Dear Sisters and Brothers, One of the necessary parts of childhood was school. One of the most stressful parts of school was testing. From spelling bees, to history quizzes to fitness tests in Physical education, to mid-terms, finals, and placement tests, there were a lot of stressful times there. I know many people who still have dreams of walking…
Dear Sisters and Brothers, I was pleased to receive five responses to yesterday’s question about what we should study next. There were two votes for the letter of James and one vote each for Genesis, Psalms, and Lives of Notable Christians of the Past. So, my plan is to take two to three weeks to cover the five chapters…
Notes: We have been informed that Robert Miller, a former member of the church, who has spent the last few decades in Texas, has passed away. Our prayers are with his family and friends. Another Note: Today’s message goes further than yesterday’s sermon preached in our parking lot. God gives us a path to making good decisions, but this…
Dear Sisters and Brothers, The Sermon on the Mount concludes with the parable of “the wise and foolish builders.” As parables go, it is very easy to understand, because Jesus spells out the meaning of its metaphor very clearly. Matthew 7: 24-39 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise…
Dear Sisters and Brothers, The Sermon on the Mount concludes with an additional warning about false prophets and then a very well-known parable (which we will get to tomorrow). Again, we don’t expect that Jesus taught the lessons of the Sermon on the Mount just once, but they are things that he repeated as he went from village to…
Dear Sisters and Brothers, With just a few more passages left to the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives us some warnings and guidance. He speaks of the narrowness of the path of righteousness and how to recognize false prophets. For the sake of clarity, let’s look at a few sentences at a time. Matthew 7:13 “Enter…
Dear Sisters and Brothers, Every now and then, preachers will come across a text that looks difficult, uncomfortable, or simply very different than other texts. Today, we get a verse that may have been inserted into the Sermon on the Mount because Jesus said it, but they didn’t have a better place to insert it. Not only that, but…
Dear Sisters and Brothers, Jesus continued the Sermon on the Mount with a humorous illustration about hypocrisy. We have heard it so many times, it doesn’t sound funny anymore. It makes a very strong point, but with humor. Matthew 7:3-5 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention…
Sisters and Brothers, When a parent tries to tell you the same thing again and again, you begin to think it is very important. If a teacher comes back to the same point over and over again, you would be smart to expect it on a test. If a fence has more than one sign saying, “beware the dog,”…
Dear Brothers and Sisters, It’s a good thing that mice fear cats. It’s a good thing that crossing a busy road is frightening. Fear is an emotion that helps to keep us safe from the things of the world that could easily hurt us. Fire, firearms, explosions, tornados, sharp knives, poisonous chemicals, dilapidated old buildings and sheer cliffs should…
