Today we celebrate again the beauty and majesty of the Palm Sunday ride. We see Jesus on His kingly- ride...we see the crowds crying out “Hosanna! Hosanna to the Son of David!” ...we see the palm branches and cloaks...we see the truth about Jesus...He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. But we see something else, don’t we? We see the Lord of the Universe riding to the place where He would give His life for the sins of the world. Our Lord and Master, our King...our God...humbly submitting to ...
Apr 10, 2022•27 min
Today we celebrate again the beauty and majesty of the Palm Sunday ride. We see Jesus on His kingly- ride...we see the crowds crying out “Hosanna! Hosanna to the Son of David!” ...we see the palm branches and cloaks...we see the truth about Jesus...He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. But we see something else, don’t we? We see the Lord of the Universe riding to the place where He would give His life for the sins of the world. Our Lord and Master, our King...our God...humbly submitting to ...
Apr 10, 2022•28 min
Apr 06, 2022•12 min
As we step into this very heartwarming story, we are reminded of the effect sin has on our bodies. The woman had experienced physical difficulties for twelve years and even with the God-given intervention of the medical community of her time, the Gospel of Mark tells us she’d only gotten worse. Jesus healed her completely. He healed her physically. He healed her spiritually. But what does this passage say to us today? You see, though He sometimes does, we know that God doesn’t always heal our bo...
Apr 06, 2022•26 min
In truth, this week’s message could just be titled “Follow Me” as Christ calls us to a life lived for Him. Faithfulness is certainly a value for us, not just because “We Belong to Jesus” but a value that is shared by all people. We want faithfulness and loyalty from those we know and love. Jesus wants faithfulness and loyalty from those He knows and loves too. Jesus is calling to us today “Follow Me to Faithfulness”.
Apr 03, 2022•27 min
In truth, this week’s message could just be titled “Follow Me” as Christ calls us to a life lived for Him. Faithfulness is certainly a value for us, not just because “We Belong to Jesus” but a value that is shared by all people. We want faithfulness and loyalty from those we know and love. Jesus wants faithfulness and loyalty from those He knows and loves too. Jesus is calling to us today “Follow Me to Faithfulness”.
Apr 03, 2022•32 min
One of the more important aspects of the Christian faith is that Jesus doesn’t look at what we look at. Jesus doesn’t look at the outside and bring His Gospel to those who are important and special and amazing and wonderful. Instead, He comes to those who really need Him, those the world kicks to the curb. We remember that “We Belong to Jesus” because Jesus came to us in spite of our unworthiness and calls to us then to “Follow Me to the Lost and the Least”.
Mar 30, 2022•29 min
Mar 30, 2022•12 min
Our Lord is a long-suffering God who is “slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love”. He shows us compassion because “We Belong to Jesus” and He shows us that compassion over and over again. We therefore are called to show compassion too...when someone sins against us. But we’re also called to show compassion no matter what. The hungry...the hurting...the homeless...the grieving...the lonely...the alone...the ___________...you insert in the blank whatever it is you’re seeing in others. All of...
Mar 27, 2022•33 min
Our Lord is a long-suffering God who is “slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love”. He shows us compassion because “We Belong to Jesus” and He shows us that compassion over and over again. We therefore are called to show compassion too...when someone sins against us. But we’re also called to show compassion no matter what. The hungry...the hurting...the homeless...the grieving...the lonely...the alone...the ___________...you insert in the blank whatever it is you’re seeing in others. All of...
Mar 27, 2022•33 min
Mar 23, 2022•14 min
In many ways the idea of holiness is lost on our society and seen as archaic and unnecessary. Furthermore, the opposite is celebrated as the Bible would prophesy it in Isaiah “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20). But as Christians, as a people who embrace the fact that “We Belong to Jesus” we live for Him and through Him and we do so in holiness and purity, that which is fo...
Mar 23, 2022•24 min
As we consider the concept of “being patient with others” today, we’re really right where we were in the last message about “peace”. Our world is an impatient world. Our world is a “cancel culture” world. Rather than being patient with people, recognizing that the things that bother us about them are things that we do ourselves, we instead fly off the handle and, well, “cancel them”. Jesus calls us to give to others what He has given to us. He has show us patience...over and over again...and He ...
Mar 20, 2022•26 min
As we consider the concept of “being patient with others” today, we’re really right where we were in the last message about “peace”. Our world is an impatient world. Our world is a “cancel culture” world. Rather than being patient with people, recognizing that the things that bother us about them are things that we do ourselves, we instead fly off the handle and, well, “cancel them”. Jesus calls us to give to others what He has given to us. He has show us patience...over and over again...and He ...
Mar 20, 2022•29 min
Mar 18, 2022•32 min
Mar 16, 2022•12 min
This week’s focus is an interesting one because all of us want peace in our world but few of us do what it takes to bring peace. And this is particularly ironic and sad because “We Belong to Jesus” the Prince of Peace and so it’s a reminder that the Christian Church on earth is the only place where true peace can be found. Jesus is calling us today to be the conduit of peace in our lives every day. We are never, ever to stir up controversies, divisions or hate, but are to be bringers of the peac...
Mar 16, 2022•23 min
One of the more amazing gifts connected to the fact that “We Belong to Jesus” is the gift of prayer. After all, we are allowed, invited, even expected to pray to God and seek His help, His guidance, His protection, His providence. God wants to talk to us and wants us to talk to Him...better said, to lean on Him, for all that we need. After all, “We Belong to Jesus” and as such are His sons and daughters and as His “kids” we’re deeply loved and cared for. He wants us to come to Him, sit on His la...
Mar 13, 2022•22 min
One of the more amazing gifts connected to the fact that “We Belong to Jesus” is the gift of prayer. After all, we are allowed, invited, even expected to pray to God and seek His help, His guidance, His protection, His providence. God wants to talk to us and wants us to talk to Him...better said, to lean on Him, for all that we need. After all, “We Belong to Jesus” and as such are His sons and daughters and as His “kids” we’re deeply loved and cared for. He wants us to come to Him, sit on His la...
Mar 13, 2022•28 min
Mar 11, 2022•25 min
Mar 09, 2022•14 min
In truth this week’s “Follow Me” probably should have been the first message in this series. People who belong to Jesus are called to a depth of faith...to be sure, always growing, always deepening their understanding of God and their love for God...but seeking the depth of faith and development of understanding that our state, our nation and our world need from those who boldly claim “We Belong to Jesus”. This week’s Lenten challenge will be to not just grow in your faith and understanding but ...
Mar 09, 2022•29 min
As we embrace the fact that “We Belong to Jesus”, we’re reminded that that means loving unloveable people. Perhaps the hardest thing to do as a human being is to love someone you do not want to love or someone who has done something that makes you reticent to love them. We’re reminded in our “Follow Me” sermon series today that Jesus calls us to a higher love, a deeper love, an unheard of love...loving not just those who are hard to love, but those we simply do not want to love...our enemies. As...
Mar 06, 2022•17 min
As we embrace the fact that “We Belong to Jesus”, we’re reminded that that means loving unloveable people. Perhaps the hardest thing to do as a human being is to love someone you do not want to love or someone who has done something that makes you reticent to love them. We’re reminded in our “Follow Me” sermon series today that Jesus calls us to a higher love, a deeper love, an unheard of love...loving not just those who are hard to love, but those we simply do not want to love...our enemies. As...
Mar 06, 2022•34 min
Jesus is going to be turning his attention to the lack of mercy present in the spiritual leadership of Israel. He is speaking to a judgmental and condemning spirit that withholds love, grace and forgiveness from others because of what they have done, said or who they are. Jesus is teaching us a Better Way and the only way that will bring true change to a person and this world. The Better Way is through the power of love and grace as we give to others what has been so freely given to us through J...
Mar 02, 2022•30 min
If Jesus’ audience was relaxing in the assumption that the preceding teachings were directed only at the Pharisees and their followers, they could not dodge the direct force of this challenge. It is specifically directed to those who profess to follow Jesus and looks at what it means to build our lives on Him as the solid rock. Jesus is making the point that it’s not mere words or even generally ethical behavior or religious practice that mark true believers, but whether they do what He says. Je...
Mar 02, 2022•30 min
As we enter the penitential season of Lent, we do so recognizing that while we’re called by Jesus to follow Jesus wherever He goes, we often stray the path He lays out and “do our own thing” rather than what He wants us to do. Because “We Belong to Jesus”, though we all have our own lives and families and gifts and careers, we are nonetheless all called to the exact, same thing, namely to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and yes, follow Jesus. What does that look like for you...exactly? You an...
Mar 02, 2022•18 min
Mar 02, 2022•14 min
Jesus unveils the cornerstone of his master plan as He teaches His followers His expectations of them and how they will navigate a world that will never understand them. This teaching is what turns the world upside-down and clearly communicates that His disciples will be known by how they love one another. This love will be so radical, and out of this world, that it will even extend to their enemies. Jesus is saying that if we want to act like and be like God then we must love even our enemies…W...
Mar 02, 2022•32 min
Jesus is giving His marching orders to those who will follow Him. He is tipping His hand and telling them what a life of being His disciple will entail and it won’t be like anything they have ever experienced in this world. Contrary to what our social groups may be telling us, society may be telling or even the world may be telling us, Jesus is offering a Better Way of living…living in a world turned upside-down by His love and grace. A world where the poor are rich, the marginalized are exalted...
Mar 02, 2022•30 min
