Monday, April 26, 2010

Is He Your Messiah?

This week's message examines the question, "Are you really the Messiah?"

These people saw the miracles, they saw people healed, they saw so many incredible things, they even heard teachings that no man could know - teaching with authority!  How can they doubt.

One reason they questioned Jesus as Messiah is because Jesus was so different from their perspective of what the Messiah would be like, and what he would do.

We examine these expectation, what they saw in Jesus, and perhaps more importantly, what they didn't see that they expected to see.  These expectations affect us, too.  We dismiss miracles everyday, we miss God's work, we miss exciting things happening, we don't expect to see them there.

To read the message, click here.

Thanks for reading!

Friday, April 23, 2010

Do You Love Me?

The message for this week follows the lectionary reading from John 21:1-19.  It's the story of Jesus' third visit, at least His third visit, to the disciples.  He had instructed them to wait in Jerusalem for gift the Father had promised them (Acts 1:4).  This promise was probably made in one of His two previous visits, in the locked room, either the one Thomas missed, or when Jesus came back to see Thomas. 

Although Jesus had told them previously about the Holy Spirit that would come and be their guide and their counselor, I'm not sure they really knew what to expect.  They were waiting, but I'm not sure they knew what they were waiting for.  And after three weeks, they were getting pretty bored of that locked room.

Suddenly, without warning, Peter jumps up and says, "I'm going fishing!"  The rest, without missing a beat, all jumped as well, and said, "We'll go with you!"  And so they went.

When they got back, Jesus was waiting on the shore, with fire going.  He asked for a couple of the fish they caught, and prepared a meal for them.  After the meal, he pulled Peter aside.  He pulls all of us aside at one point in our lives. And He asks us the same question:  "Do you love me?"

This was a very short summery of the message.  If you would like to read the entire message, click here.  There is also an audio link to listen to the recording of the message, though this week the quality isn't the greatest.

Monday, April 5, 2010

The Main Point of the Gospel Message...

This week is Easter Week - the day the church remembers the resurrection of our Lord Jesus.

Easter is a great time to look at not just the resurrection of Jesus - but the life of Jesus as well.  So this year on Easter Sunday we looked at the message that Jesus proclaimed.  The gospel message - the good news.  What is the good news?  What is the main message?  What is the most important part of the message that Jesus spread?

That's the question we try to answer this week.  As you read the message, or listen to the audio link, I invite your comments.  What do you think is the most essential part of the Jesus' message...

If you would like to read, click here...

Thanks for reading.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Preparing for Easter...

How do you prepare for Easter?

Easter is the biggest day of the Christian year.  How do you prepare for it?

We have made Lenten Devotionals available here the Almond Union Church.  Do you have a devotion that read during Lent?  Any special disciplines that you might follow during Lent (fasting, mediation, prayer...)

How have they been going for you?  Have you found quiet time with God to be easy?  If you don't practice year round, it may be difficult to start for a fairly short period.

If you have started a new discipline and it has one well, I encourage you to continue it.  If it has brought you closer to God during Lent, continue it.  We need to be closer to God all year around.

Let me know how things are going.  I love to hear from you...

What is the Church?

The Apostle Paul would whole-heartedly answer that question as the Body of Christ.   And I think that all of us would agree with him But ...