Jesus: Kool-Aid or King?

 

Ever since the 1978 Jonestown Massacre in which hundreds of men, women and children willingly drank poison at the encouragement of cult leader Jim Jones, people who are serious about their relationship with God have been ridiculed as “drinking the Kool-Aid” of religion. It certainly is a fact that throughout history thousands of religious fakers have deceived millions with the haunting claim, “God spoke to me.” And this tragic reality is still common today, for God, in the minds of human beings can take on many forms. 

But, does the existence of spiritual deception prove that God either does not exist or at least is unknowable? Thomas Edison, after thousands of experiments trying to find a material for the filament of the light bulb said, “I haven’t failed, I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” He was convinced that the material he needed existed and was determined not to give up his search until he found it. 

The evidences which God has left in us not only for his existence but his involvement in our lives are so great they compel us to seek him out among the sea of imposters. Far from drinking the Kool-Aid of religion, our search for God is the single most important endeavor a human being can pursue. 

On the day of Pentecost, the apostle Peter told a group of people that God is not only knowable, he has entered our history in the person of Jesus Christ for one purpose – to bring us into his family and give us blessings which are of a never ending duration. Peter then pointed to various evidences to support his appeal. 

We live in a day which encourages a cynical, apathetic view of any kind of intense Christian commitment. It’s time to ask ourselves, “Is that perspective true or is it just another form of “Kool-Aid” which charismatic people have persuaded us to drink?” 

If you are looking for more than a casual acknowledgement of God in your life, join us for one of our worship services. Jesus isn’t “Kool-Aid”, he is your King, he is your Savior! 

Weekend worship service time: Saturday: 6:00 pm & Sunday: 10:00 am

Mind-Blowing!

 

People living two hundred years ago could not even imagine how we are living today. And if they could have seen into the future for a glimpse of our way of life, they would have certainly thought, “I would be happy all the time if I could live like that!” Ironically, just the opposite has happened. Professor Liah Greenfield suggests that the United States and Europe are heading for a mental health crisis of proportions never seen before in history. The reason? Oddly enough, she suggests it is our prosperity and freedom of choice. 

“By definition, functional mental illness is illness of unknown biological origins. The constant, systematic increase in its rates of incidence since the 1840s is proof that its origins are not biological. Yet, against all logic, mental-health research focuses exclusively on biology and doesn’t cast a wider explanatory net. The evidence points to a historical and cultural explanation of the increase in incidence rates. Specifically, it suggests that functional mental illness is a characteristic disease of prosperous and secure liberal democracies.” ^{“The West’s Struggle for Mental Health”, Liah Greenfeld, The Wall Street Journal –  May 31, 2022} 

Human beings have always thought that having more material possessions and choices to determine our path to personal happiness is the goal of living. Many have arrived at that point and found the opposite. Instead of thriving, thousands are wondering why they should even get up in the morning. They have realized that the purely material world in the here and now only leads to a “been there, done that” life. We need to be challenged to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. But when we live as though we are the center of the universe, that becomes impossible. 

Fifty days after the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ, something happened to offer any and every person on the planet the opportunity to step out of themselves and be a part of a movement bigger than human life itself. Christians call that day Pentecost. Without going into detail, it is enough to say that the events which took place constitute God’s most extensive and inclusive invitation to join him in what he is doing in this world. It is an invitation to exactly the opposite kind of life discussed above. It is challenging. It requires sacrifice. In fact, it demands a whole new way of looking at things. But it is eternal. It is good. And above all, it is of God. 

Join us for one of our weekend services. The Pentecost invitation might shake up your life in more ways than one. But one thing you can count on, you will always have reason to get up in the morning. 

Weekend worship service time: Saturday: 6:00 pm & Sunday: 10:00 am

Triumphant!

 

One of the classic scenes of car racing is the Victory Lap. The winning driver takes one more lap around the racecourse holding high the checkered flag, basking in the ovation of the spectators. It is a celebration of triumph, the official confirmation of a great accomplishment. 

Forty days after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, a similar event took place with infinitely greater implications. While the ascension of Jesus into heaven must have seemed to his disciples like an unexpected and abrupt interruption of glowing post resurrection appearances, this singular event in history demonstrated the complete triumph of God over that which has been the ongoing devastation of the human race – evil. What humans never have nor ever will resolve, God did through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. These two acts served to satisfy divine justice and so enable unholy human beings to stand in the presence of the holy God who created us. 

Jesus returning to take back his full glory and honor as true God, is the absolute confirmation that not only is there hope for the human race, there is victory. At a time when peoples’ lives imitate a yo-yo wildly careening from frenetic ecstasy to dulling apathy to hopeless despair, with death being the only end in sight, the triumphant Ascension of Jesus reminds us there is a spectacular alternative. Join us for one of our weekend services. Celebrate the triumph!.

Weekend worship service time: Saturday: 6:00 pm & Sunday: 10:00 am

A New You?

 

Maybe we don’t talk about it enough. That could be the reason so many Christians are surprised that their lives don’t become more pleasant or less frustrating after they receive Jesus as their Savior and Lord. There seems to be an innate belief that if things are right between God and myself, my problems are all going to go away. When just the opposite occurs, we begin to doubt either the influence of God or his importance. 

What is missing in our understanding of the Christian life is what Christ means to happen in our lives after we put our trust in him. Believing in his death and resurrection for the forgiveness of our sins and the restoring of our friendship with him is the first step and happens the moment we have faith. Step two in God’s plan for our lives takes a bit longer. In fact, it lasts until the day we leave this earth. You see, God isn’t content simply to save us. He wants so much more for us and that involves making us into the people he intends us to be – for eternity. The hard part is, there’s a lot in us that resists God’s plan to make us new. Unfortunately, the change most often happens through difficulties. 

Some wonder, “Is it worth it?” Another question might be, “Do you want to stay the way you are forever and ever?” Jesus died and rose again because he wants for you to spend eternity with him. And he loves you just as much to change you into the person who will perfectly enjoy that forever with him. The way we are at this moment, that just isn’t going to happen. 

If you are open to considering a new you, join us for one of our weekend worship services. The resurrection of Jesus isn’t only about going to heaven, it’s also very much about getting ready to go right now! 

Weekend worship service time: Saturday: 6:00 pm & Sunday: 10:00 am

Resurrection Second Chances

 

Second chances are very hard to come by. Sure, people might give us another opportunity to prove ourselves, but there are always the lingering suspicions: “Have they really changed? Did they learn their lesson or is this just a temporary thing and they’re going to hurt me again? Can I trust them?” Once those bridge burning words have been spoken, a fresh start toward a renewed relationship is rare, very rare. 

In his heart, Peter must have felt the same about his future with Jesus. Yes, he had seen Jesus several times since his resurrection, but something was missing. Peter needed to get past that awful night before Jesus’ death when in panic and fear he denied knowing Christ three times. Jesus had called Peter “the rock”, but that rock had crumbled. What would Jesus do with this shattered man? 

Jesus would give Peter a second chance, the freshest of all fresh starts. In a moving, yet gritty conversation on a beach, Jesus told Peter, “You blew it, but my forgiveness is bigger than your mistake. Start over. Get working on what matters. Follow me!” Jesus didn’t coddle Peter, but he did fully restore him to a position of great responsibility. He put Peter on the path to a meaningful and eternally significant life. It all began with a resurrection second chance. 

If you are in need of a second chance with Jesus, join us for one of our weekend worship services. He wants to give you a fresh start as much as he did Peter. 

Weekend worship service time: Saturday: 6:00 pm & Sunday: 10:00 am

Resurrection Priorities

 

Certain events have such a powerful impact that what we previously thought was so very important, suddenly becomes meaningless, while other things we ignored, we begin to cherish. The loss of a loved one or a prolonged illness has a way of changing our priorities. Those kinds of experiences alter our outlook on things, compelling us to make significant changes in our lifestyle. 

Without a doubt, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the single most dramatic and life-changing event in history. What it practically means to human beings is immeasurable! Jesus of Nazareth physically coming back to life after being crucified three days earlier confronts us with the following conclusions: 

·             God exists and we can know him.

·             Full forgiveness for real guilt is available.

·             Eternal life is a reality.

·             Jesus has done everything so that people can spend eternity in heaven.

Most of us are currently struggling with either one of three problems: 1) health issues, 2) relationship problems, 3) a shortage of money. There is no doubt, all three bring great stress to our lives, but when we stack them up against the powerful truths which result from the resurrection, we find they are not as intimidating as they seem. 

What we consider most important is going to define both our choices and the path our lives will take. Resurrection priorities offer us the direction we need, both now and forever, to lead a life worth living. Join us this weekend for one of our worship services. Let the priorities of Jesus’ resurrection change your life! 

Weekend worship service time: Saturday: 6:00 pm & Sunday: 10:00 am

 

Superstars Need Not Apply

 

We live in a superstar world. Everyone wants to be one. And if you can’t be a superstar, then you follow one. We have superstar entertainers and superstar athletes. Rich sports team owners pay hundreds of millions of dollars to stack their teams with superstars, believing such a group of elite athletes will surely bring victory. We all suffer, whether openly or secretly, from the superstar syndrome. 

But then we come to Jesus – yes, the same Jesus whose resurrection we celebrated last week. He’s different, he doesn’t care about superstars. He doesn’t curry their favor. He doesn’t show them favoritism. In a sense, he almost shows disdain for superstars. Nowhere is that made clearer than when he first made himself known to a human being after he physically came back to life! This first appearance would seem crucial. Get it right and the world would be at Jesus’ feet. But instead of appearing to someone with international renown and prestige, Jesus shows himself to a messed up woman whose credibility everyone questioned. 

It wasn’t to Caesar Augustus or Pontius Pilate or even Caiaphas the High Priest to whom Jesus appeared. No, he revealed himself to a woman named Mary Magdalene, a demon possessed individual he had cured some time earlier. Why? It seems like a waste of a huge opportunity! The “why?” is answered by Mary’s heart. She was the last one with Jesus, having witnessed his crucifixion and burial. She was the first one to the tomb. Mary didn’t have anything to offer Jesus and she knew it. She needed him, she needed him desperately. And that is exactly why Jesus appeared to Mary first. Jesus doesn’t care about reputations. He cares about hearts. And that is the best news for most of us average people who will never be stars much less superstars. 

If you are looking to lead an extraordinary life but don’t have the talent or ability of a superstar, join us for one of our weekend services. Jesus is THE Superstar. You don’t need anything or anyone else but him. 

Weekend worship service time: Saturday: 6:00 pm & Sunday: 10:00 am

Easter – The Best Day Ever!

 

Is Easter the best day ever? Isn’t that a bit of an overstatement? Well, consider all the different stressors in your life. If Jesus did physically rise from the dead, how important are those problems which seem so overwhelming at the moment? Now I’m not trying to minimize your challenges but think about how the resurrection of Jesus Christ impacts the problems of human life. 

·       What are all the bills you have to pay going to mean the day Jesus raises you to eternal  life with him?

·       How important, as you enter heaven, will it be that the kids got to all their sports practices?

·       Your job with all the responsibilities you have, will it still be stressing you out as Jesus  says, “Welcome home!”

·        Even the real tough stuff like cancer is no match for Easter. Jesus rising from the dead          overwhelms any disease because he says that his resurrection guarantees us that in  heaven there will be no more pain or disease.

·       And the hole in your heart that’s there because the one you so dearly love is no longer with you, Easter Sunday means the separation is only temporary, very temporary.

Easter is the best day ever because it changes everything. Human beings go from meaningless chemical containers who lead empty, unimportant lives to people made to love and be loved for eternity, whose every day has eternal significance no matter how insignificant we may seem to be. Experience all the best of the best day ever! 

Weekend worship service time: Sunday: 10:00 am

(This week only the Saturday evening service is cancelled.)

The Feel-Good Jesus

 

“What’s in it for me?” 

That can be a legitimate question. If we’re being asked to do something which requires a great deal of time and energy, we do need to know how we are going to benefit from all our efforts. 

But that question can also dominate our lives. It’s not a long step from being responsible to becoming totally self-centered. We look at people and think, “What can they do for me?” We consider helping someone and wonder, “What will I get out of it?” And, whether we will admit it or not, we sometimes feel the same way about Jesus. We wonder, “What has he done for me, lately?” 

The truth is, even in our relationship with God, we’re wanting to get our way and that usually means wanting to feel good. It isn’t hard to figure out why so many people are looking for a Feel Good Jesus. They just want him to make them feel good about themselves so that they can enjoy life on their terms. 

On the first Palm Sunday, there were a lot of people looking for a Feel Good Jesus. They were shouting “Hosanna” and dancing in the streets. But what they wanted was a Jesus who would make them feel good by driving the Romans out and ushering in a time of financial prosperity. A Jesus who would suffer, die and rise again did not fit into their feel good plans. 

While it’s easy to look back in history and judge other people with 20-20 hindsight, it is a much healthier exercise to look closely at our own attitudes towards Jesus and ask, “Do I want the Jesus of the Bible or do I want a Jesus who will grant me an unlimited number of personal wishes? 

As we celebrate Palm Sunday, remember Jesus comes as the King of Kings. He does not give us the option of molding him into the kind of king we want him to be. We must receive him as he is, whether it makes us feel good or not. 

Weekend worship service times: Saturday: 6:00 pm – Sunday: 10:00 am

“It Depends!”

 

How would you define the word “truth”? Take a moment or two and think about how you would respond to that question. At first glance, the answer seems so simple. We might even say something like, “Well the truth is the truth. You know. That’s just the way it is.” But what does that mean, “the truth is the truth”? 

If you asked people, “What is truth?” many would respond, “That depends on a lot of factors.” The impression they have is that truth is something that changes from day to day, person to person. We are comfortable with mathematical truths. No one will dispute that two plus two always equals four. The answer to that equation always has to be the same. But there is much disagreement over the truth about right and wrong, good and evil. Is it wrong to cheat on a test? Some will say, “Yes”! But many will also reply, “No, it’s okay to cheat if it will help you get what you want. It just depends on the situation.” And there is the key phrase “it depends”. 

Does the truth depend on one’s circumstances or is there some kind of unchanging, constant truth which permeates all human life? It’s an important question which we don’t talk about enough because how we answer that question will have huge implications on our daily lives. 

Many years ago a politician went against his gut feeling, making a decision he knew was wrong. To salve his conscience he muttered, “What is truth?” That man was Pontius Pilate. He has been remembered throughout history for that moral compromise. But the importance of Pilate’s question is not that it was motivated by self-serving cynicism, but rather that the answer to his question was standing in front of him. It was to Jesus Christ he addressed the question, “What is truth?” 

Relegating truth to a category of personal preference can seem liberating to the human spirit. It does just the opposite. It makes us slaves to our circumstances and our self-serving desires. Freedom is not in the statement, “Truth depends….” but rather in the confession, “Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life.” 

If you’re not sure how you would answer the question, “What is truth?”, join us for one of our weekend services. Jesus said that the truth he offers sets people free. Isn’t that worth checking out? 

Weekend worship service times: Saturday: 6:00 pm – Sunday: 10:00 am

“I Would Never Do That!!!”

 

It’s an expression of ignorant arrogance we find ourselves falling into on a daily basis. We look at other people. Make snap critical judgments and automatically make ourselves out to be superior with the dismissive declaration, “I would never do what they did?” The tragic irony of such an attitude is that very often we do much the same things for which we so harshly criticize others. But we deceive ourselves by thinking, “My situation is different.” 

On the night before Jesus Christ was crucified, one of his most vocal disciples, Peter, did what he would have considered the unthinkable. He denied even knowing Jesus not once, not twice, but three times. For two thousand years what Peter did has been discussed and debated, leaving people scratching their heads wondering what could have happened to a man who so confidently said hours earlier, “I will die for you, Jesus!” 

The truth is, there is the denial potential in every Christian. We are not nearly as spiritually strong or courageous as we imagine. The story of Peter is our story. But it is a story that though it begins tragically, ends very, very well. That’s because our God is the master of turning even the evil we commit, into something good. If Jesus could take Peter’s denial and use it to turn him into a great Christian leader, he can do something similar with us. 

Weekend worship service times: Saturday: 6:00 pm – Sunday: 10:00 am

Saved to Serve

 

It’s really not an option. We can make all the seemingly strong arguments to explain away what Jesus says, but, in the end, he said it and if he really is the Son of God, then we need to obey. The topic in question is serving. The night before Jesus was crucified, he washed his disciples’ feet. Then he turned to them and said, “…you also should wash one another’s feet.” 

If you are feeling a bit defensive, you are in good company. Most everyone is extremely hesitant about serving, and for various good reasons. Everyone is busy taking care of their own problems. How can we get involved in the life of another person when we ourselves often need help? 

“Won’t people take advantage of me?” Yes, they absolutely will. People took advantage of Jesus. In fact, people have disregarded and disdained what Jesus did for them for 2000 years in epic proportions. He knew they would do that. But he served anyway. 

“I can’t change anyone’s life. Whatever I do for someone else, it won’t make a difference?” How do you know? Remember, it’s not you working the change, that’s God’s job. You and I are just called to serve. 

“But I don’t want to serve!” Does anyone? Isn’t it the truth that rather than serving, we want everyone to serve us! That why being a follower of Jesus Christ makes us different, very different. 

Serving requires effort, patience, perseverance, and courage. But it is what Christians do because it is what Christ did for us. 

Join us for one of our weekend services. Serving may not be high on your priority list right now, but if you are serious about living a consistent Christ-centered life, then it needs to be. And one more thought. Jesus said “If you serve, you will be blessed.” Being blessed by Jesus, isn’t that worth giving some thought? 

Weekend worship service times: Saturday: 6:00 pm – Sunday: 10:00 am

Sin Sick

 

      “Men since the beginning of time have sought peace... Military alliances, balances of power, leagues of nations, all in turn have failed, leaving the only path to be by way of the crucible of war. We have had our last chance. If we do not now devise some greater and more equitable system, Armageddon will be at our door. The problem basically is theological and involves a spiritual renewal and improvement of human character that will synchronize with our matchless advances in science, art, literature, and all material and cultural developments of the past two thousand years. It must be of the spirit if we are to save the flesh.”

General Douglas MacArthur (1945)

       It is almost 80 years since General MacArthur spoke those words and we are still at the brink of Armageddon. Thinking back on the past 8 decades, it is, in a very real sense, miraculous that with all the destructive capacity nations have, the human race continues to exist.

      But the same theological problem persists, just as powerfully as it did at the very worst moments of World War II. It’s not a new problem. It’s not a complex issue. The problem is sin, evil, whatever you want to call it; but the problem always shows itself in prideful selfishness.

      The cure is theological, it’s not self-help. The cure is the old, old story which modern people love to dismiss but remains stubbornly relevant – the story of Jesus Christ. The cure is beyond us and some are beginning to admit it. We are sin sick and desperately need the supernatural intervention of Jesus Christ which comes in the form of healing forgiveness.

      If you are done with DYI fixes for sin in your life, join us for one of our weekend services. There is sturdy, solid hope – its name is Jesus. 

Weekend worship service times: Saturday: 6:00 pm – Sunday: 10:00 am

A Glimpse of the Future

 

Movie trailers are meant to get people interested enough in the full length version of the film so that they will go out and see it in a theater. As a result, these 2 minute clips are fast paced and full of action. The whole point is to create a positive curiosity in the viewer’s mind. 

There was a “movie trailer” moment in the ministry of Jesus Christ. If it had a title, it would have been called, “A Glimpse of the Future”. Jesus took a small group of his disciples up a mountain for prayer. But this “quiet time” turned into a supernatural demonstration of shock and awe. First, Jesus is mysteriously transformed into what seemed like a powerful 360-degree laser, shooting out blinding light on all sides. Maybe even more mind blowing was two men (Moses and Elijah) physically appeared and had some one-on-one time with Jesus. What makes that meeting overwhelming to comprehend is both Moses and Elijah had been dead for several hundred years. What do we make of it? 

It's beyond us to understand all the details. After all, this event was clearly a God thing. But what we can say is, we get a glimpse of the future. God becoming a human being and living a very humble earthly life, which we celebrated at Christmas, wasn’t a permanent transition. Jesus Christ became one of us for one highly specific mission and when it was completed, he took back his full glory as true God and now rules everything until the day he will return to make all things right for all time. 

For a brief moment during his earthly ministry, Jesus pulled back the curtain of the future to give us a glimpse of what it will be like to see him face to face in eternity. If you are a little bored with God right now, join us for one of our weekend worship services. The Jesus you will see when you step through the door of death is enough to shake anyone out of their God doldrums. 

Weekend worship service times: Saturday: 6:00 pm – Sunday: 10:00 am

Get Serious!

 

It’s hard to imagine what the disciples of Jesus must have felt after his pep talk prior to sending them out on their first preaching mission. To be honest, it wasn’t really a pep talk as much as a reality check. For a good year or so the disciples had been witnessing both the preaching and healing power of Christ. Now he was sending them out for a short time to do the same. What could be more exciting? But then came Jesus’ warning. “People are going to try to stop you by any means. They’ll even try to kill you. And in some cases, they will succeed. Even your family members may turn against you.” Talk about dreams of glory being shattered! 

Like a bride and groom on their wedding day imagining their future life of harmonious marital bliss, the disciples forgot that the whole reason the Son of God became a human being was to be the decisive force in the ongoing war which has been raging since the Garden of Eden. It’s a war we often can’t see but experience on a minute by minute basis. It is a war between two powers we can’t begin to imagine. It is a war with eternal consequences. Above all, it is a war Jesus Christ came to win. 

And win the war he did when he shouted from the cross, “It is finished.” Sin was paid for. Satan defeated. But the permanent and total outcomes of that victory won’t be visible until he comes again on Judgment Day. Until then, while victorious in Jesus, we must fight daily the attacks of evil and Satan. It is something we all too often take far too lightly. We underestimate the deceptiveness of temptation and we overrate our ability to resist. In short, we get complacent. We find ourselves resisting the discipline of the Christian life. We just aren’t serious about our daily life as a follower of Christ. 

In a less than subtle manner, Jesus blows us out of the water of our false sense of spiritual security, blasting the message, “Get serious about your relationship with me!” in a variety of shocking ways. As long as you and I are breathing, there is no time for unfocused living. The purpose of human life, according to Jesus, is to receive him as our Savior and Lord in this life so that we may experience eternal life with him. Between now and the moment we see Jesus face to face, our attitude toward the war for our souls can be nothing less than the most serious. 

If being a Christian feels a little like being a part of a club, join us for one of our weekend services. It’s good to be serious more often than we think. 

Weekend worship service times: Saturday: 6:00 pm – Sunday: 10:00 am

The Miracle Maker

 

All of us want a miracle every now and then. Even people who claim there is no such thing as miracles secretly wish for one when things get tough. And who can blame us? There are times in life when we have exhausted all our resources and still the pain of our problem is just too much. If we’re honest with ourselves, the miracles we want are actually very significant quick fixes. We want our problem to go away so that we can return to enjoying life on our terms. 

Jesus did about 40 miracles during his earthly ministry. They varied from healing the sick, multiplying food, demonstrating control over nature and even human death. Though he was usually very discreet about his miracle making abilities, the word got out and people thronged to him, hoping to get their own personal miracle. Which is all very understandable. People still turn to Jesus for miracles today, even if they aren’t all that interested in becoming one of his followers. We can get so desperate; we’ll try anything or anyone to give us relief. 

When we look closely at the miracles of Jesus, however, we find that the last thing he intended for people was to see him as a miracle maker specializing in quick fixes. Jesus’ miracles always had long term objectives for the person he was helping – specifically a lifelong relationship with him. The quick fix miracle was meant to lead the person into an eternal cure far beyond anything they could imagine. 

If you are praying for a miracle, keep on praying. The power of God to do miracles hasn’t diminished in the last 2000 years. But as you pray for relief of some kind of suffering which is making life miserable, ask the Miracle Maker for the most important miracle – the forgiveness of sins and life in heaven. Any physical miracle will someday lose its importance. Christ’s forgiveness never will. 

Weekend worship service times: Saturday: 6:00 pm – Sunday: 10:00 am

Yes! The Foundation Does Matter!

 

About the only people who are very interested in building foundations are architectural engineers. Foundations just aren’t the kind of thing which catch most peoples’ attention. If you can see them at all, they usually consist of drab, unpainted concrete. The photo, however, graphically demonstrates how vital it is for a home or building to have a foundation of integrity. 

The Wexner Center for the Performing Arts at Ohio State University has been named America’s first postmodern building because the architect designed it with no design in mind. He explained that just as life is an unplanned accident, so the building has no plan or specific design. There are pillars which have no purpose, stairways that go nowhere. However, there is one part of the building which was planned, designed, and constructed according to strict building codes. You know which part that is. Certainly – the foundation! 

Near the end of his most famous sermon, the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus Christ talked about foundations even more important than those of buildings. He said that every person builds a foundation for their life. And it is that foundation which will determine not only the course of one’s life, but their resistance to life’s problems. Jesus’ foundation plans are challenging to say the least. But following them will have consequences which cannot be measured. 

You and I have only one life to live, one foundation to build. Isn’t it worth finding out Jesus’ plan for the foundation of our lives?   

Weekend worship service times: Saturday: 6:00 pm – Sunday: 10:00 am 

Managing Your Mind

 

Almost four hundred years ago a Frenchman by the name of Descartes wrote, “I think, therefore I am.” Throughout the centuries people have debated and discussed the meaning of these words. Thousands of PhD candidates have written their doctoral dissertations on Descartes’ statement in order to unlock the mysterious power of the mind. One thing we can say to which few will object, the mind is absolutely critical to the outcome of a human life. What a person thinks will lead to what they say and what they do. It is in our minds we develop our priorities which direct the course of our day-to-day speech and behavior. 

Given the massive influence our minds have on our lives, it is not surprising that Jesus spoke often of our thoughts. What he said is strongly criticized by some, while for others, those same teachings have radically transformed lives. Unlike current thinking, Jesus taught our minds are much more than a complex sequence of chemical reactions. In his most famous discourse, the Sermon on the Mount, he said what is produced in our minds ultimately depends on our relationship with God. He made the unpopular statement that there is a right way and a wrong way to think. He said that motives matter. And what goes on in our minds has eternal consequences. 

Maybe most shocking of all, Jesus said that when a human being is rightly related to God, that person can powerfully manage their mind for their own personal good and the benefit of others. We are not helpless victims of circumstance to the most powerful part of our being. That’s not just good news, that’s life-changing news. Your mind matters. How you manage your mind matters. Join us for one of our weekend services. Together, let’s begin the journey with Jesus in making the most of managing our minds. 

Weekend worship service times: Saturday: 6:00 pm – Sunday: 10:00 am

The Higher Calling

 

“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the desperate country, and have to console yourself with the bravery of minks and muskrats. A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind.” 

^{Henry David Thoreau, Walden, Chapter 1. Originally published in 1854}

A grim description of life indeed, especially since when these words were written the world was on the cusp of the Industrial revolution when there seemed to be few limits on the advancement of mankind. 

Almost 175 years have passed. We have witnessed the bloodbaths of the Civil War, World War I and World II. Human beings have killed more of our own kind in less than two centuries than during all the rest of recorded history combined. Incredible technological advances have led to increased prosperity while at the same time there is an ever creeping, widespread and deeply ingrained apathy settling in the souls of men and women. Indeed, Thoreau may have been right – what is described as emotional resignation to the grayness of life, could well be the desperate realization that life offers little meaning or purpose. 

In the midst of this psychological fog blazes the brilliant alternative of Jesus Christ. In a discourse called the “Sermon on the Mount” Jesus set forth his manifesto for human life. It is nothing short of the most radical revolution humanity has seen. In no way is it a comfortable life. It is the opposite of the all consuming “meism” so many worship today. It requires effort. It demands sacrifice. But the life which Jesus Christ offers is nothing short of mankind’s highest calling. 

Join us this weekend for one of our worship services. Maybe it’s time to start on the road less traveled. 

Weekend worship service times: Saturday: 6:00 pm – Sunday: 10:00 am 

Have We Domesticated Jesus?

 

Tough not to want a dog like the one pictured above. Beautiful, clean, and so well behaved. Best of all, it comes at walk time with the leash in its mouth, asking apologetically, “Oh master, I know you are so busy, but if you could find a small place in your heart to take me for a short walk, I would be so grateful.” It’s a wonderful description of a pet. It’s a terrible description of a Savior. 

Sounds like a disconnect in thinking. What does a well-trained dog have to do with Jesus? Today – a whole lot. 

For some, Jesus is a Savior who never tells us anything we don’t like to hear. Never makes a demand on us which requires any kind of sacrifice. Jesus would not dare to say something which everyone, even those who don’t believe in him, might find the least bit offensive. And ask us to change something in our lives? He’s far too polite for that. He knows we all have our own way of living and respects us far too highly than to ask us to do something we don’t want to do. 

The Jesus of history, however, is a far cry from the Jesus described above. Unfortunately, over the years Christians have inaccurately portrayed his acts and sayings so that for many, the sheer audacity of his claims about himself and his claim on peoples’ lives have been sanitized. 

It wasn’t so for those who met Jesus personally. One night a very refined, cultured man by the name of Nicodemus came to speak with Jesus. He entered the interview curious. He left shocked to his very core. Jesus didn’t patronize Nicodemus. He didn’t try to make him feel good. No, Jesus told this man the truth he needed to hear. 

If your view of Jesus is limited to a 15^th century painting of a rather insipid, overly mild, skinny man with a vacant look, join us for one of our weekend worship services. The real Jesus won’t make you feel warm and fuzzy, but he will give you what you need. 

Weekend worship service times: Saturday: 6:00 pm – Sunday: 10:00 am 

Oblivious

 

Some of us go to the extreme of planning for the worst. We’re not going to be taken by surprise and so we plan for every possible problem and put great effort in being prepared to deal with whatever may go wrong. Others of us don’t even think about the possibilities of unexpected troubles. And we live our lives like the man with his head in the sand, blissfully unaware of all the danger which surrounds us. 

There is one area in our lives, however, where most of us truly are oblivious to peril and that is in the matter of temptation. We become so absorbed in the overwhelmingly urgent tasks of each day that we forget there are two powerful forces battling for our attention, our loyalty. Despite the present disdain for the war between good and evil, historically every generation of humanity has acknowledged that each individual lives in a moral battleground which will determine the path in life that person takes. Try as some might to explain away the reality of good and evil, there is too much daily evidence to suggest any other conclusion than that which the Bible gives – there is a war going on for our souls. 

In one of the first recorded events of the ministry of Jesus Christ, we find him engaged in the same struggle we have on a daily basis. He is tempted by Satan. What transpires in that epic battle helps us to understand his purpose for coming to this earth as a human being and what it means to us. Appreciating what happened in a remote desert 2000 years ago is the solution for the oblivious life. Join us for one of our weekend services. When it comes to spiritual danger, there is no such thing as blissful ignorance. 

Weekend worship service times: Saturday: 6:00 pm – Sunday: 10:00 am