Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus is left utterly friendless at this stage in his life. One of his disciples betrayed him. One of his disciples denied being associated with him. The rest of his disciples fled in fear for their own lives. The religious leaders want to see Jesus Crucified. Pilate cowers before the crowd, and Herod does the same. No one seems to be on Jesus' side at this point. However, we can be sure God was on Jesus' side. As Jesus is hanging on the cross the sky grows dark. When Jesus actually does die we are told the earth shakes (according to Matthew's version of Jesus' death). Both events can be said to show God's sadness, and anger, at Jesus' death. And let us not forget Easter morning, when a resurrected Jesus walked out of the tomb. Jesus' earthly friends abandoned him. The earthly powers were in league against Jesus. However, God never left Jesus. The same is true of us. At times the world may turn it's back on us, but God never will will. He will never leave us nor forsake us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, January 31, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Luke 22: 63-65; The Guards Mock Jesus
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus did not just die for us, he suffered greatly. He was not only put through the pain and agony of the cross, but he was also mocked and ridiculed to no end. Jesus has gone through so much for our sake. He has sacrificed everything so that we might have life. What would drive a man to do such a thing? Love. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Jesus did not just die for us, he suffered greatly. He was not only put through the pain and agony of the cross, but he was also mocked and ridiculed to no end. Jesus has gone through so much for our sake. He has sacrificed everything so that we might have life. What would drive a man to do such a thing? Love. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Luke 22: 54-62; Peter Disowns Jesus
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Peter's experience here is a mirror for our journey of faith. There are times when we deny Christ. Perhaps not with the vehemence with which Peter does, but there are times when we live as though Jesus is not the center of our lives. Judas denies Jesus as well, denies he ever loved him by betraying him. Our actions do not follow Judas' exactly, but we all have times like Peter and Judas where we are not at our best. The question then becomes how will we react to that situation. Peter weeps bitterly and repents for his mistake. Judas hangs himself. It is not okay when we fall away, but there is a way back. If we repent Jesus will welcome us back. If, or when, you fall away, do not let the fall keep you away from Jesus forever. Return to him and he will welcome you with open arms. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Peter's experience here is a mirror for our journey of faith. There are times when we deny Christ. Perhaps not with the vehemence with which Peter does, but there are times when we live as though Jesus is not the center of our lives. Judas denies Jesus as well, denies he ever loved him by betraying him. Our actions do not follow Judas' exactly, but we all have times like Peter and Judas where we are not at our best. The question then becomes how will we react to that situation. Peter weeps bitterly and repents for his mistake. Judas hangs himself. It is not okay when we fall away, but there is a way back. If we repent Jesus will welcome us back. If, or when, you fall away, do not let the fall keep you away from Jesus forever. Return to him and he will welcome you with open arms. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Luke 22: 47-53; Jesus Arrested
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus always leads by example. Earlier in his ministry Jesus encourages his disciples to 'turn the other cheek.' Here we see Jesus doing just that. Jesus could have potentially fought his way out of this situation. At the very least Jesus could have allowed his disciples to do it for him. However, we see Jesus submit and willingly go with those who had come to arrest him. Jesus does not just 'talk the talk.' He 'walks the walk' as well. Let us all follow his example and turn the other cheek. We have all been sinned against like Jesus, but let us follow Jesus' example and forgive. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Jesus always leads by example. Earlier in his ministry Jesus encourages his disciples to 'turn the other cheek.' Here we see Jesus doing just that. Jesus could have potentially fought his way out of this situation. At the very least Jesus could have allowed his disciples to do it for him. However, we see Jesus submit and willingly go with those who had come to arrest him. Jesus does not just 'talk the talk.' He 'walks the walk' as well. Let us all follow his example and turn the other cheek. We have all been sinned against like Jesus, but let us follow Jesus' example and forgive. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, January 24, 2011
Luke 22: 39-46; Jesus Prays on the Mount of Olives
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus was a real human being, which makes his sacrifice that much more meaningful. Jesus, we are told here, sweated drops of blood as he prayed in the Garden. So anxious was Jesus that blood seeped from his pours. So great was his anguish that his blood ran so fast that it ran out of him. Jesus did not want to die. We know this by looking at his anguish in this scene. However, Jesus went to the cross anyway. He did not want to die, but he did anyway. And he did it for our sake. Let that fill you with joy and peace. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Jesus was a real human being, which makes his sacrifice that much more meaningful. Jesus, we are told here, sweated drops of blood as he prayed in the Garden. So anxious was Jesus that blood seeped from his pours. So great was his anguish that his blood ran so fast that it ran out of him. Jesus did not want to die. We know this by looking at his anguish in this scene. However, Jesus went to the cross anyway. He did not want to die, but he did anyway. And he did it for our sake. Let that fill you with joy and peace. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, January 23, 2011
Luke 22: 6-38; The Last Supper
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
'Do this in remembrance of me.' In all things, and at all times, we are called upon to remember the sacrifice Jesus made for us. This is to be done in joy, not in sadness. We remember in order to celebrate our salvation; we remember in order to celebrate the love Jesus has for us. Let us always remember to remember, with joy and thanksgiving, the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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'Do this in remembrance of me.' In all things, and at all times, we are called upon to remember the sacrifice Jesus made for us. This is to be done in joy, not in sadness. We remember in order to celebrate our salvation; we remember in order to celebrate the love Jesus has for us. Let us always remember to remember, with joy and thanksgiving, the sacrifice Jesus made for us on the cross. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, January 22, 2011
Luke 22: 1-6; Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Why did Judas betray Jesus? He wanted money. He wanted Jesus to be the military Messiah and was trying to force his hand, or was disappointed that Jesus was so passive. Whatever the reason behind Judas' act, the real root of the issue is that Judas had his mind on the things of this world. Judas was concerned only with the 'now' not the 'later.' We can learn a lesson from Judas. There is more to life that what we have now. This should make us live with joy, but also care because we will be held accountable for what we do here. Live in the blessings of the next life, but remember that this does not mean we do not have to behave in this life. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Why did Judas betray Jesus? He wanted money. He wanted Jesus to be the military Messiah and was trying to force his hand, or was disappointed that Jesus was so passive. Whatever the reason behind Judas' act, the real root of the issue is that Judas had his mind on the things of this world. Judas was concerned only with the 'now' not the 'later.' We can learn a lesson from Judas. There is more to life that what we have now. This should make us live with joy, but also care because we will be held accountable for what we do here. Live in the blessings of the next life, but remember that this does not mean we do not have to behave in this life. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, January 21, 2011
Luke 21: 5-38; The Destruction of the Temple and Signs of the End Times
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Things are going to get worse before they get better, but they will get better. One of the most prominent themes found in the Bible is the theme of hope. We can hope, assuredly, that things will improve, that things will get better. God makes that promise, and Jesus makes it here as well. Yes, the world is a bad place sometimes, filled with unspeakable evil and suffering. But God is going to redeem this world, and all of us. Hope. Have hope in your hearts that things will get better. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Things are going to get worse before they get better, but they will get better. One of the most prominent themes found in the Bible is the theme of hope. We can hope, assuredly, that things will improve, that things will get better. God makes that promise, and Jesus makes it here as well. Yes, the world is a bad place sometimes, filled with unspeakable evil and suffering. But God is going to redeem this world, and all of us. Hope. Have hope in your hearts that things will get better. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, January 20, 2011
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for January 23, 2011
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Old Testament lesson for this week comes from Isaiah 9: 1-4 in which a promise of deliverance and restoration is made. The New Testament lesson is from Matthew 4: 12-23, and sees the fulfillment of the promise in Isaiah. The sermon is titled 'All Better' and will focus on the ways God has made our lives, and the world, better, which staying true to the words of hope in the passage from Isaiah. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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The Old Testament lesson for this week comes from Isaiah 9: 1-4 in which a promise of deliverance and restoration is made. The New Testament lesson is from Matthew 4: 12-23, and sees the fulfillment of the promise in Isaiah. The sermon is titled 'All Better' and will focus on the ways God has made our lives, and the world, better, which staying true to the words of hope in the passage from Isaiah. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Luke 21: 1-4; The Widow's Offering
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The widow in this passage has become one of the most revered people in all of Scripture. Why? Because she gave, basically, all she had. However, giving isn't her only act of faith here. She also trusts that God is going to give her what she needs. She loves others, to be sure, which is why gives all she has, but she also has an amazing trust of the Lord. She knows, beyond the shadow of a doubt that God is going to give her all she needs. What if we trusted like that? How different would our lives, would the world, be if we trusted God completely. What if we believed with all our hearts God was going to take care of us? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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The widow in this passage has become one of the most revered people in all of Scripture. Why? Because she gave, basically, all she had. However, giving isn't her only act of faith here. She also trusts that God is going to give her what she needs. She loves others, to be sure, which is why gives all she has, but she also has an amazing trust of the Lord. She knows, beyond the shadow of a doubt that God is going to give her all she needs. What if we trusted like that? How different would our lives, would the world, be if we trusted God completely. What if we believed with all our hearts God was going to take care of us? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Luke 20: 45-47; Warning Against Teachers of the Law
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
There are people in this world whose only desire is to lead us away from Christ. There are people in the world who seek their own glory rather than God's. We need to be careful of these people. The Teachers of the Law, and other religious leaders, were Jesus' main enemies. They sought to lead people away from Jesus. They did this through words. Jesus warns his disciples. This warning still has meaning for us, because there are those in the world, some even cloaked in Christ, who would lead us away from Jesus. We need to heed Jesus' warning to stay away from them. Instead, let us continually, and repeatedly, read Scripture. For in those words we find our way to the true Christ. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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There are people in this world whose only desire is to lead us away from Christ. There are people in the world who seek their own glory rather than God's. We need to be careful of these people. The Teachers of the Law, and other religious leaders, were Jesus' main enemies. They sought to lead people away from Jesus. They did this through words. Jesus warns his disciples. This warning still has meaning for us, because there are those in the world, some even cloaked in Christ, who would lead us away from Jesus. We need to heed Jesus' warning to stay away from them. Instead, let us continually, and repeatedly, read Scripture. For in those words we find our way to the true Christ. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Luke 20: 41-44; Whose Son is the Messiah
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
This is a teaching exercise by Jesus. He does not provide an answer, but what he is really doing is trying to get his disciples, and other followers, to think about their faith and theology. It is important that we believe certain things about Jesus. There is not time to go into every theological point. In this instance, though, I think it is worth mentioning the importance of Jesus being God's true son. Jesus is not some random prophet. He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. That is one thing we need to always keep in the front of our minds. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
This is a teaching exercise by Jesus. He does not provide an answer, but what he is really doing is trying to get his disciples, and other followers, to think about their faith and theology. It is important that we believe certain things about Jesus. There is not time to go into every theological point. In this instance, though, I think it is worth mentioning the importance of Jesus being God's true son. Jesus is not some random prophet. He is the Christ, the Son of the Living God. That is one thing we need to always keep in the front of our minds. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, January 17, 2011
Luke 20: 27-40; The Resurrection and Marriage
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
I preached on this passage a couple months ago and will now what I said then: Heaven is going to be a good place. We do not necessarily like to hear Jesus say there will no marriage at the resurrection, but think of this woman who was passed around to all those brothers like a piece of property. For her, it is going to be a blessing to not be handled in such a way anymore. Will there be marriage in heaven? I would like to think so (I want to know my wife and I want her to know me). But one thing we do know: heaven is a place filled with blessings. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
I preached on this passage a couple months ago and will now what I said then: Heaven is going to be a good place. We do not necessarily like to hear Jesus say there will no marriage at the resurrection, but think of this woman who was passed around to all those brothers like a piece of property. For her, it is going to be a blessing to not be handled in such a way anymore. Will there be marriage in heaven? I would like to think so (I want to know my wife and I want her to know me). But one thing we do know: heaven is a place filled with blessings. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, January 16, 2011
Luke 20: 20-26; Paying Taxes to Caesar
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
What does this mean? We belong to God, so we should give ourselves to God. The money, that bears Caesar's image, belongs to Caesar, so it should be given back to him. We, though, are made in God's image, which means we belong to him. We should live our lives in perfect obedience to God's will. That is how we give ourselves to him, by being faithful. We have been made in God's image. We belong to him. We should give ourselves to him. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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What does this mean? We belong to God, so we should give ourselves to God. The money, that bears Caesar's image, belongs to Caesar, so it should be given back to him. We, though, are made in God's image, which means we belong to him. We should live our lives in perfect obedience to God's will. That is how we give ourselves to him, by being faithful. We have been made in God's image. We belong to him. We should give ourselves to him. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, January 15, 2011
Luke 20: 9-19; The Parable of the Tenants
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Another reminder to believe in and respect Jesus. He tells this parable to remind the people of God calling the propphets. The world rejected them, so God sent Jesus. That is good news for us. Since we have believed in Jesus we have received the blessings he brings. We have not rejected the cornerstone like some others in the world. We do have a job, though. We have all been called by God to share the good news of Jesus with those around us. Let us keep that in mind. Let us go forth and make sure the rest of the world does not reject the cornerstone. Gdo bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Another reminder to believe in and respect Jesus. He tells this parable to remind the people of God calling the propphets. The world rejected them, so God sent Jesus. That is good news for us. Since we have believed in Jesus we have received the blessings he brings. We have not rejected the cornerstone like some others in the world. We do have a job, though. We have all been called by God to share the good news of Jesus with those around us. Let us keep that in mind. Let us go forth and make sure the rest of the world does not reject the cornerstone. Gdo bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, January 14, 2011
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for January 16, 2011
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from John 1: 29-42, in which John the Baptist refers to Jesus as the Lamb of God. The sermon is titled 'Lamb of God' and will focus on that title and what it means for us. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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The Scripture passage for this Sunday is from John 1: 29-42, in which John the Baptist refers to Jesus as the Lamb of God. The sermon is titled 'Lamb of God' and will focus on that title and what it means for us. I hope to see you all in church on Sunday. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Luke 20: 1-8; The Authority of Jesus Questioned
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is sometimes easy to allow doubt to creep into our mings. The religious leaders around Jesus just could not believe that Jesus was the Messiah, and so they questioned him. Jesus is just as 'unbelievable' now as he was back then. In other words we can sometimes doubt Jesus if we do not remain strong in our faith. As we read through the gospels we may begin to look at Jesus and say to ourselves 'is this possible.' When these questions arise we need to get rid of them. Though it is sometimes difficult we need to remain strong in our faith to continue to believe in Jesus and not doubt him. He is the Christ. The Son of the Living God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
It is sometimes easy to allow doubt to creep into our mings. The religious leaders around Jesus just could not believe that Jesus was the Messiah, and so they questioned him. Jesus is just as 'unbelievable' now as he was back then. In other words we can sometimes doubt Jesus if we do not remain strong in our faith. As we read through the gospels we may begin to look at Jesus and say to ourselves 'is this possible.' When these questions arise we need to get rid of them. Though it is sometimes difficult we need to remain strong in our faith to continue to believe in Jesus and not doubt him. He is the Christ. The Son of the Living God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, January 13, 2011
Luke 19: 45-48; Jesus at the Temple
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
There needs to be reverence for the church. This is the house of the Lord. Granted, we are nowhere near as bad as the Temple officials in Jesus' time. They were corrupt and greedy. Nonetheless, we still need to read this passage and be reminded of the holiness of the place in which we worship, and when we come into this house we need to act faithfully. This is to be a house of prayer and worship, nothing else. We need to keep this house holy. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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There needs to be reverence for the church. This is the house of the Lord. Granted, we are nowhere near as bad as the Temple officials in Jesus' time. They were corrupt and greedy. Nonetheless, we still need to read this passage and be reminded of the holiness of the place in which we worship, and when we come into this house we need to act faithfully. This is to be a house of prayer and worship, nothing else. We need to keep this house holy. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, January 10, 2011
Luke 19: 28-44; Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus goes to Jerusalem, and therein lies all the significance. As we will see later in Luke's gospel, Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane that this cup (the crucifixion) will pass from him. In other words, Jesus does not want to be crucified. He does not want to face this terrible end. But he does face it, and it starts here, with Jesus going to Jerusalem. He could have gone somewhere else. He could have bypassed Jerusalem altogether. Instead, though, Jesus chooses to go to Jerusalem. He chooses to go there because that is what we needed. Jesus does not want to die, but he does so we can have life. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Jesus goes to Jerusalem, and therein lies all the significance. As we will see later in Luke's gospel, Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane that this cup (the crucifixion) will pass from him. In other words, Jesus does not want to be crucified. He does not want to face this terrible end. But he does face it, and it starts here, with Jesus going to Jerusalem. He could have gone somewhere else. He could have bypassed Jerusalem altogether. Instead, though, Jesus chooses to go to Jerusalem. He chooses to go there because that is what we needed. Jesus does not want to die, but he does so we can have life. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, January 9, 2011
Luke 19: 11-27; The Parable of the Ten Minas
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus has given us a very precious treasure: his word. Jesus has given us the words he spoke. These words are not supposed to be held in our hearts for only us to use. No, these words are to be shared with others, that they might, in turn, share them with others as well. Do not keep Jesus to yourself. Share him with those around you and so bring more people to the throne of God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Jesus has given us a very precious treasure: his word. Jesus has given us the words he spoke. These words are not supposed to be held in our hearts for only us to use. No, these words are to be shared with others, that they might, in turn, share them with others as well. Do not keep Jesus to yourself. Share him with those around you and so bring more people to the throne of God. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Saturday, January 8, 2011
Luke 19: 1-10; Zacchaeus the Tax Collector
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We all need to climb a tree. Zacchaeus cannot see Jesus, even though he wants to. Zacchaeus does what all of us need to do sometimes: he climbs a tree. He does not let anything get in his way of being able to see Jesus. Often times we give up and go home. Zacchaeus could have done that. Instead he chose to do what he could to see Jesus. Jesus is not always easy for us to see. Are we going to go home and lose hope of seeing him, or are we going to climb a tree to put ourselves in a better position? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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We all need to climb a tree. Zacchaeus cannot see Jesus, even though he wants to. Zacchaeus does what all of us need to do sometimes: he climbs a tree. He does not let anything get in his way of being able to see Jesus. Often times we give up and go home. Zacchaeus could have done that. Instead he chose to do what he could to see Jesus. Jesus is not always easy for us to see. Are we going to go home and lose hope of seeing him, or are we going to climb a tree to put ourselves in a better position? God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Friday, January 7, 2011
Luke 18: 35-42; A Blind Beggar Receives His Sight
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
'Lord, I want to see.' I wonder how different our lives would be if we said those words every day, if we asked God to help us see. We do not always have our eyes open to what God is doing in the world. The things of the world close our eyes so that we are blind to who God is and what he wants from us. Like the beggar who comes to Jesus in need of healing we all need to have our eyes opened that we might see who God is, what he is doing in the world, and what he requires of us. May God open your eyes. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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'Lord, I want to see.' I wonder how different our lives would be if we said those words every day, if we asked God to help us see. We do not always have our eyes open to what God is doing in the world. The things of the world close our eyes so that we are blind to who God is and what he wants from us. Like the beggar who comes to Jesus in need of healing we all need to have our eyes opened that we might see who God is, what he is doing in the world, and what he requires of us. May God open your eyes. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Thursday, January 6, 2011
Sunday Scripture and Sermon for January 9, 2011
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
The Scripture passage for this Sunday comes from Matthew 2: 1-12, which tells the story of the visit of the three wise men. The sermon is titled 'Prophet. Priest. King.' and will focus on the meaning of the gifts brought to the child Jesus. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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The Scripture passage for this Sunday comes from Matthew 2: 1-12, which tells the story of the visit of the three wise men. The sermon is titled 'Prophet. Priest. King.' and will focus on the meaning of the gifts brought to the child Jesus. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Luke 18: 31-34; Jesus Predicts His Death a Third Time
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Today is Epiphany, the day on which we remember and celebrate the visit of the wise man. Epiphany is a part of the Christmas season and story, and in today's passage we find Jesus predicting his death. Christmas and Epiphany are sad seasons to a certain extent because as we celebrate the birth of Christ we cannot help but remember the suffering Christ endured for our sake. As you read these words of Christ remember that they came true. Remember that Jesus died on the cross that we all might have life in us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Today is Epiphany, the day on which we remember and celebrate the visit of the wise man. Epiphany is a part of the Christmas season and story, and in today's passage we find Jesus predicting his death. Christmas and Epiphany are sad seasons to a certain extent because as we celebrate the birth of Christ we cannot help but remember the suffering Christ endured for our sake. As you read these words of Christ remember that they came true. Remember that Jesus died on the cross that we all might have life in us. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Luke 18: 18-30; The Rich and the Kingdom of God
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is not just the rich man's money that gets him into trouble, it is his attachment to his money. He goes away sad because he does not want to give everything up. This is a very specific saying of Jesus. In other words, Jesus tells this rich man to sell all he has and give the money to the poor because Jesus knows the rich man is very attached to his possessions. This is not necessarily a call for all of us to sell all we have and give the money away. There is nothing wrong with having things or money. However, if we let those things rule our lives then we need to make a change. The rich man allows his wealth and possessions to rule his life, so Jesus calls him to make a change. No matter how much, or little, we have, the point in all of this is to make sure Jesus is our number one priority. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
It is not just the rich man's money that gets him into trouble, it is his attachment to his money. He goes away sad because he does not want to give everything up. This is a very specific saying of Jesus. In other words, Jesus tells this rich man to sell all he has and give the money to the poor because Jesus knows the rich man is very attached to his possessions. This is not necessarily a call for all of us to sell all we have and give the money away. There is nothing wrong with having things or money. However, if we let those things rule our lives then we need to make a change. The rich man allows his wealth and possessions to rule his life, so Jesus calls him to make a change. No matter how much, or little, we have, the point in all of this is to make sure Jesus is our number one priority. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Luke 18: 15-17; The Little Children
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
Children believe anything. Their minds are such that if you tell them something they will listen. If you tell a child Jesus has the power to raise someone from the dead they will believe in that unconditionally. We need to have faith like that. When adults are told Jesus has the power to raise someone from the dead we ask questions, which shows we doubt, even in some small way. We need to have faith like a child and believe unconditionally in Jesus' power and love. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
<><
Children believe anything. Their minds are such that if you tell them something they will listen. If you tell a child Jesus has the power to raise someone from the dead they will believe in that unconditionally. We need to have faith like that. When adults are told Jesus has the power to raise someone from the dead we ask questions, which shows we doubt, even in some small way. We need to have faith like a child and believe unconditionally in Jesus' power and love. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Monday, January 3, 2011
Luke 18: 9-14; The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
I cannot say it any better than Paul who writes, 'All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.' No matter how perfect we think we are all of us have sinned. As such we should all spend time in prayer confessing our sins to God, asking him for forgiveness for the sins we have committed. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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I cannot say it any better than Paul who writes, 'All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.' No matter how perfect we think we are all of us have sinned. As such we should all spend time in prayer confessing our sins to God, asking him for forgiveness for the sins we have committed. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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Sunday, January 2, 2011
Luke 18: 1-8; The Parable of the Persistent Widow
Grace and peace to you from our Lord Jesus Christ.
We are not supposed to give up. One thing to remember, when it comes to prayer, is that God's time is not our time. God will answer prayers, but not always according to our time-table (or will for that matter). With that in mind we are to continue in our prayers, asking God for what we need knowing he will grant us that prayer. We need to be persistent. When our prayer is not answered right away we should not give up, but rather pray more. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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We are not supposed to give up. One thing to remember, when it comes to prayer, is that God's time is not our time. God will answer prayers, but not always according to our time-table (or will for that matter). With that in mind we are to continue in our prayers, asking God for what we need knowing he will grant us that prayer. We need to be persistent. When our prayer is not answered right away we should not give up, but rather pray more. God bless you.
Pastor Josh
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