Just like little drops of water are part of a complicated water cycle that produces and sustains life…just like little seeds can produce great fields of grain, so God multiplies who we are and what we can do. We may be filled with despair, but God makes us hopeful. We may be hateful, but God makes us loving. The takes the little we have, the little we are, and multiplies it.
God is Gracious and Merciful (July 9th, 2017)
I had a young man in my congregation who, in what was to be an act of discipline, beat his 5-year-old nephew to death. He will spent the rest of his life in prison, but he has learned about the mercy of God. I learned the story of Henry Gerecke, an Army chaplain in WW II who was sent to be the chaplain for the men accused of Nazi war crimes in the trial at Nuremberg. Gerecke hated their crimes, but he still believed in the mercy of God. We all have hidden stories in our lives, and the mercy of God is for us too.
Freedom? (July 2nd, 2017)
What does real freedom look like? How is it that we can live in one of the most “free” nations in the world, and yet still feel so stuck? Maybe the reason is that we don’t understand what freedom is really all about. Reflecting on the Apostle Paul’s words from Romans 6:12-23, Pastor Eric explores what it means to be enslaved to sin, enslaved to ourselves, or enslaved to God. One of those ways is the path to freedom.
The End of Our Illusions (June 25th, 2017)
The words of Matthew 10:24-39 are challenging. That’s even more the case hearing words about Jesus creating family conflict on the day we welcome families of our Vacation Bible School kids to worship as kids shared music they learned during the past week! But, this is the Gospel reading that was assigned for the day. And there is very good news found in these hard-to-hear words! So often, we feel “stuck” in our jobs, our relationships, our life, or our souls. What if the reason is that we are living in an illusion of peace? What if there is a way into life that is real? We can follow Jesus out of our illusions and into life that is real, full, and eternal.
Simple Instructions (June 18th, 2017)
Jesus calls disciples, travels with disciples, trains disciples, and then he sends them out to minister to others. In this sermon, “Simple Instructions,” Pastor Paige explores what Jesus’ instructions to the twelve disciples in Matthew 9:35-10:23 mean for us today. The sermon highlights how we are called and sent out to share the good news that in Jesus, the kingdom of heaven has come near.