From death to life
Jesus describes his coming suffering and death to his disciples in a very honest way and even admits that it scares him. Yet, his determination to bring glory to God’s name is far greater than his fear of what’s to come.
Why do you believe in Jesus?
Belief in Jesus is no longer a given. Why do we believe in Jesus? This is a foundational question that each of us should be able to answer. Our gospel reading provides some direction as we consider this simple, yet challenging question.
The Cross, the Crux, and the Call
As we continue on our Lenten journey of repentance, we are faced with quite a challenging word. As Jesus explains the path of suffering ahead for him and asks the disciples to follow him straight into the furnace, Peter’s response of confusion reveals something about the human heart.
Baptism, Wilderness, and Repentance
During these forty days of Lent, may you hear Jesus’ call to repent not as a threat, but with the promise of forgiveness that he will make possible for us on the cross.
Don’t worry
We give thanks to God for the food, goods, and material possessions he has blessed us with. As we acknowledge the gifts we have received, Jesus warns us about what happens when the gifts become more important to us than the giver.
Food, Faith & Freedom
Paul encourages the Corinthian Christians to use their knowledge of God and the Christian faith for the benefit of others and to build one another up in love. The specific example he speaks about is whether Christians should eat the food offered to idols, but the core issue underneath it all is how we are to live out the freedom we have in Christ.
Jonah and the Big Ask
God gave Jonah the impossible task of bringing an entire city to repentance. That was the outcome, but not because of Jonah’s great faith or convincing preaching. As we all share in the task of making disciples, we trust in God’s Word to do the work.
Simeon’s Song
As we dream up our New Year’s resolutions, Simeon’s words of praise and expressions of hope remind us of the eternal perspective that the Holy Spirit gives us, and what kind of difference that makes to our short time on earth.
A Christmas kind of grace
It’s easy for Christmas to become a little stale for us Christians. We know the story and we can sometimes struggle to engage with it spiritually through all the noise. However, Christmas offers us a special perspective on the grace of God that is worth being reminded of every year.
A moment in time
As we prepare for Christmas through this Advent season, we are being reminded that our true preparation is for Jesus’ second coming. In our New Testament reading, Peter has some things to say about time—how much we depend on it and how little God does.