Forgiving Others Ain’t Easy
“The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.“ (Luke 17:5-6, NIV) We just love that verse, don’t we?! The disciples utter a beautiful […]
No Regrets
“So he got up and went to his father.” (Luke 15:20) The word regret carries the etymological idea of looking back to weep. Repent means to regret to the point of amending one’s life. Obviously, the difference is huge. And the key is “change.” This Sunday we’re looking at the story Jesus told of the […]
VP of Peas
“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you….Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.“ (John 13:14-15, 17, NIV) Being humble isn’t the […]
Missing the Point
“Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, and so the Jews [Pharisees] said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law […]
How to Pray
““This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name…” (Matthew 6:9, NIV) We started a new sermon series last week and we’re looking at the spiritual disciplines Jesus taught his disciples. One of the more important ones is prayer. When Jesus was asked by one of the twelve: […]
Choking on Worry
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.“ (Philippians 4:6-7, NLT) Have you ever seen someone […]
Jesus’ View on Women
Yesterday, talking with my wife, I made the mistake of stating my opinion on something I had no clue about. She, on the other hand, had studied the issue and could cite chapter and verse. She called me on it. I thought of that as I prepared for this week’s sermon. I hear very vocal […]
Judas’ Cry for Help?
“When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them…and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.” (Luke 6:13, 16) In recent weeks, two celebrities ended their own lives (truth be told, I knew neither). Suicide is heart-breaking! The US Center for Disease Control claims that the suicide rate in our nation […]
Flyover Churches
“Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot…” (Luke 6:15, NIV) The church has traditionally referred to James the Son of Alphaeus as “James the Less.” Not a favorable nickname by American standards. The reason for the name is the adjective used in Mark 16:1 to describe him: “micro”. Sometimes that […]
When in Doubt…
“They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he [Thomas] replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”” (John 20:25, NLT) Are you the kind of person who needs evidence and data to […]
The Taxman Cometh
“As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.“ (Matthew 9:9, NIV) A little boy goes to the grocery store and asks the clerk for a box of detergent: “I need it to wash […]
Supernatural
““How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.”” (John 1:48-49, NIV) If you pay attention to these things, like I do, you’ve heard […]
