I've had an Epiphany!

The temptation of Christ Scapegoat Studio Worship Theme: The call to sinners in Lent is a serious call to struggle. While we throw out and leave behind the trivial outward Roman type practices of Lent, let’s not throw out repentance in the process. Let’s not replace the trivial externals with something even worse: assurances that we are so forgiven that we need not bother anymore with repentance. Old Testament: Genesis 22:1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. 2 Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about." 3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abr...

As a child I can still remember feeling bad for Moses.  After all that work and all those years and all those people he wouldn't get to enter that land of Canaan .  It didn't seem right.  One angry moment - and who wouldn't have been angry with those people - and Moses is sentenced to die before finishing his quest.  All he got was a glimpse of that land from the mountain, and then he was buried on one. What a short sighted view of Moses' story that was!  I don't think Moses shared my disappointment. Moses got more than he could have ever imagined at that moment.  His struggles of leadership, sin, sickness and pain were over.  He entered his everlasting rest to be with his Father forever.  There he is on the Transfiguration mountain standing with Jesus and Elijah talking as friends with his Lord. The Devil loves to make the achievements of this world seem like everything.  In comparison to what awaits they are nothing.  As J...

Mark 1:29-39 As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. 30 Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. 31 So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. 32 That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. 33 The whole town gathered at the door, 34 and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was. 35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!" 38 Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else-- to the nearby villages-- so I can preach there also. That is why I have com...

Elijah Taken Up in a Chariot of Fire Angeli Giuseppe c. 1740 Worship Theme: The season of showing his glory to those he has called is coming to a close. We stand at the threshold of the season of his ultimate humiliation. But before we go down to the valley of the shadow of death, he gives us a glimpse of the glory which he hid so carefully even while he was revealing it. Lent is coming; hang on to the glory that soon will be covered in shame and washed with blood! Old Testament: 2 Kings 2:1 When the LORD was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, "Stay here; the LORD has sent me to Bethel ." But Elisha said, "As surely as the LORD lives and as you live, I will not leave you." So they went down to Bethel . 3 The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, "Do you know that the LORD is going to take your master from you today?" ...

The car was put back together before he realized one of the disassembled parts was still sitting on the workbench.  It would take hours of taking things apart to put it back in its place and more hours to have it back in working shape.  It just wouldn't work without all the pieces in place. Jesus needed to go somewhere else.  All the pieces were not in place yet.  Jesus needed to preach.  More people needed to hear the Good News.  "That is why I have come."  It is no accident that you are a part of the Kingdom of God .  Jesus was looking for you.  Jesus wanted you.  Jesus found you. Much of our time can be spent trying to reach our place in this world.  It seems we need what the rest of the world wants.  We want a new body shape.  We want a new job.  We want a family that is intact.  We want financial stability.  We want to be better at something.  We need to be careful that we don't overlo...

Mark 1:21 They went to Capernaum , and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. 22 The people were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. 23 Just then a man in their synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit cried out, 24 "What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are-- the Holy One of God!" 25 "Be quiet!" said Jesus sternly. "Come out of him!" 26 The evil spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. 27 The people were all so amazed that they asked each other, "What is this? A new teaching-- and with authority! He even gives orders to evil spirits and they obey him." 28 News about him spread quickly over the whole region of Galilee . Spinning head. Projectile vomiting. Levitation. Talking in reverse. I have those images seared into my memory. I don’t like s...

Healing Peter’s Mother-in-Law John Bridges Worship Theme: Though the call to faith is general and always miraculous in its capacity to create a willing following, it is also always individual. It comes to each in his own special or unique set of circumstances. Jesus both arranges and takes those circumstances into account when he calls us to follow him. He so rules over history that he allows and then overcomes the obstacles in each of us to heeding his call. Again he shows himself glorious, but hides the glory in apparent weakness. Old Testament: Job 7:1-7 "Does not man have hard service on earth? Are not his days like those of a hired man? 2 Like a slave longing for the evening shadows, or a hired man waiting eagerly for his wages, 3 so I have been allotted months of futility, and nights of misery have been assigned to me. 4 When I lie down I think, 'How long before I get up?' The night drags on, and I toss till dawn. 5 My body is clothed with wor...