When God Calls

08.31.08 Proper 17 Exodus 3:1-15 On May 31, 1792, a little congregation in Nottingham, England heard a shoemaker preach about people far away in need of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He had a vision of reaching those multitudes, and he called on this congregation to catch the vision. "Expect great things from God!" said William Carey. "Attempt great things for God!"

The Church Christ Built

08.24.08 Proper 16 Matt. 16:13-20 Only three times in the sacred record is the word church ever on the lips of our Lord Jesus. These three times are in our text for today and in chapter 18 of this same gospel. He did not use the word the way we typically do. We speak of the church as a building or as a denomination. On the lips of Jesus and indeed in all the New Testament, the church is a society of believers called out of the world by Christ, gathered around his divine person and provided with his almighty power.

Overcoming Bitterness

08.17.08 Proper 15 Gen. 45:1-15 The pastor was devastated when the church he had served for 12 years rejected him. Ignoring his self-sacrificing service and faithful ministry of the Word, the lay leadership decided it was time for a change. For months afterward, the increasingly bitter minister opened his newspaper to the obituaries every morning. He wanted to see which one of those deacons or their wives God had smitten dead. It did not help when a few of the old saints in the congregation began to appear on those pages instead of the troublemakers.

What Goes Around, Comes Around

07.27.08 Proper 12 Genesis 29:15-28 One of the strangest phenomenons of recent years is the ever-changing perception of sin in American culture. While the days of hiding in the closet are long since gone, the contemporary fascination with and promotion of blatant sin is almost staggering. Forbes magazine recently examined the seven deadly vices of lust, gluttony, avarice, sloth, wrath, envy and pride by naming the ten cities that rank the highest in each category. Despite somewhat surprising results, most of us instinctively know what happens in Vegas doesn't stay in Vegas.

Waiting for the Long Haul

07.20.08 Proper 11 Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 Jesus often taught people by the ancient method of telling stories that made points. He would tell these parables, rich with multiple layers of meaning, and allow the people who heard them to "get it" - to understand the point.

Heavenly Harvest: Joining Jesus’ Family

07.13.08 Proper 10 Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 Jesus once gave His followers a lesson in determining who belonged to His family. He was told that His mother and brothers were outside of a house wanting to speak to Him. Jesus then gestured to the disciples and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers for whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother" (Matt. 12:46-50).