Overall Theme: The disciples asked Jesus, “Increase our faith!” Having just told them the challenges they would face and what was expected of them as disciples, they quickly recognized that they would need far more faith then they ever had before. What about us? Knowing what the Lord expects of us and having set Living God’s…
Main Text: 1 Timothy 6:6-19 (Amos 6:1a,4-7; Luke 16:19-31) We come full circle this week to where we began in August. The theme has been “On the Basis of Love.” We have been exploring God’s love as the foundation on which we are to build our lives. This week we are reminded that this foundation…
Main Text: 1 Timothy 2:1-7 (Amos 8:4-7; Luke 16:1-13) Hypocrisy is defined as “the practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one’s own behavior does not conform.” Amos points out this hypocrisy in the very fabric of God’s community. They still worship and celebrate the festivals. They claim to practice what…
Main Text: 1 Timothy 1:12-17 (Exodus 32:7-14; Luke 15:1-10) I have heard people say of someone that they admired who passed, “I just wish I had half their faith.” Yet, no matter how wonderful and loving that person was, no one compares to the love embodied in Jesus Christ. We should not desire only half…
Main Text: Deuteronomy 30:15-20 (Philemon 1-21; Luke 14:25-33) The reading from the Gospel once again emphasizes the cost of following the Lord. We don’t like to think about a cost, but Jesus shocks the crowd and us when he says that to follow him we have to hate. How could this be? If God is…
Main Text: Hebrews 13:1-8, 15-16 (Proverbs 25:6-7; Luke 14:1,7-14) These words in the letter to Hebrews are closing instructions to the people of God on how to live now. To believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ is to believe that no matter what you see in the present reality, the way it is supposed…
Main Text: Isaiah 58:9b-14 (Hebrews 12:18-29, Luke 13:10-17) The people of Israel had seen the highest heights of prosperity only to fall to the lowest depths of despair as everything they had built fell apart. The more they focused on protecting what they had above doing what was right, the more the fabric of community…
Main Text: Luke 12:49-56 (Jeremiah 23:23-29; Hebrews 11:29-12:2) We can look at the clouds coming and know it is going to rain. We can see the leaves change and know that fall is coming. We can interpret the present time based upon science, observation and experience, because we have been trained to view the signs…
Main Text: Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 (Genesis 15:1-6; Luke 12:32-40) “That’s just the way it has always been.” This is a statement of futility based upon the reality we see. Faith, hope and love, however, are different when based on that which is not visible. If this is all there is, then we are most to…
Main Text: Colossians 3:1-11 (Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12-14, 2:18-23; Luke 12:13-21) If God’s love is going to be the basis of our lives, then we need to seek the things that are above. Too often we make what we have already the basis of our lives, but these things are not capable of sustaining or supporting…
Overall Theme: Without a solid foundation a house will fall. What about the foundation of our lives? What is the basis, or foundation, upon which we build our thoughts, words and deeds? What is the basis upon which we approach life and work? What is the basis upon which all of our relationships need to…
Text: Colossians 2:6-19 (Genesis 18:20-32; Luke 11:1-13) As was said last week, growth in faith is not by completion but fulfillment. Growth is something that comes from God, not by our accomplishment. This is the critical difference between being saved by faith and not by works. Our works are not to accomplish our salvation, but…