What Disciples Do:

Sunday we finish our series on God’s Promises with the last promise as Freedom.  In Deuteronomy 30: 15-20, God addresses the Israelite people, “I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity.” Sometimes freedom feels like a gift, and at other times feels like a curse. Sometimes it isn’t always clear which choice leads to life and which one leads to death.  Sometimes we would rather the choice be made for us.  We always have the freedom to…

This Sunday we will be reminded that God gives us the Promise of Guidance. Sunday’s Scripture is from Matthew 5: 13-20, which is still part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. In what ways do you need guidance in your life?….Matthew 5: 13-20

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. 2Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying: 3“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 5“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. 6“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. 7“Blessed are the merciful,…

Now when Jesus heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew to Galilee. 13>He left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14so that what had been spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:……Matthew 4: 12-23

We finish up our series on “What Disciples Do” with our last sermon, “Dream of What Could Be” from Isaiah 65: 17-25.   Also, we will celebrate the sacrament of Baptism with Lucas Cruz.

Ever heard the phrase, “Don’t Question God?”  Well, this week we will hear the opposite.  We continue in Luke’s Gospel discovering What Disciples Do.  The week’s focus is that disciples “Ask Hard Questions.”  We may not always receive the answers we expect, but we worship a God who pays attention to the questions we ask.  Luke 20: 27-38.

Sunday, we will celebrate Homecoming as well as Memorial Sunday.  We’ll hear the story of Zacchaeus in Luke: 19: 1-10 and share in Holy Communion as we gather around the table with the Saints who have gone before us. 

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: 10“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ……… Luke 18: 9-14.

We continue with the sermon series from Luke’s Gospel, Luke 17: 11-19, “What Disciples Do: Say Thank You.” As we anticipate Sunday’s congregational meal and 2020 budget presentation, thank you to the Finance Committee for your hard work and dedication in creating a budget that supports the many ways this church is spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ and making a real difference in this community. To God be the glory!

What Disciples Do: Believe in the Impossible from Luke 17: 5-10. In this passage, the disciples believe they need to have more faith, one that is bigger, better, and more glamorous. Jesus quickly rebukes this idea. He reminds the disciples that a life with him is not about acquiring more, even if it’s faith.  Life with Jesus is not about ego and recognition, but suffering, persistence, and faithfulness. It sounds impossible, doesn’t it?

We continue in Luke with the  Fall Sermon Series: What Disciples Do. This week “We Practice Generosity.”  In our scripture for Sunday, Luke 16:19-31, Jesus tells the powerful parable of “The Rich Man and Lazarus.”  It is a story of two men; one is wealthy and has plenty to eat, the other is hungry and homeless. It is a cautionary tale that calls us to acknowledge the privileges we have and to use those privileges to alleviate the suffering of others.  Join me on…

What Disciples Do:  We Resist Greed Luke 16: 1-13 Mark Twain once said, “It ain’t those parts of the Bible that I can’t understand that bother me, it is the parts I DO understand.”  In this passage Jesus continues to respond to the Pharisees who have criticized him for eating and drinking with “sinners.”  He tells a parable that seems pretty confusing, but then he concludes with words that are clear and specific:  No slave can serve two masters…You cannot…