Transfiguration and the Lenten Journey

I realize that this post is a couple of weeks late, but the more I work through our lenten journey at our church the more importance Transfiguration Day takes.  I have come to appreciate the placement of the story of the Transfiguration in the Gospels in a completely different way since becoming a pastor.  A few days [...]

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The Absurdity of Advent

A Summary of This Sunday’s Sermon
Texts: Isaiah 40:1-11, Mark 1:1-8, 2 Peter 3:8-13.
Israel and Judah were going to be judged for their disobedience and they’re turning away from the LORD and His ways.  This was referred to in Leviticus 26, thus showing that God’s word is more sure than man’s, as we fade but the [...]

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Who is to Care for the Poor? pt. 2

Yes, the Church is to be the primary means of caring for the poor.  Members are to cheerfully give to this cause.  In fact, a portion of the tithe was meant for this purpose.  Yet, things are complicated in a society where such a large portion of our income is taken from us by the [...]

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Why Sunday?

Why do Christians gather specifically on Sunday?  Yet, even here I realize that some churches don’t meet on Sunday’s.  The Seventh Day Adventists keep the Jewish Sabbath day which is Saturday.  Some Catholic churches provide a Saturday night Mass.  Some Protestant churches pick whatever day is suitable for the congregation and/ or people they are [...]

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Worship and the Heavenly Reality

As a Call to Worship I have used selections from the book of Revelation and Hebrews 12:22-24 which link the worshipping community to the heavenly worship.  I often say something to the extent of, “As we gather here today, we are joining with the vast hosts in heaven and the saints that have gone before [...]

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What we have been up to and where we are going…

I haven’t posted a schedule for the sermon, so I thought I would.  At Hope, we are looking at our worship service and the different elements contained in it.  In doing so, the hope is that we will dig into the depths and see the fulness of the Gospel, grow and be instructed as to [...]

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Worship and Mission: A short quote by N.T. Wright

“Worship is nothing more nor less than love on its knees before the beloved; just as mission is love on its feet to serve the beloved” (9). – For All God’s Worth

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Heidelberg Catechism & Christ’s Ascension

Q. What do you mean by saying, “He ascended to heaven”? 
A. That Christ was taken up from the earth into heaven before the very eyes of his disciples and remains there on our behalf until he comes again to judge the living and the dead.
Q. But isn’t Christ with us until the end of the world [...]

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Important Quote on the “Sermon on the Mount”

Bishop NT Wright says this of this very well know speech of Jesus:
“The sermon…is not a mere miscellany of ethical instruction. It cannot be generalized into a set of suggestions, or even commands, on how to be ‘good’. Nor can it be turned into a guidemap for how to go to ‘heaven’ after [...]

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Sermons for 2008 through the week after Easter

Epiphany Season
1/6: Matt. 2:1-12 (Magi)
1/13: Matt. 3:13-17 (Baptism of Jesus)
1/20: Matt. 4:1-11 (Temptation of Jesus)
1/27: Matt. 4:12-17; 23-25 (Ministry of Jesus)
2/3: Off
Lent (Focused on the cost/sacrifice of following Jesus)
2/10: Matt. 4:18-22; 9:9-13; (The Call and Cost of Discipleship)
2/17: Matt. 5:13-20; 13-14; 24-29 (Principle of Discipleship)
2/24: Matt. 5:21-43; 7:1-6 (Murder/ Adultery/ Divorce/ Judging)
3/2: Matt. 6:1-18 [...]

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