Please read John 3:1-17.  There was a law in Rome (which at the time of Jesus consumed three continents) that read, no person could hold meetings at night.  Dark streets were a perfect environment for criminals and gangs to conduct suspicious activities.  It was by night, educated, influential Nicodemus sought time with Jesus. Nicodemus, one who strictly followed the Torah and was trained to prepare for the coming of the Messiah, professed to know that Jesus was a teacher who

Please read Matthew 4:1-11.  Satan is an excellent fisherman. He is knowledgeable – intuitively aware of the prey he is planning to lure in.  He is incredibly patient – waiting for the precise time to pounce.  He is super adaptable –to ensure the optimum experience; he is watching, with hyperfocus, the conditions to make very calculated decisions.  Satan invests time in fishing for men and women – studying our characters, looking for weaknesses, searching for areas to penetra

Please read Matthew 17:1-9.      Climbing high up the mountain Jesus took his inner circle, Peter, James and John.  The three seemed to be his best friends or maybe they needed the most supervision…we know that Peter needed polishing and of course, James and John were called the Sons of Thunder for a reason.  To bring everyone would have been risky, and finally, scripture tells us, "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them,"   Hence, two

Please read Matthew 5:12-20.  Who are you?  Some may respond with a name, others a profession or maybe their relationship to a loved one.   For most, our list of titles and descriptors would grow quite lengthy before we responded salt.  Today we hear Jesus proclaim, “You are the salt of the earth.”  Despite weaknesses and imperfections disciples are the salt–why?  Because they and us have been chosen to be a witness to God’s grace and extend God’s love.        As you know, sa

Please turn to Matthew 5:1-12.  The Beatitudes appeared to turned the world of the disciples’ upside down.  What they thought--was contradicted as Jesus taught.  God’s view of life is different than ours.    Pastor Charles Swindell said, “life is 10% of what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.”  In this sermon Jesus is explaining how we are expected to live and how the behaviors we adopt lead to happiness.  These are the attitudes that should “be” the goals for Christ

Please read Matthew 4:12-24.  Jesus was an itinerant minister.  A great light, our Savior, was delivered to those living in darkness.  He says, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”    The gospel message of Jesus began with repentance.  We have sinned and we need to acknowledge our sin.        Repentance includes changing from our hurtful ways but also means to turn around.  It is a change of heart.  Our God, not waiting to punish us, yearns to stand by us, craves a re

Please read John 1:29-42.  We need a spark and then a flame to fan a fire.  Like a wildfire, good news spreads quickly.  We post it, text it, and put signs on our front lawns.  When good news is in our hearts, we are eager to share it.  Right?       John announces, “ Look, here’s the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world!”   There’s a confidence in his voice as he takes the stage to offer his testimony.  In one sentence, John summarizes the gospel story.  He is giving

Please turn to Matthew 3:13-17.   Quite often Christians are baptized as infants.  On that day, we were welcomed into the church, which marks the beginning of our faith journeys.  We did not know the significance of the day then, nor understand the promises made on our behalf, but over time, I am hopeful we have.        John, baptized with water and explained that Christ will baptize with the Holy Spirit.  Our receiving of the Holy Spirit is rooted in Christ’s own receiving o

Please read Matthew 2:1-12.  The wise men ended up in the bustling city of Jerusalem about six mile south of Bethlehem looking for the Jesus. Their arrival caused anxiety.  Possibly it was the presence of the large caravan that caused alarm, or aware of Herod’s erratic behavior the people did not know what the visit could transpire.  In any case, it was not a joyful beginning.       Calling a clandestine meeting, Herod instructed the magi to find the child and then report bac

Please read Matthew 2:13-23.  On Wednesday we gathered to celebrate the birth of our Savior.  We sang carols, lit candles, and listened to the Christmas story.  Today should not be anticlimactic.  We need to hear more.  Amid this story of teenagers traveling many miles, having a child born in a manger and surprised with the responsibility of raising a child--we may miss something God wants us to consider.  Do we try to avoid hardship or ignore pain? Maybe we need to embrace t

Turn to Luke 1:46-55 and hear about joy.  Joy defined in Webster’s is a feeling of great pleasure or happiness, but that is not biblical.   Biblical joy is a deep, inner contentment and well-being rooted in God, the Holy Spirit, and His promises, unlike the fleeting, circumstantial happiness.  Joy is a gift from God, that empowers believers to have hope and endure trials.  It encourages us to persevere as we are forgiven by God and transformed from the guilt that grips us to

Please read Romans 15:4-13.  The source of our true peace is God, not our circumstances.  When our focus is on Jesus and not our problem, peace is attainable. Paul begins by reiterating the importance of knowing Scripture.  We need to know the promises laid out about our secure future.  This occurs with intimacy – meditating on God’s word and in prayer. Paul explains that we have hope through the endurance taught in Scripture.  It is in that hope, the hope provided in Jesus t

Please read Matthew 24:36-44.  Today begins the four-week Advent journey.  It’s a time of preparation and anticipation; a time to stop and reflect on Christ’s coming into the world and watch with expectant hope for his return.  We yearn for a season of joy, but is our focus on what matters?        First, is your heart filled with hope?  Do you have the confident expectation of tomorrow? As we contemplate those questions, we need to know that the answer is Jesus.  Hope in Jesu

Please read Deuteronomy 8:10-18. Norman Rockwell’s painting, “Saying Grace”  adorned the cover of the Saturday Evening Post on Thanksgiving in 1951.  “God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our food.”  One of my fondest memories is going to breakfast at the diner after worship.  Every Sunday, we sat at the same table and before we ate, we would say grace.  Over the years we prayed with strangers, waitresses, and the regulars.  Wherever I am and whomever I am with, wh

Please turn to Luke 21:5-19.   On September 15, I received a text from an acquaintance.  It was a video clip.  The title told me; this man fell prey to what we are to guard against.  As you might know September 17 was, yet another falsely predicted end time. Like all others, it has come and gone.  I did not watch the video, I replied to my friend, “Don’t panic” and directed him to read Matthew 24:36.  I was disappointed that it was this wrong news instead of the Good News he

Read Luke 20:27-38 and hear Jesus’ answer to a question posed as a “gotcha”.        Years ago, I looked forward to going to heaven to ask God a question.  I was irked about something and wanted to know why.  As I grew in my faith and learned more about Heaven, I realized heaven is perfect, and there nothing will worry or frustrate me.  Church, we tend to apply our limited knowledge to all situations and that’s precisely what we find the Sadducees doing – yet they are doing it

Please read Luke 19:1-10.  Zacchaeus was powerful and rich, by the world’s standard but felt something was missing.  He was an outcast; known for collecting money and pocketing what was not rightfully his.  His wealth caused him pain, grief and loneliness. He was hated, shunned, and teased.  Despite his status, Zacchaeus’ curiosity helped him to push his way through the crowds and literally go out on a limb for Jesus.  Risking humiliation, he went to see Jesus…up close and pe

It fell and it broke.  I knew I was wrong; I remained awake, trying to figure out how to deal with the broken cup.  When my parents came home, my dad asked me what happened.  I sharply answered, “I don’t know.”  I lied; I remember how surprised I was with how easy I found it to lie. I sinned and I immediately felt it.  Nothing more came of the conversation. There was an awkwardness when I was in their presence and of course the void – the constant reminder, the empty space wh

Please read Luke18:1-8.       Persistence is what we find Jesus speaking to his disciples about; he’s preparing them for their future.  He knows they will be confronted with a lot in the days to come as they share the gospel message and anticipate his coming again. He knows they will experience oppression, and they will be marginalized.  He is aware that they will feel a sense of hopelessness on occasion and wants to offer words to hold on to in those trying times.  Jesus kne

Please read 2 Kings 5:1-3, 7-15c.  Naaman was a chief military commander of Syria and an enemy of Israel and Judah.  He was an honorable man and then there’s a but.  But is a big word for three letters.  When but is used in a sentence it dismisses what’s been said, it puts the hearer on the defensive, and it redirects us to pay attention to what’s next. And this but is…Naaman was a leper.        Immediately, we meet a captive, a faith filled young woman, who cared for Naaman’