Walls or Bridges

Last Sunday!   We looked at another of Jesus' parables recorded in Luke 16:19-31.  Contrary to what a few scholars do with this, this has nothing to do with economics (taxing the rich or promoting communism) or with "works righteousness" (poor earn heaven by being poor).  This has to do with our heart, our attitude, our spirit - toward self, others and God.  It has to do with building and maintaining WALLS or BRIDGES.  We spoke of the various way we build walls...... and the various ways to build bridges.   

We are Family!

Last Sunday!  We celebrated our 40th Anniversary as a church family!   We shared songs, pictures, memories - but most of all God's faithfulness!   In the message, we looked at our clear identity as FAMILY, a Christ-centered FAMILY, and at the 4 "core values" that have moved us for 40 years:  Reaching out to OUR community!  Teaching GOD'S WORD!  Caring for each other!   Sharing God's love! 

Jiggle

Last Sunday!   We looked at the words of Jesus in Luke 14:25-33.  Jesus gets to a very critical theme (going back to AT LEAST why the First Commandment is first!) - an issue of priorities in our life.  There are LOTS of good things we "jiggle" - often with surprisingly little thought, with surprisingly little intent. And HOW we do so, WHERE we put things - has a HUGE impact!

Just take Action!

 Last Sunday!  We looked at another of Jesus' parables - one of the more obscure and probably the strangest of them all....  Luke 16:1-9, "The Parable of the Dishonest Manager."  The "point of comparison" is that this dude - while dishonest - DID something!  He ACTED with bold, personal, decisive, sacrificial ACTION!  The point is NOT that he did correctly but that he did something!  It's a rebuke of the all-too-common response of whining, blaming, suggesting, or any of the other "responses" we tend to do.  It's a parable from lesser-to-greater:  if this dishonest JERK responds with decisive, personal ACTION just for the sake  of his career, how much MORE would we respond with decisive, determined, focused, personal ACTION for the sake of Christ!   We should do AT LEAST as much to advance the Kingdom of God as we do to advance the kingdom of self

Jesus changes - and blesses!

Last Sunday!   We looked at one of those popular Sunday School stories you probably remember from those days, wee Zacchaeus up in that Sycamore tree....  It's a fun story (and some of us remember that children's song that re-tells it!), but it's not ONLY the story of Zacchaeus up in the tree - it's the story of US wherever silly place we've gotten ourselves into.  Jesus comes!  Jesus knows us and calls us by name!  Jesus invites Himself into our homes - and families and hearts and lives!  Jesus changes - and blesses! 

It never pays off!

Last Sunday!   Continuing our look at the Parables of Jesus in Luke, we come to a very short, very clear one that is hardly ever preached on or studied - maybe because it, well...... hits pretty close to home.  Luke 12:13-21.  We talked about what people tend to look to for security, comfort, peace, joy.....  they "bet" on this even though it never pays off!   We are SO like the man in Jesus' story!   But Jesus directs us to what DOES "pay off" what CAN supply that hope, security, courage, peace, comfort, joy - and LIFE!   A very practical (if difficult) look at what we are DOING (even if we SAY the opposite. 

Gifts & Abilities 7/21/2013

We came to grow, support and praise!   We continued our look at one of Jesus' best known parables, the Parable of the Good Samaritan.  We discussed practical APPLICATIONS of his point, in daily living, for each of us in our own "setting" with our own "gifts and abilities".                                                

Pastor Dr. Allen Kolkman

Defining Love 7/14/2013

Great worship, great fellowship, great teaching, great to spend time with the Lord and His people!   The message was the first of a two part look at one of the best known parables of Jesus:  The Good Samaritan.  We looked - in practical ways - at the issue of "neighbor" and how Jesus defined "love."  We continue looking at this parable next Sunday.                    
                                                                                  Dr Allen Kolkman, Pastor

Shocking Twist 7/7/2013

  We focused on Luke 18:9-14, one of the great stories of Jesus - told with His typical, shocking TWIST at the end (that makes His point). Our FAITH (and the resulting attitude) has a HUGE impact on our relationship with God (and thus our ultimate destination - shocking as that may be) AND our relationship with others (right here, right now).  It's a call for us to check our heart, our faith, our attitude!
                                                                                         Dr. Allen Kolkman, Pastor

"SEIZE THE DAY! 6/30/2013

   With a bit of thought to Juneteenth and the Fourth of July, we looked at our Epistle Reading - Galatians 5:1,13-25.  This celebrates Jesus as the Great Emancipator, the Great Liberator, the One who freed us from slavery, the One who made us free (at GREAT personal cost).  We explored the slavery of which Paul speaks - and life as a slave, we looked at HOW and WHY Christ set us free - as the Savior and Liberator, and we especially looked at life now as FREED men, women, boys and girls.  Embracing Paul's call to "SEIZE THE DAY!"  To embrace our new status and privileges and "rights."    Church attendance:  36 (no 5th Sunday last June).  We had no first time local guests.  We enjoyed the A/C (because it was pretty hot already at 10:00).  Lois Taylor supplied our altar flowers.  We also included a "Organist Appreciation" event, giving thanks to Joyce as our minsiter of music and choir director.
                                                                                  Dr. Allen Kolkman, Pastor