In the time when Jesus was active in his earthly ministry, the Jews were in constant oppression, dealing with political and racial issues. Sound familiar? Luke 10: 25-37 Jesus is asked by an expert in the law, "Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus responds to his question with a question. Bible …
“The Golden Rule”
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus summarizes with this: Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.John 7: 12 This theme seems to run through many religions. Let's take a look at some of the …
Overcoming Doubt
We can learn a thing or two from "Doubting Thomas". If we don't ask the tough questions how will we ever find answers? Leaving doubt to fester and grow is not going to give us peace. Afraid of what Jesus will say to you if you doubt that he is who he says he is? …
Fear Or Faith?
Jesus, whom the disciples had put their faith in had been crucified and buried. Just imagine how they felt. Fear would be a viable emotion considering what they were facing. If the Jews would kill Jesus, wouldn't they seek to kill his followers also? So they scattered and we find them hiding away behind a …
Blessed Are…
One of the most famous sermons ever delivered was given by Jesus, himself. It's called the Sermon on the Mount and it contains the Beatitudes. Jesus describes his followers in this sermon. Last week we took a look at the first Beatitude. You can find that blog post here. To listen to the sermon this …
Worship In Spirit And Truth
photo credit to https://unsplash.com/@everythingcaptured? I've often heard that we should worship God in Spirit and in Truth, but what does that mean? This is something that I really wanted to understand, so with some intentionality, I've done some digging to help me get a grasp on it. I actually think I've been making it a …
Broken, Empty, Blessed
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven... Matt 5:3 These words are from Jesus as he teaches the disciples who climbed up the mountainside with him. Followers of Jesus, soaking in the message he shares with them who might have questioned what he meant by poor in spirit. We’re …
Is God With Us?
It seems that as I listen to the sermon each week and then reflect on it as I prepare to write this blog post, there is always something that stands out to me. Sometimes it may just be a phrase that the pastor mentioned in passing or it might be the main topic of the …
What Does God See?
Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people he chose for his inheritance. From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth - he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do, No king is saved by …
Who Does Your Heart Belong To?
It all comes down to this: We must worship God and God alone. My take away from the sermon today, February 7, 2021, is that throughout history we have collectively been in a perpetual cycle of finding God, turning our back on him, and returning to him in repentance. It amazes me how we refuse …
