What about the ordinances? There are 2 ordinances or traditions that Christ himself ordained for us to observe. One is the Lord’s Supper and the other is baptism. Catholics observe the Lord’s Supper every Sunday and many Protestants look at that and say, that’s just a meaningless ritual. So why bother observing it? Attending church […]
Matt 15: Religion is Outside In, Christianity is Inside Out (pt1 of 3)
Let’s start with a moment of silent prayer for the families who lost loved ones at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut where 20 children as young as 6 years old and 6 adults were killed this past week. Please turn with me to Matthew 15. These are the 3 different people who encounter […]
Matt 14 – Being Compassionate During the Holidays (pt3 of 3)
Why does Jesus want us to participate with Him in showing compassion? He was perfectly capable of healing the crowds on his own. Disciples had no power to heal. And Jesus could have easily zapped the stones and turned them to bread. But he doesn’t. Instead, he involves the disciples. Why? It’s because in the […]
Matt 14 – Being Compassionate During the Holidays (pt2 of 3)
Why is compassion important? Compassion is important simply because it’s important to God. If you don’t believe me, let me try to convince you. Here is just a small sampling of verses. Proverbs 14 21 “He who despises his neighbor sins, but blessed is he who is kind to the needy.” Prov 21 13 If […]
Matt 14 – Being Compassionate During the Holidays (pt1 of 3)
Christmas is coming, and for the college students, this is your last Sunday until next year. So I wanted to give you one final message going into the holiday season. Jackie calls me Scrooge because I really don’t care for Christmas. That sounds weird. How can a pastor not love the birthday of Jesus? That’s […]
Vision for the Church: Acts 2 (Summary)
What should a church be about? An analogy for church is the planet Jupiter. Hard, rocky core surrounded by swirling gases. Churches need a core that’s solid. Everything around it can be fluid. Programs can start and stop. Ministries can come and go. Methodologies can change depending on who you are trying to reach or […]