianic rule. Nothing can make up for the loss of our soul, but there are many times when we exchange our souls and our lives for worldly things instead of spiritual things. Worldly things do not lead to eternal life. Those who give up their lives for the sake of Christ and the Gospel will find eternal life. This concept was very evident to the readers of Mark’s Gospel because they faced persecution and conflict. They saw this as a challenge to be faithful. We have the same challenge today. The world is still hateful to both Christians and the Good News of the Gospel.
The basis of Abraham’s relationship with God was faith, and faith is the primary basis of our relationship with God. Abraham’s faith was confidence in a person-God. The object of faith matters more than anything else. Abraham’s faith was exemplary, because his faith was in God. Abraham’s faith was related to his knowledge of God, the object of his faith. He had faith in the God who could breathe life into deadness, especially since God breathed life into Abraham and Sarah so they could have a child.
Come and see.
Think for a moment about the effect those words might have on you if you were to hear them in an everyday context. Would they generate a sense of excitement about whatever it might be you were being invited to witness? Perhaps they might ignite your curiosity. Perhaps you might be thankful that someone thought to include you.
If the passage from Mark’s Gospel sounds familiar, it’s because we heard part of the same reading a few weeks ago on the Second Sunday of Advent. On that Sunday, we heard John the Baptist talk about the coming of Jesus and the baptism that he would provide-the baptism of the Holy Spirit. John saw Jesus as both mightier than him and more worthy than him, and Jesus said that no one greater than John had ever lived. John saw himself as not being worthy enough to untie the sandals on Jesus’ feet, and that was a task that was dirty and not very appealing according to the culture of that time.
Today, we heard about Jesus’ baptism and the coming of the Holy Spirit on him. John proclaimed Christ’s superiority by distinguishing between his own baptism with water and the baptism that Christ would provide with the Holy Spirit. Several Old Testament passages speak of the Holy Spirit being poured out like water. Jesus’ baptism with the Holy Spirit supplies us with supernatural power just like the Holy Spirit revealed its supernatural power at Jesus’ baptism.
God came to us in the form of Jesus so that we could come back to him. When we come to Christ, we are adopted into his family. We are also freed from the bondage of sin. That freedom has a purpose, which is being part of God’s plan for our lives. Our lives and the paths we take in life matter to God. We are to remember this when our lives seem aimless and without direction.
Good morning boys and girls!
Did you have a good Christmas? Did you get lots of gifts?
Did any of you go on a trip over Christmas? How did you get there? Did you have to get directions? How did you get them? Did you ask someone? Did you go online and get directions? Did your parents use a GPS system or a map?
A long time ago there were some people who went on a journey. Can anyone guess who they were? They were the Three Wise Men. Let me tell you the story.
One of life’s happiest occasions is a wedding. It is the union of two separate individuals into one new entity. It involves lots of planning and preparation, including obtaining a wedding gown, bridesmaids dresses, and tuxedos for the groom, his attendants and ushers. These garments, although very stunning, pale in comparison to the garments that will be issued when Christ returns for his bride-the church and all Christians. This is what the prophet Isaiah refers to in Isaiah 61:10-62:3.
Isaiah speaks of a new age in which the people are clothed with garments of salvation. It will usher in an order in which hope abounds and shouts of joy are the order of the day. The old order is passing and a new age of beauty and justice is upon us. Isaiah proclaims that humanity is on the verge of a giant leap in awareness. Humanity has matured ethically in many ways, but we still have a long way to go.
Have you ever heard of the old saying, “Good things come to those who wait”? If so, the story of Simeon, Anna and the baby Jesus in the temple in Luke 2:22-40 is a good example. The coming of Christ involved all manner of waiting on God. A young maiden, a dying man and an old widow all model hearts yielded to God.
The tale of Simeon and Anna is a tale of grace. Anna’s name means “grace”, an early reminder by Luke that his gospel is a story of God’s free gift of self to us through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Simeon and Anna are recognized and graced by God. That is why the aged Simeon, over a long period of waiting and from the numerous children brought to the temple, recognized God’s salvation in Christ.
A birth is a great adventure. it doesn’t matter if it’s the Messiah’s birth, our birth, or the birth of one of our children. Birth is a great mystery, and God is the giver of that life. At Christmas time, we celebrate the mystery of the greatest birth of all-the birth of Jesus.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God”. This is John’s version of the nativity story. It doesn’t begin with shepherds and angels and a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. John’s nativity story takes us back to the beginning of creation and time, and it echoes the creation story in Genesis. In John’s Gospel, the very God who created the heavens and the earth and who breathed life into Adam was the same God who became flesh and lived among us. Jesus is the exact representation of God’s nature because he is God himself. This fulfills the purpose of John’s Gospel; namely, to prove that Jesus and God are one and the same.
The passage from Luke 1:26-38 is the story of the greatest miracle of all. It is a hint of the awesome power of God and how he can use it in our lives if we let him. The virgin birth is a picture of how close Christ will come within us. Mary wondered how she could bear God’s son when she was a virgin, but the angel Gabriel reminded her that it would be possible because of the Holy Spirit.
How many of you like mystery stories? I certainly do. When I was younger, I loved watching mystery TV shows such as the “Perry Mason” movies, “Columbo”, “MacLeod, “CSI: NY” and all three versions of “NCIS”. I also like reading mystery stories and novels, so it’s not surprising that I really like the passage from Romans 16:25-27.
This reading is a prayer of praise to God. It ascribes glory and worth to God’s name. Paul wanted the Christians in Rome to be established, firm and unmoved in their commitment to the truth of the Gospel. There is a mystery surrounding the revelation of God. The part of God that was not revealed in the Old Testament was revealed in the New Testament.
John 1:6-8, 19-28 sets the stage for Christ’s ministry. John the Baptist was the witness to the light of Christ. He was the light that would lead people to Christ. Jesus would fulfill the expectations the Jews had regarding the long-expected Messiah, but not in the way many Jews expected. He would meet these expectations through love and not by force as a military ruler who would drive out the Romans.
Do you know what the key to a healthy life is? It is healthy emotions, and the healthiest emotion to have is gratitude. Gratitude actually helps our immune system. It makes us more resistant to stress and less susceptible to illness. People who are grateful are happy because they are satisfied with what they have. An attitude of gratitude reduces stress in our lives and leads to greater spiritual and physical health.
Having an attitude of gratitude is not easy. It involves lots of prayer. Paul revealed that he needed prayer just as much as other people. He wanted to be preserved blameless. Christians must remember to pray for their spiritual leaders, because their leaders, like all Christians, will face hardships. Every hardship is a gift from God that is to be used for our growth, sanctification and intimacy with God.
We are well into the season of Advent, a time to remember both Christ’s birth in the stable in Bethlehem on that first Christmas over 2,000 years ago and his Second Coming. This time of remembrance includes a time of preparation. We have to prepare our hearts and minds to receive him. This can be hard to do at this time of the year because we are busy decorating our homes, buying gifts, attending Christmas parties, concerts and pageants and the many other events that are held at this time of year.
We can prepare ourselves by studying God’s Word, especially the story of Christ’s birth. A good place to start is with Mark’s Gospel, especially Mark 1:1-8. Mark gets right to the heart of the matter. His Gospel does not include Jesus’ family tree like the Gospels of Matthew and Luke do. Mark’s Gospel does not even include the stories of Jesus’ birth, the angel Gabriel’s visit to the Virgin Mary, the visit of the Three Wise Men or any of the other stories that are associated with Christmas. Mark begins his Gospel by calling Jesus the Son of God. In fact, this is a frequent theme in Mark’s Gospel. Mark declares both the deity of Jesus and God as his heavenly Father.
At first glance, the passage from Mark is full of doom and gloom. The disciples asked for signs of the end times, and Jesus told them that the end times would be full of danger. Is this really the way for us to start the season of Advent? Isn’t Advent supposed to be a time of hope and preparation? The answer to both questions is yes. Advent isn’t about preparing for Christmas. It’s about preparing for the coming of Christ. Advent always begins with preparing and waiting for Christ to come again. Just as the first coming was an event of cosmic proportion, so will the second coming be.
The passage from Mark is not meant to frighten us. It is meant to comfort us, especially as we face life’s trials. When people are suffering, we must acknowledge their pain, grief and obstacles. When we see the problems that will accompany the end times, it isn’t a sign that the Kingdom is late or has been derailed. We don’t know when it will come, but nothing can stop it from coming.
The reading from Ezekiel describes God’s search and rescue operation. God takes the initiative in restoring the lost and broken. National and personal recovery is possible because of God’s infinite mercy, but mercy takes sides. It may embrace everyone, but those who have profited at others’ expense must face the consequences of their injustice as a prelude to reconciliation.
The good King’s focus is always on the people’s welfare. That King, that Good Shepherd, always protects the flock from their curious roaming. That Good Shepherd, that King made God’s loving kindness present among the people, brought healing to the infirm in the flock, bound up wounds, and led to good pastures and flowing water
None of us can help everyone, but all of us can help someone, and when we help them, we serve Jesus. When we do, we will hear the words of Matthew 25:40, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me”.
We do not have to do big things to help the poor. There is a saying- “big things come in small packages”. Even the smallest things we do can make a big difference in the lives of the poor. For example, any time my mother and I had extra clothes that we wanted to get rid of, we donated them to the Canadian Diabetes Association. In return, the Association sold these clothes to Value Village stores. These stores, which are similar to Salvation Army Thrift Stores, sell clothing and other household items to people at affordable prices.
There is much that we as Christians can do to ease the plight of the homeless. One of the main causes of homelessness is war and strife that forces people to flee for their lives. They often end up in refugee camps where the conditions are not always ideal. Throughout history, Christians have responded by welcoming refugees into their homes and countries. For example, several years ago a local church sponsored refugee families from Vietnam on a couple of different occasions. While these families did eventually leave the area to settle in larger centres to be closer to people from their own country and culture, the members of the church can take some pride in the fact that they did what they could to help.
We must be prepared to minister to the poor and hungry wherever God calls us to minister to them. Whatever we do for the poor will determine our eternal destiny. When God judges us, he will be looking for the answers to three questions:
1.How much truth did he or she know?
2.How many opportunities did the person have to use that truth?
3.What did he or she do with those opportunities?
Jesus is so identified with the poor that he takes our treatment of them as our treatment of him. If we want to call ourselves true followers of Christ, we must act on our ethical teachings, including the teachings related to feeding the hungry. Failing to do good things is just as damning as doing bad things. Our teachings include doing God’s work in a humble manner without expecting anything in return.
Jesus’ return will be a surprise to everyone, especially to those who are doing business as usual and who place their hope in the world instead of in God. Jesus will find them deep in sinful indulgences. Will He find us as Christians doing His work?
Have you ever been afraid to use your gifts, talents or skills? Have you ever thought that your skills and talents were not appreciated by other people? If the answer to either one or both of these questions is “yes”, then you can probably sympathize with the third slave in the Parable of the Talents, which is in Matthew 25:14-30.
It’s not hard to tell that we are getting closer to the end of the church year. In fact, in a little more than four weeks’ time we will be celebrating the First Sunday in Advent. The Gospel readings for these last few weeks of the Season of Pentecost talk about what God’s judgement will be like. They talk about the separating of the faithful from the unfaithful. Matthew 25:1-13, which is known as the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Bridesmaids, emphasizes the important of being prepared for Christ’s return.
What is the one thing that both the church and society need today?
The answer can be summed up in one word-revival. Not only will a revival bring us and society back to God, it will also allow us to remember what God has done for his people in the past, what he is doing for them now, and what he will do for them in the future.
The message of Psalm 107 conveys what God has done for his children and how lovingly he has dealt with them. God withholds punishment (which is deserved) and gives mercy and grace, which are not deserved. The psalm gives thanks for God’s enduring, steadfast love. He is willing to forgive his people even when they are unfaithful.
Have you ever wondered what it will be like in heaven?
Revelation 7:9-17 is a priceless picture of the blessed dead. It has comforted many people in the face of suffering and death. Some ministers believe that the multitude in this reading consists of those who have been saved during the Great Tribulation. They argue that these people are the harvest of the 144,000 Jewish witnesses. The ones who will be saved during the Great Tribulation will not be individuals who had a chance to be saved during their lifetimes. They will be those who heard and received the gospel message for the first time during the seven year period and who were martyred for their faith. The tribulation will be a time of unexpected affliction and unprecedented grace.
In Matthew 22:33-46, the Pharisees again tried to trap Jesus in a controversy, with one of them asking a question that apparently was being hotly debated in their own circles. The Jews divided the Old Testament Law into greater and smaller commandments. They had not determined which commandment was of the greatest importance. Some thought it was the law respecting sacrifices. Others thought it was the law respecting circumcision. Still others thought it was the laws pertaining to worship and purifying.
All of us are stewards.
Does that seem strange to you? Well, it shouldn’t. All of us have responsibilities over one corner or another of God’s household. Just as we have to look after our own households, we also have to look after the part of God’s household that he has given us to look after
Boys and girls, rules are very important because they keep us from hurting ourselves. Rules are also important because they help us to do the right thing. What happens when we don’t follow rules?
What are some of the rules you have to follow? Out of all of the rules you have to follow, what do you think is the most important one to obey?
Jesus was asked that same question once. The Pharisees asked him which of the Ten Commandments was the greatest. Now the Pharisees were the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. They were so concerned that their followers obeyed the Ten Commandments that they came up with 613 do’s and don’ts for the people.
When Jesus was asked which Commandment was the most important, it was a loaded question. The Pharisees were trying to trap Jesus, but Jesus turned the trap on them. All of the commandments were equal because they were created by God. Jesus used the opportunity to point out that all of the laws that the Pharisees came up with to make certain that the Jews kept the Commandments were not necessary. All of their laws, and all of the Commandments, were summarized by the two Great Commandments that Jesus gave us and the Pharisees: “Love God, and love people”. Both commandments are related and are of equal importance. They are the basics of Christianity.
When we spread the good news of the Gospel, we can expect to face opposition. The apostle Paul was no exception. He boldly preached the Gospel to the Thessalonians in spite of suffering and mistreatment. First Thessalonians 2:1-8 is a model for all Christians to follow, especially when they are called to spread the Good News of the Gospel. In particular, we are to pay attention to the example Paul set for us. His bold preaching was direct and to the point. He did not use words that would please his audience. He did not resort to manipulation. He did not try to “tickle the ears” of his listeners. He did not try to use his ministry for financial gain. Unlike some preachers. Paul was honest, and honesty is refreshingly simple. No ulterior motives or hidden meanings. No need to manipulate people. No matter how much opposition he encountered, he never took his eyes off of his calling to bring people to Jesus.
Has anyone ever asked you a question that there just wasn't any way to answer it without getting yourself into trouble? That's what we call a loaded question. A loaded question is one that is worded so that a person cannot answer it without appearing to be guilty.
Here are a couple of examples of loaded questions:
• Have you quit cheating at cards? If you answer, “Yes" you are admitting that you used to cheat. If you answer, "No" you are admitting that you still cheat.
• Do you still pick on your little brother? That is like the other question. You are either going to admit that you used to pick on your brother or that you still pick on him.
Sometimes a loaded question is asked to try to trick a person into saying something that will get them into trouble. Matthew 22:15-22 is a good example of that situation.
The story of Paul’s voyage to Rome, part of which we heard in Acts 27:27-44, with its trials and triumphs, is an example of the way of faith all through the story of human life. Its remarkable feature is the hard and narrow places which we find intermingled with God’s most extraordinary plans and providences. It’s full of examples of night and day experiences.
This parable refers to the rejection of the Jews and a calling of the Gentiles. In this parable, God is the king, the people who reject the invitation are the Jewish leaders, the wedding banquet is God’s salvation, and the good and the bad are the wheat and tares in the church. The Gospel was offered to the Jews but they rejected it because of their pride and wickedness. All the blessings of the Gospel were offered to the Gentiles, so they accepted it. The invitation to the wedding feast was given to everyone-both bad and good-because the original invitees had refused the invitation. This detail indicates that the Gentiles were now being offered salvation because the Jews had rejected the Gospel.
One of the most prevalent sins today is ingratitude. God does so much for us, but we rarely (if ever) offer thanks for what He has done. In fact, many Christians fail to offer thanks over their meals, much less offer thanks over all that God does for them in their lives. They are like the little boy who was given an orange by a man. The boy’s mother asked, “What do you say to the nice man?” The little boy thought, handed the orange back to the man and said, “Peel it.”
The Ten Commandments define the life God wants us to have with him and with each other. Every aspect of our lives is to show that we belong to God. The Ten Commandments are minimum standards for a just society and are the framework for how we are to live our lives. We are to reflect God’s righteousness and justice by obeying God’s Commandments. They are the building blocks for a functioning society. These rules will never be out of date. These rules will never change. These rules will never budge because they are eternally the same.
When you were growing up, did your parents ever have to take anything away from you because you didn’t look after it? If so, you can understand what Jesus is talking about in the parable of the wicked tenants. It is a parable of God’s kingdom on earth. Specifically, God is the landowner, the Jewish leaders and people who reject Jesus or do not care about him are the tenants, the Old Testament prophets are the slaves send by the landowner, and Jesus is the landowner’s son. God gave the kingdom to the Israelites to tend and do his work, but they rejected their duties and turned away from God. In return, he sent the Old Testament prophets to warn them, but the Israelites rejected the prophets, even to the point of hurting or killing them. Finally, God sent his son Jesus to warn them, but he was also rejected and crucified.
The Israelites kept forgetting about God’s miraculous deliverance from slavery in Egypt. God freed them, but at the first sign of uncertainty they wanted to return to Egypt. They preferred certainty and slavery to the uncertainty of an adventure of living with God. They wanted security. They doubted that God would provide for them. God’s providence does not ensure that the path will lead to a particular outcome, and that frightened them. Despite their doubts, God provided. Regardless of what we do, God is faithful and will provide a way when there is no way. Providence will outlast our doubts and provide a way when we see no pathway ahead.
It’s painful to have someone you trust tell you that they are going to do something for you---and they don’t. Many of us can tell stories about people who have let us down by making promises and then not following up on them. For example, there is a story of a young widow whose husband died suddenly and left her to raise their two children. She told her minister that during the wake for her husband, a lot of family and close friends came up to her and told her that they would be there for her. During the following years, some people were there for her when she needed them, including some people who never made that promise, but there were others who were so eager during the wake to offer help and never called or visited.
Have you ever faced opposition while on your Christian walk of faith? If so, you’re not alone. Opposition to the Christian way of doing things has existed since Christianity began. In the passage from Philippians 2:1-13, Paul is trying to deal with a rift that has occurred within the church at Philippi. He argues that the people of God have an incentive to come together for hope and comfort.
In Philippians 1:21-30, Paul is caught between his desires and his duty. He is in the ultimate win/win situation in which he sees life and death as equally valuable. If he continues to live, he will come to know, love, and serve the Lord more fully and witness to more people. If he dies, he will completely, finally, and perfectly know Christ.
Paul seems flippant about death, but he is making a point. He is glorifying Christ and crediting Him with the meaning of life. Paul is not condoning suffering of any kind, not does he attribute it to God’s will. His goal is for us to see that our suffering for professing Christ as Lord is proof of the certainty of our future hope of a life with Christ. Most of us don’t suffer for the gospel, but Paul’s instructions to live our lives in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ still stands. Our devotion to Christ must govern all other loyalties, regardless of the consequences. We must live our lives in ways that are worthy of the gospel. The main reason to remain in this world is to bring others to Christ and to build up believers to do the same. While there is still ministry to do on earth, heaven can wait.
What is the difference between fairness and justice?
How many of us have felt that someone treated us unfairly? Has someone favoured another person over us? All of us have endured some hurt when our dreams are dashed or ambitions denied. Preferred treatment can lay the foundation for bitter memories. Does our ill treatment serve a greater good? Do others in need benefit? Sometimes we endure unequal treatment in the name of justice. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus presented the Kingdom as one of justice, not necessarily of fairness. According to Jesus, the faithful, even those who practiced faith all life long, did not earn the Kingdom. God gave His children the Kingdom as a gift.
The parable of the workers and the vineyard proves the old adage that “the first will be last and the last will be first.” Those who came at the first of the day had their needs met, but they could not focus on that positive aspect of their lives. Instead, their focus was on their neighbour who, though less deserving, also had his/her needs met. Instead of finding joy in their own circumstances, those who came at the first of the day found outrage at the apparent unfairness of the situation. They did not want more for themselves. They wanted less for their neighbor.
When it comes to forgiveness, how much is enough? How much do we need to forgive? How often should we be doing all we can to wash away the stains which weaken the bonds between us, which take their toll on our own sense of well-being — our very own peace, not to mention the peace between us?
People come in all different sizes, shapes, and colors, but they have one thing in common---they all make mistakes! We make a lot of mistakes. That is why God sent Jesus to die on the cross -- to erase our mistakes. When we do something wrong, we can ask God to forgive us and because of Jesus, He will erase our mistakes and we can start over again, and again, and again.
This passage from Matthew 18:15-20 was intended to give the early church guidance about how to deal with conflict and broken relationships. The first step toward reconciliation involves listening. Sometimes what we hear is not actually what was said. A good example is gossip. Several different stories or rumours often result from one story or incident. True listening means going to the other person. In other words, we are to take the first step. This is often painful, but it is necessary if there is to be any hope of reconciliation, forgiveness and peace. If a relationship is important to us, sooner or later we will need to swallow our pride.
When Moses saw the burning bush, he saw that God was in the plan. What Moses heard was the voice of God Himself. The appearance of the Lord was the first instance of direct revelation to Moses. After 80 years, Moses was now ready to fulfill the Lord’s calling. No other leader in biblical times had such a lengthy training period. Times of preparation are never wasted: God knows that, properly prepared, His servants can do more in 40 years than they could do in 120 unprepared.
God appears in the ordinary. This is one of many ways in which He gets our attention. He uses positive events such as the birth of a child, and He also uses tragedies. God does not cause tragedies, but He uses them to get our attention. He has to get our attention before He can present Himself to us. When He gets our attention, we stand on holy ground. When we stand on holy ground, we have to remove the dirt from our lives. That dirt is called sin.
In the famous words of the late American news commentator Paul Harvey, Matthew 16:21-28 is “the rest of the story”. It is a continuation from Matthew 16:13-20, in which Peter acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God. Now Jesus is telling his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem to complete his God-given mission to save the world by dying on the cross.
Have you ever thought about the legacy you want to leave behind when you die? I’m not talking about a physical legacy such as the things you own. I’m talking about how you want people to remember you. The type of legacy you leave behind will depend on the kind of life you lead on earth. Do you want to leave a legacy that is based on the world, its possessions and its sinful nature, or do you want to leave a legacy that is based on a life of service to God and that is pleasing to God? God has put together a checklist for a legacy that is pleasing to him. The most important item on that checklist is Christian love. In Romans 12:12-16 Paul teaches us how to show love in practical ways.
There are few things that bring more happiness than the birth of a new baby. For weeks before the baby is born, the preparations are made. The parents make sure the baby will have everything it needs. They buy clothes, baby bottles, little blankets to keep the baby warm, soft, fuzzy pajamas for the baby to sleep in. After the baby is born, care is taken to make sure that the baby has everything it needs to grow into a strong and healthy child. Good parents will do everything they can to keep their baby safe.
The birth of a child is a miracle. It is the result of the uniting of male and female to create life. The birth of a child causes us to contemplate the mystery of it all and rejoice when its full impact hits us. There are special cases where the miracle is so profound that we know that God is involved. The case of the birth of Moses, which we read about in Exodus 1:8-2:10, is a good example. God worked through Moses’ mother and Pharaoh’s daughter to save Moses’ life so that He could work through Moses to save his people eighty years later.
The events in the Gospel reading from Matthew 16:13-20 took place in the region of Caesarea Philippi. It was a territory where pagan gods were worshipped, and it is there that Jesus asks Peter a question about his identity, not in some safe territory, but in a non-believing location. Perhaps that is why Jesus told the disciples not to tell anyone that he is the Messiah, but I think the real reason is because Jesus had a special sense of timing about his ministry. He did not think it was time to reveal his true identity to the world. He was well aware that his claim was volatile in nature, and it was the claim that ultimately led to his crucifixion.
Paul uses the analogy of the human body to describe the unity all Christians have in Christ. We are the eyes, ears, head, hands, legs and feet of Christ. All Christians are part of one body of Christ, all of whom have vital parts that work together. Each part is different, but the parts need each other. Christians have individual gifts, and these gifts are really a gift of God’s grace. They are like parts of a human body. When one part of a body disappears, we look for it. Do we look for a member of the body of Christ when that member disappears?
Have you ever wondered how you can share the Good News with the people you meet? If so, the story of Philip and the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26-40 is a good teaching manual. Philip was leading a revival in Samaria that was leading multitudes of people to Christ. God called Philip from evangelizing the crowds to evangelizing to one person, but that one person-the eunuch-led to the spread of Christianity to the African continent. Philip must have wondered why God would take him out of a revival and place him in a desert, but he trusted God
Joseph refused to blame his brothers for what happened to him. Instead, he wanted them to see that God sent him to Egypt and that God had done so in order that many people might be blessed. Joseph was referring to the famine, but he could have been referring to God’s eventual plan to save the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. Joseph’s brothers were invited to see how an understanding of God can deal with bitterness and put sweetness in its place.
The issue in Matthew 15:10-28 is true holiness. Specifically, what constitutes true holiness? Is it strict observance of the law or rituals, as the Pharisees or some church-goers think? After all, the Pharisees were so concerned about obeying God’s law that they wrote countless rules to cover every conceivable situation. It makes me wonder if some government bureaucrats are descended from the Pharisees!
Or perhaps true holiness comes from the heart instead, as Jesus argues. He is right when he says that evil thoughts and deeds come from the heart. One only has to read the comments made by the man behind the terrorist attacks in Norway a few years ago to see that this is true. On the other hand, we only have to look at people such as Mother Theresa or Desmond Tutu, or organizations such as Samaritan’s Purse and our local food banks to see that good thoughts and deeds also come from the hearts of people, especially people who are willing to work for social justice.
Have you ever thought that you were alone on your walk of faith? Have you ever thought that you were the only Christian in the world? If so, you are not alone. Many of the Old Testament prophets felt that they were the only Christians in the world. Many Christians today sometimes fee that they are the only Christians in the world. They even feel that they have been rejected by God. At the end of Romans 10, it seems that the people of Israel have been rejected. It seemed that God’s plan and purpose for Israel had ended, when in fact nothing could be further from the truth as Paul argues in Romans 11:1-2,29-32.
Stephen saw a chance to say what the Israelite leaders needed to hear. His sermon established three points:
1.Christ and His kingdom are the main point of God’s progressive plan, not the temple.
2.God has always blessed Israel throughout its history, regardless of whether it had a temple.
3.Israel has a long history of attempting to frustrate God’s plan and has always consisted of two groups: the righteous and the rebellious.
Matthew 14:22-33 is a story about taking a leap of faith. Peter took a leap of faith by literally getting out of the boat when he heard Jesus’ call. This same call goes out to all of us today. We are called to take a leap of faith when Jesus calls us. It means getting out of the boats that we call our comfortable lives. Peter left the safety and security of the boat to face the uncertainty of Jesus’ call. When we leave our boats, we have to keep our focus on Jesus. Peter began to sink when he took his eyes off of Jesus, and like Peter, we will fail in our mission if we lose sight of the reason for our mission-Jesus.
When I led a weekly worship service at a local nursing home a few years ago, I talked about memories and how they can be both good and bad, depending on the memories. I talked about how Joshua told representatives of the twelve tribes of Israel to take 12 stones from the Jordan River and make a monument after the Israelites entered the Promised Land. This monument was intended to help the Israelites remember God’s faithfulness to them during the forty years that they wandered in the wilderness.
The writer of Psalm 85 also talks about memories. Memories give us hope. For example, people who are grieving the loss of a loved one are often comforted by their memories of their loved ones. Memories let us recall with gratitude what God has done in the past, and they give us the hope that God will do good things for us again in the future. That makes our present sorrows and sufferings bearable.
Imagine for a moment that you're part of the crowd in the story of the miracle of the loaves and fish. You've been listening intently to Jesus' words all day. You've traveled a long distance. It's been a long day, you're tired and hungry, and you realize that you didn't bring anything to eat. You have heard Jesus tell his disciples to find food for the people. To make matters worse, you realize that the only food available to feed the people is five small loaves of bread and two small fish. You see Jesus take the food, bless it and give it to the crowd. After the meal, you see the disciples gather up the broken, leftover pieces---enough to fill twelve baskets.
God the teacher feeds our minds. He teaches us not only through His Word, but also through the priest, the celebrant, the organist and choir, the lesson readers-in fact, He teaches through EVERYONE who does his work in the church family. His teaching materials (teachings, laws, etc.) are never used up. In fact, they are multiplied because those of us who are taught by Him can go out and teach others. By doing so, we do our part to fulfill the Lord's Great Commission, namely "Go forth into the world and make disciples of all nations".
Have you ever heard of the saying, “Every dark cloud has a silver lining”? If so, then the story of the loaves and fishes is a good example. Let me explain.
This story happens just after the death of John the Baptist. When Jesus heard that his cousin was beheaded, he did what some of us do when a friend or relative dies-he went off to a quiet place to think, pray and grieve. Unfortunately, to paraphrase the words of that great Scottish poet Robbie Burns, Jesus’ best laid plans were led astray by God.
You see, Jesus wasn’t the only person who was mourning the death of John the Baptist. His followers were also in mourning. They had lost their powerful leader. If he could be killed, then no one was safe-not even Jesus. They were seeking a new leader.
Good morning boys and girls!
Are you having a good summer? What fun things have you been doing?
Have any of you taken any trips? Are any of you planning on taking any trips this summer?
I’m going to take you on a little trip this morning. I want you to close your eyes and imagine for a moment that you're part of the crowd in the story. We’ve been listening eagerly to Jesus' words all day. We’ve traveled a long distance. It's been a long day, we’re tired and hungry, and we realize that we didn't bring anything to eat. We have heard Jesus tell his disciples to find food for the people. To make matters worse, the only food available is five small loaves of bread and two small fish. Surely that won’t be nearly enough to feed 5,000 men plus women and children! We see Jesus take the food, bless it and give it to the crowd. After the meal, we see the disciples gather up the broken, leftover pieces---enough to fill twelve baskets.
Memory is an important part of our lives. Our past forges our future. We celebrate national holidays so we can remember our moments of triumph and be bonded together by them again. We remember birthdays and anniversaries for the same reason. Psalm 105 is filled with the memory of what God has done.
The psalmist seeks to excite the people’s gratitude by recalling God’s goodness to them in former times. He urges us to always give thanks to God regardless of our circumstances. We are to give thanks for everything He has done in the past, especially in delivering His people from bondage into freedom. We are to rejoice because He is holy. Gratitude looks back on the many tings God has done in our lives and recalls how good and kind He has been to us, especially through trials, challenges and disappointment.
Have you ever tried to describe a difficult or abstract concept to someone, especially when you know that the person you are speaking to doesn’t know anything about what you are talking about? If you have, you know what Jesus is trying to do in these five parables from Matthew 13:31-33,44-52. Jesus is trying to describe the abstract concept of God’s Kingdom in terms that his audience could understand.
Have you ever wondered why God allows bad things to happen to his people? Well, God uses all of our circumstances to work for our good when we have faith. In other words, when we are Christ-like, God can take the negative circumstances of our lives and use them for our good, especially if using them for good fulfills his will for our lives. It’s like an oyster taking a grain of sand-something that irritates the oyster-and turning it into something of great value-a pearl.
Imagine for a moment that you discovered that you had a long-lost relative who made you the heir to their estate. They left you riches beyond count, your financial worries are over and you do not have to worry about the future. If that scenario happened, how would you feel? What would you do? Would you do anything differently? What would be different about your daily activities, practice, habits, and outlook? How would knowing that your future is absolutely secure change your present? This is what the Apostle Paul is describing in Romans 8:12-25
Those of you who have tended lawns and gardens know how important it is to keep weeds under control. You have to pull them out or use chemicals. It’s a lot of hard work, especially if you have to figure out what is a weed and what is a good flower or blade of grass. After all, sometimes the difference is not obvious because some weeds look like good flowers or grass and vice versa. At times like this, don’t you just want to say, “The heck with it!” and let someone else do the dirty work?
The parable of the wheat and the weeds talks about a similar situation. In Jesus’ day, it was common for a mischief-maker to sow darnel over the original crop. Darnel looks almost identical to wheat until harvest time, and it is mildly toxic. The servants wanted to uproot the darnel immediately, but the landowner insisted that it grow with the wheat until harvest time. Otherwise the wheat would be destroyed along with the darnel because the roots of both plants would be interwoven. At harvest time, the darnel would be separated from the wheat and burned as fuel.
The parable of the wheat and the darnel answers two questions: How can good and evil coexist in this age? What should we do about it? The key to understanding this parable is to think in pairs: there are two planters, two plants, two plans and two prospects.
When I worked at a local lumber mill several years ago, part of my duties included grading lumber. By that I mean separating lumber according to its qualities as determined by both the National Lumber Grading Authority rules and common sense. In other words, I was separating good lumber from bad lumber. Some of this was done before the lumber was planed, and some was done after.
The parable of the weeds and the wheat is a similar situation. The weeds and the wheat are growing up together, and the servants want to pull the weeds. This is understandable, because according to Leviticus 19:19, weeds made a field unclean, along with sowing more than one kind of seed in a field. The master tells the servants to wait until both are fully grown and ready for harvest, because until that time the weeds and the wheat are identical in appearance. Also, because the roots of the weeds and wheat are intertwined, pulling up weeds would also mean pulling up wheat. At harvest time, the weeds are to be gathered separately, bundled together and used for fuel, while the wheat is ground into flour.
How many of you have planted a garden? If you have, you know that there is a lot of work involved such as preparing the soil, pulling weeds, and watering the soil. Perhaps the most important task is planting seeds. There are at least two ways to plant the seeds. One is to kneel on the ground and plant the seeds. Another way is to walk along and scatter the seeds, and that’s the example Jesus used in Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23.
The first seven chapters of the Book of Romans have focused on the power of sin in our lives, and they have set the stage for chapter 8 by discussing Paul’s ideas about sin. Romans 8:1-11 is an entrance into friendly territory. It talks about the Holy Spirit, which was not mentioned in the previous seven chapters. In chapter 8 alone there are 21 specific references to the Holy Spirit because this chapter is practical in showing us how important the Holy Spirit is in our daily lives.
Paul contrasts life in the flesh with life in the Spirit, and Romans 8:1-11 focuses on setting our minds on the things of the Spirit. Paul works with the idea that God’s Spirit raised Jesus’ dead body and that same Spirit lives in each and every one of us. The Holy Spirit gives life to our bodies and personalities. We are like God because we are made out of the same stuff and substance as God. God’s Spirit sets off our spirits inside of us.
Have you ever noticed that there are always some people who can never be satisfied or happy with anything? Jesus did, and in Matthew 11:16-19,25-30 he compared the people of his day to children who can’t be satisfied by any game or activity, whether it is festive or sombre. Their actions reflected their lack of wisdom.
There is an interesting contrast in Matthew 11:16-19,25-30. Jesus is contrasting Man’s Law with God’s Law. Man’s Law was formed as the result of the Ten Commandments. God gave the Ten Commandments to the Jewish people to guide them through the moral traps of life, but well-intentioned people added on to the law until it became its own trap. Religious professionals prided themselves on their observance of the law, but even they couldn’t avoid breaking the law. The common person did not stand a chance of perfectly observing the law. All of these rules and regulations were a huge burden on the people. The law was a dispensation of terror.
There is one struggle that all of us as Christians have. It is the struggle between knowing what is right and doing what is right. In other words it is the conflict between good and evil. Believers have the ability to sin because of the legacy from Adam that we can’t do anything right.
The conflict Paul is talking about in Romans 7:15-25 is a form of spiritual warfare. It is like the game of tug-of-war. As we learn to say no to sin and yes to God, we are given a renewed spirit, vigor and understanding. Paul talks about this struggle by talking about his own personal struggle with good versus evil. In his eyes, he failed to do any good and he could not completely comply with God’s law. God’s Old Testament law demanded perfection. The law does not save us from sin, but it does show us the character of the giver of the law-God. The problem with the law is that is reveals human weakness when compared to the law’s perfect standard. The Pharisees tried to compensate for this by coming up with a list of 612 do’s and don’ts, but they only reinforced the point that we can’t completely obey the law. God’s law pulls us heavenward, whereas the law of sin pulls us toward hell. Jesus gives us eternal life through him, and escape from the flesh is also through him. Jesus dealt with sin through his death and resurrection.
Have you ever thought that God was asleep during your time of need? Perhaps you called out to God at that time, but you didn’t hear an answer. Psalm 121:14 says that “He who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps.” He is always there, but we must remember that He will answer our requests in His own time and in His own way.
Sometimes God uses the storms of life to teach us something or to accomplish other purposes. We might not like going through the storms of life but they can teach us things. There are things we can learn in hardship and crises that we can’t learn anywhere else.
This is why the passage from Matthew 8:23-37 might be helpful for us now. Matthew wrote his gospel for Christians in the latter half of the first century. They were battered and tempest-tossed by their circumstances. Many of them were facing hardship and ostracism and alienation from their families, friends and neighbours because of their commitment to Jesus. They were being discriminated and persecuted, sometimes to the point of death. The story of Jesus calming the storm resonated with them. It calmed their fears and gave them reason to hope that not all was lost. It gave them hope that at some point they would come through this storm.
In Genesis 22:1-14, God tested Abraham. He wanted to know if Abraham would sacrifice the son he and Sarah waited for. Abraham obeyed God’s call. He was taught to believe in God and His simple word. Abraham must have been torn between sacrificing his son and the promise God made. Abraham believed that if Isaac was sacrificed, God would raise him from the dead.
Satan tempts people to bring out their worst; God may test His beloved ones to bring out their best. The people closest to God often find themselves in the midst of the biggest tests. But Christians must remember: God will only ask them to do what He will enable them to do.
How many of you have a welcome mat outside of the front door of your house? A welcome mat usually has two purposes. It's used to encourage people to wipe their shoes off so that they won't track dirt or mud into your home or business. It’s placed outside your door as a sign to let people know that they are welcome to come in.
In Matthew 10:40-42, Jesus talks about welcoming people. Generally, Matthew emphasizes the disciples being good hosts, but in this passage, he turns that around. The disciples are the ones being cared for by others. Similarly, as modern-day messengers of God, we need to be gracious guests and accept help from others. Often the most caring people are the ones who are least likely to accept any help for themselves. As Christians, we need to be both care-givers and care-receivers. We need to allow others to use their gifts to help us. Each and every act of mercy contains Christ’s love for the world. It is a love we can share anytime and anywhere with any gesture, no matter the size.
What Jesus is telling us to do in the reading from Matthew’s Gospel is similar to the famous Golden Rule- “Do unto others”. A cup of cold water is a gift that everyone can give because it is the smallest of gifts. Even this, the smallest of gifts, is precious to the person receiving it, because sometimes it is the gift of life.
We are to do this for everyone we meet, because the recipient could be an angel, prophet or Jesus in disguise. It can mean providing material support such as food, clothing or shelter. It can also mean accepting the truth of our guest’s message. We must be prepared to pay the costs-financial, personal and danger. It is expensive to provide for living expenses. Our personal space and privacy are invaded. We could be caught in the opposition/persecution that the prophet would face. Jesus even said that hatred and persecution would get so bad that anyone who offered his sent ones a mere cup of cold water would receive a divine reward.
How do we see our possessions and our fellow man? Are we selfish, or do we share? Do we love others as Christ loves us? These are important questions that Luke makes us think about in Acts 4:32-37.
Have you ever met people who thought they were better than others? Well, we as Christians know that is a bad attitude to have. No one is better than anyone else. We are all the same before God. He judges Jews and Gentiles alike-impartially and righteously-on the basis of their levels of understanding of his law. That is what Paul is saying in Romans 2:12-24.
What happens when you realize that you can do something the boss can’t, or when someone who works for you suddenly surpasses your ability or status? The result is often instant conflict or role reversal. We see a good example of this in the passage we heard from Genesis 21:8-21.
All of us have sins hidden in the back of our minds and in the corners of our hearts. These private sins give us grief any time they come to the surface of our thoughts. Even though they might have been forgotten by others, and even though we have been forgiven by God, the sins still bother us. The apostle Paul offers us this assurance: “Sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under the law, but under grace.”
There are other people who believe that by doing good deeds they will get to heaven when they die. Unfortunately, they are dead wrong. The only way we can gain the new life that salvation offers is to die a spiritual death. In other words, our sin-filled nature has to die, and the only way it can die is if we accept Christ in faith. That is the point of Romans 6:1-13.
The passage from Matthew 10:24-39 is part of Jesus’ larger missionary discourse to his disciples. In this section, he talks about committed discipleship in the face of conflict. Jesus said that he came “not to bring peace, but a sword.” Jesus’ sword is the word of God. Jesus came to divide his people into two groups-those who are saved by grace and those who reject him and are condemned to spend eternity in hell.
Last Sunday we read Matthew’s version of the Great Commission. Today, we read Matthew’s version of an earlier commission, one where Jesus sent the disciples into the world in pairs to preach, heal, cast out demons and raise the dead. They were not men of rank and office. They were plain men of good sense, fair character, great honesty with favourable opportunities of ascertaining the facts to which they were witness. They were ordinary people who could fulfill the commission. We as ordinary people are also capable of fulfilling the same commission.
When I was a child, I had a paper route. Six mornings a week, I delivered newspapers to over a hundred customers before I had breakfast. One of the first sections that my customers looked at was the news, especially the front page. This was in the days before the Internet and email, so the newspaper was one of the main sources of news and information. Some of them also read the sports section to see if their favourite teams won. Many of them, including my own parents, also looked at the comics. That gave them a smile, especially if the news was full of stories of doom and gloom.
Jesus traveled all around the countryside. He went to many different towns and villages, and everywhere he went he saw crowds of people who were lost and helpless. It broke his heart. One day, he turned to his followers and said to them, "There are so many who need help, but there are not enough who are willing to help them. Get on your knees and pray that the Lord will send workers to help them."
On Trinity Sunday we celebrate not a religious holiday or occasion, but a doctrine-the doctrine of the Trinity. The Trinity is a concept that is not explicitly stated in Scripture, but it is there. The Trinity is a concept that is not easy to describe or understand. In fact, some ministers take Trinity Sunday off!
The Trinity is referred to indirectly in the passage from Matthew 28:16-20. All three members of the Trinity are always with us. They give us their cooperation and support. They help us and protect us. The name of the Father, and of the Son and the Holy Spirit means the combined authority of all manifestations of God. When we are baptized we become subject to the authority of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Consequently, we receive the remission of our sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.
This year’s Gospel reading for Trinity Sunday is Matthew’s version of the Great Commission. The Great Commission has not changed since Jesus gave it to the disciples over 2,000 years ago. Christians today are also called on to go and make disciples, baptize and teach. We are to do this through Jesus’ power, for his sake, and with the help of the Holy Spirit. When we fail to obey the Great Commission, it is because we fail to believe Jesus when he said that he is always with us. Our purpose as believers is to continue reaffirming Christ’s commands and follow-up with explaining how to do what he said. By God’s grace we know that when we search the Scriptures we are given an insight into God’s will and wishes for our lives. God the Creator speaks directly to our hearts and shows us how important our salvation is for Him.
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday dear Church
Happy Birthday to you!
On Pentecost Sunday, we celebrate the birth of the church. On the day of Pentecost over 2,000 years ago, the Holy Spirit came to the disciples, and through the Holy Spirit the church was born. It is a time when the church traditionally concentrates on the gift of the Holy Spirit and the ways in which it strengthens the church. It is a time to consider how the Spirit has created and sustained faith in our lives. It is a time to explore how the Spirit empowers our witness so that others might have faith.
In Ephesians 1:15-23, Paul prays for his friends to be illuminated here and now. He prays that God will give them a spirit of wisdom and revelation as they get to know God. He prays that the eyes of their hearts will be enlightened.
A few years ago, I preached and led worship at a church in a community near where I live. During the children’s talk I mentioned that Jesus told his disciples that he would be returning to the Father, but that they would receive the Holy Spirit. I compared the Holy Spirit to the batteries in a flashlight.
Light is amazing. Without it, we would not be able to read and discover the world around us. Just like we need physical light to see the world around us, we need spiritual light to see and understand God. Jesus is that spiritual light, and we see in Luke 24:44-53 how he shined a spiritual light on the disciples before his ascension. He helped the disciples to see that shining a light on sin helps those who have lost their way to see him, and he helps us to see the same thing today. He also shined a light on the Old Testament prophecies about his death and resurrection. Luke reminds us that Jesus came to satisfy all of the prophecies made about him in the Old Testament.
What would you say to someone if you knew that you were seeing them for the last time? If you were dying, what would be the last words you would say to your family and friends? If you’ve ever thought about the answers to these questions, then you can appreciate what was going through Jesus’ mind in the Gospel reading from John 17:6-19.
What’s one of the hardest things you have ever had to do? For most of us, the answer is waiting, especially if we are sitting in a doctor’s waiting room. Frustration soon sets in. The disciples felt the same way, especially when Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem for the power He said would be coming to them. This was especially frustrating for Peter, who preferred to be doing something instead of waiting. Waiting is so frustrating because it means someone else or something else is in charge, not us. Being out of control and subject to the control of others reminds us of our finiteness and vulnerability.
Several years ago, when I was working for a local lumber mill, the company had a contest where the employees were encouraged to come up with a slogan that portrayed the company’s mission. The slogan was to be used on all of the company’s promotional material. The winning entry was “Together We’re Better”, and it reflected the employees’ desire to work together to produce top-quality products.
Christianity can use the same motto, because together as Christians we can go a long way to fulfilling God’s call in our world. In order to do this, we need the power of the Holy Spirit. In Acts 1:8, Jesus told the disciples that they would receive God’s power through the Holy Spirit, and in John 17:1-11, Jesus prayed to the Father to send his power to all of Christianity through the Holy Spirit. Our definition of power is different from God’s definition of power. God’s definition of power is the ability to carry out a purpose-in this case, his work in the world. By coming together, we have even greater power.
Have you ever wondered how you can reach and teach people who don’t know Christ? If so, you can learn from the example Paul used in the passage from Acts 17:22-31.
Paul approached the subject of his message from the viewpoint of the Greeks. He did not use flattery. He complimented them on their pursuit of spiritual knowledge. He used something familiar to the Greeks to introduce them to something that they weren’t familiar with. The Greeks accepted all gods, but in case they forgot any gods, they built an altar to an unknown god. The Greeks were searching for knowledge. They didn’t have to look any further than Jesus. If we are looking for knowledge, all we have to do is look for Jesus. Paul proceeded to tell them about the one god they overlooked in their pursuit of spiritual knowledge.
Boys and girls, all of us have something special that comforts us. For you, it’s a special toy or a favourite stuffed animal or blanket. For many of us adults, it’s something like a doughnut and cup of coffee from our favourite coffee shop!
The one thing that all of us as believers have is the Holy Spirit. It guides and comforts us, especially when we are sad or having problems. Even the disciples had the Holy Spirit, and they were with Jesus since the start of his ministry. Let me tell you the story.
What would qualify a person as a “real Christian?” What daily practices would they have to observe? What would they have to know? These questions and others like them would be interesting topics for an information session or a class for new believers. There is one basic thing that each and every Christian must have to be a real Christian. It is the Holy Spirit.
“Let not your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know and the way you know.”
Isn’t that comforting? It is not surprising that these words are often read at funerals. Jesus said these words to his disciples shortly before his arrest and crucifixion. He knew that they would be upset by his death and ascension, and he wanted to comfort them.
The passage we just heard from John’s Gospel is known as the parable of the good shepherd. Jesus is our shepherd. People who truly belong to God listen to and believe in the words of Jesus. We must distinguish his voice from all the other voices we hear in our daily lives and follow Him in faith. He provides the security of an eternal kingdom, but people often look elsewhere for their spiritual and eternal security. No forces other than our own can snatch us out of His good care and keeping. There is no security in the law, only unbelief. Christianity is not about Christians behaving themselves. It is about hope for those who do not have any-including all of us. All we have in ourselves is doubt and fear-and nothing there is certain.
All sin is wrong. It doesn’t matter what the size of the sin is. All sins separate us from God. It is only when we accept personal responsibility that the process of repentance and restoration can begin to work in our lives.
A mother was once asked by a census-taker how many children she had. She replied, “Well, there’s Billy and Harry and Martha and…”. “Never mind the names,” the man interrupted, “Just give me the numbers”. The mother angrily replied, “They don’t have numbers, they all have names!”
This might be a funny story, but in our modern world this is oh so true. We are often reduced to numbers and statistics, especially by the government. Here in Canada, our governments- municipal, federal or provincial-know us by our Social Insurance Numbers, and that identity is included in almost all of our lifetime records and transactions. We are no longer identities to our governments, only our “number” is. Even our opinions are reflected by numbers in survey results. No wonder many people have an “identity crisis”.
Thankfully, our Saviour Jesus Christ is not like this. He knows each and every one of us by our names, just like a shepherd knows each and every one of the sheep in his flock. Personal names and identities are important to God, especially his own; therefore, it is not surprising that Jesus knows us by our names. After all, he is the Good Shepherd.
Have you ever wondered what heaven is like? Acts 2:42-47 offers us a glimpse of heaven here on earth. The early believers joined together in faith, hope and love in the very best ways possible. The reading from Acts is a picture of the early church. It suggests what the Holy Spirit can do. The Holy Spirit gives Christians the power to provide mutual service that reflects God’s justice, mercy, love and compassion. The Christian community exists not for our sake, but to care for its most vulnerable members and to be the means by which God’s gift of salvation is extended to others.
We may not have trouble with our eyesight, but all of us have difficulty seeing and understanding things at times. The events in Luke 24:13-35 took place just three days after Jesus was crucified. They show how some of Jesus' disciples had trouble understanding what they had seen.
Have you ever had problems or trials in your lives? We often have times of trial and difficulty in life. Sometimes they are the result of things we have done, and other times they are caused by God. All of us know what it is like to be hurt. It is part of all cultures, and it can only be cured by a powerful potion. In the case of believers, that potion is faith. Christian hope is grounded on the reality of Christ and his resurrection. Christ will protect us from persecution. He will protect our souls while allowing our trials to strengthen our faith. Trials humble us and prove the genuineness of our faith, but we can rejoice in suffering because of our faith.
The reading from Acts 2:14, 22-32 is part of the first sermon ever preached. It was in response to the disciples’ speaking in tongues on the Day of Pentecost. When the disciples spoke in tongues, some people in the crowd thought that they were drunk. Peter stated that this was not true because it was 9:00 in the morning.
If Peter was drunk with anything, he was drunk with the Holy Spirit. It allowed Peter to preach with conviction and faith. It allowed him to preach with the same boldness, courage and urgency that Jesus did. Peter preached Christ. He explained God’s gift of salvation, what people did to refuse it, what God did in spite of their refusal to accept his gift, and what would happen to those who would accept the gift.
Even the Bible has stories in it that are true even though they are hard to believe. For example, Thomas the disciple refused to believe the other disciples when they told him that they had seen the Risen Saviour. He was not with the other disciples in the room when they saw Jesus on the first Easter night. He refused to believe them until he could see Jesus in person. One week later all of the disciples (including Thomas) were in the same room when they saw Jesus again. Jesus knew that Thomas needed proof of his resurrection, and that’s why he invited Thomas to put his finger in the nail holes in his hands and the spear hole in his side. Only then did Thomas believe.
Thomas refused to believe the news that Christ was alive. We are the same today. In many cases, we can’t believe everything we hear. That’s why agencies such as the police and Phone Busters always warn us about scams. We can’t trust everyone and everything. Trust in political figures is at an all-time low. Trust in the church and its leaders has also been eroded, especially by recent scandals
Picture the scene in John 20:19-31. All the disciples except Thomas are in a room behind locked doors at night. It was common for early Christians to meet at night. In times of persecution they were forbidden to meet during the day, so they had to meet at night. The disciples are scared. They saw their leader brutally killed, and they are afraid that they will also be killed. In more ways than one, the room and the situation are dark.
Suddenly, Jesus appears. He walks through the locked door. The first words Jesus says to the assembled disciples are, “Peace be with you.” They are terrified, first for fear of the Jews and because they thought they were seeing a ghost. But when Jesus shows them His wounds, they know this is their Lord. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would come. Just as God created humanity with His breath in Genesis 2:7, He gave the Holy Spirit to His disciples by breathing on them. God is recreating humanity in Christ. The darkness of the room is dispelled by the light of Christ.
Has anyone ever told you something so outrageous or so unbelievable that you thought you couldn’t believe it unless you saw it for yourselves? Have you ever seen anything that was so unbelievable that it was scary? If so, then you can understand how the disciples felt after they saw the risen Jesus in the passage from Luke 24:36-48.
Have you ever wondered how the disciples were able to accomplish so much after Jesus returned to heaven? The answer is revealed in the story of Peter and John and the healing of the lame man. We read what happened because of that healing in Acts 3:11-26.
The passage from John 20:1-18 is the key point of our faith because it is about the Resurrection. Christ’s resurrection is the basis of our faith. Without it:
1.The Gospel would be meaningless.
2.Forgiveness of sins would be hopeless.
3.Present life would be joyless.
4.Godly living would be fruitless.
5.Future life would be worthless.
The resurrection of Jesus is like the quiet dawning of a new day heralding the defeat of the night. Our Saviour meets us personally and intimately at unexpected times and places. When we meet Him, our grief and doubt are overcome. We are flooded with joy and peace as we move from sight to faith.
What is so good about Good Friday? That is the question many of us probably ask when Good Friday comes around every year. After all, what is good about a day that commemorates Jesus' horrible torture and execution on a Roman cross?
Good Friday is a dark day in some respects because it commemorates the day that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, but it is also a bright day in other ways because Jesus' death and resurrection on Easter Sunday paved the way for our relationship with God to be restored. This is the good news that Jesus has asked us to spread, but in order to understand the good news, we have to understand the bad news that is called our sinful, human nature. Once we see that we are slaves to sin, the good news of deliverance makes sense.
John 13:31-35 is part of Jesus' farewell speech to his disciples. It takes place on the night before his crucifixion, and he is giving his disciples final instructions for continuing his work. Many of you have also provided instructions for loved ones at other points in your lives. For example, if you went away on trips you likely gave instructions to other people for picking up your mail, checking on your homes or mowing your lawns. Hopefully most of you have also prepared wills in which you give instructions about how your property is to be dealt with after you die.
In John 13:31-35, Jesus is teaching his disciples about humility, acceptance and love. This particular passage occurs just after Jesus has washed the disciples' feet, and after Judas has left to betray Jesus. Judas' departure began the process by which Jesus was glorified by God. Jesus knew that Judas' actions would result in victory over sin and death, but the disciples didn't realize it even though Jesus told them several times that he would die and rise again. Jesus was their source of comfort and strength, but he knew that they would have to learn to support each other after he returned to heaven. That's one reason why he issued the commandment to love one another. It is also the new commandment that we as his modern disciples are to follow.
Palm Sunday is a turning point in our journey of faith with Jesus. We walk alongside Him as He enters the holy city of Jerusalem for the last time. His fame as a messenger of God has travelled far. He is riding in triumph and humility on the back of a donkey. The crowd has spread their cloaks on the ground before Him and has strewn His path with palm branches.
Jesus had to go to Jerusalem for the same reason the apostle Paul knew he had to go to Athens, then Ephesus, then on to Rome. The gospel had to be declared in places that served as the crossroads of cultures and ideas. The message had to be preached in places where the world was always coming and going so people who heard it could take the message with them where they went. The same thing happened on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit came to the disciples and gave them the ability to speak in different languages. People who heard the Good News in their own language could take the message back to their home countries.
When someone makes a promise to you, do you expect them to keep it? I certainly do, and after reading Genesis 17:1-7,15-16, we can expect God to keep His promises to Abraham. God was committed to the covenant He made with Abraham and his descendants. God declared Abraham righteous in Genesis 15 simply because Abraham believed, but this faith must never be separated from obedience that flows from faith.
The passage from John 11:30-47 shows Jesus at some of the highest and lowest points in his ministry. Jesus was told a few days earlier that his friend Lazarus was sick, but he waited for two days before he and the disciples went to the home of Mary and Martha, who were Lazarus’ sisters. By the time he arrived, Lazarus had been dead for several days, so it’s not surprising that Mary and Martha were disappointed with Jesus.
Sometimes Jesus disappoints us as well. We’ve prayed, but no answers have come. We’ve pleaded, but God has delayed. We’ve waited, but he hasn’t arrived. Why has Jesus waited? Possibly it is because our faith and hope in Jesus have to be proved and/or tested. Our faith depends on the faith that comes from experiencing God’s power in our lives. That faith needs to be as deep as Martha’s was when she said that God could do for Jesus whatever he asked. She had a faith experience because she had seen him work miracles throughout his ministry and she knew what he was capable of.
We often say, “I don’t understand why God let my loved one be taken. I don’t understand why He is allowing me to suffer physically. I don’t understand the paths by which He is leading me. I don’t understand why plans and purposes that seem good to me should be baffled. I don’t understand why blessings I need badly are so long delayed.” We don’t have to understand all of God’s ways. In fact, God doesn’t expect us to understand them, but some day we will see the glory of God in the things which we don’t understand.
The first seven chapters of the Book of Romans focused on the power of sin in our lives, and they have set the stage for chapter 8 by discussing Paul’s ideas about sin. Our reading today from Romans 8:1-11 is an entrance into friendly territory. It talks about the Holy Spirit, which was not mentioned in the previous seven chapters. In chapter 8 alone there are 21 specific references to the Holy Spirit because this chapter is practical in showing us how important the Holy Spirit is in our daily lives.
We live in a dark world that is full of temptation and evil. We try to live our lives as Christians, and sometimes we go astray. Most temptations are not great, obvious ones. We may never have been tempted to murder, commit adultery, or worship idols. Can we say the same thing about common sins like gossip or backstabbing? Have we never repeated a juicy rumour, even though we knew it was hurting a friend’s reputation? Have we assumed that everything we read on social media is true?
How many of your either know or knew someone who people might say is “different?”
They end up in this category for many different reasons-race, colour, creed, beliefs, religion, the community they live in, or even a disability. I can tell you from personal experience that it is no fun to be labelled as “different.” I can sympathize with the blind man in John 9:1-41. I hope that all of us as Christians can sympathize with him as well.
John 4:5-42 marks a shift in Jesus ministry. It marks a shift from ministry to the Jews only to ministry to both Jews and Gentiles. Jesus had to go through Samaria. God is willing to go anywhere to meet us as sinners. No one is outside the reach of God’s love. God’s gifts are for outsiders. Those who consider themselves worthy of those gifts will be in for a nasty surprise!
Good morning boys and girls!
Who likes getting gifts? I certainly do.
Let me ask you this. Is something a gift if you have to pay for it? If you have to pay for it or do something for it, it isn’t a gift. When someone gives you a gift, it doesn’t cost you anything. All you have to do is accept it. What is the one thing you should not do when someone gives you a gift? The one thing you should never do is ask “How much did it cost?”
What do you think is the greatest gift anyone can receive? It is the gift of eternal life. Jesus talks about this gift in John 3:1-17.
One of the most famous Bible verses is John 3:16: "For God so loved the world." Just how great is God's love and how could we measure it?
When we look upon the crucified Christ, like the Israelites who were bitten by serpents in Numbers 21 looked at the bronze serpent on the pole and lived, we are given a new life. In other words, we are born again. When we are born again, we receive the Holy Spirit. It encourages us to meet our needs in a way that honours God. It leads us to salvation, regenerates us, convicts us of our sinfulness, teaches us to live for Christ, and seals us for redemption. It also leads us in truth. The Spirit will guide us to remember the truth, reproduce the truth, receive the truth, act upon it and speak it.
Have you ever faced temptation in your life? Each and every one of us has faced life’s temptations at some point in time, and we are always faced with the issue of how we are going to face them. Even Jesus was tempted, as we have heard in today’s Gospel reading. We can be tempted at any stage in life. Do we fight temptation or give in to it? Matthew 4:1-11 gives us instructions about how we as Christians are supposed to deal with temptation.
When Moses came down from the mountain after his meeting with God, his face shone with the radiance of God’s glory. It was the same glory that Jesus radiated during the Transfiguration. When God’s glory shone in the faces of Moses, Elijah and Jesus, people saw them as they truly were and always have been. When we meet God for the first time, we are changed. Every time we meet God after that, we are changed. When we are changed by God, His glory shines through us.
Have you ever had a moment when your life was changed? Perhaps it was similar to the Transfiguration. That moment changed the lives of Peter, James, John and Jesus, just like moments in our lives can change us. The disciples were changed from fearful, anxious, inactive cowards to brave, confident, active champions of the faith. We are also transformed when Jesus touches us, and we need that touch badly. We are also encouraged to offer this touch to a world that needs it badly.
In 1 Kings 11:4-10, we see a good example of the old saying that “absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Solomon’s religious earnestness of his younger days was weakened by wealth, luxury, sensualism, and the increasing pagan influence of his foreign wives. Solomon did not completely abandon God. He continued to worship God and made his offerings three times a year in the temple.
In the reading we just heard from Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus spells out to the disciples and to us what the distinguishing marks of a Christian will be in the world. Jesus’ use of the symbol of salt emphasizes the call and influence of purity Christians bring to society. Just like salt keeps food from spoiling, Christians are preserving elements in society. They make the earth more authentic. Because of how they live and reach out to others, they will be “salt of the earth” and “light of the world.”
Many of you have been in a situation where you’ve heard the last words of a friend or a loved one who was dying. A dying person’s final words are significant. These words may include final instructions or a final goodbye. Leaders typically give advice to their successors, and the words in 1 Kings 2:1-4,10-12 are no exception. King David’s death marked the end of a momentous 40-year reign in Israel’s history, but the line of David would continue on Israel’s throne, eventually culminating in the birth of the Messiah.
The problems that followed King David’s house following the taking of Bathsheba and the murder of her husband Uriah followed him to his deathbed. David’s son Adonijah was next in line to the throne, but some of David’s generals and supporters were opposed to Adonijah’s succession. They supported Solomon. Bathsheba and the prophet Nathan persuaded David to declare Solomon king.
Have you ever heard of the old saying, “Good things come to those who wait”? If so, the story of Simeon, Anna and the baby Jesus in the temple in Luke 2:22-40 is a good example. The coming of Christ involved all manner of waiting on God. A young maiden, a dying man and an old widow all model hearts yielded to God.
If you could ask God for one thing, what would it be?
In the passage we just heard from Psalm 27, David gives us a good suggestion. He longed to live in the house of God. He didn’t want to step away from God. Similarly, we as Christians should long to live in God’s house, because when we get there we will never want to leave.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Sound familiar?
In 1 Corinthians 1:10-17, Paul addresses a problem that still exists today. That problem is the lack of unity in the Christian church. The Corinthian Christians were divided into factions based on who had baptized them instead of being united in the faith and the Gospel. They identified with different leaders because in that culture, a person’s name was more than a label. A person’s character and power were tied up in his name.
Have you ever stumbled around in the dark-either at night or during a power outage? It’s not a very pleasant experience, is it?
Darkness is associated with a number of unpleasant things. When we are in the dark, we tend to move slowly or wander aimlessly. We tend to be scared in the dark, mainly because we can’t see the dangers that would be apparent if it were light. There is something about darkness that makes us scared.
We can also wander around in spiritual darkness. That darkness is caused by our lack of knowledge in or faith in Jesus. When we receive the Light of Christ, we don’t have to be afraid of darkness or evil. Christ will be with us. When we are faithful, we will be rewarded.
How many of your have ever gone fishing? What do you have to take with you when you go fishing? Suppose you forgot to take one of these things with you? Would you be able to catch any fish? Everything you need to go fishing works together to help you catch fish.
Jesus wants to take us fishing, but we’re going to catch something other than fish. When we go fishing with Jesus, we fish for people. Jesus wants us to tell others about what he has done for us and what he wants to do for them.
The season of Epiphany emphasizes mission and ministry, and the Gospel reading from Matthew that we heard a few minutes ago is especially appropriate for today. Jesus has called all of us to serve others as he did, to follow him, to sacrifice comforts, to bless the lives of others, to minister to the sick, and to proclaim the good news of the kingdom.
You have probably heard the phrase “What’s in a name?” from time to time. Names mean different things to different people. In John 1:29-42, we hear some of the names given to Jesus and given by Jesus.
During the time when Jesus lived on the earth, leprosy was wide-spread. It was a dreaded disease. The word “leper” can refer to a person suffering from any of several different skin diseases. When someone had leprosy, they were covered with sores all over their bodies. Unlike chicken pox, these sores did not go away. When someone had leprosy, their situation was hopeless because there was no cure. To make matters worse, other people considered them to be unclean and were not allowed to touch them. Many people believed that people who had leprosy got the disease because of some terrible sin they had committed.
Today we read about Jesus’ baptism, which was the start of his ministry on earth. Since baptism represents the washing away of sins, and Jesus was sinless, why did he need to be baptized? It was because his baptism fulfilled God’s saving activity as foretold in the Old Testament and culminating in his death on the cross. In other words, Jesus came to bring salvation to everyone. Jesus was willing to set a good example by doing God’s will, and it was God’s will that everyone who believed in him be baptized.
The triad of faith, hope and love is found throughout the writings of the early church. The hope that grounds the faith and love of the redeemed carries a certain expectation; it is rooted in the promises of the faithful God, thus the truth of the gospel changes lives and offers the certainty of heaven. The heart of the Gospel is the transcendent grace of God.
The Feast of the Epiphany is the day when we remember the visit of the three wise men, but we also remember that Jesus came into the world for everyone-Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, upper class people and lower-class people, humble shepherds and wise men and so on.
It is also a happy time or a sad time depending on how you look at it. It marks the end of the 12 Days of Christmas and the end of the holiday season. For most of us, the decorations have been put away for another year, the parties and celebrations are over, visitors have returned home, and we are settling back into our daily routines after the Christmas season. We, like the Magi, need to break away from our daily routines and busyness to take time to look for the Christ Child. It might mean stopping in the midst of our daily lives to pray that God will help us center our thoughts on Jesus more than our daily lives. It might mean that we have to put down our to-do list to pick up our Bibles to read and absorb God’s Word.
Well, Christmas is almost over for another year. For most of us the holidays are over, and our lives get back to normal. Children will be going back to school, people will be going back to work, family and friends will be going home (if they haven’t gone home already), and we will be settling back into our normal routines.
There is one more part of Christmas to come, and that’s why I said that Christmas is almost over. There is one more gift for all of us, and on the Feast of the Epiphany we receive that gift. That gift is the fact that Jesus came for all of us-both Jews and Gentiles. This concept is represented in the visit of the Magi, but it is also represented in the legendary story of the fourth wise man-a man named Artaban.
Good morning boys and girls!
Did you have a good Christmas? Did you get lots of gifts?
Did any of you go on a trip over Christmas? How did you get there? Did you have to get directions? How did you get them? Did you ask someone? Did you go online and get directions? Did your parents use a GPS system or a map?
A long time ago there were some people who went on a journey. Can anyone guess who they were? They were the Three Wise Men. Let me tell you the story.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God”. This is John’s version of the nativity story. It doesn’t begin with shepherds and angels and a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. John’s nativity story takes us back to the beginning of creation and time, and it echoes the creation story in Genesis. In John’s Gospel, the very God who created the heavens and the earth and who breathed life into Adam was the same God who became flesh and lived among us. Jesus is the exact representation of God’s nature because he is God himself. This fulfills the purpose of John’s Gospel; namely, to prove that Jesus and God are one and the same.
The passage we heard from Ephesians expresses a new understanding that Paul has talked about in his other letters but never fully developed. The abolishment of the barrier between Jews and Gentiles is the key to understanding God’s plan for the universe. His plan was and is to unify the entire universe in Christ Jesus. That is God’s gift to us, and we should be grateful for what He has done for us.
How do we know that Jesus is the only way to God?
That’s a question many people are asking these days. They say that Jesus was a good man, a religious figure or a revolutionary, but the only way to God? It’s not surprising that people have this idea, especially when you consider our modern society. There is a turning away from God, and that is represented by a decline in church attendance. We also have to consider the fact that there are passionate Muslims, Jews and Hindus who are fervent in their faith and beliefs.
The best way to answer the question is to see what Jesus said about Himself.
Once the hoopla and confusion of Christmas fades and the wonder of Christ’s birth fades, Christians consider the harder questions that arise from the Incarnation-questions such as “Why did God have to come to us in this way?” and “Was it necessary for Christ to suffer during His life and especially in His death?” The short answer is that Jesus came not only to show God’s love and presence with us, but He also came to bear our mortality so that He could die to save us from our sins. God is revealed in the suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus. That’s the irony of the Incarnation-that God is revealed only in human vulnerability.
God’s plan of salvation was opposed from the start. With the birth of Jesus, salvation emerges within us and within our problem-filled society. Salvation wrestles with our enemies. Jesus becomes Emmanuel-God with us-so he can lift us, especially when we battle the forces of evil.
A birth is a great adventure. it doesn’t matter if it’s the Messiah’s birth, our birth, or the birth of one of our children. Birth is a great mystery, and God is the giver of that life. At Christmas time, we celebrate the mystery of the greatest birth of all-the birth of Jesus.
Today we begin the transition from Advent to Christmas. We are led to the stable. Our hopes, dreams and longing for a Saviour are the same hopes, dreams and longings people had on that first Christmas 2,000 years ago. The birth of the Messiah pointed to the promise of the Kingdom.
Are you starting to get excited for Christmas? Are you getting excited over all of the Christmas decorations? At this time of year, we see lots of colourful ribbons, candles, stars, wreaths such as our Advent wreath, Christmas trees, Christmas lights and angels.
When you see angel decorations, what is the first thing you think of? Most of the time the first thing we think of is the angels announcing Jesus’ birth to shepherds in the field, but there is another, more important time that an angel appeared before Jesus was born. Can anyone tell me what that was? It was the time that the angel appeared to Mary and told her she was going to have a baby.
There was another time that an angel came before Jesus was born, and that story is part of our Bible lesson for today. That visit was to Joseph, and I’ll tell you about it now.
Have you ever been in a situation where people did not live up to the hopes and expectations you had for them? If so, you can probably understand why John the Baptist was confused in the reading we heard from Matthew 11:2-11.
Hello boys and girls!
Are you starting to get excited for the coming of Christmas?
Are you starting to get ready for the holidays? How about your moms and dads? Are they starting to get things ready for Christmas?
There’s always a lot of things to do to get ready for Christmas. There’s housecleaning, presents to buy, gifts to wrap, concerts and parties to go to, preparing for company. Are you helping your parents get ready for Christmas?
Can you imagine how much preparation your parents would do if someone REALLY important was coming to visit—someone like a king or queen? Well, the passage from Matthew 3:1-12 is about preparing for the coming of someone REALLY important. Can you guess who that person is? It’s Jesus!
Before Jesus began his ministry, there was someone who prepared the people for His coming. That person was John the Baptist. Let me tell you a little about him and how he prepared the people for Jesus.
The prophet Isaiah reminds us of the good old days when David ruled a united Israel, when life was simple in the Garden of Eden, and when God’s people fled Egypt to find a permanent home. Isaiah tells us that no matter how good the good times were even better times will happen when Christ returns. In this season of Advent, we remember both Christ’s birth in the stable in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago and his Second Coming. Nothing in the past can be measured against what is yet to come.
The central theme of the reading from Matthew 24:36-44 is promise. Jesus promises that when he returns he will gather his people. We don’t need to be afraid of the Great Tribulation or the Battle of Armageddon. Jesus will be with us. He will protect us.
No one knows when He will return to set up His kingdom. Periodically someone will claim to have discovered a secret that indicates the date of Christ’s return, but such claims are not true. Jesus will return when we least expect it. Christians who are expecting His return will know it will be a great day. When He returns, we will have to give an account of how we lived for Him. If we are faithful and wise servants we will be ready. Jesus will see us doing His will when He returns.
The end is here!
We’ve reached the end of another church year. This coming Sunday is Reign of Christ Sunday, when we celebrate the mystery of Christ’s kingly power. Reign of Christ Sunday is a fairly new religious observance. It was started by Pope Pius XI in 1925. According to the papal encyclical that introduced the Reign of Christ Sunday, Christ the King rules over the church and the whole world---if not now, than at the end of time.
When the disciples saw Herod’s temple, they saw its external beauty, but they failed to see what really behind it-spiritual bankruptcy, hypocrisy, oppression, rejection of Christ and the Gospel, and Christ’s impending death at the hands of the religious authorities.
Every house has a firm foundation. Without it, the house would quickly fall down. Similarly, our faith has a firm foundation-Jesus Christ. That foundation can never be shaken.
The word “Shaken” is sometimes used to describe what happens to a home’s foundations in an earthquake. It can also describe what happens to weak faith when trouble comes. Believers in Thessalonica were alarmed because they mistakenly believed they had missed the rapture and were living in the Tribulation-a rumour they were more prone to believe because they were being persecuted. This false teaching had come to them either by a fraudulent revelation, a false report, or a forged letter bearing Paul’s name. Paul spent some time correcting this error.
Good morning boys and girls!
How many of you like riddles? I liked them when I was your age, and I still like them because they make you think. Jesus also liked riddles. He liked it when people told him riddles, and he also used riddles called parables. He used these riddles to teach the people about God.
It’s not hard to tell that the church year is coming to an end. In fact, in a little more than three weeks, the season of Advent will start. The issues that have been placed before us in the last couple of weeks are about what comes next. Today, we focus on the resurrection. The emphasis of Luke 20:27-38 is not about how and when our age will end. It is about what our futures will be after this age passes away and the time of human life is ended.
Have you ever wondered about what life will be like in heaven after we die? If so, you’ll be interested in what Jesus has to say about the subject in the passage from Luke 20:27-38.
The Sadducees’ question about the resurrection was a ridiculous one because the Sadducees did not believe in the resurrection. Their question was designed to draw Jesus into an argument based on Old Testament law. Deuteronomy 25:5 commanded a man to marry his brother’s wife if the brother died. If they had a son, the son was to be named after the deceased brother. The Sadducees asked which of the seven brothers would be married to the widow in the resurrection.
How do you handle crises in your lives? Do you blame or belittle God?
In Old Testament times, people assumed that their crises implied God’s absence or apathy. In reality, God uses current events to remind people that there isn’t a day that goes by that we aren’t dealing with God. No matter what the trauma or crises is in our lives, God can be trusted to bring comfort in the short-term and restoration in the long run. We hear that promise in Joel 2:23-32.
What would you say to someone if you knew you were speaking to them for the last time? What advice would you give?
These same questions were likely on Paul’s mind when he wrote his second letter to Timothy. Paul wrote this letter from a prison cell in Rome, and he knew that he would soon be put to death by Emperor Nero. The letter to Timothy was a “passing of the torch.” In this letter Paul gave final instruction to his star pupil Timothy much like a schoolteacher gives final instructions to his or her students before they write a final exam.
Have you ever thought that you were better than other people? If you have, how can you call yourself a Christian? Christians prove by their words and deeds that they are the same as everyone else, the only difference being that they show Christ’s love and that they admit that they are sinners and ask for God’s mercy and forgiveness. That is the point of the Gospel reading from Luke 18:9-14.
One reason why people brag, bully, tease or make fun of other people might be that they think that they are better than other people. But as God’s children we know that this is not true. We are all the same in the eyes of God, and he hates people who think they are better than anyone else.
Have you ever wanted something so much that you kept asking for it time and time again until you finally got what you wanted? If so, you can understand how the widow in the Parable of the Unjust Judge felt. She kept going to the judge until he finally decided to hear her case. Jesus told this story to encourage His listeners to be persistent in prayer.
Paul is not talking about one’s love for Christ when he speaks of the love of Christ. Paul is speaking of Christ’s love for people. Christ’s love is a safeguard against the difficulties of life. None of the seven threats Paul lists can separate believers from God. Our love for God is so strong that it will survive all opposition and trials. Our love is so strong that we will be willing to endure all of life’s trials, just like the love the saints in the Bible had for God allowed them to endure the hardships they faced. Not even death can separate us from God’s love if we are believers. When we die, we will be immediately ushered into God’s presence.
For the Samaritan leper, his encounter with Jesus was a life-changing invitation into a kingdom and a new community, into life as a new creation. When he fell at Jesus’ feet, he saw the Son of God who made him well. The Samaritan’s response is a model of discipleship, believing and faith. His grateful response to his healing was the start of a process of reaction. We are not called to respond as he did. We are called to imagine our own grateful response.
In a few days Canadians will be celebrating Thanksgiving. This is the season where we give thanks to God for everything he has given us. We thank God for providing for our needs, and we especially give thanks for the gift of the harvest, whether it is from the land or the sea.
What advice would you give to someone if you knew that you were talking to them for the last time?
That question was on the apostle Paul’s mind when he wrote his final letter to Timothy. The passage from 2 Timothy 1:1-14 is part of Paul’s last letter and was written from his prison cell in Rome. He doesn’t focus on his circumstances or his impending death. Instead, he focuses on the promise of life in Christ. Any Christian’s earthly circumstances pale in comparison to the glory of eternity.
Faith is like a seed. It starts as something small and over time grows into something larger that allows us to do great things in Christ’s name. Many people believe they would be better equipped to live the Christian life if God wold only grant them more faith. Jesus focused not on the quantity of faith but its character. More faith does not equal greater ability to accomplish things, since God is the One who does the work. The Lord is able to accomplish great things with only a grain of genuine faith. Even a small amount of faith can lead to remarkable results if it is the result of a genuine trust in God.
How many of you have heard of the American Dream?
It’s not a dream that is limited to the United States. In fact, it’s a worldwide phenomenon. It is the desire to pursue prosperity, success and upward social mobility. While it is not wrong to be successful in life, the pursuit of the American Dream can work against us. It interferes with our ability to find contentment in what God provides for us. We seek more money, power, benefits and so on, and that often forces us to miss the opportunity to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
Come and see.
Have you ever used those words to invite friends to come to church with you? Have you ever talked to your friends about Jesus and what He has done in your life? If some laugh and say you’re foolish to believe as you do, don’t argue with them. Be friendly and accept them as Jesus does. After a while, your friends may be curious and willing to “come and see” what church is all about. Best of all, they may come to know Jesus.
We see a good example of this in the passage we heard from John’s Gospel. Philip invited Nathaniel to come and see the long-promised Messiah. The law and the prophets were the two most important parts of the Hebrew Scriptures. Philip told Nathaniel that he found the one that the Scriptures had been telling them to anticipate. The Messiah was now in their midst, but He went beyond the prophets of the Old Testament. He was the Word-the one who most perfectly revealed God and God’s will.
Jesus also used this parable to teach the disciples about the danger of the love of money. He wanted to show them that the love of money would lead to guilt, how it would drive people to act dishonestly and the necessity of using money properly. He also taught them that if they wanted to serve God they had to give up attachment to money. He also emphasized they had to serve God and use the resources they had wisely.
The Old Testament reading we heard from Jeremiah talks about the destruction of Judah and the pain and suffering felt by its people. The destruction was caused by the sins of the people. Jeremiah identified with the people and their pain and suffering. We as Christians must also identify with people and their struggles and pain, especially when they sin. That doesn’t mean that we join them if they sin. We have to open our hearts to the people we serve. When we do, we show God’s love.
All of us need comfort at some point in our lives. There’s no such thing as a pain-free life. God allows pain and suffering because they draw us closer to him. Our pain creates a need for God. God is the “balm in Gilead” that Jeremiah refers to.
Thanksgiving is a time when we pause to celebrate and give thanks to God for everything he has given us, and the best way to give thanks to God is to pray. Giving thanks is one of three types of prayer, the other two being supplication and intercessions (which means speaking to God on behalf of someone else). Regardless of the type of prayer we use, we must remember that prayer is not just for our sakes or needs.
What does it mean to be lost? It can mean having no personal relationship with God. It can also mean the lost desire for guidance from God because of our “I’ll-do-it-my-way” attitude. It can be the lost sense of no longer feeling special to the important people in our lives.
In Luke chapter 15, Jesus tells three parables that make a single point: God loves the lost. The lost sheep, a lost silver coin and finally, a lost son comprise a trilogy of increasing value. The passage we heard from Luke’s Gospel talks about the first two parables. The lost sheep is one of one hundred and the lost coin is one of ten. In the first story, Jesus is the good shepherd; in the second, He is the good woman.
Hopelessness and helplessness are all that remain in the world today. I’m delivering this message to you on Sept. 10, 2019. It’s fitting that we remember this today, because 18 years ago tomorrow the world realized if only for a short time that it is full of hopelessness and helplessness. Eighteen years ago tomorrow the world witnessed the most horrible terrorist attacks in history. Tomorrow is the 18th anniversary of 9/11. If there was ever an example of the hopelessness and helplessness that exists in the world today, it is the events that happened on September 11th, 2001.
God provided a way out by sending His Son to earth as a child so that He could one day save the sins of mankind through Christ's shed blood on the cross. The apostle Paul said in 1 Timothy 1:15, "Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst." This statement is something all of us hear regularly. It is part of the comfortable words that we hear in the Holy Eucharist liturgy from the Book of Common Prayer.
The Book of Jeremiah is a book full of dark prophecies of doom and gloom. Jeremiah is a heartbroken prophet with a heartbreaking message. The people of Israel had forgotten God and refused to listen for his voice. They were locked into their old way of doing things.
We are the same. Sometimes when we get stuck in our old habits, sins and wicked ways, God has to shake things up. Spiritual stupidity happens when we do not stop to think about the results of our actions, or when we refuse to listen to warnings of others when they speak the truth. We might want to change, but sometimes we might not be willing to be changed. The church is the same. It has become apathetic and complacent. It has a “business as usual” attitude. If we and the church refuse to shake ourselves up, and we refuse to wake the world up, God will have to step in and shake us up.
Many people think that being a Christian is simply a matter of getting saved or being baptized, but Jesus said in Luke 14:27 that it involves so much more. He said, “And whoever does not pick up his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.” Jesus taught that we exist to deny ourselves and follow Him.
In Luke’s 14:7-14, Jesus seems to be changing all the usual rules of behaviour. He is suggesting that the rule of life is “love, not law.” The Pharisees were more concerned with keeping the law and society’s customs.
How do you celebrate special occasions?
Some of us celebrate quietly by ourselves, while others celebrate with loud, wild parties. Sometimes these celebrations can get out of control, especially when the outside world tries to influence us.
We are not alone. The ancient people of God were exposed to other influences because of wars with other nations and through their times of defeat, exile and forced social integration. In spite of this, many people led ordinary lives of worship and praise. Special Psalms were created to be used in religious festivals. One of these is Psalm 81.
In today's Bible reading, Jesus was teaching in the synagogue on the Sabbath when he saw a woman who was crippled. She had been bent over double for eighteen years and was unable to stand up straight. When Jesus saw her, He called her over to Him, touched her and said, "Woman, you are healed!" Instantly she could stand up straight. She was so happy that she began to praise God!
You would think that everyone in the synagogue that day would be happy and join the woman in praising God. Not so! The leader in charge of the synagogue was very angry that Jesus had healed the woman on the Sabbath day. He told the crowd, "There are six days of the week for working. Come on those days and be healed, but not on the Sabbath."
When we are persecuted for our faith, we must defend ourselves by becoming Christ’s mouthpiece. If we are arrested and put on trial for being Christians, would there be enough evidence to convict us? If that happened, would we readily admit, “I’m guilty” and accept the consequences? We must tell everyone what Christ has done for us in our lives, and we must tell them what Christ can do in their lives.
In Luke 12:49-56, we are at a turning point. Jesus is heading toward Jerusalem. His baptism will be His death, and it will be decision time for His people. They could accept His claims to be the promised Messiah, the Son of God, the one who fulfilled Isaiah 53 and become God’s ultimate sacrifice so that sin could be forgiven or join the religious leadership that declared Him a blasphemer. There was no middle ground. Their choice was to either join Jesus’ Kingdom or remain enslaved in Satan’s tyranny. There was no middle ground then and there is no middle ground today.
Hannah’s prayer provides a framework for the events in the rest of 1 and 2 Samuel. God’s sovereign plan-to raise up the poor and humble while bringing low the high and mighty-would be vividly portrayed in this era of Israel’s history. The truths of Hannah’s prayer were echoed centuries later in Mary’s prayer, also known as The Magnificat.
What is the difference between the fruit of the Spirit and the works of the flesh? The Spirit wants to please God, and the flesh wants to please itself and the world. The condition of our souls strongly influences the fruit that comes out of our lives. If there are any areas of our souls that have been damaged in some way, we will produce bad fruit in those areas. Bad fruit doesn’t necessarily point to a horrific past or abuse. It can simply mean that there are areas of our soul that are still not Christlike.
God wants us to take care of things, but he also wants us to take care of other people, especially the poor.
We can't do anything to earh our salvation except repent of our sins and accept God as our Saviour by faith.
Did you know that God is in charge of everything? He is the one who created the universe and makes everything work together. Though the sin we brought into the world causes a lot of problems, it won't be around forever. Jesus saved the world from sin when He died on the cross, and He has a purpose for everything-including you! Trust Him and HIs plan for your life/
How often do we stop to help someone in need, especiallt if that person is a stranger or an enemy? The Parable of the Good Samaritan shows what it means to love others
Like Martha, we can be so obsessed with doing what we think we should be doing that we miss what God wants us to do.
In our Bible reading today, Jesus sent out people to bring in the harvest. The harvest Jesus was talking about was not cotton, fruit or vegetables. He was sending out workers to bring people into the kingdom of God. He said that there were many souls who were ready to be harvested, but there were not enough workers. One reason it was hard to find workers was that it was very difficult work. Jesus warned that the workers in his kingdom would often be treated very unkindly.
Up to this point, Luke’s Gospel has concentrated on Jesus’ deeds. From now on Luke concentrates on Jesus’ words. From this point forward, the focus remains on Jesus’ imminent death in Jerusalem. Christ did not run from this destiny but set His face toward Jerusalem and the divinely appointed consummation of His ministry. He begins the long road of teaching the disciples and us how to follow Him.
A few years ago, there was a television show called "Extreme Makeover Home Edition". It was a show where a construction crew comes into a home and does a complete renovation, usually for a low-income family or a family that has seen other hardships. There is nothing new about extreme makeovers. In fact, Jesus performed many extreme makeovers in the Bible. We heard one such makeover in Luke 8:26-39.
Matthew 6:7-15 is familiar to Christians. The Lord’s Prayer is the prayer Jesus taught us. It’s the model for us to approach God. It has three sections:
1.The honour that worship gives to God.
2.The humility that recognizes our dependence on God.
3.The hope which this rule of God creates.
What do you do when someone does something nice for you?
Well, the most important thing you should do when someone does something nice for you is to say, "Thank you." In most houses, people keep a good supply of thank you cards so that we will not forget. I hope you will always remember to say, "Thank you" when someone does something nice for you. I can remember my mother telling me as a child to write thank you notes to people who gave me gifts, especially at Christmastime.
What else should you do when someone does something nice for you? Another thing you should do is to tell others about the nice things that person has done for you.
After Jesus’ ascension, the community of believers found its natural leadership in the apostles whom Jesus appointed. There was only one problem. There was a vacancy on the team of apostles. There were 11 apostles, but Jesus appointed 12. Who would replace Judas? How would the replacement be chosen?
Who are we?
The answer to this question will be different for each of us because of the many roles we have in our lives. We could be a spouse, parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, doctor, dentist, lawyer or any one or more of thousands of roles. There is one answer that all of us who have come to faith have. We are Christians. There are no barriers of class or ethnic segregation. The Christian identity includes all of us, and that is the point Paul is making in Galatians 3:23-29.
As we celebrate Trinity Sunday, we focus on the magnificence of creation. Modern technology has given us the means to discover the expanse and wonder of the universe. Thanks to the Hubble telescope and a second generation Hubble that will be sent into an even higher orbit, we see more of the universe. We are amazed at God’s wisdom in creating such a complex universe. When we study creation and combine it with reading the Bible and engaging in loving, merciful and compassionate relationships, we find God.
While someone may say that he/she has never killed, Jesus asks about the inner attitude of anger, hate, destructive words and hostility. Anger hurts other people and damages the spirit of the one who has feelings of anger. We must resolve anger in other ways instead of focusing on personalities. Jesus answers these problems by asking us to take the initiative in reconciliation.
Here's a simple example of how the Trinity works. God loves us and he is hurt when we turn away from him through sin. Jesus came to restore our relationship with God by paying the price for our sins. The Holy Spirit reminds us of everything Jesus and God said and did and guides us on our daily walk of faith. The Holy Spirit lets us know that we are loved and that we can experience God's love in an immediate, personal and transforming way.
Jesus promised that God would send the Holy Spirit "to guide us in all truth." That means that the Holy Spirit will help us to understand God's Word which always points us in the right direction. It points us to Jesus who is "the Way, the truth, and the life."
Whenever you don't know which way to turn, you can always turn to God's Word and let the Holy Spirit be your guide.
Today, I’m going to do something a little different in my message. In addition to speaking about a particular passage, I’m also going to touch on one of the key doctrines of Christianity-the Trinity. The concept is the Trinity is not mentioned specifically in the Bible, but it is there. The Trinity is one of the most difficult concepts to preach on, and that’s why many ministers take Trinity Sunday off!
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday to you
Happy Birthday dear Church
Happy Birthday to you!
On Pentecost Sunday, we celebrate the birth of the church. On the day of Pentecost over 2,000 years ago, the Holy Spirit came to the disciples, and through the Holy Spirit the church was born. It is a time when the church traditionally concentrates on the gift of the Holy Spirit and the ways in which it strengthens the church. It is a time to consider how the Spirit has created and sustained faith in our lives. It is a time to explore how the Spirit empowers our witness so that others might have faith.
The power of the Holy Spirit ignited the disciples. Peter was ignited and gave one of the most powerful sermons in history. It included both the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy and a strong rebuke/accusation. The effect was remarkable. The message pierced the hearts of the people, and as a result more than 3,000 people were baptized and filled with the Holy Spirit. When these new converts returned home, they spread the message, and thus the church was born.
Do any of you have a special toy or stuffed animal or blanket? Why are they special?
Boys and girls, all of us have something special that comforts us. For you, it’s a special toy or a favourite stuffed animal or blanket. For many of us adults, it’s something like a doughnut and cup of coffee from our favourite coffee shop!
The one thing that all of us as believers have is the Holy Spirit. It guides and comforts us, especially when we are sad or having problems. Even the disciples had the Holy Spirit, and they were with Jesus since the start of his ministry. Let me tell you the story.
What would qualify a person as a “real Christian?” What daily practices would they have to observe? What would they have to know? These questions and others like them would be interesting topics for an information session or a class for new believers. There is one basic thing that each and every Christian must have to be a real Christian. It is the Holy Spirit.
John 14:1-21 is another part of Jesus’ farewell discourse to his disciples. Jesus has just told the disciples that he is going to be crucified. Now he is telling them that he will not leave them alone because he will send the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will guide them and remind them of everything Jesus said, taught and did. In that sense, Jesus will be with them forever
“Let not your hearts be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know and the way you know.”
Isn’t that comforting? It is not surprising that these words are often read at funerals. Jesus said these words to his disciples shortly before his arrest and crucifixion. He knew that they would be upset by his death and ascension, and he wanted to comfort them.
How many of you have seen the movie Saving Private Ryan?
It’s a war film set during the invasion of Normandy in World War II. The film is about U.S. Army Ranger Captain John H. Miller (who was played by Tom Hanks) and his squad as they search for Private First Class John Francis Ryan (who was played by Matt Damon). Private Ryan was the last surviving brother of four servicemen. Captain Miller lost several of his men in their search to find him. After finding him, Captain Miller himself was mortally wounded. As he laid dying, he told Private Ryan, “Earn this.”
Years later Private Ryan stood in front of Captain Miller’s grave and said, “Every day I think about what you told me that day on the bridge. I tried to live my life the best I could. I hope that was enough. I hope that, at least in your eyes, I’ve earned what all of you have done for me.” He turned to his wife and said, “Tell me I have led a good life.... tell me I’m a good man.”
Private Ryan asked the same question many of us ask ourselves: “Have I done enough with this one and only life God has given me?” On our own we can’t answer that question, but with Jesus’ help the answer is clear. He died for us so that we don’t have to do anything. By his grace we can live lives that are satisfied with good things, as the writer of Psalm 104 tells us. The question then becomes “Is the work of Jesus enough to make me satisfied and significant?”, and the answer is always a resounding “Yes!”
Ladies and gentlemen, we are in a spiritual war. We’re fighting an unseen enemy. He uses deceit, deflection and disguise. It’s getting worse and the devil is becoming much more real. We have to take this seriously because we have a crisis on our hands. We have to do something to prevent disaster.
Do you enjoy working on jigsaw puzzles? They can be a lot of fun. The pieces of the puzzle are in many different sizes, shapes, colors. If you look at one piece of the puzzle, you don't get very much of the picture, do you? No, the pieces are not very important by themselves, but when they are all joined together and become one, they show the total picture.
A jigsaw puzzle can teach us an important lesson about the church. The church is made up of many individual members. Like the pieces of a puzzle, the members of a church come in different sizes, shapes, and colors. Jesus himself prayed that the church would be one so that the world would see God's love in us. We are part of the picture. Jesus wants us to love one another, help one another, and serve one another. When we do that, we become one, just as Jesus prayed we would be, and when we are one, the world can see God's love in us.
Revelation 21:10,22-22:5 gives us a vision of the New Jerusalem, especially the heart of the Celestial City. We have a chance to explore its origin, appearance, exterior, dimensions, materials, characteristics, brilliance and blessings. The entire city will be a holy temple where God and the Lamb dwell, and whose inhabitants will be priests who serve God. The Celestial City will descend from heaven when Christ returns.
Have you ever wondered if God really speaks to people and tells them what to do? If so, all you have to do is read the Bible. It is full of stories of God telling people what to do. We see one of these stories in Acts 16:9-15.
Paul wanted to go to the Roman province of Asia. He was convinced that this was the next step of the strategy for reaching the Gentiles, but God had other plans. When the Holy Spirit lives within us, he will use our emotions and intelligence to tell us if something we are doing is right or wrong. When our purpose and long-range goals are clear, we can trust our consecrated thinking and emotions because our thoughts and feelings are dedicated to serving God.
How many of you have been part of sad goodbyes? Perhaps it was because of an adult child leaving home. Perhaps it was because a visitor was leaving, or perhaps it was because you were getting ready to leave after visiting someone. Perhaps it was because of the death of a family member or friend. Regardless of the situation, sometimes goodbyes are not easy.
The reading from John 14:23-29 was part of Jesus’s goodbye message to his disciples. This took place at the Last Supper. Jesus told his disciples that he will be crucified. Naturally, the disciples were sad. They had spent the last three years learning from him. They wondered how they would cope after he was gone.
The passage from Revelation 21:1-6 is one that is often read at funerals. It offers comfort to the family and friends of the deceased person, but it also offers hope for the future for the living and the dead.
In Acts 11:1-18, the disciples told Peter that he had some explaining to do. The disciples in Jerusalem had heard that Peter ate with and associated with the Gentiles. In their eyes, that was illegal and/or embarrassing because the Jews always kept themselves separate from the Gentiles. Jews considered the Gentiles to be “unclean.”
Instead of debating his accusers, he told them the remarkable story of all that had happened. Peter made sure that they knew he went to Caesarea in direct obedience to the Holy Spirit, and the six Jewish believers who accompanied him to Cornelius’ house saw the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Gentiles. There was to be no distinction or discrimination between Jews and Gentiles. Cornelius and the other Gentiles who were in his house received the Holy Spirit without having to follow the Jewish laws, including circumcision. That was God’s answer to the debate and settled the matter as far as Peter was concerned. No one was to refuse to allow any new believers to be baptized. No one was to prevent any new believers from becoming members of the church.
In the passage from Acts 11:1-18, Peter had some explaining to do to the rest of the apostles. They heard the reports about Peter preaching to Cornelius and his family, and they were not happy. The Jews believed that as God’s chosen people they were the only people who could receive the Holy Spirit and the Good News. The idea that the Gentiles could receive the Holy Spirit was extraordinary and contrary to the ideas of the Jews. It is not surprising therefore that Peter would have to do some explaining when he returned to Jerusalem. Instead of debating his accusers, Peter told them the remarkable story of all that had happened. Peter made sure they knew that he went to Caesarea in direct obedience to the Spirit, and that six Jewish believers had accompanied him to the house of Cornelius.
The fourth Sunday of Easter is designated as Good Shepherd Sunday. It might seem strange to us that an entire Sunday every year is given to a single image of Christ and God, especially one that is culturally remote from most modern Christians. The prophets predicted that the Messiah would be a shepherd to His people. Jesus referred to His followers as His sheep.
The theme of the Easter season is redemption. Jesus died to save us from our sins and to restore our relationship with God. The readings from Acts 9:1-20 and John 21:1-19 are good examples of Jesus' work of restoration.
The words “Alpha” and “Omega” are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. In this passage they point to the eternity of Christ and to His all-inclusive power. Jesus is the boundless, timeless and powerful One. Unlike humans and everything else, God doesn't have an age--there was never a time when He didn't exist! But even though He has no beginning or end, He still chose to be born on earth and die on the cross so we could be saved. He made that sacrifice so we could be with Him forever.
Have you ever noticed that people aren’t always receptive to the Good News of the Gospel? We’re living in a world where it is increasingly forbidden to share the Good News with a desire to win converts. The situation is getting to the point where the only place where the Gospel can be proclaimed is in a church.
This problem isn’t new. The disciples were some of the first victims of this type of persecution. We heard an example of this persecution in Acts 5:27-42. Peter and John were arrested for preaching and brought before the Jewish authorities. They were released with orders not to preach-orders they promptly disobeyed. They were arrested again, and when they were asked why they disobeyed the order, Peter made a speech similar to the one he made on the Day of Pentecost.
Picture the scene in John 20:19-31. All the disciples except Thomas are in a room behind locked doors at night. It was common for early Christians to meet at night. In times of persecution they were forbidden to meet during the day, so they had to meet at night. The disciples are scared. They saw their leader brutally killed, and they are afraid that they will also be killed. In more ways than one, the room and the situation are dark.
Suddenly, Jesus appears. He walks through the locked door. The first words Jesus says to the assembled disciples are, “Peace be with you.” They are terrified, first for fear of the Jews and because they thought they were seeing a ghost. But when Jesus shows them His wounds, they know this is their Lord. Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would come. Just as God created humanity with His breath in Genesis 2:7, He gave the Holy Spirit to His disciples by breathing on them. God is recreating humanity in Christ. The darkness of the room is dispelled by the light of Christ.
Has anyone told you something that was so amazing that you could not believe it?
Sometimes people like to tell us things that we can’t believe. For example, some people might have told you that there is no such thing as the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus.
Even the Bible has stories in it that are true even though they are hard to believe. For example, Thomas the disciple refused to believe the other disciples when they told him that they had seen the Risen Saviour.
The passage from John 20:1-18 is the key point of our faith because it is about the Resurrection. Christ’s resurrection is the basis of our faith. Without it:
1.The Gospel would be meaningless.
2.Forgiveness of sins would be hopeless.
3.Present life would be joyless.
4.Godly living would be fruitless.
5.Future life would be worthless.
What is so good about Good Friday? That is the question many of us probably ask when Good Friday comes around every year. After all, what is good about a day that commemorates Jesus' horrible torture and execution on a Roman cross?
Good Friday is a dark day in some respects because it commemorates the day that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, but it is also a bright day in other ways because Jesus' death and resurrection on Easter Sunday paved the way for our relationship with God to be restored. This is the good news that Jesus has asked us to spread, but in order to understand the good news, we have to understand the bad news that is called our sinful, human nature. Once we see that we are slaves to sin, the good news of deliverance makes sense.
In John 13:31-35, Jesus is teaching his disciples about humility, acceptance and love. This particular passage occurs just after Jesus has washed the disciples' feet, and after Judas has left to betray Jesus. Judas' departure began the process by which Jesus was glorified by God. Jesus knew that Judas' actions would result in victory over sin and death, but the disciples didn't realize it even though Jesus told them several times that he would die and rise again. Jesus was their source of comfort and strength, but he knew that they would have to learn to support each other after he returned to heaven. That's one reason why he issued the commandment to love one another. It is also the new commandment that we as his modern disciples are to follow.
Who do you see God as? Do you see Him as the Son of God, or do you see Him as a great teacher or a prophet? Do you see Him as a fraud? If so, you’re not alone. People have asked the same questions throughout history, and we see an example of this in John 8:51-59.
The events in John 8:21-30 occurred just before Jesus’ crucifixion. Throughout His ministry, He sought to bring people back to God, but many people refused to listen to Him. That’s the nature of sin. All sin is a rebellion against God. All sin is evidence of poison.
Many of you are probably familiar with O. Henry’s love story called The Gift of the Magi. The story is about a young couple named Della and Jim who are very much in love with each other, but they are very poor. Each of them has one precious possession. Della has beautiful long hair. Jim has a gold watch that he received from his father. On the day before Christmas Della had exactly one dollar and eighty-seven cents with which to buy Jim a present. She wanted to express her love for him, so she sold her beautiful hair for twenty dollars. She used the money to buy a platinum fob for Jim’s watch.
When Jim came home that night and saw Della’s shaved head, he was speechless. He handed her a gift-a set of expensive tortoise-shell combs with jeweled edges for her hair. He sold his watch to buy them for her. Each had given the other the most precious gift he or she had to give. This is a story of love so deep and so extravagant that it does not hold back or count the cost.
The passage we heard from John’s Gospel is a story of a similar outpouring of extravagant love. Mary’s act reminds us that we are to give God our very best. It may be something simple and ordinary, but our efforts are our gift to Jesus. Do we have Mary’s sense of gratitude and love for Jesus? Do we really appreciate what He has done for us, what He has given us, and the promise of a glorious future because of Him?
In Luke 15, Jesus tells three parables that make the same point. God loves the lost. The lost sheep, the lost coin and a lost son are part of a trio whose members are of increasing value. The lost sheep was one of one hundred, the lost coin was one of ten, and the lost son was one of two. In the first parable, Jesus is the shepherd; in the second, he is the woman; and in the third he is the father who seeks his lost sons. Today I’m going to talk for just a couple of minutes about the third and final parable.
For centuries it has been called the Parable of the Prodigal Son, but a more appropriate title would be the Parable of the Loving Father. While a father might divide his estate before he died, the younger son’s request was cold and scandalous because he was saying in effect that he wished his father was dead. As the younger son, he received one-third of the estate, while the older brother received two-thirds (as was the custom at that time).
In Isaiah 55:1-9, God contrasts his thoughts and ways with the sinful thoughts and ways of the Israelites. Human plans inevitably fail and falter, but God’s plans are different. When He promises forgiveness and restored blessing for His people, He will be true to His word. Just as the rain and snow fall to the ground and fulfill their God-given purpose unhindered, God’s promises and purposes will be realized.
Have you ever had something bad happen to you and it made you ask if God is punishing you or why God allowed it to happen? Well if you have, you’re not alone. People have asked this question since the beginning of time, and this same question is the foundation of the Gospel reading from Luke 13:1-9.
Jesus is like the fairy Delphinium in this story. He is always willing to forgive us, and he will never leave us not matter how badly we behave.
In Luke 13:31-35, a group of religious leaders went to Jesus and said to him, "Get away from here if you want to live! Herod Antipas wants to kill you!" Jesus replied, "Go tell that fox that I will keep on casting out demons and healing people today and tomorrow; and the third day I will accomplish my purpose. Yes, today, tomorrow, and the next day I must go about my business. It just wouldn't do for a prophet of God to be killed anywhere but in Jerusalem."
There are three stages in every successful relationship, including romance. First, you must get to know the other person. Second, you must like the other person. Finally, you must love the other person. Our relationship with Jesus involves all three stages. Paul emphasizes this in Romans 10:1-13.
During Lent we prepare ourselves to share in and celebrate the real reason for our faith; namely, Christ’s death and resurrection. Lent is a spiritual desert similar to Christ’s 40 days in the desert, or the Israelites’ 40 years in the desert in the Book of Exodus, or Christ’s journey to Jerusalem. We live this experience in our lives during the annual observation of Lent.
The choices we make today affect our future. Our words, our actions, how we use our money, the time we spend in prayer can be translated to eternal treasure when they are submitted to God. What the world offers isn’t what we are looking for. It leaves us disappointed.
Have you ever had a day that was so wonderful that you wanted it to last forever? I am sure you probably have. Did you know that Jesus' disciples had days like that too? The reading from Luke 9:28-36 is about one of those days.
When someone treats us badly, how do we respond? How do we treat them? The answer matters a lot. Negative responses such as back-stabbing don’t solve conflict. They don’t give us peace. Christ tells us to pray for those who persecute us. When we pray for them, God sets us free from the anger, the resentment and the pain. Sometimes the enemy changes, and sometimes they don’t, but praying for our enemies changes us.
Jesus had something to say about being happy. The passage from Luke 6:17-26 is one of those times. The lesson begins with Jesus surrounded by a huge crowd of people. Have you ever noticed that wherever Jesus went, he drew large crowds of people? Why do you suppose that was? Maybe it was because many of them were sick, crippled, or injured and wanted Jesus to heal them. Perhaps some of them had a troubled mind and they had heard that Jesus was able to cast out demons and evil spirits just by speaking a word. In other words, many people came to Jesus because they had heard what he could do for them. The Bible says that people crowded around Jesus and tried to touch him because power was coming from him and healed them all. Do you think that made the people happy? It sure did!
The story of Jesus teaching from the boat in Luke 5:1-11 occurs early in his earthly ministry. He preached to the crowd, and then he asked Peter to do something that did not make sense to Peter. He asked Peter to go fishing in the daytime. As someone who had fished in this particular area for most of his life, Peter knew that the best time to catch fish was at night, because during the day the fish went deeper into the water to keep cool and stay out of the light. Peter didn't catch anything the night before. He was hesitant to obey Jesus at first, but eventually he obeyed Jesus' request. The result was a catch so big that he needed help from other fishermen to bring it ashore.
The reading from Isaiah 6:1-13 asks a curious question: “Who will go for us?” Why was this phrase used? It is because it is a foreshadowing of the Trinity. This passage is the most famous call of a prophet in the Bible. It is regularly offered as one of the readings for Trinity Sunday, apparently due to the thrice-repeated cry of “Holy.” The three cries were made to the three members of the Trinity.
The reading from Isaiah 6:1-13 asks the curious question "Who will go for us?" Why was this question asked? It's because it's a foreshadowing of the Trinity. This passage is the most famous call of a prophet. It is regularly offered as one of the readings for Trinity Sunday, apparently because of the repeated cry of "Holy." The three cries were made to the three members of the Trinity.
The entire third chapter of Paul’s Letter to the Galatians was devoted to the subject of justification. The word “foolish” refers not to inadequate intelligence but a lack of wisdom. It is living by the world’s rules rather than according to God’s Word. Paul realized that the Galatians didn’t lose faith because of judgment and reason. He knew that they were influenced by false teachers. He emphasized the fact of Christ’s death and resurrection should have had the same influence on the Galatians as if they had seen Him die in person.
Here was Jesus, a simple, common local man who was saying such profound things………things that they didn’t want to hear. He was welcomed as a hometown hero……..until he exposed the darkness of their souls. That darkness included the view that they were “holier than thou”. They thought that Jesus should save his miracles and teachings for them, instead of including people they regarded as human trash; namely the Gentiles and others who were rejected by society.
Have you ever been afraid?
It doesn’t have to be an occasion when you were physically scared. It can be an occasion where you were afraid for your health or your finances or even for a loved one. How did you feel? How did you react?
There are different ways to react. Some say God is dead. Some say God is in control. Some can withstand the grasp of their situation because they pray to God like the writer of Psalm 71 did. They pray to be delivered from their situation, and if we are Christians that is the proper way to respond.
Psalm 19 points out two areas where God has chosen to reveal Himself. The entire universe testifies of the Creator and brilliantly displays the glory of God. If we look for Him in the beauty of the world around us, we will find Him. God has placed the sun (which was an object of worship among the pagans) in the heavens and is therefore supreme over it. The figures of the bridegroom and the runner picture the sun’s glory and power as it moves across the sky. Since it is so glorious, how much more glorious must its Creator be.
There is a common thread in Nehemiah 8:1-10 and Luke 4:14-21 and it is freedom from slavery. In the case of the reading from Nehemiah, the story takes place after the Israelites have returned from captivity in Babylon. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus mentions that he has come to free us from the captivity of sin.
Hello boys and girls!
How many of you like to go out on a nice, sunny day and play with your friends? Has anyone ever said that they can't play with you because they don't like you, or because of where you live, or because of who your parents are? Well boys and girls, I certainly know how you feel because I was shunned at times when I was your age.
Jesus also knows how you feel because he was often rejected because of what he told people. For example, in Luke 4:14-21 he attended worship services in the synagogue in his hometown. He was asked to read a portion of Scripture, and the reading he chose was written by the prophet Isaiah. That particular reading talked about the long-promised Messiah.
How many of you like to do things for yourselves, such as tying your shoe laces or getting dressed or brushing your teeth? Do you like it when people try to help you when you don’t need their help?
Boys and girls, there are some things that we can’t do by ourselves. For example, could you run a relay race by yourself? Could you play basketball or football if you were the only person on the team?
The church is the same. Jesus tells us that all of us are members of the Body of Christ, also known as the church. We don’t come to church as individual people and then leave. Jesus tells us that we are to be a team of people who work together for Jesus. Each of us is an important part of that body, and all of the things we do are just as important.
theme of Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians is unity. The church in Corinth had many issues, but the greatest problem was the lack of unity within the church. In the section of First Corinthians that is just before the reading we heard today, the diversity of the body illustrated the diversity of the gifts within the body of believers. In this section of the Letter, attention is cast on the fact that many members are required to make up one body.
Jesus’ first miracle-that of turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana-is a significant moment in Jesus’ ministry. It’s also an important explanation of God’s character and mission. Throughout the Scriptures God’s relationship with His people is compared to a marriage. God wants an intimate connection with us in which we are loved, known and made known.
Jesus experienced times of new beginnings in his life. One of those times was when He was baptized. He was a carpenter and a faithful son of Mary and Joseph. He was about to begin his role as the Messiah, and He probably asked himself, “Who am I as I begin the greatest work in the universe?” There were a couple of very important things that happened when Jesus was baptized. First of all, the Bible tells us that the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit came down in the form of a dove and landed upon him. The second thing was that God spoke and said, "You are my Son. I love you and I am well-pleased with you."
The Feast of the Epiphany is the day when we remember the visit of the three wise men, but we also remember that Jesus came into the world for everyone-Jews and Gentiles, rich and poor, upper class people and lower-class people, humble shepherds and wise men and so on.
It is also a happy time or a sad time depending on how you look at it. It marks the end of the 12 Days of Christmas and the end of the holiday season. For most of us, the decorations have been put away for another year, the parties and celebrations are over, visitors have returned home, and we are settling back into our daily routines after the Christmas season. We, like the Magi, need to break away from our daily routines and busyness to take time to look for the Christ Child. It might mean stopping in the midst of our daily lives to pray that God will help us center our thoughts on Jesus more than our daily lives. It might mean that we have to put down our to-do list to pick up our Bibles to read and absorb God’s Word.
The three magi of whom Saint Matthew speaks in his gospel brought their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh, recognizing Jesus as priest, prophet, and king. Additionally, their presence in Bethlehem demonstrated how Christ was manifest to the nations. In a similar way, Artaban's adventure showed that Christ calls us to manifest his glory to all nations. Artaban's goodness and openness to all, even those he did not know, brought the face of Christ, namely the one he sought, to him. Additionally, those to whom he came, the poor and destitute, became Christ to him. Without realizing it, all his life he had been achieving his goal, to see the Christ Child. We, in turn, are challenged to be Christ to others; we must be ambassadors of the Lord.
Wise men, women, boys, and girls are still searching for Jesus. There are people who want to help -- people like pastors and Sunday School teachers. There is no map to help us find Jesus and there is no star to follow, but we do have the Bible. We can find the way to Jesus by reading God's Holy Word! The Bible is the map and star that will lead to Jesus. All of us should read it every day to make sure we are headed in the right direction!
A birth is a great adventure. it doesn’t matter if it’s the Messiah’s birth, our birth, or the birth of one of our children. Birth is a great mystery, and God is the giver of that life. At Christmas time, we celebrate the mystery of the greatest birth of all-the birth of Jesus.
Have you ever heard of the old saying, “Good things come to those who wait”? If so, the story of Simeon, Anna and the baby Jesus in the temple in Luke 2:22-40 is a good example. The coming of Christ involved all manner of waiting on God. A young maiden, a dying man and an old widow all model hearts yielded to God.
ave you ever stumbled around in the dark-either at night or during a power outage? It’s not a very pleasant experience, is it?
Darkness is associated with a number of unpleasant things. When we are in the dark, we tend to move slowly or wander aimlessly. We tend to be scared in the dark, mainly because we can’t see the dangers that would be apparent if it were light. There is something about darkness that makes us scared.
We can also wander around in spiritual darkness. That darkness is caused by our lack of knowledge in or faith in Jesus. When we receive the Light of Christ, we don’t have to be afraid of darkness or evil. Christ will be with us. When we are faithful, we will be rewarded.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was God”. This is John’s version of the nativity story. It doesn’t begin with shepherds and angels and a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger. John’s nativity story takes us back to the beginning of creation and time, and it echoes the creation story in Genesis. In John’s Gospel, the very God who created the heavens and the earth and who breathed life into Adam was the same God who became flesh and lived among us. Jesus is the exact representation of God’s nature because he is God himself. This fulfills the purpose of John’s Gospel; namely, to prove that Jesus and God are one and the same.
Do you know that God speaks to his people?
It’s true. He speaks to us today just like he spoke to his people in the past. God spoke at various times and in various ways. He spoke to people such as Adam, Noah, Abraham and Moses. He spoke through thunder; the sound of a trumpet; in a still, small voice or in visions and dreams; in human form and angelic visitations; through foreshadowing and parable and more.
When God spoke to the people in Old Testament times, he pointed his final revelation in Jesus. Through Jesus, God provided the perfect vehicle of expression. He translated deity into humanity, and this revelation was absolute, infallible and authoritative. The world in its entirety was given to Christ as the heir of all things. As executor of the divine will, he will return one day to enforce all of its clauses.
December can be a hectic month. Calendars fill up with end-of-year activities, social obligations, holiday preparations and celebrations. The stress of the season begins to take its toll. Temptations to overdo and overspend begin to mount. All of these things can edge God out of the celebration of Jesus’ birth. How can we keep from losing focus during this busy season? What can we do to keep Jesus front and centre in our lives? Well, for starters we can let Mary’s perspective encourage us to keep our eyes on God.
In our Old Testament reading today, we heard from someone that we rarely hear from during the church year-the prophet Micah. Like John the Baptist, Micah prepared the people for the coming of the Messiah. He did so through his prophetic words. His prophecy is a vision for a life lived in the divine presence, and it’s this vision that we need to keep in our thoughts as we prepare to remember both Christ birth on that first Christmas over 2,000 years ago and his Second Coming at some point in the future.
Mary, Elizabeth, and Elizabeth’s unborn child were among the many people who at that time were hoping and praying for the long-awaited Messiah to come. The only difference is that Mary and Elizabeth and Elizabeth’s unborn child, who was John the Baptist, knew when and how the Messiah was coming. The promise of new life was being fulfilled after many centuries. It brought a sense of joy to many people at that time, and it still brings a sense of joy to many people today. It offers new life and hope to a sin-filled world.
Does it seem strange to you that some of the first words in Luke 3:7-18 are harsh and critical, especially during this season of Advent? Do they seem harsh and critical during a time when we are preparing to celebrate the birth of Jesus? Well, they are harsh and critical, because John the Baptist had a strong message for his audience, and he has the same message for us. During the season of Advent, we don’t just welcome to our world a prophet who tells us the truth about ourselves and baptizes us with water as a representation of our repentance. We welcome a baby grown to a man, a crucified and resurrected Saviour who comes with mercy, but also with judgment. He comes with the Holy Spirit’s burning power.
In this passage we just heard from Luke’s Gospel, John the Baptist’s message does not sound unlike the one we hear on the street corners in every large city in the land. “This is the Word of the Lord. Repent and believe.” Most of us ignore those people we hear from time to time on the street corners of great cities, while John the Baptist catches our attention. The message is not what is said. The message is wrapped in the personality delivering the message.
At first glance the passage from Luke 21:25-36 seems to be out of place during Advent. After all, most of us think of Advent as a time to prepare for Christmas. That is only partially true. Advent is also a time to remember and prepare for Christ’s Second Coming, and that preparation includes watching for the signs of his return. On the Third and Fourth Sundays in Advent the readings will focus on Christ’s First Coming over 2,000 years ago.
Every king must have a kingdom. It is there that we come into play. God’s kingdom is all around us and we are called to give faithful witness to it. We are members of the kingdom and we are called to show others this glorious kingdom that they too are a part of even if they don’t realize it.
Revelation 1:4-8 has four descriptions of Jesus:
1.The author of grace and peace
2.The faithful; witness
3.First born of the dead
4.Ruler of kings on earth
This coming Sunday-November 25, 2018- is a very special day in our church year. It will be Reign of Christ Sunday, and that’s the day when we celebrate the fact that Christ is the King of our lives. Now there are good kings and there are bad, evil kings.
The conversation between and Jesus and Pilate allows John to proclaim in his Gospel that Jesus is a king with a divine authority. Jesus was accused of plotting to overthrow the government, and he was being questioned by Pilate. This gave Jesus a chance to tell his side of the story. Jesus argues that his kingdom is founded on truth. This is in contrast to earthly kingdoms which are founded on power.
It is amazing what can be accomplished with a clear cut sense of purpose! I know of no one who ever rivaled Jesus Christ for a sense of purpose. He came for one reason, and one reason only...and He never lost sight of His mission. Those who hindered Him, even friends, soon understood that His focus was unwavering and strong.
We’re getting closer to the end of our church year. In fact, Sun., Nov. 25, 2018 is Reign of Christ Sunday, which is the church’s equivalent to New Year’s Eve. As we draw closer to the end of the church year, our Gospel readings begin to emphasize the signs of Christ’s Second Coming. In fact, Jesus talks about some of these signs in Mark 13:1-8.
Nov. 11, 2018 is a special day in a special year. It is the day when we pause to remember and give thanks for those who fought in wars past to preserve our freedom and those who still work to protect our freedoms today. This year we also remember the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I.
Anniversaries are times of celebration and reflection. In particular, Remembrance Day is a time to reflect on wars past and present. We live in chaotic times, but the world has been in chaotic times since the beginning of time. We have been fighting wars since the beginning of time, and we are still fighting wars today. Since the end of World War II, there have been more than 250 wars worldwide.
What kind of legacy do you want to leave when you die? If you knew that today was the last day of your life, what would you do? Are you prepared to spend eternity with God? There are times when we need to stop and look at our lives, what we are doing and whether or not it’s worth the time and effort. We need to decide if our lives have any sense of accomplishment or purpose.
The story of Ruth and Naomi and the Parable of the Widow’s Mite provide some very interesting contrasts between the Christian’s way and society’s way. Both are stories of how God uses the culture of Jesus’ time to do his will in our society and teach us how we are supposed to care for each other.
There are a lot of rules in the Bible. It may sometimes be difficult to remember all of them. If we can just remember and obey the two commandments that Jesus said were the most important, all of the rest would follow. Then we would enjoy life the way God intended it.
Have you ever tried to describe a difficult concept to someone, especially when you know that the person you are speaking to doesn’t know anything about what you are talking about? If you have, you know what Jesus is trying to do in these five parables from Matthew’s Gospel reading. Jesus is trying to describe the abstract concept of God’s Kingdom in terms that his audience could understand.
The passage from John 11:30-47 shows Jesus at some of the highest and lowest points in his ministry. Jesus was told a few days earlier that his friend Lazarus was sick, but he waited for two days before he and the disciples went to the home of Mary and Martha, who were Lazarus’ sisters. By the time he arrived, Lazarus had been dead for several days, so it’s not surprising that Mary and Martha were disappointed with Jesus.
Have you ever had problems or trials in your lives? We often have times of trial and difficulty in life. Sometimes they are the result of things we have done, and other times they are caused by God. All of us know what it is like to be hurt. It is part of all cultures, and it can only be cured by a powerful potion. In the case of believers, that potion is faith. Christian hope is grounded on the reality of Christ and his resurrection. Christ will protect us from persecution. He will protect our souls while allowing our trials to strengthen our faith. Trials humble us and prove the genuineness of our faith, but we can rejoice in suffering because of our faith.
How do you deal with distress, sickness or trouble? Sometimes we offer suffering or sick friends our own remedies as though we are the experts. Even Christians can deal with sickness and distress poorly. They ignore the reality of their troubled fellow Christians by saying, “God will heal-just pray.” They reduce trouble to only the physical when problems might be emotional, mental, relational or a combination thereof. The only solution is to turn to God for help, like David did in Psalm 34:1-8.
How many of you have to take pills every day? I’m certainly no exception. I have to take 4 medications and an iron supplement every day because of health conditions. If I don’t take my pills, my health will eventually get worse. In the same way, if we don’t read our Bible and pray every day, our spiritual health will get worse. In fact, the apostle Paul talks about spiritual health in the passage we heard from Romans.
This coming Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018, many Protestant churches will celebrate the re-birth of the church, also known as the start of the Protestant Reformation. Sure, the church was actually born on the Day of Pentecost, but over time the church strayed away from its original purpose. It went from a God-made institution with the Ten Commandments, the Two Great Commandments and an emphasis on God’s love to a man-made institution with its emphasis on man-made rules and rituals.
There are times in our own lives when we wish for blue skies instead of storm clouds, but cloudy skies often reveal God’s faithfulness. When we look back on the clouds in our lives, we gain new insights on how God has been faithful in our trials.
What do you do if you want to get someone’s attention? As we get older, we learn to be more reserved about making our wants and wishes known. Or do we? Today we will hear the story about a man who was not at all bashful about letting Jesus know that he needed something.
In the time period and culture of Mark’s Gospel and the Letter to the Hebrews, the best chance a blind person had to support himself was to sit in the path of pedestrians. After all, the passers-by might be moved with mercy and toss some spare change when the blind person called out to them. Jesus was moved with mercy when Bartimaeus called out to him. His mercy led to the saving of both Bartimaeus’ sight and his soul.
Each and every one of us can be a priest!
Does that statement make sense to you? After all, when we hear the word “priest” we often think of the ordained clergy who preside at weddings, funerals, baptisms or weekly worship services. The truth is, we are all priests. Let me explain by talking about the role of a priest as outlined in Hebrews 5:1-10.
In Mark 10:35-45, Jesus once again told his disciples everything that would happen to him in Jerusalem-his trial, death, resurrection and ascension. James and John seized this opportunity to ask for the highest positions of honour in his kingdom-at the right and left hands of Jesus. They forgot that God controls the final destiny of each and every one of us. They expected a moment of glory, and they wanted to enjoy it. No wonder Peter and the rest of the disciples were upset. Jesus saw that a power struggle was developing, and he had to do something about it.
There are so many different types of shows on television, including game shows, one of which was “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?”. Most of us would answer yes to that question. A famous comedienne once said, “I’ve been rich and I’ve been poor. Believe me, rich is better.” I wonder what Jesus would have to say about that?
Romans 5:6-11 is a description of God’s love for us, and it was expanded on in John 3:16. God loves us just as much on our bad days as He does on our good days. On our worst days, when we commit the worst sins possible, when we turn our backs on God-those are the days God loves us the most.
In Mark 10:13-16, the disciples try to prevent the children from coming to Jesus to receive his blessing. In his stern rebuke, Jesus reminds the disciples that the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Does this mean that the kingdom belongs to children, or does it mean that the Kingdom belongs to those who are LIKE children? I believe it's the latter.
There is a hierarchy in heaven. God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are at the top, followed by angels and archangels. As part of the top level, Jesus is God’s final revelation of God, because he is God’s Son, the agent of creation, the very glory of God and one who cleanses us from sin. God spoke to his people through prophets in Old Testament times, and he speaks to us today through Jesus and the Bible. The Old Testament prophets could only give us pieces of truth. When Jesus came, all of these pieces came together and gained meaning. Unfortunately, in many cases the people reacted to the truth of God’s message by killing the prophets and Jesus when they should have obeyed the message ,”Don’t shoot the messenger."
Do you know that God speaks to his people?
It’s true. He speaks to us today just like he spoke to his people in the past. God spoke at various times and in various ways. He spoke to people such as Adam, Noah, Abraham and Moses. He spoke through thunder; the sound of a trumpet; in a still, small voice or in visions and dreams; in human form and angelic visitations; through foreshadowing and parable and more
Hello boys and girls!
Has anyone ever told you to get lost or go away? |Has anyone ever told you that they didn’t want you around? How did that make you feel?
There is one person who will never tell us to go away. In fact, he wants all of us to come close to him. His name is Jesus. Let me explain by reading a story to you from Mark 10:2-16.
At first glance, the passage from Mark 10:2-16 seems a little disjointed. It starts with a discussion about divorce and ends with a discussion about entering God’s kingdom like little children. While they seem to be disconnected, they really are connected.
What do we really need? Our society is based on acquisition of things, especially wealth. We are concerned about what we do not have, especially people who are considered to be “have not”. Jesus is saying that it doesn’t matter how hard we try to get things, we can’t accumulate more than what God can provide for us. If we are called to our heavenly home by God, what good will earthly goods be? After all, we can’t take them with us. What Jesus is saying in Matthew 6:24-34 is that we must put first things first. In other words, we are to seek first the Kingdom of God, and we must do this every day. To seek the Kingdom, we must first seek the King.
Thanksgiving is a time when we pause to celebrate and give thanks to God for everything he has given us, and the best way to give thanks to God is to pray. Giving thanks is one of three types of prayer, the other two being supplication and intercessions (which means speaking to God on behalf of someone else). Regardless of the type of prayer we use, we must remember that prayer is not just for our sakes or needs.
In Mark 9:38-50 we read that in their struggle for position, the disciples were upset to find that an exorcist was casting out demons in Jesus’ name, especially since recently they were not able to heal a demon-possessed child. Every mature Christian can be drawn into “turf wars” in the church. Jesus said that anyone who does God’s work in his name is a partner in ministry, not a threat to ministry. There will be no peace in our world until we have peace in our hearts. God loves us all the same. God’s will is for liberty and justice for everyone. We do not have peace in our lives if we try to protect our turf and destroy the weak among us.
How many of you have ever eaten something that didn’t taste very good? What did you do to make the food taste better? Did you put any salt on the food?
Improving the taste of food is one of many uses for salt. Salt is used to keep dyes from washing out so our clothes will always look nice. Salt is also used to make leather, and without it we would not have things such as leather belts. Salt is also used to make plastics, and without salt we would not have toys made out of plastic.
Life is a journey that offers two roads for us to take-the wide one of the world that leads to sin and death, and the narrow way that leads to eternal life with God. This is clearly shown in Psalm 1. It expresses praise, prophecy, lament and hope. It moves from the way of the righteous to the way of the ungodly and concludes with their final disposition.
What is the one human quality that drives us to success while causing all sorts of problems at the same time? It is ambition. Ambition is one of the driving forces in our lives. It propels us to excel in our jobs. It pushes us to reach our goals. It can give us a reason for living. Ambition is one of the tools that the world uses to measure success.
I want to take you (especially those of you who are among the older members of this congregation) on a trip down memory lane for a minute. Some of you may remember a famous comedian named Flip Wilson. He had a TV show in the 1970s, and on this show he had such famous characters as Geraldine Jones and Brother Leroy. He also had some famous lines, including one that ties in nicely with the passage from James 3:13-4:3,7-8. That line was, “The devil made me do it!” The characters in Flip Wilson’s comedy routines often blamed the devil for leading them into trouble, and they were partially right. The devil can’t make anyone do anything, but he can definitely tempt us and influence our choices.
veryone likes winning or being first, but no one likes being last or losing. The disciples felt the same way at times. For example, in Mark 9:30-37, which I’m going to read to you in a moment, they argued about which one of them would be first in God’s Kingdom
Those of us who have been on long trips know that they can wear on us. The longer the trip, the more likely that our patience will grow thin and the more likely it is that we will start complaining about everything. In the case of the reading from Numbers 21:4-9, it was the lack of food and water, and the nature of the food they had that caused the Israelites to complain. The Israelites, upon their escape from Egypt, were in the wilderness between Egypt and God’s promised land. They complained to Moses about the lack of food, water and all the amenities they remembered in Egypt. These memories were false. In reality, the Israelites had to make bricks without straw, while they longed for the food they never really had.
Is something a gift if you have to pay for it? If you have to pay for it or do something for it, it isn’t a gift. When someone gives you a gift, it doesn’t cost you anything. All you have to do is accept it. What is the one thing you should not do when someone gives you a gift? The one thing you should never do is ask “How much did it cost?”
What do you think is the greatest gift anyone can receive? It is the gift of eternal life. Jesus talks about this gift in John 3:1-17.
The Trinity is a difficult concept to understand let alone preach about, and part of the reason is because the Trinity is not specifically mentioned anywhere in the Scriptures, even though the concept of the Trinity is mentioned throughout the Bible. There is always a danger when a man-made concept is introduced into something God has created. The early church introduced the concept of the Trinity to explain how God works in our lives to restore our relationship with him.
The scene in Mark 8:27-38 is the climax of the first half of Mark’s Gospel. This first half focuses on miracles and gradually reveals Jesus as the Messiah. The second half explains the nature of that Messiahship and has far more teaching and far fewer miracles.
Have you ever noticed that Jesus often does things that we don’t expect him to do? Take the stories we read in Mark 7:24-37, for example. He does two things that we don’t expect him to do.
We all have certain core traditions and beliefs that are important to us. They make us who we are, they define our own behaviours and the way we think other people should behave. That is what lies behind the Gospel passage from Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23.
In the passage from James 1:17-27, James talks about the goodness of God. God doesn’t tempt us to do evil things, but he often uses life’s challenges to strengthen and perfect us. In the process we become more like God.
Instead of tempting us to do evil things, God gives us good gifts. The phrase “Father of lights” reminds us of God’s unchanging nature. The God who put the stars, sun and moon in their places faithfully presides over our lives and provides everything good, and we must thank him for these gifts. As the old hymn which we often sing on Thanksgiving Sunday says, “All good gifts around us are sent from heaven above…”
Psalm 84 expresses the joy of a pilgrim traveling up to Jerusalem, then up to the temple to celebrate one of the feasts. The pilgrim focuses his attention especially on the thought of being in the very presence of God.
Stephen was the first Christian martyr. His remarkable death occurred soon after the events in the passage we heard from Acts chapter six occurred. His death was the first in a series of persecutions against Christians that filled the church with blood and that cost the lives of thousands, perhaps millions, in the great work of establishing the gospel today. This trend continues today, with reports of persecution in countries such as Iran and North Korea.
The Gospel passage from John 6:56-69 is an example of people who did not want to play follow the leader. The passage marks the end of the “bread of life” discourse that we have heard for the last several weeks. Today, it reaches its climax. Jesus tells his followers that if they abide in him-that is, live in him and believe in him-he will always be with them. Jesus is the source of our life and our sustenance. We need to stay connected to him to be fruitful. Just as God gives Jesus life, Jesus in turn gives his followers eternal life if they believe in him.
Anniversaries are times of celebration and reflection. In particular, Remembrance Day is a time to reflect on wars past and present. We live in chaotic times, but the world has been in chaotic times since the beginning of time. We have been fighting wars since the beginning of time, and we are still fighting wars today. Since the end of World War II, there have been more than 250 wars worldwide.
A mother and her young son were at a local swimming pool. The boy was standing at the deep end, his toes curled over the edge. Still unsure of himself in the water, he stood there for what seemed to be a very long time. Hesitating. Meditating. Just when it seemed that he was going to back away from the edge, he looked up to the sky, put his hands together, and said, “O Lord, give me skills or give me gills!” He jumped.
“Give me skills or give me gills.” That pretty much covers the bases, doesn’t it? O Lord give me what I need to overcome what I’m facing, but if you won’t do that, give me what I need to endure it. Give me skills or give me gills.
God looks at our lives and measures them against a standard of perfect holiness. He does not overlook sins just because we think they are small or insignificant. If we treat sins casually, it will not be long before we find ourselves enslaved to them. If we bring them to the Lord in repentance, He will cleanse us and help us walk in freedom from them.
God works in us to create spiritual hunger because he loves us and wants us to get to know him and love him in return. He uses the spiritual hunger to convict us of our sin and convince us to turn to him.
Although the story of the feeding of the 5,000 appears in all four Gospels, John’s version has a slightly different meaning. In fact, John includes only seven of Jesus’ miracles in his Gospel, and in each miracle the believer is brought closer to God. Each miracle invites us to reflect on what the miracle says about Jesus.
It’s a little scary to see David-a man after God’s own heart-give in to his sinful desires. We can’t read this story without considering the fact that we are no different than David. We are susceptible to, and capable of, great sin.
Jesus recognized that we need to take some time off once in a while to get caught up on our rest, and an example of his concern is found in Mark 6:30-34. His disciples had just returned from a long and exhausting ministry trip, so He instructed them to “come aside…and rest awhile”. Jesus cherished personal privacy for times of spiritual renewal and teaching His disciples.
Ephesians 1:3-14 expresses a new understanding that Paul has talked about in his other letters but never fully developed. The abolishment of the barrier between Jews and Gentiles is the key to understanding God’s plan for the universe. His plan was and is to unify the entire universe in Christ Jesus. That is God’s gift to us, and we should be grateful for what He has done for us.
How many of you have ever watched a horror movie or read a horror story? It’s not always a pleasant experience, is it? As strange as it might seem, there are actually some horror stories in the Bible, and one of the most famous of its horror stories is the story of the death of John the Baptist.
The Gospel reading from Mark 6:1-13 occurs just after the healing of the woman with a hemorrhage and the raising of Jairus’ daughter from the dead. It is two different stories about faith, and that’s where the similarity ends. Unlike the two miracles that we heard about in last week’s Gospel reading, which demonstrate faith in Jesus, the first parable we heard in this passage is about the lack of faith.
The passage we heard from 2 Corinthians talks about giving, and it has a message for us today. The church in Jerusalem had fallen on hard times financially. It started off great, with believers sharing everything they had in the belief that Christ would return soon. When he didn’t, things became bleak very quickly. To help the church in Jerusalem, Paul appealed to all of the churches he started to give to a collection he was taking up. At first, the church in Corinth gave generously, but in time the giving slowed to a trickle in part because some people accused Paul of taking the collection for personal gain.
The reading we heard from 2 Corinthians 8:7-15 a few minutes ago does talk about giving. Most ministers have to walk a fine line when talking about this subject, especially if they don’t want to give the impression that they are asking for money for the church. I’m also walking a fine line because even though this is summer and the time of the year when offerings decline because people are away, I don’t want to talk about giving in that sense. I want to talk about the spiritual benefits of giving.
Good morning boys and girls!
What do your parents do when you’re sick?
If you are sick to your stomach or if you have a headache, they probably give you some medicine from the drug store and wait and see if you get better. What would they do if you don’t get better? What would they do if you are so sick they think you might die? They would take you to the doctor.
Have you ever wanted something so much that you were willing to do anything to get it? If so, you can appreciate what Jairus and the woman did in Mark 5:21-43.
Did you know that giving can be exciting? It certainly is! It’s like a competition to out give God. We give and God provides. We sow into our local church and God sows into our lives. God’s blessings are not always financial, but they are always greater than what we expect. A good example of this is in the passage we heard from 2 Corinthians
The passage we heard from 1 Samuel was David’s moment of truth. He had just infuriated a giant of a man, and if God was not who He claimed to be, David was as good as dead. The plan of redemption for the whole world was at stake, because the Saviour was to come through David’s family line.
Acts 20:1-16 consists of a series of adaptations to challenges presented by unfortunate circumstances. Paul’s flexibility became the means by which God would advance His agenda. He has a plan and He will continue to see it through.
Have you ever tried to get away from the storms of life, only to find that they have followed you? If so, you can understand what happened in Mark 4:35-41.
When we do God's work in our world, there is always a chance that we will face opposition, including persecution. How can we handle opposition when it arises? The best way is to follow the example of the apostle Paul, especially the example we fine in 2 Corinthians 6:1-13.
How many of you have heard the saying, “big things come in small packages?” What it means is that the greatest things often come from the least significant or most unlikely sources. We see a good example of this in the passage from 1 Samuel.
The Gospel reading from Mark 4:21-34 is a series of parables about the kingdom of God. Jesus used parables to explain the kingdom because the kingdom is so vast that our limited human minds can't understand it on our own. Jesus used these parables to explain the kingdom in terms that we, the disciples, and his audience could understand.
. All of us have fallen, and our fall is not something in the past. It is something very much present right now. It is personal for each one of us. All of us come to a point when we want that which will be harmful to us. We stop listening to God and let the world tell us what to do! We change our loyalty from the Creator to the world.
Thankfully, there is a solution for us. A renewed Christian acts upon new principles with new ends and in new company. He received God’s version of a heart transplant. He loves God above all things. Redemption of a people who now live for Christ by living for others, affected by the Holy Spirit and the death of Jesus Christ, is the beginning of the new creation that God had planned to come during this evil age.
Have you ever done something that made other people wonder if you have lost your mind? If so, you can probably understand what is going on in Mark 3:20-35.
Sometimes the people who make our laws get a little carried away and pass some very silly laws.
Even back in the day when Jesus lived, they had some pretty silly laws. There was a group of religious leaders called the Pharisees who were keepers of the law of Moses and they believed that keeping the law was everything. They also believed that their own understanding and teaching about the law was the only correct teaching. Jesus was quite often opposed by the Pharisees and was accused of breaking the laws of Moses, especially the laws regarding the Sabbath. The passage we heard from Mark’s Gospel tells us about two times that the Pharisees accused Jesus and his followers of violating the Sabbath.
What do you do when someone gives you a special gift? Do you carelessly toss it aside in a closet, or do you use it and appreciate it? What would you do if the gift came directly from God? Paul answers this in Romans 3:1-8.
One of the most famous Bible verses is John 3:16: "For God so loved the world." Just how great is God's love and how could we measure it?
Trinity Sunday is the one day of the church year when we do something a little different. Instead of talking about Jesus and his miracles, we talk about a concept that isn’t easy to understand let alone preach about. We talk about the Trinity-Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
The reading from Isaiah 6:1-8 was chosen for Trinity Sunday because of the curious question it asks: “Who will go for us?” Why was this phrase used? It is because it is a foreshadowing of the Trinity. This passage is the most famous call of a prophet in the Bible. It is regularly offered as one of the readings for Trinity Sunday, apparently due to the thrice-repeated cry of “Holy.” The three cries were made to the three members of the Trinity.
In essence, the Trinity is the belief that God is one in essence, but distinct in person. In other words, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are somehow distinct from one another, yet at the same time they are completely united in essence, will and tasks. God has a life in which all three members of the Trinity relate to each other, give to each other, and love each other.
How do you see yourself?
The answer to that question affects our attitudes, actions, responses and reactions to life’s circumstances. If we see ourselves as the helpless victim of Satan and his schemes, we will likely live like his victims and be in bondage to Satan’s lies. If we see ourselves as children of God, we will likely live like children of God. In order to live like a child of God, we need a firm grip on God’s Word. We need to understand who we are as a result of who God is and what he has done. The only way we can gain this understanding is to consider the work of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit, also known as the Trinity.
There are many mysteries in the Christian faith, one of which has to do with the nature of God. How can we understand God who is described in the Bible as both the one true God and the God we know as Father, Son and Holy Spirit? Today, Trinity Sunday, is the one Sunday when we consider this important part of the church’s doctrine, instead of considering a teaching or message from Jesus.
In the passage we heard from John’s Gospel, Jesus addressed His disciples. They heard His words while He was with them, and they were with him from the beginning of His ministry. Jesus’ speech took place on the night before He was crucified. The disciples were so concerned about their own future that they weren’t the least bit curious about Jesus’ immediate future. Jesus knew about their concern and encouraged them with a wonderful truth. The Holy Spirit would be far superior to Jesus because the Spirit could be everywhere at once, whereas Jesus could only be in one place at a time. The disciples and all future believers would always be in communion with God.
The Spirit continues to guide us and the church today. Our circumstances change daily thanks to new technologies and politics, but the Holy Spirit is ready to help us relate God’s truth to new situations. In every new circumstance, the same Holy Spirit guides us to re-learn old, faithful truths and to apply those old truths in new and faithful ways.
On the Day of Pentecost over 2,000 years ago, the Holy Spirit came to the disciples, and through the Holy Spirit the church was born. It is a time when the church traditionally concentrates on the gift of the Holy Spirit and the ways in which it strengthens the church. It is a time to consider how the Spirit has created and sustained faith in our lives. It is a time to explore how the Spirit empowers our witness so that others might have faith.
All of God's creation is subject to His authority. All of creation must praise Him. In return, He takes pleasure in everything He has created. They depend on Him, and in return He is generous to them. They can rely on Him. We are part of God's creation, so we can also depend on Him.
If you knew you were going to be seeing someone for the last time, what would you tell them? If you knew you were dying, what would your final words to your loved ones be? If you've ever thought about these questions, then you know what was going through Jesus' mind when he recited the prayer in John 17:6-19
God wanted the Israelites to learn from their past, and He wants us to learn from our past as well. There is an old saying that “those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” If we don’t learn from our mistakes, our past or our sins, we will repeat them.
Honest seekers find what they are looking for. Jeremiah 29:13 states that God promises to hear the prayers of those who are looking for Him. God gave the gift of the Holy Spirit to these Gentiles as a sign of His plan to accept them into the church without prior conversion to the Jewish faith. This more than makes up for humiliation and ridicule.
When God sent the Holy Spirit upon the Gentile believers, He sent a clear message to them and to everyone who witnessed the event. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. Nothing other than belief is required. Only trusting in Christ brings forgiveness of sins.
Well, in the Gospel passage from John 15:9-17, Jesus gave us and his disciples some final instructions or words of advice. This passage is part of the final instructions that Jesus gave to the disciples the night before he was crucified. It follows the passage about the vine and the branches, but it goes even further. Instead of talking about abiding in each other or loving each other, it talks about serving each other, which goes hand in hand with loving each other.
Today I want to tell you about a time when Jesus did some spring cleaning. It was time for the annual Passover celebration, so Jesus traveled to Jerusalem. When He arrived, He went to the temple. He couldn't believe his eyes. There in the temple area he saw people who were selling cattle, sheep, and doves for the people to use as sacrifices in the temple. There were tables set up for money changers so that people could change their money to pay their temple taxes. It looked more like a carnival than a house of worship.
Have you ever been asked by someone to do something that did not make sense to you? If so, then you can understand what went through Abraham’s mind when God asked him to sacrifice his son Isaac, the story of which we heard in Genesis 22:1-19.
When we see our lives from God’s viewpoint, we no longer have to worry about comparing ourselves to others.
Our attitude as children of God must centre on a life that is lived in Him. I return for HIs sacrifice we need to make god use of the opportunities Christ sends our way.
Satan and much of human society want to make us do the wrong thing. Jesus was the son of God, but his earthly life was full of challenges that he had to endure. God sometimes uses the devil to test people. His purpose is to strengthen our faith, but Satan wants to destroy our faith. We will face the trials of life, but we can endure if we draw strength from Jesus. After all, Jesus’ faith was strengthened by his time in the wilderness.
Sin that goes unchecked among a people may similarly become an epidemic. The aim of God’s Laws about cleanliness was to protect the people from disease, but more importantly, to teach them by vivid lessons how God wanted purity, holiness, and cleanliness among His people. Failure to obey these laws was considered sin.
Transfiguration is a believer’s spiritual transformation into the image of Christ. Mark’s version of the transfiguration story offers a glimpse of Jesus’ divine nature and his radiant, divine glory. He radiates light from the inside. In the future kingdom, Jesus’ glory will not be veiled. It will shine like a thousand sons. No one will be able to mistake it.
Have you ever been so busy that you’ve had to go to a quiet place to be alone for a little while? Jesus certainly was. He was always busy teaching, preaching and healing. He was always followed by a crowd of people, including the disciples. He was always busy, but he always had time for solitude and prayer. In the reading from Mark 1:29-39, Jesus had a successful day of casting out demons and healing the sick. He ran the risk of exhausting his energy. It’s no wonder, therefore, that he had to be alone and pray.
Have you ever noticed that everywhere you go in life, people in authority are telling you what to do and what not to do? These people can be teachers, police officers, government officials or even the staff of nursing homes or hospitals. Hopefully these people will do what they feel is best for us instead of what is best for themselves. Someone else who has authority and can tell us what to do and what not to do if we will let him is Jesus. We see a good example of his authority in the passage from Mark 1:21-28.
Today, we heard about Jesus’ baptism and the coming of the Holy Spirit on him. John proclaimed Christ’s superiority by distinguishing between his own baptism with water and the baptism that Christ would provide with the Holy Spirit. Several Old Testament passages speak of the Holy Spirit being poured out like water. Jesus’ baptism with the Holy Spirit supplies us with supernatural power just like the Holy Spirit revealed its supernatural power at Jesus’ baptism.
I want to take you (especially those of you who are among the older members of this congregation) on a trip down memory lane for a minute. Some of you may remember a famous comedian named Flip Wilson. He had a TV show in the 1970s, and on this show he had such famous characters as Geraldine Jones and Brother Leroy. He also had some famous lines, including one that ties in nicely with the reading we heard from the Book of James earlier in today’s service. That line was, “The devil made me do it!” The characters in Flip Wilson’s comedy routines often blamed the devil for leading them into trouble, and they were partially right. The devil can’t make anyone do anything, but he can definitely tempt us and influence our choices.
The devil is part of earthly wisdom, and James contrasts earthly wisdom and heavenly wisdom. People’s lives reflect the source of their wisdom. There is “earthly, unspiritual, devilish” wisdom that leads to “envy and selfish ambition” in the individual and “disorder and wickedness of every kind” in society. Against this, there is “wisdom from above” that is “first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits…” Trouble arrives, he tells us, when we act based on earthly wisdom and not out of faithfulness to God.
Well, Christmas is almost over for another year. For most of us the holidays are over and our lives get back to normal this week. Children will be going back to school, people will be going back to work, family and friends will be going home (if they haven’t gone home already), and we will be settling back into our normal routines.
There is one more part of Christmas to come, and that’s why I said that Christmas is almost over. There is one more gift for all of us, and today-the Feast of the Epiphany-we receive that gift. That gift is the fact that Jesus came for all of us-both Jews and Gentiles. This concept is represented in the visit of the Magi, which we heard in Matthew 2:1-12, but it is also represented in the legendary story of the fourth wise man-a man named Artaban.
UNICEF-the United Nations Children’s Fund-estimates that 353,000 babies are born every day-just over four babies each second. Birth begins a life of 70-100 years and impacts those whose lives overlap with the child’s. Every generation relates most profoundly with those who share their time in history. Jesus is the exception to that statement.
Have you ever heard of the old saying, “Good things come to those who wait”? If so, the story of Simeon, Anna and the baby Jesus in the temple in Luke 2:22-40 is a good example. The coming of Christ involved all manner of waiting on God. A young maiden, a dying man and an old widow all model hearts yielded to God.
Well, it's all over with. The weeks of preparation, the four weeks of Advent, the pageants and concerts, the shopping, gift-wrapping, delivering, waiting for loved ones to come...it's all over, and the celebrations can begin. There's no better way to celebrate this joyous night than by singing. In fact, there is an ancient legend about the angel chorus that is mentioned in tonight's Gospel reading
We are well into the season of Advent. It is a season of hope. It is a hope that we remember as we prepare to celebrate both Christ’s birth in Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago and His eventual return. This hope included bringing good news to the oppressed. This hope was expressed in the passage we heard from Isaiah. It is the same passage that Jesus based His message in the temple on in Luke 4:16-21.
John 1:6-8, 19-28 sets the stage for Christ’s ministry. John the Baptist was the witness to the light of Christ. He was the light that would lead people to Christ. Jesus would fulfill the expectations the Jews had regarding the long-expected Messiah, but not in the way many Jews expected. He would meet these expectations through love and not by force as a military ruler who would drive out the Romans.
Do you know what the key to a healthy life is? It is healthy emotions, and the healthiest emotion to have is gratitude. Gratitude actually helps our immune system. It makes us more resistant to stress and less susceptible to illness. People who are grateful are happy because they are satisfied with what they have. An attitude of gratitude reduces stress in our lives and leads to greater spiritual and physical health.
We are well into the season of Advent, a time to remember both Christ’s birth in the stable in Bethlehem on that first Christmas over 2,000 years ago and his Second Coming. This time of remembrance includes a time of preparation. We have to prepare our hearts and minds to receive him. This can be hard to do at this time of the year because we are busy decorating our homes, buying gifts, attending Christmas parties, concerts and pageants and the many other events that are held at this time of year.
The writer of Psalm 85 talks about memories. Memories give us hope. For example, people who are grieving the loss of a loved one are often comforted by their memories of their loved ones. Memories let us recall with gratitude what God has done in the past, and they give us the hope that God will do good things for us again in the future. That makes our present sorrows and sufferings bearable.
At first glance, the passage from Mark is full of doom and gloom. The disciples asked for signs of the end times, and Jesus told them that the end times would be full of danger. Is this really the way for us to start the season of Advent? Isn’t Advent supposed to be a time of hope and preparation? The answer to both questions is yes. Advent isn’t about preparing for Christmas. It’s about preparing for the coming of Christ. Advent always begins with preparing and waiting for Christ to come again. Just as the first coming was an event of cosmic proportion, so will the second coming be.
On Reign of Christ Sunday, we reflect on the mighty acts of God proclaimed every Sunday of the past year. We celebrate that, because Christ has humbled himself to the point of death on the cross, God has exalted Him and made Him King of Kings and Lord of Lords.