I've had an Epiphany!

Title: The Pharisees Question Jesus Artist: James Tissot Worship Theme: Faithfulness and obedience to the Word of the Lord are not only logical consequences of faith but necessary fruits that grow in and from hearts redeemed and renewed by the gospel. The readings for this Sunday emphasize with equal force that the basis of all faithfulness must be the Word of God and that all God-pleasing obedience must begin in the heart. Old Testament: Deuteronomy 4:1 Hear now, O Israel, the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, is giving you. 2 Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the LORD your God that I give you. … 6 Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding...

Peter’s confession made me curious.  While almost everyone else grumbles and turns away from Jesus after His Bread of Life sermon, Peter replies, “You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God” (John 6:68-69) When Jesus asks His disciples, “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Peter answers, “Lord, to whom shall we go?” (John 6:67) Peter was convinced he had found something he could get nowhere else.  What had Peter already heard Jesus say by this point?  I looked back to see what Peter had heard in the chapters that precede this text. Jesus had taught Nicodemus that unless you are born again of water and the Spirit, you cannot enter the Kingdom of God.  Here are words about eternal life that Peter had heard nowhere else.  Even today, many Christian churches have turned Jesus’ words about being born again into an emotional experience, instead of being born of “water and the Spirit.”  How important ba...

Ephesians 5:15 Be very careful, then, how you live-- not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Edith Rockefeller McCormick, the daughter of John D. Rockefeller, had great wealth, a high social position, and a small army of servants. When they were hired, those servants were given one absolutely unbreakable rule: they were never, I mean   never , allowed to speak to McCormick. To the best of anyone’s recollection, only once was that rule broken. That was when McCormick’s young son died of scarlet fever. Word of the boy’s death reached the McCormi...

We men are called to action. Grill Kings is designed to appeal to your hard-wired nature to be defenders, warriors, and sacrificial leaders today. It's the Gospel that can motivate us to think differently about ourselves in our roles as husbands, fathers, and guardians of God’s church. Please join us for our next Grill Kings men's group on August 29th 2015 4:30 P.M -7:30 P.M. We will meet at the home of Brian Lampe, which is located at 3368 S 54th Milwaukee WI. Please R.S.V.P before August 25th. Brian Lampe: 414-915-3211 Web site   www.Ceo-ministries.org

Art: Moses and Aaron meet Pharaoh Artist: Robert Leinweber Worship Theme: God’s Word is not always easy to believe. There are some difficult words that we run up against as we read through our Bible, ideas that seem so contrary to our “modern way of thinking.” We shouldn’t think, however, that these words were any easier to believe back in Bible times. They weren’t. God’s people have always been faced with the difficult words of God. That’s why Jesus gives us the Bread of Life, that we might be led to set aside our worldly objections and see the loving and saving intent of every word from our Savior’s mouth. When we see that intent, it’s easier to trust even the most difficult words. Old Testament: Exodus 7:8 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 9 "When Pharaoh says to you, 'Perform a miracle,' then say to Aaron, 'Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh,' and it will become a snake." 10 So Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and did just ...

Earlier in Ephesians chapter 5, the apostle Paul talked about the darkness of the immoral acts of the disobedient and the light indicating the fruits of faith that reflect the light of the Lord.  As he wrote about a contrast between darkness and light (vv. 8-14), he now turns to the contrast between foolishness and wisdom.   Be very careful, then, how you live-- not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:15-20) Here Paul directs the Ephesian Christians to evaluate how carefully they are walking spiritually.  The Greek in ...

An icon of Jesus as the Living Bread Worship Theme: Living as a Christian is hard. The devil places many obstacles in our way, all of which lead to sin and unbelief. But by his death in our place (by losing!), Jesus defeated Satan. The risen Christ gives us a way out of every temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13 ). Most of all, our Savior gives us the Bread of Life, his promises of forgiveness and eternal rescue. As we nourish our faith on this Bread of Life, Jesus will give us boldness to fight our spiritual enemies. Old Testament: Proverbs 9:1 Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out its seven pillars. 2 She has prepared her meat and mixed her wine; she has also set her table. 3 She has sent out her maids, and she calls from the highest point of the city. 4 "Let all who are simple come in here!" she says to those who lack judgment. 5 "Come, eat my food and drink the wine I have mixed. 6 Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of...

At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 42 They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?" 43 "Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. 44 "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45 It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.' Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46 No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47 I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. 48 I am the bread of life. 49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50 But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If...

John 6:24 Once the crowd realized that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they got into the boats and went to Capernaum in search of Jesus. 25 When they found him on the other side of the lake, they asked him, "Rabbi, when did you get here?" 26 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." 28 Then they asked him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" 29 Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." 30 So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? 31 Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread f...