January 28, 2024 |
Matthew 20:25-28 |
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We live in a day when many of us are drifting along without a guiding purpose in life. Or we’ve bought into the culture’s idea that happiness and fulfillment come from self gratification, of owning material things and having exciting experiences. Yet we still come up feeling empty and unfulfilled. Or we think that being successful, or being the greatest at something will fulfill us. But as many who have achieved worldly success have said, “It’s lonely at the top.” Because they left behind family or stepped on or over friends while climbing the so-called ladder of success. So how do find our purpose? How do we find ourselves?
Jesus says that the way to greatness, the way to leadership, is serving others. Jesus calls us to be servant leaders. In the book of Matthew, the mother of James and John asked Jesus to give her sons seats of authority in His kingdom. Jesus answered that leadership in His kingdom meant first becoming a servant. We can follow Christ’s call to servant leadership.
January 21, 2024 |
Romans 12:3-13 |
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We have more communication technology, but less person to person communication. We have more social media, but less time socializing together. We’ve supersized our stuff, but we’ve downsized our time with others. As a result we are becoming more and more isolated from our families and communities. That’s why the call of Christ is a simple call to a personal relationship. Jesus says, “Come, follow me.” Jesus wants to connect us to God and to God’s family.
In the book of Romans chapter 12, the apostle Paul appealed to believers to fully devote themselves to God, which would lead to a transformed and renewed mind that would know and follow the will of God (Rom.12:1-2). He then instructed them in the new way they were to think of themselves and one another in Christ. We can have this new way of thinking of ourselves and one another in Christ.
January 14, 2024 |
Mark 12:28-31 |
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Do you have a hurried life? Hurriedness is more than a bad habit, it reveals a condition of the heart. Did you know that God cares about your heart? That He cares about your love? What you put first?
In the gospel according to Mark, Jesus was asked what was the greatest commandment. In a sense he was asked to simplify all of the writings of Scripture down to one simple statement. Jesus didn’t pause. He gave them a simple command to put loving God first in their lives.
January 7, 2024 |
Matthew 4:18-22 |
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Our world has gotten overwhelming and complicated. Everything in your life takes up space. Whether it’s mental space, physical space, relational space or calendar space, you only have so much room.
How can we make space in our lives for what really matters? What if there was one singular and simple secret for having less useless and harmful clutter in your life and having more space for a better life? In the book of Matthew, Jesus called His disciples by simply saying, “Follow me.” Jesus called them to a relationship with Him that would lead them into full and abundant life, a better life. Of course, this meant leaving many other things behind. Jesus makes this same simple call to us. How do we answer His call?
Advent means “coming, appearing, or arrival.” It speaks of Christ’s past appearing in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago as well as His future promised appearing. As believers, we live between these two advents of Christ.
Therefore let us watch and wait for Christ’s soon return! We light candles of hope, peace, joy, and love, remembering the promises of God.
December 24, 2023 |
John 3:16 |
christmas
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Above all else Advent, which means arrival or coming, is about God’s love coming to us! You see, that’s what motivated the greatest gift ever given. It was God’s love. Yes, Jesus was wrapped in swaddling cloths, but more than that, He was wrapped in God’s love. As the Bible says, “For God so loved the world that He gave.” What did He give? He gave us Jesus.
As the prophet Isaiah proclaimed, “Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given” (Isa. 9:6). And as the angels proclaimed, “Unto you is born this day” (Luke 2:11). Jesus is God’s gift of love to us… to you!
So, God has given us this gift. It’s for you. It’s got your name on it. But it’s not really yours until you open it and receive it for yourself.
December 17, 2023 |
1 Peter 1:3-9 |
christmas
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Isn’t “joy” supposed to be what the Christmas season is about? Isn’t it why we say, “Merry Christmas?” The Advent season is an invitation for us to consider the promise of joy found only in Christ. In Peter’s first epistle, he encouraged the dispersed believers throughout Asia Minor to find their true joy in Christ. We can find our true joy in Christ.
December 10, 2023 |
John 14:27-28 |
christmas
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Where is the peace we are promised in the Christmas story? Today’s news is filled with stories of war. As the prophet Jeremiah said, “People are saying, ‘Peace, peace’ when there is no peace.”
Are you at peace today? Do you have a deep, abiding, quiet sense of peace? Or are you struggling with anxiety and a sense of disquiet and disorder? The Advent season is an invitation for us to consider the promise of peace found only in Christ. God’s peace is more than the absence of hostility. It is a divine state of tranquility and well-being, with God, self, and others. In the gospel of John, he reported how Jesus gave His disciples a promise of peace in Him at the last supper the night before His crucifixion. We can have this peace that Christ alone can give.
December 3, 2023 |
Titus 2:11-14 |
christmas
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At Jesus’ first advent, He was proclaimed as “Savior.” As the angels announced to the Shepherds, “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11). In His second advent, He will return as King and will gather all those as Paul says who “have longed for His appearing.” We live now between the two advents, the two comings… waiting… in anticipation of Christ’s return.
Do you remember the sense of anticipation you felt when you were a child at the approach of Christmas Day? Many today live lives of hopelessness. They don’t really have anything to look forward to. The Advent season is an invitation for us to step back from the busyness of our daily lives and to slow down and remember that Jesus has come and that Jesus is coming again. God has given us reason to hope, but our hope is not dependent on a wishful feeling. Our hope is in the person of Jesus! In the book of Titus chapter 2, the apostle Paul reminded his disciple Titus that the hope he had in Christ was a blessed hope. We can be reminded that the hope we have in Christ is a blessed hope.
November 19, 2023 |
Hebrews 5:1-10 |
exposition
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Do you ever feel like Job? “If only there were someone who could bring me together with God!” Someone who not only understands you and your situation, but also is able to bring you near to God? That was the purpose of the Old Testament high priest. He represented the people before God. Yet, they had shortcomings. Their ministry was always only a foreshadowing of the ministry of Jesus Christ.
In Hebrews 5:1-10, the author helped the Hebrew background believers understand why Jesus is a greater high priest. We can understand why Jesus is the greater high priest.
November 12, 2023 |
Hebrews 4:14-16 |
exposition
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We all want special treatment, special access, especially to something or someone we deem important or valuable to us. We want to go backstage. We want to be able to sit in the reserved seats. We want to sit courtside and actually meet the players and coaches and feel that we’re part of the team. We all have this deep need to know and be known. At its deepest level, I think this is a God-given desire for fellowship, with God and with others. God made us that way. And we’ll feel disconnected and spiritually empty until we find access to Him.
How are you feeling about your relationship with God today? Do you feel close to God or distant today? Do you feel you have VIP access to Him In Hebrews 4:14-16, the Jewish background believers were challenged to respond rightly to Jesus as the great high priest opening up a greater access to God’s throne of grace. We can respond rightly to Jesus as the great high priest who opens up greater access to God.
