04/25/2019
Saturday before Easter was a soggy, rainy day which meant that when my dog, Ava, came in from chasing the squirrels, birds and ducks as she loves to do, she was a drowned rat and smelled like one too. Her feet smelled of pure mud as she had run through once mulched beds that were then covered with mud and water. At one point Ava came to me, nuzzled up and wanted to be pet but I told her "Ugh, you stink!"
By the time that you read this, we will have celebrated Easter and told one another that "He is Risen!". My dog reminded me of the Easter message. Easter, the resurrection of Jesus, happened because "I stink!". I stink with the many ways that I sin day in and day out. But God has not turned me away. He has continued to invite me to nuzzle up with Him. He accepts and loves me no matter how dirty or smelly I am. And not only that, He did exactly what I ultimately needed...to be washed clean of my sins. He sent His Son, Jesus, to live, die and be resurrected so that I may be made clean as snow and therefore can celebrate Easter!! Hallelujah!
I pondered the message of Easter and what Jesus has done for me. Though my act is not nearly as sacrificial as what Jesus did, I did give Ava a bath so that she was clean and smelled sweet again.
Easter Sunday 2019 may be passed but the Easter message lives on and on and on.
Blessings- Pastor Patti
Archived Posts
The Loss of a Great Christian Leader
The death today of Pope Francis was particularly poignant, falling as it did on the day after Easter. As Protestant Christians we have a once removed interest in the leader of the Roman Catholic church. Yet the pope is the authoritative leader of 1.4 billion women and men around the world. It is worth our time to pause and consider what kind of man and what kind of legacy Pope Francis left behind.
Everything You Wanted To Know About Judas Iscariot
(Drawn from online sources)
Jesus Hears A Who
Few people know that Horton Hears A Who comes from the 25th Chapter of Matthew.
Matthew 24: One More Thing...
I sometimes stumble on old documents I’ve created but have completely forgotten about. I cannot remember why I created them or what purpose they were originally supposed to serve....
Keeping the Church Doors Unencumbered
Sunday, we considered Jesus’ disruptive actions in the Temple in light of his frustration with keeping gentiles from worshipping in their designated courtyard. We then reflected on how we still tend to throw up roadblocks to those who don’t normally attend church. I found the following, but didn’t have space for it in the sermon. It’s provocative and worth chewing on for a while.
What Was the Crowd Celebrating on Palm Sunday?
I came across this list which feels a little like a "Greatest Hits of Jesus' Ministry". I share it with you today for your inspiration and edification. Enjoy!
The Best Kind of Trouble-maker
While working on this last week’s sermon I was looking through Phillip Yancey’s excellent book—The Jesus I Never Knew—when I came across a section that I found profound. It didn’t quite fit my sermon, but it caught my eye enough that I copied it down.