Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The disciples learned a lesson here in reliance on God. Jesus sends them out, but they are not allowed to take very much with them. Instead, they are to rely on God, and others, to provide for them some of the things they need. Later in the gospel they will come back to Jesus in one piece, having done everything he told them to do. The disciples were taught to rely on God, and they did, and it worked. God provided them all they needed to do what Jesus told them to do. I wonder if there is a lesson in there for us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sunday, February 28, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Mark 6: 1-6; A Prophet Without Honor
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus is not honored in his home town. But neither is Jesus honored in most towns today. We get so caught up in the status quo, in trying to please everyone, that we do not always share the name of Jesus with the world as we should. Jesus is our Lord, we ought to honor him. Speak without fear; let the name of Jesus be lifted up higher than any other name. Let Jesus be held in honor in our towns and in our world. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Jesus is not honored in his home town. But neither is Jesus honored in most towns today. We get so caught up in the status quo, in trying to please everyone, that we do not always share the name of Jesus with the world as we should. Jesus is our Lord, we ought to honor him. Speak without fear; let the name of Jesus be lifted up higher than any other name. Let Jesus be held in honor in our towns and in our world. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Friday, February 26, 2010
Mark 5: 21-43; A Dead Girl and a Sick Woman
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The woman who was subject to bleeding for ten years will forever be remembered for her great faith. She knows that if she can only get to Jesus, if she can only touch his cloak, then she will be healed of her illness. She does need Jesus to touch her with his hands; she does not need Jesus to speak to her; she does not need Jesus to acknowledge her in any way. All this woman needs is to touch Jesus' clothes, and she will be healed. We need to have the same strength in our lives; to believe unconditionally that Jesus can and will heal us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The woman who was subject to bleeding for ten years will forever be remembered for her great faith. She knows that if she can only get to Jesus, if she can only touch his cloak, then she will be healed of her illness. She does need Jesus to touch her with his hands; she does not need Jesus to speak to her; she does not need Jesus to acknowledge her in any way. All this woman needs is to touch Jesus' clothes, and she will be healed. We need to have the same strength in our lives; to believe unconditionally that Jesus can and will heal us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for February 28, 2010
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Genesis 15: 1-12, in which God promises Abraham a child and land. The sermon is titled 'God's Promises' and will focus on the promises God has made to us, specifically the promise of our salvation. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Genesis 15: 1-12, in which God promises Abraham a child and land. The sermon is titled 'God's Promises' and will focus on the promises God has made to us, specifically the promise of our salvation. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Mark 5: 1-20; The Healing of a Demon-Possessed Man
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
This poor man is broken and Jesus heals him from that brokenness. By laying hands on this demon-possessed man, Jesus takes away the anguish. This is what Jesus will do for us, if we let him. Jesus can come into our lives and heal us, repair us, make us whole, if only we open our hearts to him. We are all broken in one way or another. In whatever way you may be broken go to the Lord and let him heal your heart. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
This poor man is broken and Jesus heals him from that brokenness. By laying hands on this demon-possessed man, Jesus takes away the anguish. This is what Jesus will do for us, if we let him. Jesus can come into our lives and heal us, repair us, make us whole, if only we open our hearts to him. We are all broken in one way or another. In whatever way you may be broken go to the Lord and let him heal your heart. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Mark 4: 35-41; Jesus Calms the Storm
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Imagine the disciples. Everything is going fine. They are with Jesus in the boat; Jesus has been teaching them; Jesus has been healing people; the ministry is getting a decent following. Now they find themselves in the midst of a huge storm. Thinking their lives are about to end they begin to panic. Everything that was good in their lives is now, in their minds, gone. Finally Jesus wakes up and calms the storm, rescuing them from this hard time. Isn't that what our journey of faith is like? For a while everything is going great. We have everything we need, and so much more. But then, like the disciples, we find ourselves in a big storm, and that storm threatens everything, even our own lives. We need Jesus to wake up and calm the storm. He does. If we ask, and then allow Jesus to work in our lives, what we will find is that Jesus can and will calm the storms in our lives. Like he did for the disciples, Jesus will rescue us from the storms in our lives. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Imagine the disciples. Everything is going fine. They are with Jesus in the boat; Jesus has been teaching them; Jesus has been healing people; the ministry is getting a decent following. Now they find themselves in the midst of a huge storm. Thinking their lives are about to end they begin to panic. Everything that was good in their lives is now, in their minds, gone. Finally Jesus wakes up and calms the storm, rescuing them from this hard time. Isn't that what our journey of faith is like? For a while everything is going great. We have everything we need, and so much more. But then, like the disciples, we find ourselves in a big storm, and that storm threatens everything, even our own lives. We need Jesus to wake up and calm the storm. He does. If we ask, and then allow Jesus to work in our lives, what we will find is that Jesus can and will calm the storms in our lives. Like he did for the disciples, Jesus will rescue us from the storms in our lives. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Mark 4: 30-34; The Parable of the Mustard Seed
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The other thing about mustard seeds/bushes that Jesus does not mention here is the strong odor they have. Mustard seeds have a very distinctive smell and that smell permeates just about everything withing close proximity. If you are within ten feet of the mustard seed you can smell it, and you know it's there. I think that is what the kingdom of God is like, too. It is everywhere. We may not necessarily be able to smell it, but we can certainly feel it, and we can show others how to feel it as well. The kingdom of God is everywhere, we can always feel it. We just need to open our hearts, and teach others to do the same. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The other thing about mustard seeds/bushes that Jesus does not mention here is the strong odor they have. Mustard seeds have a very distinctive smell and that smell permeates just about everything withing close proximity. If you are within ten feet of the mustard seed you can smell it, and you know it's there. I think that is what the kingdom of God is like, too. It is everywhere. We may not necessarily be able to smell it, but we can certainly feel it, and we can show others how to feel it as well. The kingdom of God is everywhere, we can always feel it. We just need to open our hearts, and teach others to do the same. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Monday, February 22, 2010
Mark 4: 26-29; The Parable of the Growing Seed
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We need to prepare ourselves before God can use us. Like the grain that must grow before it can be harvested, so we must grow before we can serve God in the proper way. We need to continually spend more time in Bible study, prayer, and worship if we are to be faithful disciples, if we are to serve Christ. We need to be like the seed, that must grow before it can be used. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
We need to prepare ourselves before God can use us. Like the grain that must grow before it can be harvested, so we must grow before we can serve God in the proper way. We need to continually spend more time in Bible study, prayer, and worship if we are to be faithful disciples, if we are to serve Christ. We need to be like the seed, that must grow before it can be used. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Mark 4: 21-25; A Lamp on a Stand
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Before Jesus we had nothing, but now, through him, we have everything. We are living examples of what Jesus is talking about here when he talks about those with little being given more. In other places Jesus uses the phrase the last shall be first and the first shall be last. We fall into that category. We were last before Jesus came. Due to our sin we were so far outside of God's grace we were unable to see. But now, thanks to Jesus, we have been brought into the fold. Now, through Jesus we have been brought to the front of the line. Through Jesus we have been made first, we have been given much. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Before Jesus we had nothing, but now, through him, we have everything. We are living examples of what Jesus is talking about here when he talks about those with little being given more. In other places Jesus uses the phrase the last shall be first and the first shall be last. We fall into that category. We were last before Jesus came. Due to our sin we were so far outside of God's grace we were unable to see. But now, thanks to Jesus, we have been brought into the fold. Now, through Jesus we have been brought to the front of the line. Through Jesus we have been made first, we have been given much. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Mark 4: 1-20; The Parable of the Sower
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Which seed are we going to be? Are we going to be seed that is destroyed by the weeds, scorched by the sun, eaten by the birds? Or are we going to be the seed that flourishes, the seed that grows so big the entire world will know the name of Jesus? This is an important question for us to ask. Are we going to let the name and word of Jesus die with us? Are we going to keep that good news to ourselves and not share it with the world? Or are we going to grow, and let our shine to the world that the world will come to confess Jesus as Lord and Savior? Which seed will you be? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Which seed are we going to be? Are we going to be seed that is destroyed by the weeds, scorched by the sun, eaten by the birds? Or are we going to be the seed that flourishes, the seed that grows so big the entire world will know the name of Jesus? This is an important question for us to ask. Are we going to let the name and word of Jesus die with us? Are we going to keep that good news to ourselves and not share it with the world? Or are we going to grow, and let our shine to the world that the world will come to confess Jesus as Lord and Savior? Which seed will you be? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Friday, February 19, 2010
Mark 3: 31-35; Jesus' Mother and Brothers
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus has a family, and we are members of that family. Jesus tells us that here in this passage: 'whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother.' We all follow God's will everyday, and because of that we are named as Jesus' family. That means we are entitled to the same blessings to which Jesus is entitled: salvation, eternal life, a place in heaven, a personal relationship with God. Since we are Jesus' brothers and sisters we are blessed with his same inheritance. That is reason for us to celebrate, that we have received many blessings through being named as Christ's family. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Jesus has a family, and we are members of that family. Jesus tells us that here in this passage: 'whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother.' We all follow God's will everyday, and because of that we are named as Jesus' family. That means we are entitled to the same blessings to which Jesus is entitled: salvation, eternal life, a place in heaven, a personal relationship with God. Since we are Jesus' brothers and sisters we are blessed with his same inheritance. That is reason for us to celebrate, that we have received many blessings through being named as Christ's family. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for February 21, 2010
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Luke 4: 1-13, in which Jesus is tempted by the Devil. The sermon is titled 'Temptation and the Cross' and will focus on the blessings we have through the cross and the temptations Jesus faced in the wilderness. I hope to see you all on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from Luke 4: 1-13, in which Jesus is tempted by the Devil. The sermon is titled 'Temptation and the Cross' and will focus on the blessings we have through the cross and the temptations Jesus faced in the wilderness. I hope to see you all on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Mark 3: 20-30; Jesus and Beelzebub
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
'If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.' Jesus speaks these words in response to the claim that he is possessed by Beelzebub. However, Jesus is also, I think, speaking of the Church, the Body of Christ, as well. Jesus is showing a little bit of his normal clairvoyance here. Jesus knows the church is going to be divided, and he is telling us that we cannot be fully effective if we continue to fight amongst ourselves. We need to take these words to heart and work hard to unite as the Body of Christ that we will more faithful, and effective, disciples of Jesus. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
'If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.' Jesus speaks these words in response to the claim that he is possessed by Beelzebub. However, Jesus is also, I think, speaking of the Church, the Body of Christ, as well. Jesus is showing a little bit of his normal clairvoyance here. Jesus knows the church is going to be divided, and he is telling us that we cannot be fully effective if we continue to fight amongst ourselves. We need to take these words to heart and work hard to unite as the Body of Christ that we will more faithful, and effective, disciples of Jesus. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Mark 3: 13-19; The Appointing of the Twelve Disciples
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
'He appointed the twelve - designating them apostles - that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.' Disciple is a verb. When we confess Jesus as Lord and Savior and become one of his disciples, we are agreeing to do, to be active. When we become one of Jesus' disciples we are agreeing to preach the good news, to comfort the needy, to do for others what they need in the name of Jesus. We do not just follow Jesus, we continue his ministry. That is what it means to be called 'Disciple,' to act, to continue the ministry of Jesus. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
'He appointed the twelve - designating them apostles - that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons.' Disciple is a verb. When we confess Jesus as Lord and Savior and become one of his disciples, we are agreeing to do, to be active. When we become one of Jesus' disciples we are agreeing to preach the good news, to comfort the needy, to do for others what they need in the name of Jesus. We do not just follow Jesus, we continue his ministry. That is what it means to be called 'Disciple,' to act, to continue the ministry of Jesus. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Mark 3: 7-12; Crowds Follow Jesus
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus is a popular fellow. He has healed so many people up to this point that he is worried about being overwhelmed by the crowd. I wonder if we would be in the crowd trying to get to Jesus. If we were around 2000 years ago, or Jesus was, physically, around now, do you think we would be so desperate to be near him that we would be pushing and shoving to get close? I would like to think so. Even though Jesus is not here now, that does not mean we should not have that same excitement in our hearts. We may not be able to form a crowd around Jesus, but we can have the same level of excitement that forming a crowd would take. We should have a strong enough love for Jesus that we would do anything to get near him. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Jesus is a popular fellow. He has healed so many people up to this point that he is worried about being overwhelmed by the crowd. I wonder if we would be in the crowd trying to get to Jesus. If we were around 2000 years ago, or Jesus was, physically, around now, do you think we would be so desperate to be near him that we would be pushing and shoving to get close? I would like to think so. Even though Jesus is not here now, that does not mean we should not have that same excitement in our hearts. We may not be able to form a crowd around Jesus, but we can have the same level of excitement that forming a crowd would take. We should have a strong enough love for Jesus that we would do anything to get near him. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Monday, February 15, 2010
Mark 2: 23- 3: 6; Lord of the Sabbath
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Doing good supersedes every other commandment handed down by God or Jesus. There are Sabbath Laws. According to the Torah a person is allowed only so many steps on the Sabbath, a person is allowed to only do so much work on the Sabbath, etc. The Sabbath day is supposed to be kept holy, so people are commanded to do, or not do, certain things. However, the thing that overrules all of those commandments is the commandment to do good, or to love one another. We are permitted to do anything on the Sabbath if it is in connection with doing good in some way. This is true not only for the Sabbath, but every other day of the week. Above all we are commanded to do good, to love one another as Christ has loved us. Remember to do good, on the Sabbath and every other day as well. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Doing good supersedes every other commandment handed down by God or Jesus. There are Sabbath Laws. According to the Torah a person is allowed only so many steps on the Sabbath, a person is allowed to only do so much work on the Sabbath, etc. The Sabbath day is supposed to be kept holy, so people are commanded to do, or not do, certain things. However, the thing that overrules all of those commandments is the commandment to do good, or to love one another. We are permitted to do anything on the Sabbath if it is in connection with doing good in some way. This is true not only for the Sabbath, but every other day of the week. Above all we are commanded to do good, to love one another as Christ has loved us. Remember to do good, on the Sabbath and every other day as well. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Mark 2: 18-22; Jesus Questioned About Fasting
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus, here, correlates fasting with sadness. Jesus' disciples cannot fast because he is with them. However, when Jesus is taken away from the disciples, they will fast because they are sad. In this sense we do not ever have to fast. We are never not in Jesus' presence. He is always with us, giving us the courage and strength we need. We do not need to feel alone, abandoned, forsaken, sad, etc., for the Lord is always with us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Jesus, here, correlates fasting with sadness. Jesus' disciples cannot fast because he is with them. However, when Jesus is taken away from the disciples, they will fast because they are sad. In this sense we do not ever have to fast. We are never not in Jesus' presence. He is always with us, giving us the courage and strength we need. We do not need to feel alone, abandoned, forsaken, sad, etc., for the Lord is always with us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Mark 2: 13-17; The Calling of Levi
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Levi is a tax-collector. In other words, he cheats and steals his way through life. He takes advantage of those who are near him; he abuses his position to secure more wealth for himself than he actually needs. And yet, Jesus calls Levi into service. When Jesus looks at Levi he sees someone he can use; Jesus sees someone who will make a good disciple. Despite Levi's past, his cheating, and his stealing Jesus uses him. Do not think Jesus cannot use you because of your shortcomings. Jesus can use anyone. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Levi is a tax-collector. In other words, he cheats and steals his way through life. He takes advantage of those who are near him; he abuses his position to secure more wealth for himself than he actually needs. And yet, Jesus calls Levi into service. When Jesus looks at Levi he sees someone he can use; Jesus sees someone who will make a good disciple. Despite Levi's past, his cheating, and his stealing Jesus uses him. Do not think Jesus cannot use you because of your shortcomings. Jesus can use anyone. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Friday, February 12, 2010
Mark 2: 1-12; Jesus Heals a Paralytic
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We must not forget the friends of this man who is healed. They, seeing the pain and suffering their friend is enduring, seek to help. They climb on the roof, with their friend in tow, and begin to 'unroof the roof.' The friends of the paralytic risk a lot here. First, they risk their own safety in going on a roof. And second, they risk the outrage of the owner of the house when they tear up the roof. The friends do all of this because they love their friend, the paralytic. We find here a model in friendship. We should be like the friends of the paralytic here and do anything, even up to risking ourselves, to help those in need. We should, like them, 'unroof a roof' to help someone. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
We must not forget the friends of this man who is healed. They, seeing the pain and suffering their friend is enduring, seek to help. They climb on the roof, with their friend in tow, and begin to 'unroof the roof.' The friends of the paralytic risk a lot here. First, they risk their own safety in going on a roof. And second, they risk the outrage of the owner of the house when they tear up the roof. The friends do all of this because they love their friend, the paralytic. We find here a model in friendship. We should be like the friends of the paralytic here and do anything, even up to risking ourselves, to help those in need. We should, like them, 'unroof a roof' to help someone. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for February 14, 2010
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Old Testament lesson for this Sunday comes from Isaiah 6: 1-8, in which Isaiah has a vision and volunteers for God's service. The New Testament lesson is from Luke 5: 1-11, in which Jesus calls his first disciples. The sermon is titled 'Be Willing' and will focus on the ways in which we need to be willing to serve God. I hope to see you all on Sunday Morning. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Old Testament lesson for this Sunday comes from Isaiah 6: 1-8, in which Isaiah has a vision and volunteers for God's service. The New Testament lesson is from Luke 5: 1-11, in which Jesus calls his first disciples. The sermon is titled 'Be Willing' and will focus on the ways in which we need to be willing to serve God. I hope to see you all on Sunday Morning. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Mark 1: 40-45; A Man With Leprosy
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
How many times have we come to Jesus on our knees? This man suffering from leprosy comes to Jesus on his knees, begging Jesus to help him. Jesus, in his compassion, reaches out and heals the man. We may not have leprosy, but we do have needs. We need Jesus in our life. We need to Jesus to reach out and heal us from our brokenness. And Jesus, in his compassion for us, will reach out and heal us. If we come to Jesus and ask for his help, he will give it to us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
How many times have we come to Jesus on our knees? This man suffering from leprosy comes to Jesus on his knees, begging Jesus to help him. Jesus, in his compassion, reaches out and heals the man. We may not have leprosy, but we do have needs. We need Jesus in our life. We need to Jesus to reach out and heal us from our brokenness. And Jesus, in his compassion for us, will reach out and heal us. If we come to Jesus and ask for his help, he will give it to us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Mark 1: 35-39; Jesus Prays in a Solitary Place
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus always found time for prayer, a time of day that he would spend with God. During this time I'm sure Jesus was refreshed, given strength, guidance, and all of the things he needed to complete his ministry. This time of prayer was special for Jesus. We have the same blessing. We are given the opportunity to come before God in prayer, to be refreshed, to be given strength, to be given guidance. We need prayer just as much as Jesus did. Let us spend more time in prayer, that we would be closer in our relationship with God, that we would be more faithful, that we would be lifted up. Let us pray. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Jesus always found time for prayer, a time of day that he would spend with God. During this time I'm sure Jesus was refreshed, given strength, guidance, and all of the things he needed to complete his ministry. This time of prayer was special for Jesus. We have the same blessing. We are given the opportunity to come before God in prayer, to be refreshed, to be given strength, to be given guidance. We need prayer just as much as Jesus did. Let us spend more time in prayer, that we would be closer in our relationship with God, that we would be more faithful, that we would be lifted up. Let us pray. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Mark 1: 29-34; Jesus Heals Many
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Simon's mother-in-law shows us the proper response when we are helped by Jesus. When Jesus helps, heals, this woman she begins to 'wait on them.' In other words, she begins to serve Jesus. Most folks in Mark's gospel will have this reaction. Upon being healed by Jesus they will want to serve Jesus, and in fact some of them do. We are told these stories, in part, so that we will remember what Jesus has done for us, and so that we will be encouraged to offer our service to Jesus in whatever he may need. When Jesus does something for us, our response should then be to serve Jesus in whatever way we can. Like Simon's mother-in-law, when Jesus takes our hand and helps us up we need to serve him. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Simon's mother-in-law shows us the proper response when we are helped by Jesus. When Jesus helps, heals, this woman she begins to 'wait on them.' In other words, she begins to serve Jesus. Most folks in Mark's gospel will have this reaction. Upon being healed by Jesus they will want to serve Jesus, and in fact some of them do. We are told these stories, in part, so that we will remember what Jesus has done for us, and so that we will be encouraged to offer our service to Jesus in whatever he may need. When Jesus does something for us, our response should then be to serve Jesus in whatever way we can. Like Simon's mother-in-law, when Jesus takes our hand and helps us up we need to serve him. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Monday, February 8, 2010
Mark 1: 21-28; Jesus Drives Out An Evil Spirit
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The evil spirits in Jesus' day were see as having great power. People feared them almost above everything else in the world. Here we see Jesus displaying his power against those powers of darkness. A new era is beginning here: an era of light and love. The era of darkness and fear is ending. Jesus shows this in his power over the demons. No more will people have to worry about such things. No more will people have to live their lives in fear. Jesus, in this miracle he performs, tells us the time of darkness and fear is over. Now comes the life of light. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The evil spirits in Jesus' day were see as having great power. People feared them almost above everything else in the world. Here we see Jesus displaying his power against those powers of darkness. A new era is beginning here: an era of light and love. The era of darkness and fear is ending. Jesus shows this in his power over the demons. No more will people have to worry about such things. No more will people have to live their lives in fear. Jesus, in this miracle he performs, tells us the time of darkness and fear is over. Now comes the life of light. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Mark 1: 14-20; The Calling of the First Disciples
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Immediately, they left their nets and followed him. The Disciples, when they see Jesus for the first time, immediately drop their nets and follow him. They run after Jesus because they are so excited, so longing to be filled with his teaching and good news. Do we have that same level of excitement? Would we be willing to drop everything in order to follow Jesus? Would we, if we saw Jesus walking, or heard him preaching, leave everything behind and follow him? The disciples did. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Immediately, they left their nets and followed him. The Disciples, when they see Jesus for the first time, immediately drop their nets and follow him. They run after Jesus because they are so excited, so longing to be filled with his teaching and good news. Do we have that same level of excitement? Would we be willing to drop everything in order to follow Jesus? Would we, if we saw Jesus walking, or heard him preaching, leave everything behind and follow him? The disciples did. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Mark 1: 9-13; The Temptation of Jesus
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
This is one of the most meaningful passages in the entire gospel, the temptation of Jesus. Why? Because in this passage we are given the good news that Jesus has dealt with temptation, and that means Jesus can help us when we are tempted. Jesus knows what it means to face temptation, and because he knows that he can be there to help us as we face temptation. We do not follow a Lord who has no idea what we face. Rather, we follow a Lord who has been through what we go through. Specifically, Jesus has been tempted, which means for us he can, and will, be there to help us when we are tempted. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
This is one of the most meaningful passages in the entire gospel, the temptation of Jesus. Why? Because in this passage we are given the good news that Jesus has dealt with temptation, and that means Jesus can help us when we are tempted. Jesus knows what it means to face temptation, and because he knows that he can be there to help us as we face temptation. We do not follow a Lord who has no idea what we face. Rather, we follow a Lord who has been through what we go through. Specifically, Jesus has been tempted, which means for us he can, and will, be there to help us when we are tempted. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Friday, February 5, 2010
Mark 1: 1-8; John the Baptist Prepares the Way
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We are the new John the Baptist, meaning that we are the ones who are to prepare the way of the Lord. Someday, we will look and see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven. It will, for us, be a glorious day, but there is work to be done in the meantime, namely sharing the good news of Jesus that everyone will know Jesus and confess him as personal Lord and savior. Jesus gives the Great Commission just before he ascends into heaven, showing the importance of making disciples of all nations. We are to prepare the way for Jesus by making his name known across the world, by doing all we can to bring as many people to faith in Jesus Christ as we possibly can. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
We are the new John the Baptist, meaning that we are the ones who are to prepare the way of the Lord. Someday, we will look and see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven. It will, for us, be a glorious day, but there is work to be done in the meantime, namely sharing the good news of Jesus that everyone will know Jesus and confess him as personal Lord and savior. Jesus gives the Great Commission just before he ascends into heaven, showing the importance of making disciples of all nations. We are to prepare the way for Jesus by making his name known across the world, by doing all we can to bring as many people to faith in Jesus Christ as we possibly can. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for Sunday, February 7, 2010
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Old Testament lesson for this Sunday comes from Isaiah 6: 1-8, in which Isaiah has a vision and volunteers for God's service. The New Testament lesson is from Luke 5: 1-11, in which Jesus calls his first disciples. The sermon is titled 'Be Willing' and will focus on the ways in which we need to be willing to serve God. I hope to see you all on Sunday Morning. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
The Old Testament lesson for this Sunday comes from Isaiah 6: 1-8, in which Isaiah has a vision and volunteers for God's service. The New Testament lesson is from Luke 5: 1-11, in which Jesus calls his first disciples. The sermon is titled 'Be Willing' and will focus on the ways in which we need to be willing to serve God. I hope to see you all on Sunday Morning. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
2 Corinthians 13: 1-14; Final Warnings and Greetings
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Continue to work on your faith. That is basically what Paul is telling the Corinthians here, to continue to work on their faith. Faith is a journey with many ups and downs, twists and turns, holes and other types of obstacles. This means we need to continue to work hard to stay on the journey of faith. There may times when we want to stop, when we want to give up. In those times we need to work hard, to make sure we are keeping our faith in God, and making that faith even stronger. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Continue to work on your faith. That is basically what Paul is telling the Corinthians here, to continue to work on their faith. Faith is a journey with many ups and downs, twists and turns, holes and other types of obstacles. This means we need to continue to work hard to stay on the journey of faith. There may times when we want to stop, when we want to give up. In those times we need to work hard, to make sure we are keeping our faith in God, and making that faith even stronger. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
2 Corinthians 12: 11-21; Paul's Concern for the Corinthians
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul cares enough about the Corinthians to hold them accountable for what they are doing. Jesus tells that we are, at times, to correct one another, so that we can all work together to live holy lives. Paul is encouraging the same kind of relationship. We should not be mean and vindictive about things, but we should, if it is necessary, bring to someone's attention to their own sin. In so doing we help them in their journey of faith. Paul loves the Corinthians. He wants to see them do well. We should think and feel the same way. In a loving manner we should hold each other accountable for how we live our lives. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Paul cares enough about the Corinthians to hold them accountable for what they are doing. Jesus tells that we are, at times, to correct one another, so that we can all work together to live holy lives. Paul is encouraging the same kind of relationship. We should not be mean and vindictive about things, but we should, if it is necessary, bring to someone's attention to their own sin. In so doing we help them in their journey of faith. Paul loves the Corinthians. He wants to see them do well. We should think and feel the same way. In a loving manner we should hold each other accountable for how we live our lives. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
2 Corinthians 12: 1-10; Paul's Vision and His Thorn
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Take it to the Lord. That is what I hear in this passage. Paul has this thorn in his side, which causes him pain and grief on a regular basis. And in the midst of this pain he hears the word from Jesus, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Too often we imagine that we can handle our problems, our pain, ourselves. We refuse, for some reason, to go to the Lord with whatever may be troubling us. But in this passage we learn that Christ should be our number one destination when things are troubling us. When we are in a time of suffering we need to go to the Lord, recognize that his grace is sufficient to carry us through times of suffering. When you are troubled, take it to the Lord. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Take it to the Lord. That is what I hear in this passage. Paul has this thorn in his side, which causes him pain and grief on a regular basis. And in the midst of this pain he hears the word from Jesus, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Too often we imagine that we can handle our problems, our pain, ourselves. We refuse, for some reason, to go to the Lord with whatever may be troubling us. But in this passage we learn that Christ should be our number one destination when things are troubling us. When we are in a time of suffering we need to go to the Lord, recognize that his grace is sufficient to carry us through times of suffering. When you are troubled, take it to the Lord. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Monday, February 1, 2010
2 Corinthians 11: 16-33; Paul Boasts About His Suffering
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul is not only boasting here, he is celebrating. Paul rejoices in the suffering he endures because he knows that his suffering is to the glory of God the father. Paul's sufferings are the consequences of his work for the Lord, and there is no greater work than working for the Lord. I wonder if we would have the same joy in our hearts if we had to suffer in the same way. If we were like Paul and endured all of these trials and tribulations in the name of Jesus, would we celebrate, would we have joy? Is suffering easy? No. But if we are suffering in the name of Christ it is something that we can celebrate, for we know above all else that through our suffering we have brought honor and glory to God, which is our highest calling. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Paul is not only boasting here, he is celebrating. Paul rejoices in the suffering he endures because he knows that his suffering is to the glory of God the father. Paul's sufferings are the consequences of his work for the Lord, and there is no greater work than working for the Lord. I wonder if we would have the same joy in our hearts if we had to suffer in the same way. If we were like Paul and endured all of these trials and tribulations in the name of Jesus, would we celebrate, would we have joy? Is suffering easy? No. But if we are suffering in the name of Christ it is something that we can celebrate, for we know above all else that through our suffering we have brought honor and glory to God, which is our highest calling. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)