Plastic Jesus?
“But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them. In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves. Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of these teachers, […]
God Has a Name
“Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to […]
Is Your Jesus Too Small? (Col. 1:15-19)
Jesus’ disciples began following Him as a rabbi they could learn from. Then they saw Him as a healer who could mend lives. Gradually they understood that He was the promised Messiah who could bring people back to God. Their discipleship was weak because their assessment of Jesus was small. They didn’t realize the staggering immensity of the One who led them around the villages of Galilee…
Take Heart
“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first. The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you. Do you remember what I told you? […]
Praying for Revival
“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that […]
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 […]
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 […]
