Advent 2: Sunday, December 8, 2014 Overflowing in Hope! O, the mystery of God's dwelling in our relationships

On the second Sunday of Advent we continue focusing upon God's coming to dwell amongst us.

In God’s mysterious ways, death blossoms into new and abundant life, the dissonance of violence resolves into the harmony of God’s created order, and the presence of enemies becomes an opportunity to restore relationship rather than to take up arms. So let us seek harmony that we may abide in the house of the Lord—there is peace!

In God's presence we are filled to capacity, no filled to overflowing with hope.  May we express the hope of Christ Jesus in all our relationships.

Message link:  Overflowing in Hope! O, the mystery of God's dwelling in our relationships

Advent 1: Sunday, December 1, 2013 Open House! O, the mystery of God's dwelling in our present

During this Advent season our focus is God's coming to be with us.

In God’s mysterious ways, the weapons that diminish us are turned into the tools that sustain us, the assurance of God’s continuing presence is both sudden and expected, and ordinary living resounds with extraordinary implications. Let us wake to the establishment of the house of the Lord—there is hope!

What we discover on this first Sunday of Advent is that God's House is an Open House - open to all whom God invites.  And since God has invited all who are invited, may we welcome those whom God is calling.

Messsage link:  Open House! O, the mystery of God's dwelling in our present.

November 24, 2013 “I myself will gather my people”: “Christ is before all things and in him all things hold together”

This is our last Sunday in the series of Hearing from the Prophets.  And on this last Sunday the warning is directed at the "shepherds of God's people."

Often as pastors, we think ministry hinges on our leadership, our competency - and because we do believe this, this warning is appropriate for us.

Actually, the One who leads is the Lord for God is the One who gathers God's people.  And we are gathered together as the body of Christ - being held together by Christ.

Christ being before us and being held together by him is how we are called to live in this world - to be led by the Spirit, rather than being led by we who are pastors who think more highly of ourselves than we ought.

Link to message:  "I myself will gather my people"

November 17, 2013 Promise of Healing - Promise of Life: Revering God's Name

Many of us reading the prophets hear words of judgment, words of the destruction of the wicked.  But who are the wicked?  Maybe not as many as we think.  In the midst of the prophet Malachi talking about the destruction of the wicked we hear God promising life to all who revere his name.

What does that mean in light of the meaning of God's name?  If God's name bears striking resemblance to the Hebrew verb for "being," for "life" could God be saying - all who revere who I am and what I am are filled with life?

Something to consider . . .

Link to message:  Promise of Healing - Promise of Life: Revering God's Name

October 20, 2013 Living Within Culture: The Word of God Written on our Hearts

There are so many different things written on our hearts - in fact the cultures in which we live often shape what is written on our hearts.  But we are a people who are called to live within culture, live within the world exhibiting a life-giving reality among the many life-inhibiting realities all around us.

As God's people we come living in the presence of the Spirit because we have a different reality written on our hearts - the Word of God in its many manifestations - God's Word, the embodied Word of Jesus, the written word of Scripture and the declared word of proclamation in the power of the Spirit.  We participate with God in God's transforming mission in the world as we live in light of the Word of God written on our hearts and minds.

Link to message:  Living Within Culture: The Word of God Written on our Hearts

October 13, 2013 The God Who Comes - Living in God's Presence

We often think about our mission as God's people as "Going" into all the world.  However, when we think of God, we always think of God coming to us.  Often in our going, we are perceived as being ones with an agenda - we come in and leave and go on about doing our thing.

How might we be seen as a community which "comes" to the ones to whom we are sent?  By coming as God comes.

Jeremiah offers us some insights as we explore Jeremiah 29: 1, 4-7.  Settling down in a place puts us in a posture where we focus more on coming than "going."

Link to Message:  The God Who Comes: Living in God's Presence

September 1, 2013 The Sin We Commit: Drinking from Cisterns and Not the Living Spring

Our relationship with God is a mutual relationship – God not only interacts with us, God desires for us to interact with God in deeply personal ways.  And yet, though God is faithful to us, we often are not faithful to God.  We like to have God around (as a consultant), but God wants to be more than a consultant – God wants to be a confidante, one who walks with us and we with God.  The sins we commit are not so much behavioral “sins” but the sin of not needing God.  We think that we are self-sufficient – but life is to be found in being centered in God. 

Jeremiah reveals the waywardness of the priests and people in which they sought to find living water elsewhere than from the life of God.  From where do we draw our life?

Link to Message: The Sin We Commit: Drinking from Cisterns and Not the Living Spring