Mark 4:1-20 The FarmVille of Your Soul INTRODUCTION – FarmVille This is the Farmville parable in Jesus’ time. Just like Farmville, you have to plant seeds and then watch them grow and then harvest them. What Jesus talks about in His parable is the types of soil in which the seed will grow. Here are the four soils Jesus describes and then His definition: Road Rocks Weeds Good Soil Interest No Interest Fun Worship Work Purpose Crowd Congregation Committed... Read more
What Difference Does It Make? “But in the end, does it really make a difference what anyone does?” (Ecclesiastes 3:9, The Message) The famous quote in the title refers to Hilary Clinton‘s response to the Senate panel review about the Benghazi United States Embassy attacks which occurred on September 11, 2012. Her point is that instead of complaining about the past and placing blame, the panel should be concerned about how to change the system so that this kind of... Read more
Divorce Is Like a Bloody Amputation “He answered, “Haven’t you read in your Bible that the Creator originally made man and woman for each other, male and female? And because of this, a man leaves father and mother and is firmly bonded to his wife, becoming one flesh—no longer two bodies but one. Because God created this organic union of the two sexes, no one should desecrate his art by cutting them apart.”” (Matthew 19:4–6, The Message) God tells us... Read more
Live Long and Prosper “God bless you and keep you, God smile on you and gift you, God look you full in the face and make you prosper.” (Numbers 6:24–26, The Message) This passage is called the “priestly blessing.” For the longest time, this passage was shared by priests to bless families. The priest gives the blessing using both hands to form the letter “Shin.” (This was the first letter in the Hebrew word “Shaddai” which means Almighty God.) The... Read more
Flowing Justice – The Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. in America Flowing Justice – The Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. in America “But let justice flow like water, and righteousness, like an unfailing stream.” (Amos 5:24, HCSB) He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetuate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it. — Martin... Read more
Matthew 21:12-17 How to Foster an OPEN Worship Experience What were you thinking when you came into this building? What was on your mind when you entered this church? Who are you thinking about when you came in here? Perhaps you thought of the argument you had with your husband or wife before you came. Perhaps you worried about your child’s health before you walked in here. Maybe you thought: “I wonder if someone will say hello to me today.”... Read more
John 8:1-11 What Would Jesus Say to Lance Armstrong This sermon was inspired by a blog post I created. If you want to see the interview with Oprah, you can find it at that post. How would Jesus deal with Lance Armstrong ““No one, Lord,” she answered. “Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”” (John 8:11, HCSB) Jesus would restore him (Neither would I condemn you…), Jesus would give him hope (Go…), Jesus... Read more
What Would Jesus Say to Lance Armstrong? ““No one, Lord,” she answered. “Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”” (John 8:11, HCSB) This week we learned what some people (including my wife) has suspected for many years: Lance Armstrong used drugs to enhance his ability to win seven Tour de France titles. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey this week, Lance confessed to using performance-enhancing drugs and hiding it from... Read more
Sexual Pollution ““Don’t pollute yourself in any of these ways. This is how the nations became polluted, the ones that I am going to drive out of the land before you. Even the land itself became polluted and I punished it for its iniquities—the land vomited up its inhabitants. You must keep my decrees and laws—natives and foreigners both. You must not do any of these abhorrent things. The people who lived in this land before you arrived did all... Read more
Blamegoats ““When Aaron finishes making atonement for the Holy of Holies, the Tent of Meeting, and the Altar, he will bring up the live goat, lay both hands on the live goat’s head, and confess all the iniquities of the People of Israel, all their acts of rebellion, all their sins. He will put all the sins on the goat’s head and send it off into the wilderness, led out by a man standing by and ready. The goat will... Read more
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