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The Weekly Message
Seeing, But Still Blind
 3-5 Jesus said, “You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do"... ...39 Jesus then said, “I came into the world to bring everything into the clear light of day, making all the distinctions clear, so that those who have never seen will see, and those who have made a great pretense of seeing will be exposed as blind.” (John 9:1-5 from Eugene Peterson's "The Message") We all like to think that we see things clearly, but human nature has a way of distorting our vision, so that sometimes we only see things as we want them to be. The question is, do we really want to see? Video, audio and bulletin - (recordings of full service) Audio (message only) |
Not Out of Fear
 But it's important to understand that this decision was made not out of fear, but in response to Christ's charge to "love our neighbors and care for the least of these." There is unprecedented territory ahead, but we can still "be the church" wherever we are. And this offers us a new way for us grow in our faith. May you be blessed as you listen to today's service (25 min.) and feel a new kind of connection, not limited to location. (An order of worship may be found here.) |
We All Have a Choice
In Deuteronomy, we are reminded of how God's people endured many hardships, but they also grew in hope and trust. And as they were about to enter the Promised Land, Moses offered a final message that is an important reminder for us all:
Those "other gods" can take many forms, and it's easy to be misled. But we must never forget that it is in choosing to be faithful to God's ways that we will find the life we long for. |
Trying to Figure it Out?
Do you ever wonder about the Meaning of Life and what your purpose is? As Paul wrote to believers in Corinth,
Each of us is a child of God and loved by God. And each of us is here for a reason. But we can only know that purpose if we pay attention and are open to God's leading. We will know WHO we are and our purpose as we come to understand and embrace WHOSE we are - beloved children of God. |
Grace, Faith and Love
Over and over in the Scriptures, we see examples of God choosing the most unlikely people for an important purpose. And the apostle Paul is certainly a good example. In fact, as one who arrogantly and violently persecuted Christians, he is the last person anyone would ever expect to be transformed into such a humble and faithful advocate for Christ, and used in such powerful ways. But as he wrote to Timothy,
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The One Who Knows You
Do you ever feel invisible? Do you sometimes wonder if anyone understands you, or even really cares? Most of us have experienced this at one time or another, and for some, it's a feeling that won't turn loose. But the Psalmist reminds us that there is One who has known and loved us and been with us since the moment we were conceived, before we were even born. There is One who formed and shaped us, and who knows us inside and out. One who never stops loving us or believing in us. That One is God, and even when we try to run and hide, God is always with us and never abandons us. |
A New Way of Seeing and Being
It's easy to talk about being a Christian, but we're called to put our faith into action. As Paul wrote in Colossians,
And living it means recognizing that we are ALL God's children, and that we are called to love ALL as our brothers and sisters - no exceptions. |
Let’s Get Real
What exactly does it mean to pray? We worship a God who loves us beyond our understanding, yet for many, prayer may be limited to turning to God only when we need something, or when we're at the end of our rope. Often the focus can be limited to asking for specific results, with a fixed idea of what God's answer should be. And when the answer is slow to come or not what we expect, we may feel let down or forgotten. We may also feel uncomfortable showing our real selves, or sharing our real feelings. |
Missed Opportunities
It's a familiar passage from Luke:
Martha was a "do-er," and she took great pride in getting things done. She wanted to give Jesus her best, so she hustled to prepare a good meal, that he might be fed. Somehow, it never occurred to her that Jesus came to feed her, and sadly, she was missing out. |
Just Who IS Our Neighbor?
It's a story we've probably heard many times before. A religion scholar is looking for a loophole concerning the teaching to love your neighbor as yourself, and Jesus responds by sharing the story of a man robbed and beaten, and left to die by the side of the road. Both a priest and a Levite religious man saw him lying there, and both avoided him and went on their way. Surprisingly, it is a Samaritan - one of a group despised and looked down on by the Jews - whose heart is moved to help. He gets the man the help he needs and at his own expense, asking for nothing in return. As Jesus concludes the story, he asks the scholar:
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