04/24/2023
Yesterday, after Pastor Daisy’s excellent sermon, I had a few moments with the 10:30 folks and I mentioned two other ways God’s mission becomes our mission.
Yesterday, after Pastor Daisy’s excellent sermon, I had a few moments with the 10:30 folks and I mentioned two other ways God’s mission becomes our mission.
The theme of this week’s sermon on Acts 10 was the Spirit’s desire to reach beyond ‘people like us’ to include outsiders—such as Samaritans, Ethiopian Eunuchs, Romans and Gentiles of all types—as full members of God’s family. As I was sifting through possible ways to highlight that theme, I came across the following illustration. I found it inspiring and important, it just didn’t quite fit the direction the sermon was taking. I thought you might enjoy thinking it over anyway.
We are a resurrected people who put our whole trust in the power of our God to do for us what we couldn’t possibly do for ourselves. Easter is the celebration that God stands ready, willing, and able to bring us from death to life—right now.
It’s easy to forget that Jesus was fully human. He loved his disciples but he needed good friends that weren’t front and center in his ministry.
Archived Posts
Such A Rich Passage (Luke 19:1-10)
I reflected a lot on the passage about Zacchaeus because it has been written off as “been there, read that, little guy in a tree.” But it is so rich in getting to the heart of what it means to be saved by grace through faith—to live our lives out of gratitude rather than obligation.
The Power of Presence
This last Sunday I had so much more to share than time to share it. The last Emotional Management Technique was to stay present in the process. Just as Jesus stayed with the woman who was judged and found guilty by the angry crowd, we stay by our children and our friends, especially when they need us the most. Here a couple of examples...
What’s In A Benediction?
Last Sunday I used one of my favorite benedictions.
It was inspired by a saying from about ten years ago:
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words
There are several powerful and evocative artworks that depict the scene from Mark 9:14–29, where Jesus heals a boy possessed by an unclean spirit... Some of the following have internet links, the others are worth googling. Enjoy!
The Gift of Ourselves As A Gift of Love
The more the giving of myself costs me something, the greater the power of the gift. You know I love quotes, so after a little research, let me share a few of my favorites on this very subject: