MESSAGES
Listen
&
Watch
Fresh Set of Eyes
A Fresh Set of Eyes
Do you have some things in your life that you would love to be able to see with a “fresh set of eyes?” Easter is meant to give us such eyes in the key places of our lives. It’s what we explore in the next few weeks.
April 11, 2021 In The Desert
Does life at times seem “dry” to you? Do you feel like you’re just going through the motions? Have you lost that sense of purpose and meaning? Are you at times running on empty wondering if there is anything worth living for? There is. It’s what we talk about today.
April 18, 2021 In the Crises of Faith
Do you ever doubt the things you thought you’d never doubt? Do you ever come to that moment when what you thought was absolute settled solid ground turns into quicksand? In these times, Where is God for us…for me?... Even when I doubt everything that I thought I believed? Is He close to me…even then? And if so, what does He think of me and what is He doing? In my crises of faith where is God and what is He about? It’s what we talk about today.
April 25, 2021 In the Try-Hard Life
Are you like me? It seems like I am always trying to find the right rhythm in my life…but I always feel a little off. I just can’t seem to find it. But it’s there. We just need to see it. It’s what we talk about today.
May 2, 2021 In the Loneliness
Where do you feel alone? And what has brought you to that place?
Anger? Frustration? Disappointment? Defeat? Fear? Or perhaps just not being able to “put it all together?” What would it mean if you were not alone? If someone was with you who knew you perfectly, listened to your heart, and knew how to help? Because there is. It is what we talk about today.
May 9, 2021 In Death (And Life )
Ok. I know we don’t like to talk about it, but not one of us is getting out of here alive. Death is reality. So, what’s your take on it? And how does it affect how you LIVE? And what would it mean if you could have your questions answered? Because you can. It’s what we talk about today.
Intersect
(God’s Love in the Hard Places)
Even in the midst of the brokenness and struggles – the hard places - of our lives, every human being knows deep down that God is there.
But what does this mean for us? How does God intersect the “hard places of our lives” with His love? For a thousand years or more Christians have set aside the days of Lent (the 40 days before Easter not counting the Sundays) to remember just this – to be comforted, rejuvenated, and reoriented in living in His love. Deep down we all know He is there. We all know that somehow His love intersects our brokenness. In the next few weeks we will explore anew just what this means for us.
Sunday, February 21st Kingdom.
The children of Israel spent 40 years in the wilderness. Jesus spent 40 days there. John the Baptist rotted in prison until the time he was beheaded. Paul wrote much of the New Testament from prison. Where are you in a desert? Where are you in the dungeon of a prison? Right in these places is where the love of God intersects with our lives. It is what we focus on today.
Sunday, February 28th Peace.
Have you ever noticed? Peace – real peace – transcends the circumstances; it doesn’t come from them. I have seen it again and again. The woman who lost both legs and an arm to diabetes and lived in a very dirty and smelly nursing home – yet dwelled in an aura of peace. The man who….and I could go on and on. This is what we focus on today. Peace that transcends/intersects every hard place in our lives.
Sunday, March 7th Questions.
Questions. We all have them, especially in the broken places – the hard places – of our lives. A famous Christian who lived about 500 years ago (His name was Martin Luther) wrote about the “deus abscondicus” - the hidden will of God, the questions. He cautioned trying to look into it because, after all, it was hidden and was meant to be hidden. Instead he said to look where the love of God intersected into the questions. It is what we look at today.
Sunday, March 14th Light.
There is a rule of thumb when dealing with addiction. That which is left in the darkness continues to have power over you. But that which is brought out into the light can begin to be dealt with and overcome. Jesus is the light of the world. His light would intersect with every darkness that holds sway in our lives. It is what we focus on today.
Sunday, March 21st Greatness.
No child fantasizes about being on the losing team in the Super Bowl. We all want to “win!” To “amount to something.” To “make our lives count.” To “live for something greater than ourselves.” To “be great.”
It is as if someone made us this way – and He did! But have you ever noticed?...as we get older we tend to lose hope for greatness, especially in the hard places? Today the love of God intersects with our hearts desire to be great, even if we have given up hope.
Sunday, March 28th Presence. Palm Sunday
I worked in a grocery store in Newport Beach, CA during college. One day John Wayne comes sauntering in bigger than life. He was quite a presence as He gestured to all of our rafts and boomed, “I’ll take them all, my grandkids are here!” Another time, hot and sweaty with three young children and being the very next ones in line, we were held up at LAX while they ushered ahead of us Magic Johnson, bigger than life. What was even better was that after we boarded the plane, He came back to us – he stepped into our world from first class - and apologized to me and my family. What a class act. Today Jesus saunters into our world, intersecting with us especially in the hard places. Amazing.
Real
Real Time. Real People. Real Savior.
Sometimes we forget. We talk so much about Jesus and the cross and think so much about what it means. We see literally thousands of pictures and paintings from animated films to Renaissance works to the historically realistic setting of the Jesus of Nazareth film. But in spite of this – and maybe because of it – we forget that Jesus was a real man who lived in the real world and who had real people – people just like us- around Him, reacting and responding to Him. We forget that He is the real flesh and blood Savior who stepped into the lives of flesh and blood people…and who would step into our flesh and blood lives as our real Savior as well. This is our focus on these Wednesdays in Lent.
Ash Wednesday, February 17, 2021 “The Absent”
They should have been there, all twelve of them. But one had betrayed Him, one had denied Him, and the rest had run out on Him. Only one had returned. The others were “The Absent” or “The Missing.” Tonight is about them….and Jesus as their Savior… and about Jesus as the Savior of all “The Absent,” even when we are among them.
February 24, 2021 “The Haters”
It must have been a terrible scene. The haters “hurled insults at him” and made fun of him in the midst of His suffering as He bled from His wounds and struggled for each breath; as He was dying. Tonight is about them…and Jesus as their Savior … and about Jesus as the Savior of all the haters, even when we are among them.
March 3, 2021 “The Hopeful”
Have you ever been “on the outside looking in,” knowing that there was no way you could “get in?” When Jesus died, amidst all the haters there was one who against all hope desperately wanted into His kingdom. Tonight is about him and the open arms of Jesus. But it is also about us…and all those who are on the “outside looking in,” yet dare to hope for more.
March 10, 2021 “The Faithful”
All four Gospels – the eyewitness accounts of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus – there are short lists of the followers of Jesus who were there at the cross. These were the faithful. One who is mentioned by name in every list of the women who were there both at the cross and the tomb is Mary Magdalene. Why? What made her faithful? How did she know this flesh and blood Savior? What are we to see here? And how does this empower us to know Him in such a way to be faithful as well?
March 17, 2021 “The Family”
There is an old popular song entitled, “We are Family.” And we are. Jesus calls us His Brothers and Sisters – and declares God the Father to be our Father. So what does it mean? On the cross, we see how He treats family. It’s our focus tonight.
March 24, 2021 “The Outsider”
I grew up next door to a Roman Catholic family. They had a son, Tom, who was a year younger than I was and we were close friends. When he graduated from the 8th grade he threw a party and asked me to come. So I did. All the rest of the guests were from the Roman Catholic Grade school he had attended. Nobody would dance with me the entire night….and then came the last song and one girl walked over and asked me if I wanted to dance. It felt good not to be an outsider anymore. Tonight is about the outsiders – including us – and Jesus making us “insiders.”
Together
Together. How’s that working for you? One of the great paradoxes of the past 8 months is the great need for connection – for relationship – and yet the great challenge to be healthy in them. Healthy. In the “together.” This is what we explore through the wisdom of God in our next series. We begin January 17th .
January 24, 2021 Be Present
Sounds so simple, doesn’t it? If we want to “be together” and “do together” well, we have to be present – really present – for one another. When we don’t feel like it. When we are tired. When life’s a mess. When life’s going great. Bottom line. We need to show up. Be present. How are you tempted not to be present? And where are you not sure how to “be present?” Today we focus on God’s wisdom and power as we look to “be present.”
January 31, 2021 Be Grace-filled
Grace is God’s undeserved love. It is by grace that we know and receive by faith our “togetherness” with God through the forgiveness of sins. Today, we focus on what it means to be grace-filled; to live grace filled in our relationships as we do life “together.” Imagine, we really can give others what Jesus has given us. Grace.
February 7, 2021 Be Open
Theatre teachers – and Psychology Professors – talk about having an open or closed “posture.” That is, the body language communicates before a word is spoken whether that person is open or closed to connect with another. What is your “posture” when it comes to being “together.” Is it “open?” That is, authentic, genuine, real, transparent…or something else. Today, in our longing to be “together,” we focus on being open toward God as well as one another. The place we end up may surprise you.
February 14, 2021 Be a Blessing
The other day a friend of mine who used to be my neighbor, a professional painter, dropped by to answer some questions I had about a job I want to do myself. He was great and very helpful. As we talked, he shared how he was struggling over how hateful people are to each other – especially when they don’t agree on something. He even gave me a colorful bumper sticker he had designed and had printed up and was giving away. It said simply, “B-Kind.” In our doing life “together” God would simply say, “Be a blessing.” And then He would come alongside us and show us how. This is our focus today. While it may be the last Sunday in our series, it just may be the most important!
What’s in a Name?...He will Be Called…
We named our daughter Sarah. Why? Because Jane loved the name and had said if she ever had a daughter this would be her name. My oldest son is named after my brother who died after living only three days. James is named after one of my very best friends. Names almost always have a story – a meaning – behind them. JESUS. EMMANUEL. What’s in these names? What is the story behind them? How about the title, “Christ?” Or the titles given to Jesus by the prophet Isaiah 700 years before He was born; “Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace?” This will be our focus on the Wednesdays leading up to Christmas. What do they all mean?....for us?
Wednesday, December 2nd Jesus, Emmanuel (The Christ)
Do you know who named Jesus? It wasn’t Mary or Joseph. It was His Heavenly Father, God Himself. Tonight, we examine the name and the title that Jesus’ Heavenly Father gave to Him. It was no accident. And yes, it has great meaning for us.
Wednesday, December 9th Jesus, Emmanuel (The Wonderful Counselor/Mighty God)
Have you ever wished you had someone wise and understanding to whom you could pour out your heart and thoughts? One who would lovingly listen and then give you perfect wisdom for your life? Have you ever longed to have such perfect wisdom that you could lovingly speak into the life of another? Jesus is THE Wonderful Counselor…and He is here for you and for all for He is Emmanuel.
Wednesday, December 16th Jesus, Emmanuel (The Prince of Peace)
A baby tends to turn our lives upside down. We sleep less - sometimes a lot less. Our schedules are often turned upside down. And we are caring for another little person 24-7! Yet in the midst of it all there is a transcending peace. In Isaiah, Jesus is called “The Prince of Peace.” This baby also will turn our lives upside down but in the midst of it He brings THE Peace of God which transcends all things.
Christmas Changes Everything
Especially this year, we are all waiting for things to change, to get BETTER – right? Pandemic and social upheaval, uncertainty and shadows, hurt and heartache, violence and hatred, sickness and death, emptiness, despair, and hopelessness. It has been quite a year! Not one of us has been left unscathed. And yes, we all long for change!
But what if the change has already come? …And it somehow transcends everything that is wrong and broken? What if it is a gift placed right in front of us by God Himself to live in everyday?
What if this transcendent change came 2000 years ago? What if it came in a baby? Wouldn’t it be amazing if something that brings such change to our everyday lives - a baby - would be used by God to bring foundational, transformational, and transcending change to us all? This is what we will focus on throughout December as we prepare to celebrate Christmas. Christmas changes everything! Maybe the idea of the baby is that God doesn’t want us to miss it.
Sunday, November 29th “Not Ever Alone” (Praise His Name!)
“One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do.” Can you relate to these words? They were sung by the band “Three Dog Night.” There are countless ways to experience loneliness – physically, emotionally, psychologically, spiritually. But at the root of all of them is the feeling that you are utterly alone. Christmas means it’s not true. It means that we are not ever alone. Today, God whispers this truth anew into our hearts.
Sunday, December 6th “God is Here (It Makes a Difference)
We all long for things to be different, even as we hope to be difference makers. How about you? Jesus came to make a difference not just by what He did but through what He would do in each of us. Christmas is meant to make a difference both in you and through you. This is our focus today.
Sunday, December 13th “No Doubts” And Living Like It!)
When I was a coach, you could always pick out the kids who were certain they wanted to be there. Being certain gave them focus, energy, drive, and purpose. Have you ever been in that place where you are unsure of your direction or what you should be doing? …where doubts are eating away at you, sapping your focus, energy, drive, and purpose? Are you perhaps carrying some doubt with you right now about God and your life in Him? Christmas means that we can be rid of these doubts. And Christmas means that we can live like it.
Sunday, December 20th “It’s Personal” (What Will You Do?)
We tend to live impersonal lives. We can go weeks never setting foot in the neighborhood as we go from garage to car and back to garage again - and even more so with the COVID 19 reality. We listen to or watch or read the News about struggles of people all around us, but we rarely connect personally with their struggles – am I right? At times we are even surrounded by people in close proximity, yet we carefully keep our distance on a personal level. After all they might want something from us. Do you think maybe, just out of habit, we do this with God as well? Perhaps this is why we can feel so disconnected to Him. Christmas means that in spite of us, God comes to us personally. His love is personal! And our lives lived out in Him are meant to be the same!
Adventure
With our move to a new building and the ways we've had to adapt through a pandemic, our St. Matthew family has been adventuring through a wilderness. Wilderness is a theme throughout Scripture. Through the wilderness, God teaches His people to pack light, to be adaptable to change, and above all to trust Him more as He prepares them for what is ahead. Through this time, God has been doing the same for us. We are learning to let go of the things that weigh us down as we let go of our plans and trust in His provision. Through the twists and turns of our adventure through a wilderness, God is growing our faith and trust in Him. He is preparing us for an exciting future!
Over the next few weeks, we are going to talk about the journey that we have been on. We are going to unpack what we've been learning and look more closely at how we can walk closer to God. Get ready as we journey as the St Matthew family together with God on an adventure as God equips us to make a difference in our lives and for His Kingdom.
Sunday, October 18th “Giants in the Land”
God has always called His people into the adventure of joining Him on His mission. Noah. Abraham. Moses. The Children of Israel. David. Daniel. The Twelve. And you. In every case, there has been obstacles. In the case of the Children of Israel, there were “giants” in the land. Today, we look at the Vision God lays before us and the giants that we face, as God would invite each of us to boldly and joyfully say, “Yes! I’m in!”
Sunday, October 25th “Wandering the Wilderness”
I remember my first year of playing little league football. It was like “wandering in the wilderness.” I remember the flutter kicks until you thought your stomach would burst. I remember the running. I remember how I didn’t even know how to get into a stance. I remember even having to be shown how to put on my pads. And I remember a coach that was right there with me from running the sprints to checking my gear. “Wandering in the wilderness”…but through it I learned and grew. As we “wander through the wilderness” during our lives of ministry with Jesus, just like with His ancient people God is with us to grow us into all we were meant to be as we “enter into a new land.” This is what we look at today as the Spirit of Christ would invite each of us to say boldly an joyfully, “Yes! I’m in!”
Sunday, November 1st “Are We There Yet?” (On the Shore of the Jordan)
Moses had led the Children of Israel to the brink of entering the Promised Land. But God had said He would not be able to enter it. However, God, in His grace, took Moses up on a high mountain and showed him the whole land. He saw the Vision but was not able to enter. Today, we see the Vision! And then God, in His grace, would invite us to enter.
Sunday, November 15th We Have Arrived! (Crossing the Jordan!)
As with the Children of Israel, God has brought us to this point to go into a new land with a new Vision as we continue to walk with Jesus. The Children of Israel, with joy and thanksgiving, being miraculously led into the new land, proceeded to make sure they never forgot as they committed to the new mission before them. And so it is with us. With joy and thanksgiving, we are led into a new land of mission and ministry. What will be our pillars of remembrance as God invites each of us to “cross the Jordan” into this new land? …as He invites us to boldly and joyfully say, “Yes! I’m in!”
Torn Apart
COVID 19. Economic uncertainty. Job loss. Racism. Racial tension. Violence. Social upheaval. Election fears. Unanswered questions. Distrust. Anger. Struggle. Loss. Trauma is best defined as a deeply distressing physical, psychological, or emotional experience. Sound familiar? Normally, 20% of the population is experiencing trauma at any given time, but it seems to me we are probably approaching 100% at the moment. That is, it would seem to me that every one of us is living through deeply distressing experiences (trauma) somewhere in our lives right now as we live through our world, our nation, our families, our friends, and our lives torn apart by all these things.
How are YOU doing? The next few weeks we will focus on how God meets us in our torn apart world – in the midst of our trauma – bringing his wholeness and healing. Why? Trauma is something one ignores at their own peril. It needs to be addressed, brought out in the open and talked about with other people, and into the healing power of our loving God. Why? So we can be whole again…and so we can bring this wholeness into the lives of broken, traumatized, people and our broken world.
Find Support & Learn How to Support Others
One great resource that we would suggest is the booklet “Beyond Disaster” from the Trauma Healing Institute.
But don’t go it alone! Experts say that in this time of trauma, we ought to look for ways to connect with others even if we feel like being alone. So, go through this resource with family or others that you know.
Join a virtual (4 week) ZOOM group as they work through the booklet together. Sessions begin the week of September 13. Click here to register for a session.
Messages
Sunday, September 13th Yet NOT Alone
One symptom of trauma is feeling like no one is listening to you, that you have “lost your voice,” that you are all alone. While these feelings may be there, God is also there. We are not alone. Today we explore what this means. Today we explore how we can act on it.
Sunday, September 20th Yet NOT Out of Control
Another symptom of trauma is the high anxiety caused by a feeling that everything has spun “out of control” and there is only chaos and destruction in our world and lives and there is nothing we can do about it. While these feelings may be there, the truth is that nothing is out of control. God firmly remains in power over all things. None of this surprised Him. Today we focus on this truth. And what this means for our lives.
Sunday, September 27th Yet NOT Powerless
Yet another symptom of trauma is the feeling of helplessness and because of this, symptoms of anger, irritability, and aggressiveness. While these feelings may be there, the truth is that we are not powerless. Rather, what we do can and does make a difference through Him who controls all things. This is our focus today.
Sunday, October 4th Yet Living in HOPE
Still another symptom of trauma is a feeling of hopelessness that lasts more than a few weeks. (Note: Hope is a belief that “things will get better sooner or later.”) How are you doing with this one? With all that is swirling around us, do you still believe that every day can be better than the last? While we can certainly experience the feeling of hopelessness attached to trauma, the truth is that there is a hope that will never fade; a certainty that tomorrow will be better that is grounded in God himself.
PAUSE
In the midst of this pandemic, in a way God has allowed the pause button to be pushed on the normal way we do things. I believe that God is inviting us to recalibrate our lives in this time and find real rest. Rest is a fundamental part of our human lives. In particular, we as followers of Jesus find our rest in our identity and rest in Jesus. Real Rest involves 4 components, Stopping, Resting, delighting and Pondering.
Stop
August 16, 2020
Rest
August 23, 2020
Practicing God’s Sabbath means more than just stopping work. If you work from home, then Sabbath might mean you need a change of scenery! As we stop from our work, God invites us to find rest--to rest from our worries, our tough decisions, our hurry. God invites us to rest in Him. This can and should look different for each of us. As a pastor whose job involves a lot of thinking and deep conversations, I find rest in doing projects around the house! As the Bible tells us, the Sabbath is designed to serve us. Not the other way around. While God’s command is clear in the Old Testament, Jesus brings a new vision for what Sabbath-keeping is, and it is marked by doing restful things that replenish us.
Delight
August 30, 2020
When Lindsay and I first went to visit Sedona for our first call to find a place to live and meet the congregation, we landed in Phoenix at night and made the 2 hour drive in the dark. I will never forget the astonishment that I experienced the first time I looked outside in the daylight and saw the beauty of the red rocks. At first, sitting on the back patio watching the colors change on the rocks as the sun set was a weekly if not nightly practice. But as time passed, we became accustomed to our surroundings zipping along with the local traffic.
It happens to us all as people. What has God given you to delight in that you are taking for granted? What do you need to look at again in gratitude, a spouse? a child? His Creation? God blesses us with things to delight in not because he has to, but because he loves us. May God's spirit renew your ability to delight in the gifts that He has given you as we talk about "Delight" this weekend as part of our Pause series.
Ponder
September 6, 2020
Flourish- Especially Now
Happy: Inside and Out
June 7, 2020
What to do with… Anger
June 21, 2020
It Looks a Lot Like… Well… Love
July 5, 2020
Words Spoken
July 19, 2020
In the Fight
August 2, 2020
Dealing with Fear
June 14, 2020
Not Good to Be Alone
June 28, 2020
Love Never Fails
June 12, 2020
Mercy
July 26, 2020
Resurrection Stories
Reset
April 26, 2020
Up from the Ashes
April 19, 2020
Belonging
May 3, 2020
Plans for You: It’s Personal
May 17, 2020
A Clearing of the Eyes
May 10, 2020
No Cause to Daydream
May 24, 2020
Faith over Fear
Spirit and Truth
March 22, 2020
In the Midst of Uncertainty
March 15, 2020
Redeeming Suffering
March 29, 2020
Palm Sunday
April 5, 2020
Plastic Donuts
About 10 years ago Jane and I went to Maui. On the third day she got very sick. I rushed her to the hospital where they told us that she had an infection that, unless they could identify the microbe in time, would certainly take her life. It was literally a race to save her life. I got out of the expensive, resort hotel room and found a “dive” near the hospital so I could walk back and forth every day. It was touch and go for about 7 days. On day two I went into a mall that I was walking by and bought her an expensive necklace. It was something I wanted to do. It had great meaning for me. About a year later, Jane told me how much the gift meant to her in that it said to her, “we’re going to beat this thing and get on with our lives. I mean, why would I be buying her an expensive necklace if I thought she was going to die?”
Giving good gifts. It is so powerful, a source of great satisfaction and joy, both for the one giving it and the one receiving it. How have you experienced this in your life? In the next few weeks this will be our focus as we live our lives in relationship with Jesus, in the blessing and lifestyle of “giving good gifts.”
In connection with our focus, we would like to give every family what we think is a very good gift; the book “Plastic Donuts.” The writer looks at this question of “Giving Good Gifts” from a unique perspective that I know has already been a blessing in my life and I am sure will be a blessing in your life as well as he looks at the power of gifts, the way we give, and to whom we give. Because finally, “Giving Good Gifts” is a wonderful, life-giving and life-enriching gift in our lives!
Sunday, March 1st The Heart of the Matter
Plastic Donuts? What’s that all about? It’s what we talk about today. It’s the heart of everything. It’s about our relationship with God. This honestly is from a perspective you perhaps have never thought of before. It’s worth taking a look.
Sunday, March 8th Does The Gift Matter?
People like to say, “it’s the heart that counts” when it comes to gift giving. But is this true? Doesn’t the gift reveal the heart? It’s what we talk about today.
Rule #1: There Are No Rules
Ok. What are the rules? Have you noticed that whenever we make relationships about rules we lose something? When it comes to Giving Good Gifts, there honestly are no rules. But where does that leave us? It’s what we talk about today.
Because You Can
So, if there are no rules, why do we give?...And are there any insights to help us? This is our focus today.
The Heart Matters
Bottom line. The opposite Bookend of week one. The heart is what matters. It’s about relationship. Why? Because that is what life is about!
Good Friday Connections
“Good Friday Connections”
Sometimes it is good to slow down and think about things. For over a millenia Christians have set aside the 40 days before Easter (not counting the Sundays) to do just this; to examine and reflect on their own lives as well as on the cross of Jesus and what this means for them.
Part of this is experienced in special worship. Lent begins with Ash Wednesday, a worship time of reflection both on who we are and how the cross of Jesus intersects with our great need. (Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust, Victory in the Cross!). This is then followed by Wednesday worship on each of the following Wednesdays leading up to Palm Sunday. Again, the focus is on our unique human condition and how the cross of Jesus meets us there with the overwhelming love of God. Finally, on the Thursday and Friday before Easter there is special worship as we turn our hearts and minds to the last two days of Jesus life and His last words spoken from the cross.
Our theme for our Lenten Wednesday worship beginning with Ash Wednesday on February 26th is “Good Friday Connections.” Good Friday is the day on which Jesus died. And our connections to this horrible, yet wonderful day is with the people who were there. John and Peter and Mary, the mother of Jesus, and more. Each evening we will examine the great needs of our human condition through the eyes and experiences of those who were there – as well as what it means to be under the reality of the cross of Jesus.
Sometimes it is good to slow down and think about things, especially the things that matter and how Jesus is there. These Wednesdays are just such an opportunity.
Ash Wednesday, February 26th John: Not Meant To Be Alone (Imposition of Ashes/Holy Communion)
Do you remember the line from the song? “Number one is the loneliest number…” It’s true. We were not made to do life alone. Yet, at times, we feel so alone. It’s why Jesus came with the message of the cross.
Wednesday, March 4th Peter: A Difficult Forgiveness
I knew a man – a very good man – who had served in the Army in a war and could not forgive himself for what he had to do as a soldier. No matter what I said over a number of years, his self-condemnation was so great that I don’t think he could even hear my voice. Can you relate? If so, there is one voice that is strong enough for all of us to hear. It comes from the cross.
Wednesday, March 18th The Centurion: What Now?
Have you ever been in that place in your life where you are asking this question? (What now?) The cross of Jesus is like a line of demarcation in our lives. It changes everything. And it also brings an answer to our “What now?”
Wednesday, March 25th Mother of Criminal: Believe!
I think “faith” gets a bad rap. Everyone thinks it is so weak. But really, it is the strongest thing in our existence. Think about it. Would you get married if you didn’t believe the promise of your spouse to “love and to cherish you for a lifetime?” Would you go to work if you didn’t believe you were going to get paid? Would you pay to put gas in your car if you weren’t sure it was gas? Everything we do is based on faith. The message of the cross today to you?...Believe!
Wednesday, April 1 Mary: It’s Not Over
Do you know the Yogi Bear-ism? “It’s not over ‘til it’s over.” What he was saying is that in any athletic contest one should never relax and think they have it won because well… “it’s not over ‘til it’s over.” What does this have to do with the cross and our lives? It’s what we look at tonight.
Thursday, April 9th 7pm The Last Days: A Living Example (Maundy Thursday)
As my father got older, he would often say to us, his children, “Now I want you guys to love each other – and your mother – when I’m gone.” His words, spoken more and more often, were strong, but the most powerful thing he did was to live his life loving us and our mother. Tonight, we focus on the living example of Jesus for us in His last days. It too is powerful!
Friday, April 10th, 7pm The Last Word: It is Finished (Good Friday)
“Scoreboard!” It is what is said when there is a strong disagreement over who the better team is after they have played a game. Who won? “Scoreboard!” That settles it! It’s the “last word!” Tonight we look at the “last word” of Jesus for us. “Scoreboard!”
Living Your Best Life
“Living Your Best Life”
I know a young married couple who lived in the beautiful city of Seattle, with both of them having very good jobs. But they gave it up. He quit his job with no other prospects, she took hers with her – though she still has to commute to Seattle once a week – and they moved to the middle of Idaho. Why? They were looking to “Live Their Best Life.” He had really gotten into baking bread and they loved the small town life. So, he bakes bread and sells it on Saturdays at a kind of “Farmer’s Market,” and they live a much slower paced life which they love. But, to be honest, they don’t know how long they’ll stay there or how long he’ll bake bread as they continue to search for and live their best life.
How about you? Are you looking to live your best life? If so, how’s it working out for you? There’s so many questions, isn’t there? What is “my best life?” What does it look like? How do you measure it? How do you know when you’re there? How can you find it? What does it mean? Yet, we all seem to know that there is a reality of “living our best life,” a reality that would fill us up and make us whole and complete. Finally, it is what we are all looking for….have you found it yet?
In this message series, we will explore “Living Your Best Life.” It’s what Jesus talks about right at the beginning of his longest recorded message, oftentimes referred to as “The Sermon on the Mount.” Over and over again he says, “blessed are they who…” What does this word “blessed” mean? Some like to say it means happy or full of joy but at it’s core the meaning is this; “A fortunate state of life.” Jesus came so that we could live our best life. This will be our focus in the next few weeks. Whether you are a Jesus follower or not – or perhaps just trying to figure it all out – this series is for you. Wouldn’t it be nice to live your best life?....and know it?
Sunday, January 5th A New Way (This One Is Different; This One You Can Trust)
Two things here. 1.They say it is insanity to keep doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result. 2. Have you ever noticed how one just gives up after disappointment upon disappointment upon disappointment? Jesus came so we could “Live our best life.” He brings a new way. It is different from all the ways that have failed us. It is the one we can trust.
Sunday, January 12th No Dead Ends
Do you ever feel like you hit a “dead end” in your life? Or perhaps you see it in the lives of those around you?...or even beyond as you see the hurt and hopelessness in our world? It’s not true. Living your best life is knowing this and living in it.
Sunday, January 19th Having It All
I took my daughter to school on the first day of her freshman year in High School. She was so excited as she shared with me everything she wanted to do and be involved in that year. Being concerned that she was setting herself up for disappointment, I gently suggested she would perhaps have to make some choices because it would be hard to do everything she wanted to do. I will never forget her answer. With great joy she said, “Daddy, I want to do it all!” Living your best life is doing – and having – it all. But what does this mean and what does it look like? This is our focus today.
Sunday, January 26th Being Filled Up
The truth of the analogy here is striking. Like a car when the gas gauge is on the beg “E,” when one is on empty they won’t get far. Where are you on empty? Living your best life can only happen when you are “filled up.” It’s what we talk about today.
Sunday, February 2nd Eyes That See
What is that saying, “Perception is in the eye of the beholder?” So, if you want to perceive clearly, you first have to see clearly. Today we focus on how we see ourselves and others. It is a key to living our best life. The insight is given to us by Jesus.
Sunday, February 9th Focus
Multi-tasking. Did you know it’s a myth? Studies have now shown conclusively that a person can only do one thing at a time. And when we try to do more, these same studies show that our performance actually suffers and we do nothing well. So, what does this mean with respect to living our best life? It’s what we look at today.
Sunday, February 16th Making A Difference
It’s called the “search for significance.” Simply put, we all want to make a difference. Knowing that we are is really a key to “living our best life.” This is the focus of Jesus today. It may not be what you think.
Sunday, February 23rd Worth the Cost
Have you ever heard of a “mid-life crises?” What happens is that a person makes all kinds of (sometimes) crazy changes in their life because they are hit with their own mortality, that the time of their death is perhaps now closer than the years they have already lived. They are hit with the truth that everyday spent is one they will never get back….and they begin to wonder if what they are living for is worth the cost of each day given up to it… What does this mean for us as we look to “live our best life?” It’s our focus today. The gift of knowing that there is a life to be lived that is our best life and is worth the cost.
Christmas!... Underneath the Wrappings…
Christmas!...Underneath the Wrappings…
I love Christmas. I love the excitement and the good cheer and the hopefulness and the joy and yes, even the love that seems to surface like at no other time in the year. I love to give gifts that surprise and bring joy to people, especially those who are closest to me. I have great memories of mounds of wrapping paper lying in our living room right after the kids unceremoniously and excitedly ripped the paper and bows right off the gifts. But then there is that moment of “let down,” when the only thing to do next is to clean up the ripped apart and useless wrapping paper. Do you know what I mean?
How do you “wrap” your celebration of Christmas? Parties?..at work and at home and at school? Writing Christmas cards and making sure THE LETTER is creative and fun and informative and…perfect? Christmas decorations? The perfect tree? Family get-togethers? (And making sure the house is perfectly clean?) Cookies? Pies? Special dinners? Gifts for all – including the mail carrier?... And, of course, making sure you have the PERFECT gifts for your children?...or someone else? (I think we all have stories of what crazy things we did to get that “perfect” gift for one of our children!) All these things and more – right? And they all seem to make our lives go faster and faster and faster! So, how’s it all working for you?... Especially when the wrappings are just lying there after it’s all done? Does it leave you a bit worn out and empty? Do you sometimes want to scream and just say, “forget it!”??
In these four Sundays leading up to the day of Christmas, our goal is to dig down deep underneath all the wrappings to the heart of Christmas. It’s still there. It is a gift. It is for each of us.
We all know we need it. It is why even as a society we come back to Christmas again and again. Deep inside (seemingly as something that is as part of the human condition as breathing!) we all long for the heart of Christmas buried underneath all the wrappings: Peace and hope and love and joy.
As we dig down deep underneath the pile of the wrappings, I can promise you this. This heart of Christmas will never disappoint or leave us empty. For it is, finally, what we all search for and long for…and what Christmas is meant to give us.
Sunday, Dec. 1st “Peace: Having It All Together”
I never seem to have it all together. As most of you know, I do have a hair or two out of place…in more ways than one. And when you add all the extra things of Christmas to it, I REALLY have a few hairs out of place. How about you? Today we look at how we can “have it all together.” It is called Christmas peace. It is at the heart of Christmas and it is a gift to each of us. For finally, none of us has every hair in place!
Sunday, Dec. 8th “Hope: Just Known’ It’s All Gonna’ Be OK!”
I once had a young mother come and see me who had inoperable cancer who had been given 6 weeks to live. She forcefully told me that she was sure she was going to be ok because her positive attitude would cure her. She died in 6 weeks. There are many times and situations in our lives when, no matter what, it seems that it will never get better and the struggle will never go away. I think in some way each of us experiences this – right? THIS is where Christmas hope enters the picture! It is at the heart of Christmas and it is a gift to each of us. For finally, each of us have those things that will seemingly never be “ok!”
Sunday, Dec.15th “Joy: It’s Not Just, ‘Have a Happy”
A friend of mine in college was in a play entitled, “Whatever Happened on the Way to the Forum.” In this play is the phrase, “Have a happy!” Do you ever feel – especially during this time of the year – that people just want you to “have a happy” and put on a smiling face? And if so, how is that working for you? (It sure doesn’t work for me!) Christmas joy is about a “happy” that touches us down in the very essence of our being, as far as you can get from “putting on a smiling face.” It is at the heart of Christmas and it is a gift to each of us. For finally, “have a happy” leaves us all empty!
Sunday, Dec.22nd “Love: You Really Do Matter To God”
I never thought it was so special and maybe it’s not: When my children were in high school (and anytime, really) the commitment I made to them was that if they were in a situation they didn’t like and they called me, I would come and get them, no questions asked. Recently, one of my (now grown) children has become friends with a Christian Counselor. He shared with me how his friend told him that many, many children do not live with this comfort that anyone cares enough -loves them enough - to come after them, no matter what. Did you know that God cares about you enough to do exactly this? It is what Christmas love is all about. It is at the very heart of Christmas and it is a gift to you! For finally, every single one of us needs someone who will come after us, no matter what!
Christmas Eve Worship The Light Still Shines
Permanence. It seems that at most it is simply an illusion. But tonight is different. Tonight, we remember the ONE who NEVER changes, the ONE who is a LIGHT that no darkness can overcome. What darkness do you carry? His Light is greater!
And HE is FOR you!...And HE NEVER changes!
Christmas Day Worship Celebrate! All Has Changed!!
I had to laugh at myself over the flood of memories I had in my head when I wrote the above theme and then thought about how a baby changes everything. As Jane and I experienced and used to laugh about, life is just different in the “AK” (after kids) – right? Now put that thought on steroids and you begin to understand the birth of Jesus. It changes everything! And it is for you!
Sunday, December 29 The Sign of the Star
The Prodigal….GOD
Prodigal – adjective
1. Recklessly extravagant
2. having spent everything
I remember a story – don’t know if it was a movie or a book – about a Woodsman who lived with his two year old son and a big German Shepherd in a cabin in the wilderness. One evening the Woodsman had to unexpectedly go out, but he felt safe leaving his small, sleeping, son with his loyal German Shepherd. However, as he was returning, he heard a horrible commotion and bursting through the door saw his son with blood all over him and his dog’s teeth and nose covered in it. Without hesitation, he kills the dog. But looking around, he sees that his son is safe and a huge wolf that had somehow got into the cabin lay dead after what must have been a heroic fight put up by his loyal – yet now dead – dog. Sometimes it is good to stop and see things more clearly. It can change everything!
In the next few weeks, we are going to take a closer look at a very familiar story that Jesus told. Most title it, “The Prodigal Son” and define “prodigal” as “wayward” or “rebellious” or “lost.” But really, it is a story about two lost sons where, to be honest, each of us can find ourselves…..and the prodigal (recklessly extravagant) love of the Father – of our Father God – for all. Like a beautifully cut diamond, we will look with new eyes at a number of facets of this story that Jesus told. It will challenge us, no matter who we are, to see ourselves with new, fresh, eyes, as well our prodigal God. Finally, it will give us a new, fresh, and powerful understanding of Jesus, our elder brother.
As the foundation and springboard for our focus, we will use a wonderful book entitled, “The Prodigal God” which will be given away to all. In the introduction, the author writes, “I believe that if the teaching of Jesus is likened to a lake, this famous Parable of the Prodigal Son would be one of the clearest spots where we can see all the way to the bottom.” This book – and this story told by Jesus – is meant for you whether you are a longtime follower of Jesus or just curious to know “what it’s all about” or anywhere in between. For finally, we are all trying to find our way back to God. Whoever you are, this short series is for YOU!
Sat./Sun. October 5th/6th “Setting the Scene For Everything”
Many have compared this story Jesus told to a Two Act play. So today, we are setting the scene, giving the context, describing the audience, revealing the characters, and in all this finding where we fit in the action. If it’s true that this story is a microcosm of the whole Bible, this is all kind of important, don’t you think?...especially where we fit into it all?
Sat./Sun. October 12th/13th The Two Lost Sons
Have you ever heard the phrase, “the rest of the story?” Many years ago there was an announcer on the radio – his name was Paul Harvey – who made this phrase famous. After doing the regular Newscast, he did a bit he called “the rest of the story” in which he would take one of the stories in the news and elaborate on it, giving the listener a much more in depth – and amusing – angle on it. It made him famous. Today, we take a closer look at the two sons in our story. They were both lost….and so are we.
Sat.Sun. October 19th/20th Two Ways To Find Happiness
Everyone is looking to be happy. How is that working out for you? And could it be that the very ways we look to be happy is at the root of our problem?.... always looking but never finding? Today we look at the two ways all of humankind tend to try to find happiness….And just maybe a third way will be revealed to us that will finally give us what we seek.
**********************************************************
Sat.Sun. October 26th/27th What’s a Lutheran? Stand-alone Reformation Celebration
When we lived in Indiana, the natives there called themselves “Hoosiers.” But did you know that no one knows what a “Hoosier” is?
When my son James and His wife Kayla, began their work as campus missionaries on the Chico State campus for CRU (Campus Crusade for Chirst), no one on their team at Chico State had ever heard of a “Lutheran” and, in fact, were kind of fearful at first that they were part of a Christian cult. Today, we remember and rejoice in who we are in Christ as Christians who share this tribe, “Lutheran.” So, you got questions? Trust me, it’s not like “Hoosier.” James really had an answer – and a Christian witness – that put the whole team at ease and created Christian friendship. Oh, and if your question is more along the lines of “What’s a reformation?”, no problem, it’s not like “Hoosier” either.
**********************************************************
Sat.Sun. November 2nd/3rd Taking Lostness To Heart
My brother and I were once caught in a blizzard (that had not been forecast) on a backpacking trip. We soon got out the maps and
determined the quickest and safest way out. Maybe thirty minutes down the trail we met a couple who refused to come out with us even though we showed them on the map that what they were planning was not wise. But they refused to listen. They refused to admit they were lost, going the wrong way, even when shown on the map. When we got back home, we saw in the Newspaper that they had died. Today, we will view “lostness” from a different perspective as it is redefined in the story for each of us, no matter who we are. It will challenge each of us. We can take it to heart and see another way…or not.
Sat.Sun. November 9th/10th Wait! Something’s Missing In The Story!
I love this insight into the story. It is awesome! It brings everything together! We’re going to talk about it this weekend. I can’t wait!
Sat.Sun. November 16th/17th Home
In the last movie in the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, Elrond, an elf, smells the sea breeze and says, “the sea is calling us home.” Where – or what – is home for you? Does the sea breeze call you to the ocean? Do the Mountain winds beckon? Or perhaps another place tied to sights, scenes, smells, and places of your life? But when we go to these places, are they the answer? Are we truly home? Or does the emptiness and longing still remain?...a soft, still voice saying, there has to be another place for me to be happy and whole and complete…for me to be home. Today, we talk about why we have these longings and about being home at last.
**********************************************************
Sat.Sun. November 23rd/24th Thanksgiving Celebration! Stand Alone Thanksgiving Celebration!
Thanksgiving is a National Holiday. Funny, that everyone seems to know that we should really be thankful to SOMEONE for everything we are and have! What a gift if one knows who that SOMEONE is! I pray this is true for you and even more so after the last few weeks! In the book of James it says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights…” Today we together celebrate this God and give thanks for every gift, even as we look to be renewed in reflecting the generosity of our God in our lives. For after all, we have been created- and in Jesus recreated – in His image! “O give thanks to the Lord for He is good and His mercy endures forever!”
Hook, Line and Sinker
“Disciples That Make Disciples That Make Disciples”
The above idiom is a fishing term (but you probably knew that!). What it refers to is when a hungry, aggressive fish swallows all three; the hook, line, and sinker – Bam! The fish is “all in” – completely and totally, without hesitation or reservation. Bam!
Is there anything we can be “all in” on without hesitation or reservation, “hook, line and sinker?” It seems to me we all long for just such a thing that both defines us and directs our actions….something that is bigger than ourselves and gives us the purpose we were created to live in. I am amazed that even those who think there is no God and no meaning to anything still search to find something that will define them and give their actions a meaning beyond themselves, something to live for, so to speak. What about you?
Here at St. Matthew we talk about being disciples (followers of Jesus) who make disciples who make disciples. Why? This is what we were created to be “all in” on, hook, line, and sinker. It is a gift of God in Jesus.
Jesus begins His ministry by bursting on the scene and saying, “Come, follow me.” In a sense He is fishing for you and for me. What is His bait? Having – and doing - life with Him! It is the only place where we are complete and whole. It is who we were meant to be. It is our lost identity. A follower of Jesus…a disciple. And what is our purpose? What is the “doing” that can finally make a difference and give meaning beyond ourselves? At the end of His ministry, following His resurrection, Jesus gives us this gift as well: “As you are going, (that is, as parents, spouses, friends, and in your neighborhoods, wherever you live your life) make disciples…. that is, make and grow followers of Jesus.”
Ok. How do we do that? What does it look like? What are the variables involved? In the next few weeks, we will explore these questions… what it looks like and how we can take steps to grow in being followers of Jesus who in turn make followers of Jesus. For you see, it is always about following Jesus. It is always about teaching another to follow Him as well.
Where does it begin? In the closest of our relationships – with our children and with our spouse (our FAMILIES!) – but it then continues to our brothers and sisters in Christ and beyond, wherever we live our lives, filling every nook and cranny of our lives! We are called to be “Disciples -followers of Jesus – who Make Disciples who Make Disciples.” In this is both our identity and purpose. This is where we can be whole and complete! May we swallow it “hook, line, and sinker” – and grow in living in it! This is our focus in the next few weeks. May God bless us and grow us!
Sat./Sun. August 10th, 11th. Jesus (Elements of Disciple Being And Making)
The very first creed of the very first followers of Jesus was this; “JESUS CHRIST IS LORD.” It was and is foundational! To follow Jesus is to receive Him as your Lord in every nook and cranny of your life. Where do you struggle with this? This is an important question, because if we are going to be about making disciples, about being used by God to grow others in following Jesus and growing in the fullness of life that He gives us, it is from us that they will learn -from our modeling - what it means to receive and live in Jesus Christ as Lord, beginning with our own families and our own children!
Sat./Sun. August 17th, 18th Intentionality (Elements of Disciple Being And Making)
I remember watching a World Series a number of years ago where a Yankee baserunner intentionally got in the way of a relay throw, much to the chagrin of the fans of the other team. Intentional. On purpose. Actions with a particular result in mind. The Yankee baserunner knew what he was trying to accomplish, and it directed his actions. So too with Jesus. He lived His life intentionally, certainly in going the way of the cross for us that we might be His, but also intentionally coming alongside others, investing Himself in them that they might grow as His followers. And He would teach us to do the same.
Sat./Sun. August 24th, 25th Relationship (Elements of Disciple Being And Making)
One out of two people in our society have no one to talk to. This is what sin does. It isolates us…both from God and from others. Adam ran away from God and “threw his wife under the bus”- “this woman that you gave me!” He was absolutely alone! To be a disciple is to live in relationship with Jesus. To live as a “disciple who makes disciples” one must forsake the notion that my life with God is just “Jesus and me” and embrace living in relationship with others. For this-relationship – is what we were created for! “With God, nothing is impossible!”
Sat./Sun. Aug.31st, Sept.1st. Teaching (Elements of Disciple Being And Making)
In Matthew 28, Jesus gives His people their “marching orders.” He says, “Go and make disciples of all nations…..teaching them to OBEY everything I have commanded you.” When I got my California Teaching Credential, I remember we learned about various levels of learning. The lowest level was rote memorization with the highest level being the student internalizing it, making it part of who they were. Jesus said, “blessed are those who hear my words AND PUTS THEM INTO PRACTICE.” This is a lifelong learning endeavor both for ourselves and for those who we are discipling and those who they in turn will disciple. Certainly, we are called to “know about” the things of God, but true teaching (and blessing!) comes as we grow and teach others how to put them into practice!
Sat./Sun. September 7th, 8th Modeling (Elements of Disciple Being And Making)
Every teacher will tell you; one of the most effective ways to learn and to grow – to put knowledge into action – is to have a peer model “what it looks like.” This is especially true with any kind of “movement” as any coach will tell you. To see what it looks like is powerful and helps us to learn to do it! Today, we focus how Jesus models for us what it looks like to make disciples so we can do the same.
Sat./Sun. Sept. 14th, 15th Exercising/Practicing Our Faith (Elements of Disciple Being And Making)
When I was in college, I did a paper on this new kind of knee surgery called Arthroscopic Surgery. It was so new that I had to use the research library in the hospital where my mom worked as a nurse. Of course, the advancement in caring for injured knees was amazing but one thing that came up again and again in the research papers was the absolute correlation between success and how many times the surgeon had done the procedure. You can be told how to swim, you can watch someone else swimming, you can write about swimming and even talk about swimming, but the only way to learn how to swim and to get better at it is to do it – and then to practice! So it is with being – and making – disciples! Today, we explore what this means!
Sat./Sun. September 21st, 22nd Accountability (Elements of Disciple Being And Making)
To hold one accountable means that something matters. To want to be held accountable means that I agree that it matters. To walk with Jesus matters. To disciple others to walk with Jesus matters. I am convinced that one of the greatest ways we show love to each other is to, in love, hold one another accountable. Just ask any parent! Oh, and by the way, it is what Jesus does for us – and what He would have us do for one another!
Sat./Sun. September 28th,29th Reproduction (Elements of Disciple Being And Making)
Following Jesus is never just about “Jesus and me.” It is always looking beyond “me “to the other that I can bless as I grow him/her as a disciple of Jesus. It is living in the heart of God who “loved the WORLD so much that He sent Jesus.” Disciple being and making is the way Jesus chose to bring His life to the whole world. We are always both following Jesus in relationship and connecting with others in relationship to grow them in following Jesus…who in turn are connecting with others in relationship to grow them in Jesus. This is the way of exponential reproduction so that in every nook and cranny of the world people might follow Jesus in the way of life. This is the mind of God, the paradigm of the kingdom and Jesus would have us in awe joyfully embrace it and live in it!
Got Milk
Do you remember the commercial? The telltale “milk mustache” on the lips of whoever they pictured as evidence that they indeed “got milk?” And through that contented looking milk mustache to just maybe make you start craving a drink of it? After all, “milk does a body good” – right?
“Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God, our Father, and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” These words, or something close to them, are used again and again throughout the New Testament. Grace. Mercy. Peace…And I might add JOY… and HOPE as well. These are like the “milk mustache” of the commercial. Do you have them in your life? Got grace?... Got mercy?.. Got peace?... Got joy?... Got hope?...
Or, perhaps a better question is, “Where do you especially need them right now in your life?” And does it make you “thirsty” to think about it?
These are the things that God would give to you in Jesus as a free gift; To receive and to live in and to give away. This is our focus in the next few weeks. So, take a deep breath and slowly let it out…and come rest - and grow – in these things. And if you know someone else that could use these things in their life, bring them along with you – there’s always enough for one more! For these are the gifts of Jesus offered to all!
Sat/Sun. June 22nd/23rd Grace To You
Grace. The word means undeserved love. Love that is not earned. Love that is given. Love that you can rest in because it does not depend on you and what you do but rather the heart of another. Where have you received grace in your life? Where do you need to receive it in your life right now? And where do you have the opportunity to give it to another? For this is a gift from God to you in Jesus and a gift you can give away! So, bring a friend and come take a long rest in the grace of Jesus!
Sat./Sun. June 29th/30th Mercy To You
Are you old enough to remember Mr. T? Do you remember the line he made famous?....”Pity the poor fool!” To be merciful is to be full of pity towards another. To give mercy is to act from this heart of pity (sympathetic sorrow and compassion) for another. God looks at you – and each of us in our brokenness and struggles and failures and weakness – with a heart full of mercy, a heart full of pity, a heart full of sympathetic sorrow and compassion. This is what we focus on today. Where do you need this in your life? Where is there another to whom you could show mercy? Bring them along so you both might experience the mercy of God today!
Sat./Sun. July 6th/7th Peace To You
Amid the cacophony - the noise – of life, where do you go to find a little peace? …and how’s that working for you? And how do you try to help another who is also looking for peace? And how’s that working? Peace is another gift that Jesus gives. Where do you need a little peace in your life? And where is there another who desperately needs someone like you to bring a little peace? Bring them with you today so you both might rest in the peace that Jesus brings!
Sat./Sun. July 13th/14th Joy To You
Joy is more than, “Have a happy!” It goes beneath the surface to the soul, the essence of who one is. It is a transcendent happiness of the soul….which oozes into everything we are and do.. It also is a gift from Jesus to receive and to give away. Where is there a shadow over your soul? …an emptiness that cannot be filled? This day is for you…and for that other one who you bring as well.
Sat./Sun. July 20th/21st Hope To You
Have you ever heard the phrase, “something got lost in the translation?” I feel that way when we talk about the Hope that comes from Jesus as a gift. We tend to think of hope almost as a “wish”- “I hope that happens.” Biblical hope is absolute CERTAINTY! Where are you living with great doubts and uncertainty? And how’s that working for you? And where is there another in your life that is also experiencing great uncertainty – and how’s it working for them? This day is for you…and for that one who you bring!
More...Explained
More….Explored….
After one of the first Super Bowls that Tom Brady won, feeling the “is this all there is?” downside after reaching the pinnacle of his dreams, he talked about the “let down” he felt in the midst of his victory.
No matter what, somehow, we know there is “more.” Do you feel it? Do you sense the emptiness?....the longing for something….more? Just a few days ago, we heard God’s gentle, overpowering Easter witness that there is something more. And through the Easter reality God offers it to us as a gift!
But what can this mean for us in our lives right now? Jesus said he came that “we might have life and have it to the full!” The entire ministry of Jesus we see Him bringing this “fullness” to those around Him. But what does this mean for us right now? Certainly, this means that He would somehow fill our longing that there is something more, doesn’t it? In the next few weeks, this is what we are going to explore. Using one Easter appearance of Jesus after another, we will explore living in the “More” given in the Jesus of Easter. There is more and Jesus wants you to experience it!
Sat./Sun. April 27th/28th More: You Matter…No Matter What! (The Value of One)
One. It can have many meanings. One penny….kind of worthless. One day…nice but it’s only one, not worth much. One meal….one of many, no great meaning. One Mona Lisa….priceless, a unique treasure. Tell me, how do you view yourself?...what kind of “one?” And more importantly, how do you think God views you?...And what difference does it make? It’s what we look at today in Jesus!
Sat./Sun. May 4th/5th More: You Matter…No Matter What! (The Apple of God’s Eye)
When one of my sons was young – I honestly can’t remember which one – I caught him red handed doing what he knew he should not be doing….And he looked so cute with those guilty eyes I couldn’t help but laugh out loud and love him even more. Oh, we talked about it….it was the right thing to do, but from the place of love, because it’s all I had at that moment. Can you relate? Tell me, do you think God loves you any less? It’s what we’re talking about today in Jesus!
Sat./Sun. May 11th/12th More: You Belong (Do You See It?)
I had a great friend in High School and College. His name was Jim. I named one of my sons after him. I remember dropping by his house once to drop something off and they had just sat down to dinner. I tried to make a quick exit (feeling like I didn’t belong), but his dad saw me, immediately welcomed me warmly, pulled up another chair to the dinner table, and before I could open my mouth had a plate of food in front of me. What do you think he was trying to say?...Maybe “you belong?”...”you’re part of the family?” It’s what we’re talking about today in Jesus!
Sat./Sun. May 18th/19th More: You Belong (Let’s Eat!)
In the last few weeks, we have had various couples show the Executive Pastor – Discipleship candidates around the area and just connect with them. In one case, a couple with young children took them to the “every Sunday dinner” that they have as a family at the Grandparent’s home. When I met with the pastor and his family the next morning, they shared with me how meaningful it was. Tell me, why do you think this was so? It’s what we’re talking about today in Jesus!
Sat./Sun. May 25th/26th More: Made To Make A Difference (Sent!)
Purpose. Meaning. Mission. Reason for being. We are continually looking for these things in our lives, are we not? But how is this search working for you? Today is about these things given as a gift to us in Jesus!
Sat./Sun. June 1st/2nd More: Made To Make A Difference (Ascension Celebration) (Commissioned!)
When my children were still fairly young I read a book entitled, “The Blessing.” What it talked about is that the greatest thing a father can give his children – and this is doubly so for his sons – is the message that they “have what it takes” for life. It changed the way I parented. Before this is was about me “doing” - being the best I could be - as a Christian father. After this, it was about what my children did and making sure they had the message that they had what it took to “do it.” This is what today is about for each of us in
Sat./Sun. June 8th/9th And ONE MORE!....(Pentecost Celebration) (Empowered….Not Alone Ever!)
“Even youths grow tired and weary.” Is. 40:31 When is the last time you “ran out of steam” physically or emotionally or spiritually? And when have you felt alone in your powerlessness? The Easter reality is that we are never alone; And His power always goes with us! This is what today is about for each of us in Jesus!
Sat./Sun. June 15th/16th This is Our God! Trinity Sunday (Celebrate, Celebrate, Dance to the Music!)
From Europe to China to South America to Rocklin, CA, Christians around the world are celebrating this Sunday as “Trinity Sunday” as they have for over a thousand years! Today we remember and celebrate who God is, who we are as His people, and the joy of what this means in our lives. Celebrate, celebrate, dance to the music!