Paul traveled on an unexpected life journey, going above and beyond. He never expected to be called to be doing all he did. At one time, he was out to get Christians and made a living and purpose in having them persecuted and then God intervened and his purpose changed. It is written that no…
This morning, we continue in our series on the power of telling stories in parables and continue in the gospel of Mark. This year, we have been reading the gospel of Mark together. We have paired it with our year long verse: Be doers of the word, not just hearers, who deceive themselves, from James 1:22. Lest, you and I only nod…
Today, we begin a series of sermons on the narrative power of telling stories. Jesus told stories everywhere he went. He was a great story teller, stories about planting, lost sheep, and coins. Families and children gathered around Jesus to hear stories. They brought food and laid down their blankets to hear his teachings. Often, he would teach them in parables. Parable…
After the followers of Jesus had made it through the shock of the death of Jesus, they had amazed it through the resurrection of Christ. They lived in excitement in the 40 days of greatest hits of “tell me another.” The disciples looked at the sky with the ascension wondering where Jesus had really gone as he went up to heaven. Now,…
This Easter, I received spinach seeds ahead of the planting season, along with a geoplanter, gardening gloves, and the right tools. So, after I heard the frost warnings had passed us by (a bit harder this season), we diligently planted our small spinach seeds in our planter and have been faithfully watering them each day. We are getting ready to plant our…
It was thousands of years ago that the Cushites built the Tower of Babel, but they were not alone. It was 700 years before the birth of Christ that Great Wall of China was begun. The last construction of the 6,000-kilometer fortification was completed in the Ming dynasty by 1644. The London Tower was begun…
For the next few weeks, the sermon series is on songs. Today’s song is Amazing Grace. Who has not heard the song “Amazing Grace?” A lot of people know this song or have heard this song. President Obama sang the words of Amazing Grace to comfort grieving families at a memorial service in Charleston, South Carolina. Amazing…
Today, we conclude our series on Citizen of Heaven, Resident of Earth. As Christians, our first allegiance is to God. We are subjects of the most high God and called to live according to the laws and commandments laid out in the Bible. However, you and I reside, for now here in this place on…
On this Mother’s day, here is a top list of things you might have heard a mother say: Do not use your arm as a tissue Did you say thank you? Please use your inside voice No running in the house If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. Does…
This morning, we begin a new sermon series, entitled Citizens of Heaven, Residents of Earth. It is a series that was not my original intention for this time. I standardly plan our worship themes out approximately 6 months at a time. And I had planned something else for May. During Holy Week, I heard God…