Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
This is a not so gentle reminder from James that we have to follow the Lord's will. What I take from this is that we don't know what will happen tomorrow, so we should make sure we live right today. Tomorrow could just be the day when we see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of Heaven. Jesus said several times that he doesn't know when he is going to come back, but that we should spend our lives getting ready for that day. We should, as James says, submit to the will of God, God's will for how he wants us to live our lives, knowing that tomorrow could be the day when Jesus comes back to gather the faithful to him. Take this day and live it for the Lord. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
James 4: 1-12; Submit Yourselves to God
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
What God wants for us may not always be what we want for ourselves. We may not always want to go out and preach, but that is what God wants for us. We may not want to go out and care for those in need, but that is what God wants for us. When we go out to do the work of Christ it is important to discern and remember what God would have us do. We must submit outselves to God, to God's will, that we can call ourselves faithful disciples. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
What God wants for us may not always be what we want for ourselves. We may not always want to go out and preach, but that is what God wants for us. We may not want to go out and care for those in need, but that is what God wants for us. When we go out to do the work of Christ it is important to discern and remember what God would have us do. We must submit outselves to God, to God's will, that we can call ourselves faithful disciples. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, March 29, 2008
Sunday Scripture and Sermon title for March 30, 2008
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Tomorrow's Scripture passage is John 20: 19-31, in which Thomas doubts the resurrection, and in which Jesus commissions the disciples. The sermon title is 'Get Busy' and will focus on the fact that we need to get busy at Mt. Lebanon Christian Church. Hope to see you in worship. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
Tomorrow's Scripture passage is John 20: 19-31, in which Thomas doubts the resurrection, and in which Jesus commissions the disciples. The sermon title is 'Get Busy' and will focus on the fact that we need to get busy at Mt. Lebanon Christian Church. Hope to see you in worship. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
James 3: 13-18; Two Kinds of Wisdom
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We have a life to live that is worthy of our calling as Christians. Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, has given us the commission to be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect. Jesus' commands in the Sermon on the Mount are not just idle words that don't mean anything. Jesus' words are the words are words that we are supposed to live by. James tells us to show our wisdom by living a good life. I might add, show our faith by living a good life. Our holiness brings honor and glory to God, which is what our lives as Christians is all about. Go forth and show your faith in your holiness. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
We have a life to live that is worthy of our calling as Christians. Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, has given us the commission to be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect. Jesus' commands in the Sermon on the Mount are not just idle words that don't mean anything. Jesus' words are the words are words that we are supposed to live by. James tells us to show our wisdom by living a good life. I might add, show our faith by living a good life. Our holiness brings honor and glory to God, which is what our lives as Christians is all about. Go forth and show your faith in your holiness. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
Friday, March 28, 2008
James 3: 1-12; Taming the Tongue
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
When proclaiming the good news, being open to the Spirit is necessary. As we go forth to preach the good news to make disciples we have to be open to the Spirit and preach the words God has given us. It is easy to fall into the trap of saying what we want, but we need to remember from James the danger of the tongue. If we don't say what God wants us to say we will not make faithful disciples and we will not be faithful ourselves. Follow the commission of Christ to go forth and make disciples of all nations; but also remember the words of James to watch what you say. Whatever is spoken, make sure you are open to the Spirit so that you are saying the words God wants you to say. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
When proclaiming the good news, being open to the Spirit is necessary. As we go forth to preach the good news to make disciples we have to be open to the Spirit and preach the words God has given us. It is easy to fall into the trap of saying what we want, but we need to remember from James the danger of the tongue. If we don't say what God wants us to say we will not make faithful disciples and we will not be faithful ourselves. Follow the commission of Christ to go forth and make disciples of all nations; but also remember the words of James to watch what you say. Whatever is spoken, make sure you are open to the Spirit so that you are saying the words God wants you to say. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, March 27, 2008
James 2: 14-26; Faith and Deeds
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus healed people, he cared for the needy, he defended the helpless. Jesus spent a lot of time preaching about the kingdom of God and other things, but he spent just as much, if not more, time healing people and caring for those in need. Jesus did this to highlight what James is talking about, that faith is about going out and doing something. This is the most important lesson we can learn. Faith is not just about worship, though worship is good. Faith is about living out the Christian life, and we do that by doing what Christ did himself, caring for those in need. There is a lot of work for this church to do here in Mt. Lebanon. And as we go forth to serve the Lord, let us remember the example set by Christ, to live out our faith by caring for those who are in need. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
Jesus healed people, he cared for the needy, he defended the helpless. Jesus spent a lot of time preaching about the kingdom of God and other things, but he spent just as much, if not more, time healing people and caring for those in need. Jesus did this to highlight what James is talking about, that faith is about going out and doing something. This is the most important lesson we can learn. Faith is not just about worship, though worship is good. Faith is about living out the Christian life, and we do that by doing what Christ did himself, caring for those in need. There is a lot of work for this church to do here in Mt. Lebanon. And as we go forth to serve the Lord, let us remember the example set by Christ, to live out our faith by caring for those who are in need. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
James 2: 1-13; Favoritism Forbidden
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
When asked what was the greatest commandment Jesus responded by saying 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And the second is like it, love your neighbor as yourself.' Immediately following that Jesus told the parable of the good samaritan to highlight who our neighbor is and what we are supposed to do for said neighbor. Regardless of where someone comes from, who their relatives are, how they are dressed, etc. we should love everyone the same. Not everyone looks like they belong, but God does not love them any less for that. We should not love them any less either. We are all God's children and God loves ALL of his children equally. We, too, should love everyone the same as God loves us. As we live out our journey of faith, and do the ministry of Christ, we should remember to follow the greatest commandment given to us by Christ: to love (all of our) neighbors as ourselves. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
When asked what was the greatest commandment Jesus responded by saying 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And the second is like it, love your neighbor as yourself.' Immediately following that Jesus told the parable of the good samaritan to highlight who our neighbor is and what we are supposed to do for said neighbor. Regardless of where someone comes from, who their relatives are, how they are dressed, etc. we should love everyone the same. Not everyone looks like they belong, but God does not love them any less for that. We should not love them any less either. We are all God's children and God loves ALL of his children equally. We, too, should love everyone the same as God loves us. As we live out our journey of faith, and do the ministry of Christ, we should remember to follow the greatest commandment given to us by Christ: to love (all of our) neighbors as ourselves. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
James 1: 19-27; Listening and Doing
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
James is big on acting out faith. In this brief passage he mentions time and again how important it is to not just hear the words, but to also go out and do what the words say. To be sure, faith is a good starting point. We have to believe in Christ, and in what the Scriptures say, but once we believe we must go out and act according to our faith. We should, as James says, go out and care for the widows and orphans in their distress. But we should not stop there. We should also care for the homeless and the hungry, for the abused and neglected, for anyone who is in need. Faith is not just about belief, it is about action. Go forth and do the work your faith calls you to do. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
James is big on acting out faith. In this brief passage he mentions time and again how important it is to not just hear the words, but to also go out and do what the words say. To be sure, faith is a good starting point. We have to believe in Christ, and in what the Scriptures say, but once we believe we must go out and act according to our faith. We should, as James says, go out and care for the widows and orphans in their distress. But we should not stop there. We should also care for the homeless and the hungry, for the abused and neglected, for anyone who is in need. Faith is not just about belief, it is about action. Go forth and do the work your faith calls you to do. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Monday, March 24, 2008
James 1: 1-18; Trials and Temptations
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The journey of faith is not easy. There are holes in the ground, and moutains that stand in the way. There are also temptations that we face which sometimes make it hard for us to stay on the path God has laid out for us. In times of temptation we ought to pray to God for help, and help will come. God does not will for us to fall into sin; God wills for us to live a holy and perfect life. In our journey of faith, we are tempted; and in those times we need to call on the name of the Lord. He will not turn his back on us; the Lord will always be there to help us when we are tempted. Call on the name of the Lord, and he will come to your aid. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
The journey of faith is not easy. There are holes in the ground, and moutains that stand in the way. There are also temptations that we face which sometimes make it hard for us to stay on the path God has laid out for us. In times of temptation we ought to pray to God for help, and help will come. God does not will for us to fall into sin; God wills for us to live a holy and perfect life. In our journey of faith, we are tempted; and in those times we need to call on the name of the Lord. He will not turn his back on us; the Lord will always be there to help us when we are tempted. Call on the name of the Lord, and he will come to your aid. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, March 23, 2008
Matthew 28: 1-10; The Resurrection
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The tomb is empty! Christ is Risen! What this means for us is that we have eternal life. Because Jesus has been raised to life we all have victory over death. Through the risen Lord, we all have been given the gift of life. Jesus has ensured for all of us life through him. Praise God that He raised Jesus from the dead, for through that we, too, have life in us. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
The tomb is empty! Christ is Risen! What this means for us is that we have eternal life. Because Jesus has been raised to life we all have victory over death. Through the risen Lord, we all have been given the gift of life. Jesus has ensured for all of us life through him. Praise God that He raised Jesus from the dead, for through that we, too, have life in us. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, March 22, 2008
Matthew 27: 62-66; The Guard at the Tomb
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
After Jesus died, they placed him in the tomb. And the important point to remember is that Jesus did die. He did not fall asleep, he did not pass out from the pain, he did not slip into a coma. Jesus died, and he died for the forgiveness of our sins. In the end, this is all we need to remember. Yesterday, Jesus died on the cross to forgive us of our sins. Tomorrow, we will gahter to celebrate the resurrection, but today, we still remember, and celebrate, Christ crucified for our sin. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
After Jesus died, they placed him in the tomb. And the important point to remember is that Jesus did die. He did not fall asleep, he did not pass out from the pain, he did not slip into a coma. Jesus died, and he died for the forgiveness of our sins. In the end, this is all we need to remember. Yesterday, Jesus died on the cross to forgive us of our sins. Tomorrow, we will gahter to celebrate the resurrection, but today, we still remember, and celebrate, Christ crucified for our sin. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
Friday, March 21, 2008
Matthew 27: 45-56; The Death of Jesus
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is important to remember the birth, life, ministry, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. We find our salvation in those events. But the definitive act for our salvation is Christ crucified. Is it a hideous event? Yes. Do we tremble knowing what Jesus went through? Yes. But we also celebrate, for through the cross of Christ we have our salvation. As you go through Good Friday, and approach Easter Sunday, remember the message of Holy Week: we are all saved by Jesus Christ. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
It is important to remember the birth, life, ministry, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. We find our salvation in those events. But the definitive act for our salvation is Christ crucified. Is it a hideous event? Yes. Do we tremble knowing what Jesus went through? Yes. But we also celebrate, for through the cross of Christ we have our salvation. As you go through Good Friday, and approach Easter Sunday, remember the message of Holy Week: we are all saved by Jesus Christ. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Scripture Passages and Sermon Titles for Holy Week
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Below you will find the scripture passages and sermon titles for the several services we will be having the rest of this week:
Maundy Thursday
The scripture passage for this evening is Acts 2: 22-36, in which Jesus' life and ministry are summarized. The sermon title is 'Christus Victor' and will look at how Christ, in being crucified, is victorious over sin.
Good Friday
Just to remind everyone the community Good Friday service will be held at the Mt. Lebanon United Methodist Church beginning at 12:00 p.m. My passage is John 19:23-27, in which Jesus entrusts the care of his mother to the beloved disciple. My sermon is titled 'Shining Through' and will look at how Jesus' love shines through the cross.
Sunrise Service
The scripture passage for our Sunrise Service is Acts 2: 22-36, in which Jesus' life and ministry are summarized. The sermon title is 'Christus Victor' and will look at how Christ, in being resurrected, is victorious over death.
Easter Worship
The scripture passage for our 11:00 a.m. worship service is John 20:1-18, in which Mary finds the tomb empty, as do Peter and the Beloved Disciple. The sermon title is 'He Is,' and will look at how, because of the resurrection, the promises Jesus made to us about being the bread of life, the light of the world, and the resurrection and the life have come true.
May the Lord bless and keep all of you throughout this Holy Week.
Pastor Josh
<><
Below you will find the scripture passages and sermon titles for the several services we will be having the rest of this week:
Maundy Thursday
The scripture passage for this evening is Acts 2: 22-36, in which Jesus' life and ministry are summarized. The sermon title is 'Christus Victor' and will look at how Christ, in being crucified, is victorious over sin.
Good Friday
Just to remind everyone the community Good Friday service will be held at the Mt. Lebanon United Methodist Church beginning at 12:00 p.m. My passage is John 19:23-27, in which Jesus entrusts the care of his mother to the beloved disciple. My sermon is titled 'Shining Through' and will look at how Jesus' love shines through the cross.
Sunrise Service
The scripture passage for our Sunrise Service is Acts 2: 22-36, in which Jesus' life and ministry are summarized. The sermon title is 'Christus Victor' and will look at how Christ, in being resurrected, is victorious over death.
Easter Worship
The scripture passage for our 11:00 a.m. worship service is John 20:1-18, in which Mary finds the tomb empty, as do Peter and the Beloved Disciple. The sermon title is 'He Is,' and will look at how, because of the resurrection, the promises Jesus made to us about being the bread of life, the light of the world, and the resurrection and the life have come true.
May the Lord bless and keep all of you throughout this Holy Week.
Pastor Josh
<><
Matthew 26: 17-30; The Lord's Supper
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
In the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) we have the blessing of celebrating communion every Sunday. We do this because we want to celebrate what Jesus has done for us. As we eat the bread and drink from the cup we remember what Jesus has done for us. We will be having communion a lot this week, because this is the week in which Jesus died for the forgiveness of our sins. My hope for all of you is that as we gather for worship during this week, and as we celebrate communion this week, that you will all take the time to remember what Jesus has done for us. Jesus died that we may live. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
In the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) we have the blessing of celebrating communion every Sunday. We do this because we want to celebrate what Jesus has done for us. As we eat the bread and drink from the cup we remember what Jesus has done for us. We will be having communion a lot this week, because this is the week in which Jesus died for the forgiveness of our sins. My hope for all of you is that as we gather for worship during this week, and as we celebrate communion this week, that you will all take the time to remember what Jesus has done for us. Jesus died that we may live. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Matthew 21:12-24:51; Jesus at the Temple
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We are with Jesus as he is teaching in the Temple for the final time. The next few chapters (Mt. 21-24) are another sermon by Jesus in the Temple. Remember, this is all after Jesus has entered Jerusalem and cleared out the Temple. Tomorrow, Thursday, Jesus is going to be arrested; Friday, he will be crucified. Jesus knows this, but he is still taking these last few days to do the work God sent him to do. He is still teaching, he is still healing, he is still doing everything he's been doing for three years. Jesus never quit his ministry. Though he was about to be killed very soon he continued with his work. Sometimes, things get in our way; we sometimes get pulled away from doing the work of Christ. When you feel yourself being distracted from doing Christ's work remember that Jesus, even facing death, never stopped his ministry. Always do Christ's work, no matter what. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
We are with Jesus as he is teaching in the Temple for the final time. The next few chapters (Mt. 21-24) are another sermon by Jesus in the Temple. Remember, this is all after Jesus has entered Jerusalem and cleared out the Temple. Tomorrow, Thursday, Jesus is going to be arrested; Friday, he will be crucified. Jesus knows this, but he is still taking these last few days to do the work God sent him to do. He is still teaching, he is still healing, he is still doing everything he's been doing for three years. Jesus never quit his ministry. Though he was about to be killed very soon he continued with his work. Sometimes, things get in our way; we sometimes get pulled away from doing the work of Christ. When you feel yourself being distracted from doing Christ's work remember that Jesus, even facing death, never stopped his ministry. Always do Christ's work, no matter what. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Matthew 21: 18-22; The Fig Tree Withers
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
This poor fig tree that did not really do anything wrong, serves as a symbol for those who call themselves the children of God. Bearing fruit is a common metaphor used in the ministry of Jesus. Bearing fruit is code for being a good disciple, doing Christ's work. This story is a continuation of the clearing of the Temple, only here, the ones who are not faithful, not bearing fruit, have been withered, never to have the chance to bear fruit again. I don't think this is an all-out warning. Jesus is going to smite us or anything like that. But this story, coupled with the clearing of the Temple, is a reminder to do the work of Christ. The people in the Temple were not worshiping in the right way; the tree was not bearing fruit. We need to remember to worship God, and to go forth and do the work of Christ. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
This poor fig tree that did not really do anything wrong, serves as a symbol for those who call themselves the children of God. Bearing fruit is a common metaphor used in the ministry of Jesus. Bearing fruit is code for being a good disciple, doing Christ's work. This story is a continuation of the clearing of the Temple, only here, the ones who are not faithful, not bearing fruit, have been withered, never to have the chance to bear fruit again. I don't think this is an all-out warning. Jesus is going to smite us or anything like that. But this story, coupled with the clearing of the Temple, is a reminder to do the work of Christ. The people in the Temple were not worshiping in the right way; the tree was not bearing fruit. We need to remember to worship God, and to go forth and do the work of Christ. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
Monday, March 17, 2008
Matthew 21: 12-17; Jesus Clears the Temple
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Hosea 6: 6 reads 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rater than burnt offerings.' The problem with the Temple in the time of Jesus, as Jesus points out to us, is that the people were not worshiping God. They were spending all of their time buying animals to kill for sacrifice to try and atone for their sins. Very few of the people were actually offering worship and praise for what God had done for them. This is important for us to remember. We don't sacrifice animals here, but we still need to keep in mind that all God wants from is worship. God wants us to lift up our prayers of thanksgiving and songs of praise for all he has done for us. Remember, especially this Holy Week, to spend time worshiping God for all He has done for us. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
Hosea 6: 6 reads 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rater than burnt offerings.' The problem with the Temple in the time of Jesus, as Jesus points out to us, is that the people were not worshiping God. They were spending all of their time buying animals to kill for sacrifice to try and atone for their sins. Very few of the people were actually offering worship and praise for what God had done for them. This is important for us to remember. We don't sacrifice animals here, but we still need to keep in mind that all God wants from is worship. God wants us to lift up our prayers of thanksgiving and songs of praise for all he has done for us. Remember, especially this Holy Week, to spend time worshiping God for all He has done for us. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Matthew 21: 1-11; The Triumphal Entry
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Hosanna! That is the word we remember the most when we think about Palm Sunday. And this is the word we should remember. Too often today salvation is not preached. Most of the time the messages we hear are either 'you're going to Hell,' or 'God wants you to be rich.' Not enough preachers spend time reminding people that we are all saved by Jesus. And so today I leave you with that: You are all saved by Jesus Christ. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
Hosanna! That is the word we remember the most when we think about Palm Sunday. And this is the word we should remember. Too often today salvation is not preached. Most of the time the messages we hear are either 'you're going to Hell,' or 'God wants you to be rich.' Not enough preachers spend time reminding people that we are all saved by Jesus. And so today I leave you with that: You are all saved by Jesus Christ. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Luke 15: 8-10; The Parable of the Lost Coin
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
One of the most amazing things about being a Christian is that all of us matter to God. He knows us each by name, and he knows everything about us. Yes, there are billions of Christians across the world, but God still cares about all of us individually. That is reason for us to celebrate. We will not get lost in the masses, we will not be forgotten. Rather, God will rejoice over each and every one of us. God has called each of us to have faith in him, and the best part is that all of us matter to God. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
One of the most amazing things about being a Christian is that all of us matter to God. He knows us each by name, and he knows everything about us. Yes, there are billions of Christians across the world, but God still cares about all of us individually. That is reason for us to celebrate. We will not get lost in the masses, we will not be forgotten. Rather, God will rejoice over each and every one of us. God has called each of us to have faith in him, and the best part is that all of us matter to God. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
Friday, March 14, 2008
Luke 15: 1-7; The Parable of the Lost Sheep
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The journey of faith has a lot of twists and turns; and there are some deep dark valleys. It is pretty easy to get lost and turned around on our journey of faith. And there are also a lot of opportunities for us to get off the journey of faith. The good news about that is not that Jesus will be waiting for us when we decide to get back on the journey of faith (or, after being lost, we find our way). The good news is that if we abandon the journey of faith, or simply get lost, Jesus will come looking for us. Jesus is not sitting idly by waiting for us to get back on the path, he comes, seeks us out, and actively helps us get back on that journey of faith. That is just some of the good news of Jesus Christ. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
The journey of faith has a lot of twists and turns; and there are some deep dark valleys. It is pretty easy to get lost and turned around on our journey of faith. And there are also a lot of opportunities for us to get off the journey of faith. The good news about that is not that Jesus will be waiting for us when we decide to get back on the journey of faith (or, after being lost, we find our way). The good news is that if we abandon the journey of faith, or simply get lost, Jesus will come looking for us. Jesus is not sitting idly by waiting for us to get back on the path, he comes, seeks us out, and actively helps us get back on that journey of faith. That is just some of the good news of Jesus Christ. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for March 16, 2008
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this coming Sunday is Matthew 21: 1-11, in which Jesus is welcomed into Jerusalem, while the people lay palm branches one the road and cry out to Jesus ,"Hosanna, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." The Sermon title is 'Crying Out' and will focus on how the Israelites, in this story and in the past, have cried out to God to save them, and how He has. Hope to see you Sunday. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
The Scripture passage for this coming Sunday is Matthew 21: 1-11, in which Jesus is welcomed into Jerusalem, while the people lay palm branches one the road and cry out to Jesus ,"Hosanna, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." The Sermon title is 'Crying Out' and will focus on how the Israelites, in this story and in the past, have cried out to God to save them, and how He has. Hope to see you Sunday. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
Luke 14: 25-35; The Cost of Being a Disciple
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Being a disciple of Christ is not an easy thing. Sacrifices need to be made, which often turns people away from following Jesus. Again we are met by a Jesus who demands strict loyalty to his word and his work. Jesus does not want us to literally hate our parents. Remember, this is the same Jesus that says the greatest commandment is to love our neighbor as ourselves. What Jesus wants is for us to devote ourselves to him in such a way that everything else, including our friends and families, takes a back seat. Is this hard? Yes, it is. But for the disciple, nothing is easy. But we must remember that our sacrifice is for the glory of God; our sacrifice is for doing the work of Christ in this world. There is no greater act than to do the ministry of Christ. Remember the words of Jesus and devote yourselves totally to the word and work of Jesus Christ. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
Being a disciple of Christ is not an easy thing. Sacrifices need to be made, which often turns people away from following Jesus. Again we are met by a Jesus who demands strict loyalty to his word and his work. Jesus does not want us to literally hate our parents. Remember, this is the same Jesus that says the greatest commandment is to love our neighbor as ourselves. What Jesus wants is for us to devote ourselves to him in such a way that everything else, including our friends and families, takes a back seat. Is this hard? Yes, it is. But for the disciple, nothing is easy. But we must remember that our sacrifice is for the glory of God; our sacrifice is for doing the work of Christ in this world. There is no greater act than to do the ministry of Christ. Remember the words of Jesus and devote yourselves totally to the word and work of Jesus Christ. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Luke 14: 15-24; The Parable of the Great Banquet
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
When Jesus invites, we are supposed to come. When Jesus tells us to do something, we are supposed to do it. The people in the parable made excuses for not coming to the banquet. Some people who Jesus invited to discipleship also had excuses, reasons for not coming and following Jesus. All of our thoughts should be focused on being a good disciples of Christ. When we come to worship, nothing else should be on our minds. When we go out to serve the Lord we should be thinking only of doing the work of Christ. In our lives we all face things that sometimes get in the way, that cause us to be distracted. Always remember to put your mind on Jesus, knowing he is with you, trusting in his grace and strength. No matter what comes your way, do not let it get in the way of your service to Jesus. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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When Jesus invites, we are supposed to come. When Jesus tells us to do something, we are supposed to do it. The people in the parable made excuses for not coming to the banquet. Some people who Jesus invited to discipleship also had excuses, reasons for not coming and following Jesus. All of our thoughts should be focused on being a good disciples of Christ. When we come to worship, nothing else should be on our minds. When we go out to serve the Lord we should be thinking only of doing the work of Christ. In our lives we all face things that sometimes get in the way, that cause us to be distracted. Always remember to put your mind on Jesus, knowing he is with you, trusting in his grace and strength. No matter what comes your way, do not let it get in the way of your service to Jesus. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Luke 14: 1-14; Jesus at a Pharisee's House
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
In other places Jesus says, 'The last shall be first and the first shall be last.' We are all equal in the eyes of the Lord. We are all God's children. There are people in this world who look different; there are people in this world who live in different ways. But we are all God's children. None of us will be exalted before God, for we all sinners. Jesus wants us to remember to not think more highly of ourselves than we should, and the reason for that is that we are all God's children. And God loves all of his children equally. Remember the song, 'Red, yellow, black, and white, they are precious in his sight...' Jesus is reminding us to be humble, to remember the fact that all the people in the world are God's children, and that God loves all of his children. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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In other places Jesus says, 'The last shall be first and the first shall be last.' We are all equal in the eyes of the Lord. We are all God's children. There are people in this world who look different; there are people in this world who live in different ways. But we are all God's children. None of us will be exalted before God, for we all sinners. Jesus wants us to remember to not think more highly of ourselves than we should, and the reason for that is that we are all God's children. And God loves all of his children equally. Remember the song, 'Red, yellow, black, and white, they are precious in his sight...' Jesus is reminding us to be humble, to remember the fact that all the people in the world are God's children, and that God loves all of his children. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Monday, March 10, 2008
Luke 13: 31-36; Jesus' Sorrow for Jerusalem
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is good news for us that Jesus never stopped doing his work. He is warned here not to enter Jerusalem (not to mention all the predictions Jesus made himself). But when Jesus is warned that Herod is going to kill him Jesus responds by saying, "I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal." Jesus was faced with adversity, which, at times, made his ministry very difficult. But Jesus was also faced with torture and death. But still he went on. Even though Jesus faced a pain we can never imagine he still went through with it for our sake. This is good news, Jesus' steadfastness. No matter what Jesus faced, he still continued his ministry. Praise God that Jesus never gave up. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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It is good news for us that Jesus never stopped doing his work. He is warned here not to enter Jerusalem (not to mention all the predictions Jesus made himself). But when Jesus is warned that Herod is going to kill him Jesus responds by saying, "I will drive out demons and heal people today and tomorrow, and on the third day I will reach my goal." Jesus was faced with adversity, which, at times, made his ministry very difficult. But Jesus was also faced with torture and death. But still he went on. Even though Jesus faced a pain we can never imagine he still went through with it for our sake. This is good news, Jesus' steadfastness. No matter what Jesus faced, he still continued his ministry. Praise God that Jesus never gave up. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, March 9, 2008
Luke 13: 22-30; The Narrow Door
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Is there a 'too late' when it comes to Jesus. According to Luke there is. As for me, I will only say that God knows if we are truly faithful. Deathbed conversions have been very popular throughout time; people not wanting to live a Christian life, but once they are faced with death they decide that Jesus' promise of eternal life is just to good to pass up. Are the ones who did that in Heaven with Jesus? I honestly do not know. But what I do know is that God knows what is on our heart. God knows if we have truly walked through the narrow door. We may sometimes make mistkaes on our journey of faith, but God knows what we believe, he knows if we really have faith. And we have the comfort of knowing that all those who have faith and call Christ Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Is there a 'too late' when it comes to Jesus. According to Luke there is. As for me, I will only say that God knows if we are truly faithful. Deathbed conversions have been very popular throughout time; people not wanting to live a Christian life, but once they are faced with death they decide that Jesus' promise of eternal life is just to good to pass up. Are the ones who did that in Heaven with Jesus? I honestly do not know. But what I do know is that God knows what is on our heart. God knows if we have truly walked through the narrow door. We may sometimes make mistkaes on our journey of faith, but God knows what we believe, he knows if we really have faith. And we have the comfort of knowing that all those who have faith and call Christ Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, March 8, 2008
Luke 13: 18-21; The Parables of the Mustard Seed and the Yeast
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faith is a thing that is supposed to be nurtured. Once it is planted in our heart we ought to devote our lives to God completely. In doing so we grow our faith so that other people may see it and experience it and may come to a life of faith themselves. This is similar to Jesus' teachings about light, that we should let our light shine that others may see our light and grow in their faith. When we come to a life of faith we should not horde that seed to ourselves. We should help it grow that we may grow in our own faith, and that others may come to a life of faith. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Faith is a thing that is supposed to be nurtured. Once it is planted in our heart we ought to devote our lives to God completely. In doing so we grow our faith so that other people may see it and experience it and may come to a life of faith themselves. This is similar to Jesus' teachings about light, that we should let our light shine that others may see our light and grow in their faith. When we come to a life of faith we should not horde that seed to ourselves. We should help it grow that we may grow in our own faith, and that others may come to a life of faith. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Friday, March 7, 2008
Luke 13: 10-17; A Crippled Women Healed on the Sabbath
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ,
Do good, no matter what day it is, no matter what the law is, no matter who is watching you. The Pharisees were looking for a way to 'catch' Jesus. They had heard all of these things about him, and seen and heard him themselves, and they did not like Jesus. So, here, they are watching Jesus, knowing full well what Jesus was going to do. Jesus could have waited and saved himself some trouble, but he healed the woman anyway. The Law clearly stated that no work was to be done on the Sabbath. Jesus says that it is more important to do good than obey they law. The Sabbath was supposed to be a day of rest, but Jesus never rested from healing people. We learn from Jesus that we should be doing good all the time, no matter what. Remember what Jesus did, and when he did it, and let that be your example. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Do good, no matter what day it is, no matter what the law is, no matter who is watching you. The Pharisees were looking for a way to 'catch' Jesus. They had heard all of these things about him, and seen and heard him themselves, and they did not like Jesus. So, here, they are watching Jesus, knowing full well what Jesus was going to do. Jesus could have waited and saved himself some trouble, but he healed the woman anyway. The Law clearly stated that no work was to be done on the Sabbath. Jesus says that it is more important to do good than obey they law. The Sabbath was supposed to be a day of rest, but Jesus never rested from healing people. We learn from Jesus that we should be doing good all the time, no matter what. Remember what Jesus did, and when he did it, and let that be your example. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, March 6, 2008
Commissioning Service: Sunday March 9, 2008
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
I wanted to remind everyone that there will be a commissioning service this Sunday. Rev. Darwin Collins will be preaching, and leading the congregation as you commission me as your transitional minister. Please remember to come and be a part of this special service.
Rev. Collins will be preaching from Genesis 2: 4-9, 15-17, in which we hear some of the story of Adam and Eve. His sermon title is 'Your Choice...Life or Death.' God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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I wanted to remind everyone that there will be a commissioning service this Sunday. Rev. Darwin Collins will be preaching, and leading the congregation as you commission me as your transitional minister. Please remember to come and be a part of this special service.
Rev. Collins will be preaching from Genesis 2: 4-9, 15-17, in which we hear some of the story of Adam and Eve. His sermon title is 'Your Choice...Life or Death.' God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Luke 13: 1-9; Repent or Perish
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Lip service is not quite enough to satisfy Jesus. When Jesus tells us to live a holy life he wants us to actually do it. When Jesus tells us to turn from sin into a new life with him he wants us to really turn around. There were those in the time of Jesus who were only acting as though they were living a holy life. There were those who heard what Jesus said about holiness and repentance who did not really implement those things into their lives. Jesus is stronly reiterating his desire for us to repent and turn from sin. Jesus wants us to be holy, and he has told us as much. If we claim to have faith, but do not act as though we do, our faith is dead. True repentance is not just belief, it is action. Remember the words of Jesus repent and turn from sin into a new and holy life with Jesus. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Lip service is not quite enough to satisfy Jesus. When Jesus tells us to live a holy life he wants us to actually do it. When Jesus tells us to turn from sin into a new life with him he wants us to really turn around. There were those in the time of Jesus who were only acting as though they were living a holy life. There were those who heard what Jesus said about holiness and repentance who did not really implement those things into their lives. Jesus is stronly reiterating his desire for us to repent and turn from sin. Jesus wants us to be holy, and he has told us as much. If we claim to have faith, but do not act as though we do, our faith is dead. True repentance is not just belief, it is action. Remember the words of Jesus repent and turn from sin into a new and holy life with Jesus. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Luke 12: 54-59; Interpreting the Times
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We can do a lot with the technology we have today. We don't even have to wait to see the cloud rising in the west; the radars tell us when it is going to rain. With the amazing technology we have we are even able to see what the weather is like in China, on the other side of the world. Whatever happens in the world, we know about it. God is at work in the world, too. Sometimes his work is a little harder to see, but it is there. God is present, God is active. Sometimes we get so busy looking around the world and seeing what all else is going on that we forget to look and see that God is still at work. We can see a lot with what we have, but let us not forget to see God and what he is still doing for us. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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We can do a lot with the technology we have today. We don't even have to wait to see the cloud rising in the west; the radars tell us when it is going to rain. With the amazing technology we have we are even able to see what the weather is like in China, on the other side of the world. Whatever happens in the world, we know about it. God is at work in the world, too. Sometimes his work is a little harder to see, but it is there. God is present, God is active. Sometimes we get so busy looking around the world and seeing what all else is going on that we forget to look and see that God is still at work. We can see a lot with what we have, but let us not forget to see God and what he is still doing for us. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Luke 12: 49-53; Not Peace But Division
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Occasionally Jesus gives us some harsh words. Anyone who reads this passage may not think very highly of Jesus, for it seems that Jesus is interested in destroying the family unit, which was the backbone of everything in the first century. I don't think Jesus is trying to rid the world of the family unit. The division Jesus will bring will stem from the fact that there will always be those who listen to Jesus and those who will not. Jesus knows that his words are the words of life, so he cannot not speak them. Jesus will continue to preach the good news even though families, friendships, etc. will be torn apart. Jesus knows that there is salvation in his words, so he continues to speak them. Yes, there will be division. But there will also be salvation for those who listen to the words Jesus has to offer. Hear the words of Jesus, and believe, no matter what. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Occasionally Jesus gives us some harsh words. Anyone who reads this passage may not think very highly of Jesus, for it seems that Jesus is interested in destroying the family unit, which was the backbone of everything in the first century. I don't think Jesus is trying to rid the world of the family unit. The division Jesus will bring will stem from the fact that there will always be those who listen to Jesus and those who will not. Jesus knows that his words are the words of life, so he cannot not speak them. Jesus will continue to preach the good news even though families, friendships, etc. will be torn apart. Jesus knows that there is salvation in his words, so he continues to speak them. Yes, there will be division. But there will also be salvation for those who listen to the words Jesus has to offer. Hear the words of Jesus, and believe, no matter what. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Monday, March 3, 2008
Luke 12: 35-48; Watchfulness
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus is coming back. I don't know when, none of us do. Jesus said himself that even he does not know when he is going to be coming back. But we do know that he is. One of our calls as Christians is to prepare for Christ's return. We do this by living the life Christ would have us live. Holiness is meant to bring honor and glory to God, but it is also meant to prepare us for the kingdom of Heaven, the kingdom we will come into when Christ returns. Being watchful can also mean, be ready, prepare yourselves for the return of Jesus. Christ could return at any second, and we need to make sure we're ready when he does return. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Jesus is coming back. I don't know when, none of us do. Jesus said himself that even he does not know when he is going to be coming back. But we do know that he is. One of our calls as Christians is to prepare for Christ's return. We do this by living the life Christ would have us live. Holiness is meant to bring honor and glory to God, but it is also meant to prepare us for the kingdom of Heaven, the kingdom we will come into when Christ returns. Being watchful can also mean, be ready, prepare yourselves for the return of Jesus. Christ could return at any second, and we need to make sure we're ready when he does return. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, March 2, 2008
Luke 12: 22-34; Do Not Worry
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We all have cares, concerns, and worries. It is in human nature to think about what is going to happen next and wonder how it is all going to turn out. On our journey of faith we all face trials and tribulations. But we have some good news from Jesus. Jesus tells us that we don't have to worry about trials and tribulations, for we are in the hands of God. Though we face trials and tribulations we can rest easy knowing that God is with us, that God is going to take care of us, that our trials and tribulations will not overcome us. In the words of Jesus, 'if God takes care of the birds, he'll take care of us, because he loves us more than the birds. Trust and know that God will take care of you. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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We all have cares, concerns, and worries. It is in human nature to think about what is going to happen next and wonder how it is all going to turn out. On our journey of faith we all face trials and tribulations. But we have some good news from Jesus. Jesus tells us that we don't have to worry about trials and tribulations, for we are in the hands of God. Though we face trials and tribulations we can rest easy knowing that God is with us, that God is going to take care of us, that our trials and tribulations will not overcome us. In the words of Jesus, 'if God takes care of the birds, he'll take care of us, because he loves us more than the birds. Trust and know that God will take care of you. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, March 1, 2008
Luke 12: 13-21; The Parable of the Rich Fool
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is fitting that just after Jesus talks about the heresy of the Pharisees he gives an example of what heresy is. In the time of Jesus, just like today, there were those who were convinced that having a lot of stuff, money, etc. was the way to get into heaven. Jesus continually preaches against this notion; the notion that we, as the Children of God, ought to be aquiring wealth and possessions. The message of Jesus is not one of being rich in terms of material possessions; the message of Jesus is that of serving God by doing for those who have nothing, of being in the world, but not of the world, etc.. We are cautioned by Jesus against the dangers of living in a life of wealth and prosperity. Let the record show that Jesus wants us to be rich toward God, not toward the world. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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It is fitting that just after Jesus talks about the heresy of the Pharisees he gives an example of what heresy is. In the time of Jesus, just like today, there were those who were convinced that having a lot of stuff, money, etc. was the way to get into heaven. Jesus continually preaches against this notion; the notion that we, as the Children of God, ought to be aquiring wealth and possessions. The message of Jesus is not one of being rich in terms of material possessions; the message of Jesus is that of serving God by doing for those who have nothing, of being in the world, but not of the world, etc.. We are cautioned by Jesus against the dangers of living in a life of wealth and prosperity. Let the record show that Jesus wants us to be rich toward God, not toward the world. God bless you,
Pastor Josh
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