When my daughters were in high school, they played on the soccer team. Game after game we parents would sit in the stands and shout out encouragement. Our team needed a lot of encouragement. When the game wasn’t going our way, one sweet, upbeat, optimistic parent...
I hope you will not be confused Sunday when we consider the Triumphal Entry a week after we celebrated Easter. If you are not familiar with the Gospels and the way the church marks the high points of Jesus’ ministry, here is a quick overview. At...
This Good Friday and Easter weekend, let’s gather around Jesus and hear what he is saying to his church. Have you ever noticed how many times Jesus is at a table or a feast in the Gospels? One of his great signs in the Gospel of...
While working on a sermon, I often come across something that I know is not the main point of the passage, but that is important and helpful. I know that what I have found won’t be the main message of the sermon, but I want...
One of the most difficult things to trust is that God’s timing is for his glory and our good. The basis of this trust is the relationship we have with God. By grace through faith in Christ, God is our Father. We are his children. He...
“My sheep hear my voice,” Jesus said (John 10:16, 27). Well, I am one of Jesus’ sheep, but I admit that hearing his voice has been a topic of much consideration and confusion for me. The thought of hearing a voice in my ear telling me good things...
I wonder if Jesus’ teaching on the good shepherd in John 10 seems relevant to today’s church. With all the challenges we are facing culturally, politically, and theologically, the image of a shepherd holding a furry little lamb doesn’t appear to hold much by way of instruction...
Don’t let the title throw you. I don’t mean “leaving church” as in finding another one. Or leaving church to never attend again. By “leaving church,” I mean being sent out after the weekly gathering of the congregation to live for God’s glory in the...
Last week, I wrote about preparing for church. This week, let’s think about attending church. There was a day when I didn’t give much attention to why and how I went to church. Looking back, I would say the reason I attended church was because that...
One of the most helpful disciplines I have learned as a member of Grace Community Church is to prepare myself for attending church on Sunday. That may sound strange since I am the pastor and I preach most Sundays. If I don’t prepare the sermon, it...
