God’s church is designed to be a partnership. What is your part in this partnership? What is your next step to strengthening our partnership? A commitment to regular worship? Participation in the “Following the Promise” Bible study? Joining a small group? Giving more consistently or starting a recurring gift online? Volunteering?
When did you have that defining moment, that life-changing encounter with the Savior? At your baptism? As an adult? Has it happened to you more than once? When did the cross matter to you more than anything else in the world? If you haven’t had that life-changing encounter, could today bring God’s invitation to you to bow before the cross?
When Jesus set out to create a church family, he didn’t go looking for people who were “right”. Case in point: Levi/Matthew the tax collector. There were many tax collectors and sinners who followed Jesus. Only Mark includes this detail. They didn’t need to be right for Jesus to love them. But once again Jesus is accused. Are there many “tax collectors and sinners” following us? Or do we fall into the same mistake the Pharisees did: “I’ll love them when they are right.” Romans 12:16 “Do not be p...
Sometimes headings can be helpful. The NIV heading for this reading is: “Jesus accused by his family and by teachers of the law.” We might not catch it at first, but there are two accusations against Jesus: his family accused him of being insane, and the people who should have been his church family accused him of being demon possessed. I wonder which one hurt more, his biological family or church family? He does respond to them differently. Does it seem like Jesus disowned his family here? Or d...
From the “He Gets Us” sermon helps: “The Roman Stoic Philosopher Seneca is not wrong with this statement: ‘He suffers more than is necessary, who suffers before it is necessary.’”— Seneca Anxiety whispers, “What if? What if I won’t have what I need?” Jesus gets us—he knows what worries us. He speaks the beautiful and comforting words: “Your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” He also knows us better than that—he knows the quiet yearnings of our hearts. We are more complex creatures than j...
From the “He Gets Us” sermon helps: “The Roman Stoic Philosopher Seneca is not wrong with this statement: ‘He suffers more than is necessary, who suffers before it is necessary.’”— Seneca Anxiety whispers, “What if? What if I won’t have what I need?” Jesus gets us—he knows what worries us. He speaks the beautiful and comforting words: “Your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” He also knows us better than that—he knows the quiet yearnings of our hearts. We are more complex creatures than j...
When we feel anxiety, we are often tempted to think that knowing what will happen would make us feel better. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus knew what was going to happen, but knowing didn’t relieve his anxiety. Knowing didn’t make it easier. Where did Jesus turn for relief? He confided in his believing friends. He told them he wasn’t OK and asked for their help. He turned to his Father and told God what God already knew—how he was feeling and what he was afraid of. Jesus understands anxiety....
God has designed Family Church to be regular conversation with him--something we call prayer. Prayer is not something parents or friends just "model" for their children and for those in their functional family. Prayer is something that we "live" with our children and friends as God is the purpose and focus and true friend of our lives. "Can I pray for you?"
God has designed Family Church--the home or one’s functional family--to be a place of safety and security for its members. Family Church is also a place of preparation and training for the spiritual warfare awaiting us in this world. Just as parents teach their children to look both ways before crossing the street, or buy their child a helmet for riding his or her bike, so we outfit our children and those within our functional family with the armor of God for the journey home to heaven.
God has designed Family Church--the home or one’s functional family--to be a place of safety and security for its members. Family Church is also a place of preparation and training for the spiritual warfare awaiting us in this world. Just as parents teach their children to look both ways before crossing the street, or buy their child a helmet for riding his or her bike, so we outfit our children and those within our functional family with the armor of God for the journey home to heaven.
God has designed Family Church to function well as each member carries out his or her role in service to the others, seeing it first as service to Christ. To serve is to submit. "Submit" is a welcomed word to the believer in Jesus. It is an approach to living that blessed and changed the world in the person of Jesus Christ. It is an approach to MY living that brings blessing every day to the people in my family and in my area of influence.
God has designed the Family Church with dad and mom in mind as spiritual shepherds of the family. To be a shepherd takes training and preparation. To be a spiritual shepherd takes training and guidance from God's Word. In other words, for dad and mom, Family Church is personal--it begins with ME and my relationship with Jesus, my Savior. Are you a mom or a dad? Are you an influencer in your functional family? Then Family Church is personal--between Jesus and you.
God has designed the Family Church with dad and mom in mind as spiritual shepherds of the family. To be a shepherd takes training and preparation. To be a spiritual shepherd takes training and guidance from God's Word. In other words, for dad and mom, Family Church is personal--it begins with ME and my relationship with Jesus, my Savior. Are you a mom or a dad? Are you an influencer in your functional family? Then Family Church is personal--between Jesus and you.
A mission statement defines a company's business: whom it serves, what it does, its objectives, and its approach to reaching those objectives. A mission statement is prominent in an organization's daily work, keeping everyone on task and in pursuit of the mission. The Christian family is no different in its purposeful living. We want our family founded on Jesus and his forgiveness, focused on his example of love, with eyes fixed on the ultimate goal of heaven. This sermon series looks to the boo...
Moses must be lost! Jerusalem was only 25 miles directly north of them. Yet, they were going on a couple of hundred mile detour through barren desert. Do you sometimes feel your God is lost? Is he leading you on this camping trip in a direction you don’t want to go? Is his path to the Promised Land impossible for you? In your suffering, look to the One who suffered for you. There you will find clarity. The way to the Promised Land is safe.
“Is that a bear?” “No, mom. It is just a stump.” After seeing bear warning signs, all she could see were bears. That happened for the Israelites too. The spies came back with warning signs. The Canaanites were too big. The cities fortified. They wanted to give up and go home. What are the warning signs you see in your life? Does the future look frightening to you? Remember who is in the camp with us. Your fellow campers need to hear you say, “The LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”...
Camping is work! When one person thinks he or she has to do everything, it is easy to be overwhelmed and want to quit. Everyone on a camping trip has a something to do. When everyone understands their role, bitterness and jealousy disappear. What is your role as you journey through life to the Promised Land? Are you getting bitter? Perhaps you are trying to do too much. Are you getting jealous? Perhaps you don’t see the importance of your role for the blessing of all. God has gifted each of us t...
If you have ever gone on a family camping trip, you have experienced crises. Complaints begin to surface. It’s too hot. It’s too cold. I’m tired. I don’t like the food. I’m doing more than my fair share. Moms and dads get to the breaking point too. How much more of this can they take? The Israelites experienced similar crises. It was too hard. The food was monotonous. Fortunately, the LORD was at the center of their camp. The crisis was overcome, but not without pain. A story was created that un...
If you have ever gone on a family camping trip, you have experienced crises. Complaints begin to surface. It’s too hot. It’s too cold. I’m tired. I don’t like the food. I’m doing more than my fair share. Moms and dads get to the breaking point too. How much more of this can they take? The Israelites experienced similar crises. It was too hard. The food was monotonous. Fortunately, the LORD was at the center of their camp. The crisis was overcome, but not without pain. A story was created that un...
The Numbers camping trip starts with Moses counting noses. He counts noses again at the end of the trip. Then he explains the arrangement of the camp, everyone’s duties while camping, and the order in which they will hike. There are so many details in this part that we may lose sight of the most important thing – Who and what is at the center of the camp and at the center of their hike? It is the LORD. Isn’t that a lesson for us as we walk through life? What are we doing to make sure that the LO...
We are used to temporary. “All good things must come to an…end.” Those are common words because they reflect our experience—even our experience of love. Conflicts end friendships. Through distance and time people drift apart. And even if the love goes the distance, death stands at the end. Or does it? Jesus speaks of a never-ending relationship. He will never lose or drive away his beloved people. And death certainly cannot separate us from him! Jesus has conquered death. He has power and author...
To love without limit means to love all the way. No “if” at the beginning. No “if” in the middle. No “if” at the end. And that does not make sense to us. It might even be frightening to us. At some point don’t we get to stop? Isn’t there some kind of limit where love ends and hatred takes over? That kind of thinking shows how little we truly understand love, and how incapable of agape we truly are on our own. But Jesus loved without limit. Jesus wrapped a towel around his waist and did the work ...
To love without expectation means to keep loving. After hearing last week that loving without condition means that we love first, then we have expectations. In our minds, when we love first, then a time should come when we get what we want or need. “I loved first, so now you will”…fill in the blank. Love me back, support me, defer to me, give me what I want whatever that might be, and so on. But that isn’t a love without “if”. That just means we moved the “if” from the front to the middle. Lovin...
To love without condition means to love first. That is hard for us. We would rather approach others more guardedly, with the idea, “I’ll love you when…” No matter what that “when” is, it reveals something about us: we place conditions on love. We put the “if” first. But any condition placed on love makes that condition the operating concept rather than love itself. That condition becomes the main thing rather than love being the main thing. And if love isn’t the main thing then it isn’t really t...
In all our earthly relationships love has a beginning. But in our relationship with God, his love has no beginning. He chose us before the creation of the world. In love, he predestined us to be his children. These words of Paul contain not only Paul’s rejoicing, but God’s own joy! Words like “lavished” and “freely” and “pleasure” show the character of our God’s love that depends not on us, but only on him. Can’t you see how much fun God is having? Can’t you see how excited he is to have us as h...
The Scriptures never use the words “Trinity” or “Triune.” They never even summarize in any single place the entirety of this doctrine. Instead, as we read God’s Word from the first verse of Genesis to the last verse of Revelation, he gives us hints and glimpses of his Triune nature. Thus, the doctrine of the Trinity can seem very academic, even abstract. It may seem to have little relevance to the Christian’s daily life. Nothing could be further from the truth. Instead, as God provides those hin...
Jesus ascended into heaven. That does not mean the gospel has ceased to march victorious around the world! Jesus promised to send another advocate to represent God to the world: the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the constant companion of believers in these Last Days. This raises an important question. If God now reveals himself by his Spirit, where is the Holy Spirit found? God has not left the answer to that question in doubt. When Jesus promised to send the Spirit, he indicated that his work woul...
“But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away.” Can you imagine the disciples’ confusion? How could this be for their good? Jesus did so many wonderful things for them. Why would he leave? Jesus has also done wonderful things for us. By his death and resurrection he has given us forgiveness and eternal life. He has made us a community of convinced people. And he has another gift for us—something to be committed to. Conquering kings tend to take glory, advantage and benefit...
Today we recognize the importance of mothers in producing the sense of community we enjoy in God’s Church.
“I am convinced!” quickly becomes, “We are convinced!” As God creates and strengthens faith in individual hearts, he also connects us with other believers. The conviction of one person encourages the faith of another. The support that they give each other enhances their ministry to serve more people with God’s Word in new and exciting ways. Jesus lives! And each time the Holy Spirit gives faith to an individual, he adds that person’s, “I am convinced!” to the ever-growing church that says, “We a...
