"Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone."  1 Corinthians 12:4-6

Paul wrote to the Corinthians, not because they lacked any spiritual gifts, but because they had misunderstood and misapplied them.  Instead of uniting the church, people were causing division, erroneously thinking that the manifestation of certain spiritual gifts in certain Christians made them superior to all the others.  The same happens today in some Christian groups who imagine, for example, that the ability to speak in tongues indicates they are 'true' Spirit-filled Christians while other Christians are not.  It is ironic that the gift of speaking in tongues, which Paul calls the 'least' of all the gifts, is likely limited to the apostolic times and is no longer available today.

The solution to widespread ignorance about spiritual gifts is Christian education, a careful examination of Scriptural teachings, and the correct application of available spiritual gifts for uniting the church in faith, equipping the saints for ministry, encouraging all believers to reach that level of maturity in Christ that Jesus wishes for all Christians everywhere.  This is what we will be doing for the next four Sundays as we enjoy a sermon series on Spiritual Gifts.  PLease join us as we gather to worship at 10 a.m. each Sunday.

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"When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection of the just."  Luke 14:12-14

Jesus was not handing out advice about table etiquette, he was talking about the church.  The church is not an exclusive country club only for the chosen few; the rich, the 'righteous,' the well-educated and nicely dressed.  On the contrary, it is a haven for sinners, for the dregs of society, for the hopeless and helpless of our world.  Jesus once said,

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." Luke 19:10

Do visitors to our church feel welcome--no matter who they are, no matter what their social standing or spiritual status?  Do we have the mind of Christ?  Come and hear more this Sunday at 10 a.m.

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We live in anxious times.  Our economy is really struggling; people cannot find jobs; some are so frustrated they have given up looking for a job.  Lots of people worry, but Jesus tells us not to be anxious, that there is more to life than taking care of our basic physical necessities.  Instead, he tells us, seek his kingdom and the basic necessities will come our way.  What does he mean by "seeking his kingdom?"  How in the world will seeking his kingdom put food on our table?!

Come and hear more this Sunday at 10 a.m.

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Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.  Colossians 3:2-4

Would you like to hear more?  Come worship with us this Sunday at 10 a.m.

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Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.  Colossians 3:2-4

Would like to hear more?  Come worship with us this Sunday at 10 a.m.

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When God came knocking on Abraham's tent door one day, he had both good news and bad news to deliver to Abraham and his wife Sarah.  The good news was--Abraham and Sarah were going to have their first child at the ripe old age of 100 and 90, respectively.  Sarah laughed at that one, but God was not joking!  Just as he promised, within a year, Sarah gave birth to Isaac.  The second bit of news wasn't as cheerful.  God intended to destroy the nearby cities of Sodom and Gomorrah for their great wickedness.  Abraham's nephew Lot and his family lived in Sodom!  Would God spare them?  Abraham and God had quite a discussion about whether righteous folks should perish with the unrighteous.  Wouldn't you like to be a fly on the wall of that conversation?!  Come and hear what happened, this Sunday at 10 a.m.

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Genesis 18:13-14  The LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?' Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son."

One year later, Abraham and Sarah held their own baby in their hands--his name was Isaac.  God kept his word.  "Is anything too hard for the Lord?"  Apparantly not.  Two thousand years later, the virgin Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel and told that without the assistance of any man, she would become pregnant with God's son.  When she asked how this could be, do you know what the angel told her?  That's right--it was the same message Abraham and Sarah received: "For nothing will be impossible with God"  Luke 1:37

When we think about the overwhelming challenges and needs in our life, and we go to God in prayer to ask for his help--just remember who you are dealing with!  Nothing is too hard for the Lord.  Trust him and don't be afraid to ask for what seems impossible.  He's used to doing the impossible for those who trust in him.  Come and hear more this Sunday at 10 a.m.

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Leviticus 19:15 "You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor."

Clearly God intended that his people treat each other with fairness, equity and justice.  No partiality!  This was to be the law of the promised land.  The Jewish people knew that when they went to court, witnesses would speak the truth, and one's economic or social status would not enter into any decision.  All people were equal in God's sight.  This is one of the core values upon which our nation was founded, yet today our courts seem to be making judgments on the basis of one's skin color and politics.  What does this mean for our nation, which used to be considered "one nation under God."  In contrast to the rest of the world, Christians should judge with righteousness.  What does this mean?  Come and hear more this Sunday at 10 a.m.

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“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

One person did take special notice, however, and that was George Washington, who ordered that the Declaration be read to his troops.  He wanted them to remember what they were fighting for and what was at stake... a new nation of freedom!  The winter in Valley Forge in 1777 following the signing of the Declaration in August 1776 was a long, dark, cold and miserable time.  Thousands of soldiers died, but five years later, the British surrendered to the Americans.  It was a war that lasted seven long years, but in spite of the weariness and hardship, the army marched on, and we are all the beneficiaries of their perseverence.

In the church today there is cause for weariness.  In our lives there is cause for weariness.  But we march on.  Why?  The apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians,

"And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith."  Galatians 1:9-10

Come and hear more this Sunday at 10 a.m.

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"So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith."  Galatians 3:24ff.

Come and hear more this Sunday at 10 a.m.

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Reading the apostle Paul, who is an intellectual and spiritual giant, is like wading into powerful surf.  Unless you're careful and know your way around, your attempt to understand him might take a tumble.  Once you do understand his writings, however, you find the experience exhilirating, for Paul, by the Holy Spirit, reveals to the reader many wise and revealing truths.  In Galatians Paul writes, "The righteous will live by faith."  Living by faith is like catching a powerful wave and roaring all the way to the beach.  Come and ride with us this Sunday at 10 a.m.

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In the first century, the apostle Paul wrote that his source for facts about Christ was not any of the twelve disciples, but Christ himself, who appeared to him in visions to personally instruct him in the Christian faith.  Inspired by the Holy Spirit, and taught by Jesus Christ, Paul speaks with all the authority of God.  He says,

"I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ."  Galatians 1:11-12

Just as critics did in Paul's day, so modern Bible scholars try to undermine the teachings of the apostle Paul by questioning his apostolic authority.  But Peter defends him saying,

"His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction." 2 Peter 3:16

Many of Paul's teachings are extremely unpopular today, but we trust him because we know his teachings come directly from God.  There are countless critics of Paul, but only one voice to whom we must listen--Jesus Christ! Come and hear more this Sunday at 10 a.m.

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In the Old Testament, in the book of Genesis, we read about God scattering the godless descendents of Noah by confusing them with multiple languages.  Set on conquest, all their plans came to nothing because they could no longer communicate with each other.  Instead, their language barriers dispersed them throughout the earth.  Sin has separated one people from another for eons, but on the day of Pentecost, God brought people together again.  Through the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, people from at least seventeen different regions and languages were brought together to hear the good news that God loved them  in Christ, and that his forgiveness extends to all humanity.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ continues to cross language, cultural, economic, educational and national barriers all over the world, as people come to faith in Jesus Christ and realize that God loves all mankind.  God's love for us is manifest in the way Christians love each other and their fellow men.  Come and hear more this Sunday at 10 a.m.

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In the New Testament, something even more remarkable took place.  A man lifted off the earth without benefit of a space shuttle, rocket or any other manmade device.  He simply went up before the eyes of his friends, who were so amazed that they were frozen in place until two angels appeared to tell them the show was over. Of course, I'm talking about the Ascension of Jesus Christ, which we are celebrating this coming Sunday.  Why did he ascend into heaven?  Why didn't he just stay here on earth, proving to everyone he really exists, that he is alive from the dead?  Come and hear more this Sunday at 10 a.m.

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Come and hear more this Sunday at 10 a.m. and celebrate Mother's Day with us.

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Christians in the first century probably wondered something similar as persecution under the Roman Emperor Domitian increased and many of them faced severe danger.  Even the apostle John had been exiled by the Emperor to a remote island in the Aegean Sea, in an attempt to intimidate the Christian community and silence the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Yet it was there, on that island, that Christ revealed to John what was to come, not only in the near future, but also at the end of time.  The book of Revelation reveals to us that as the end grows near, our world will grow more dangerous, more lawless and more anti-Christian.  But we are not to fear, God is in control.  Though the Christian church seems to be dying out on earth, in heaven the church triumphant is growing so large that no one can count the number of saints singing God's praise and waiving palm branches, a symbol of victory.  Read the seventh chapter of  Revelation.  There you will find the people of God at rest, perfectly content, perfectly safe, protected by their heavenly Father and his beloved Son.  It is the eye of the hurricane, the hope that is given to every believer that we might know the power of our Savior to preserve us.  Come and hear more this Sunday at 10 a.m.

Christians in the first century probably wondered something similar as persecution under the Roman Emperor Domitian increased and many of them faced severe danger.  Even the apostle John had been exiled by the Emperor to a remote island in the Aegean Sea, in an attempt to intimidate the Christian community and silence the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Yet it was there, on that island, that Christ revealed to John what was to come, not only in the near future, but also at the end of time.  The book of Revelation reveals to us that as the end grows near, our world will grow more dangerous, more lawless and more anti-Christian.  But we are not to fear, God is in control.  Though the Christian church seems to be dying out on earth, in heaven the church triumphant is growing so large that no one can count the number of saints singing God's praise and waiving palm branches, a symbol of victory.  Read the seventh chapter of  Revelation.  There you will find the people of God at rest, perfectly content, perfectly safe, protected by their heavenly Father and his beloved Son.  It is the eye of the hurricane, the hope that is given to every believer that we might know the power of our Savior to preserve us.  Come and here more this Sunday at 10 a.m.

Jesus' disciples did a lot of fishing too.  In today's text from the Gospel of John, the apostle tells us about one fishing trip which ended with a huge catch of large fish--153 fish--to be exact!  Of course, the one who told them where to cast their net was none other than Jesus himself.  The strange thing is, he had died a few weeks earlier.  Now he was alive.  He had risen from the dead.  Sound 'fishy' to you?  Come and hear more this Sunday at 10 a.m.

Jesus spoke these words to doubting Thomas, one of his disciples who needed to see for himself the scars of the crucifixion on Jesus' living body before he would believe that Jesus was really resurrected from the grave.  The word of others who had seen him was not enough, he had to see Jesus for himself.  Jesus, on the other hand, commends those who have never seen him, yet believe.  Our faith finds its assurance in the Word of God, the Bible, in the prophecies and the Gospel accounts of how Jesus' life and teachings fulfilled those prophecies.  Though we have never seen Jesus with our own eyes, we believe in him as our risen Lord and Savior, and we look forward to seeing him at the end of time.  The writer to the Hebrews wrote,

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.   Hebrews 11:1-3

Jesus says, "Whoever believes will not perish but have eternal life."  John 3:16  Come and hear more this Sunday at 10 a.m.

Isaiah 53:5 But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.

With equal certainty the apostle Paul tells us,

Ephesians 1:3-6 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.

Christ's salvific work, his death and resurrection, and our coming to faith in Jesus was planned from before the Creation of the world.  That's how far ahead God plans for us.  As we think about this, we realize He also has the wisdom and power to plan ahead in our daily lives.  With Him, nothing is impossible.  Come and hear more this Sunday at 10 a.m.

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When I was younger I learned Judo, a defensive discipline which uses an attacker's own momentum against him.  Instead of striking back with equal force, you let the attacker come ahead and then redirect his energy by tossing or flipping him to the ground.  With even greater skill, God lets Satan try to wipe out humanity, but leverages his aggression into an opportunity to save mankind.  For our sakes, He turns the murder of his Son into the greatest triumph in history!  Come and hear more this Sunday at 10 a.m.

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"Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them."  (Luke 15:1-2)

Each of these parables indicate how delighted God is with sinners who repent, who turn to him for forgiveness.  He is glad to forgive anyone, no matter how wicked or how much they have sinned.  Those who believe in Christ for their salvation will not have their sins held against them; they will be saved for eternal life.  The Pharisees and scribes were self-righteous and judgmental.  They looked down their noses at everyone, including Jesus.  Their attitude and behavior was a denial of the true heart of God whom they claimed to worship.  Christians are forgiven sinners.  They have been rescued by God and know the joy of his undeserved mercy and kindness.  As such, they welcome other sinners to repent and to believe in Christ for their salvation.  Though some mistakenly think Christians are like the Pharisees and scribes, the opposite is true.  No true Christian would ever imagine that he is better than anyone else.  On the contrary, Christians pray for the salvation of all men.  Come and hear more thisSunday at 10 a.m.

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Luke 13:7-9  “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, 'Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?' And he answered him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"

The point of the parable?  People who say they love and believe in God should demonstrate godly behavior in their lives.  When a Christian acts contrary to his or her Christian beliefs, their bad example can cause those outside the faith to judge all Christians as hypocrites and prevent them from embracing the Christian faith.  How we live and act influences others, and makes a statement about what we believe.  We bear the responsibility, not only for our own actions, but how those actions effect others.  Lent is a time to repent of those attitudes and behaviors which deny our faith, and to improve and increase positive behavior which demonstrates the love of Christ for all people.  God is patient with us as we learn to live up to our heavenly calling.  The owner of the vineyard returned three years in a row, hoping to see fruit on the fruit tree.  Jesus is the vinedresser who intercedes for us before our heavenly Father and urges him to give us yet one more chance to bear fruit.  God believes in second chances.  God wants us to be saved.  Come and hear more this Sunday at 10 a.m.

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Part of the text for the Second Sunday in Lent is from Luke 13:34-35:

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!'"

This lament of Christ concerns the fact that though the Lord hoped to save all the Jews, most of them rejected him.  Because of their rejection he predicted that their nation would fall and their beloved city of Jerusalem destroyed.  His prophecy came true in A.D.70 when the city was besieged by the Romans and possibly as many as a million people were killed either by Jewish zealots, by starvation, or by the Romans as they tried to escape the doomed city.  Jesus' enemies in Galilee who tried to intimidate him and discourage him from completing his ministry could not dissuade him from his goal, to give his life for the sins of all mankind on the cross at Jerusalem.  When Jesus entered the city on Palm Sunday, this saying came true as the people shouted, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."  The people shouted praise for the Messiah, for Jesus of Nazareth, as he entered the city in triumph.  Later that same week he was crucified outside the walls of the city.  Thanks to his undying love for sinful men, Jesus completed the work of our salvation, and through his cross, paid the ultimate price for the sins of all.  All of us are invited to receive his mercy through faith in him.  Come and hear more this Sunday at 10 a.m.

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The devil strikes at the weakest point, when Christ is weak from hunger after forty days without food.  The devil is not challenging the fact that Jesus is God's son, but urging him to use his divine power to satisfy his hunger.  Jesus will not misuse his power, however, and chooses to wait upon his heavenly Father for his deliverance.  While we often give in to temptation, Jesus remains perfectly obedient to his heavenly Father.  He does this, not to give us an example of righteousness, but to impute that righteousness to us by grace through faith.  Jesus lives his life for us, in our place, that his righteousness might become our righteousness.

Come and hear more this Sunday at 10 a.m.

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With these words Luke introduces his account of the transfiguration, Jesus' appearance being transformed into a brilliant light, his face and clothing glowing like the sun.  This transformation was witnessed by Peter, James and John, who saw that the man from Nazareth was more than a mere human being, he was God in human form.  A voice was heard coming from a cloud which enveloped them, "This is my beloved Son, listen to him."  The appearance of Christ and the voice from the cloud left the disciples shaking with fear.  They realized they were gazing on the very face of God in Christ, and the brilliant light emanating from his face revealed his divine nature.

Years ago I watched the movie "Cocoon" about fictional alien beings disguised in human forms.  They could peel back their outer, human layer of flesh and inside was a glowing, alien creature.  What Hollywood does by cinematic trickery, Jesus does in real life.  He is both God and man, the Son of God whom his heavenly Father sent into the world, not to frighten sinners away, but to call them to himself to believe the message of his Father.  He was not sent into the world to condemn the world, but to save mankind.  His divine power is used on our behalf, that we might receive eternal life.  Come and hear more on Sunday at 10 a.m.