Follow Jesus. Lead the church. Change the world.
Ephesians 4.29 An overview of the verse:Bad talk:Do not use talk that is unwholesome, foul, dirty, abusive. Swearing, vulgar, gossip, talking down to others, tearing others down or belittling, finding fault. Good talk:Say nice things: give compliments, be cheerful, tell the truth, put on a positive attitude. Edify: build up. Ministers grace:Not just that they … Read more
Psalm 22 IntroductionThis is a Psalm of lament, which as most turns from lament to praise. It is a Messianic psalm, especially evident in vv 16-18, sometimes called the Fifth Gospel account of the crucifixion. This doesn’t discount it’s present setting, a psalm of David, where David is in trouble, even near death and is … Read more
Today, we’re going to talk about one more discipleship essential: surrender. Jesus said, "If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross each day and follow me. If you want to save your life, you will destroy it. But if you give up your … Read more
Ephesians 2.1-10 This passage about what God has done in Christ Jesus, not just through Jesus, not just with Jesus, but in Jesus. Your and my destiny is incorporated in that of Christ. Vv 1-3 are a description of our pre-Christian past. We were dead … in sin. The spirit that was at work within … Read more
There are a few essentials of discipleship, it seems to me: teachability and passion, to name two. Today, I want to talk about compassion. Around here (where we’re in the process of merging two congregations), we are asking the question, "How will this look different?" One way I think we must look different is that … Read more
Recently I talked about the importance of teachability/teachability 2.0. I said teachability is an essential quality of being a disciple. Disciples, by definition, are teachable! Disciples must be passionate! Another requirement, I believe, is passion. Think about it: the word apathy means “without passion.” What do you think about the term, “apathetic Christian”? Isn’t that … Read more
Ephesians 1.17-23 Persistent Intercessory Prayervv17-18aPaul is praying a prayer of intercession, a prayer for others, specifically for the Ephesians. But it is my prayer for us and I want you to make it your prayer for yourself, for other believers and for this body. It is a persistent prayer, "I keep praying." He continues to … Read more
John 20.1-18 Do you like Easter? We all look forward to Easter don’t we? Easter is a sign that spring is here or on the way. We look forward to everything turning green and the first flowers are coming up. The first of my tulips bloomed just this week! We look forward to this very … Read more
In "The Great Thanksgiving" that we sometimes use for our communion liturgy, there’s this phrase where everyone is invited to "proclaim the mystery of faith" … "Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again." Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again. All three parts are essential! The Apostle Paul talks … Read more
1 Corinthians 6.12-20 IllustrationThere is a story of a woman who had tried everything to lose weight—diet, exercise, appetite-suppressing pills Finally she found something that worked. She attaches a 12” x 16” picture of a beautiful, this, shapely woman, dressed in a bikini, on her refrigerator door. Every time she was tempted to snack, the … Read more