Father, open our eyes to see you, open our ears to hear your voice, grant us always to put our faith and trust in you. In Jesus’ name, Amen. After last week, there were (rightly) a lot of questions during coffee time about whether it was right for Isaac to deceive Abimelech by saying Rebekah... Continue Reading →
Sermon: Receiving the Favor of God
Good Shepherd, you know each sheep in your flock by name and your sheep hear your voice. As we hear your word this morning, we ask that you would open our ears to hear you speaking our names. We ask that you would open our hearts to receive your word in faith and give us... Continue Reading →
Sermon: Grace Upon Grace
In the Bible, names are significant. When a child is given a name, they are called to live into the name they are given. When the LORD promises many children to Abram, he renames him Abraham, meaning ‘Father of many nations.’ Abraham is called to live into his new name. After Jacob wrestles with the... Continue Reading →
Sermon: Lot and Sodom
It has been almost a month since I have been able to share the Word of the LORD with you. However, this was not exactly the passage with which I anticipated stepping back into the pulpit. As we will soon hear, Genesis 19 feels more like Game of Thrones than like Frozen. There is violence,... Continue Reading →
Sermon: Empty Hands
I invite you to open your Bibles with me to the book of Micah. Micah, chapter 6, beginning in verse 1. Micah is in the Old Testament - Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk. Micah 6, beginning in verse 1. Before we hear God’s word this morning, please take a moment to pray with me. Father,... Continue Reading →
Sermon: Grace and Truth
Please pray with me: Father, may your Word be our rule, Your Holy Spirit our teacher, and the glory of Jesus Christ our single concern. Amen. These are the very words of God from the book that we love: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He... Continue Reading →
Sermon: Work of Salvation
We have been exploring, in these last few weeks, the ways in which the Christian faith speaks into every square inch of our lives. In particular, we have been asking how God’s Word speaks to our lives at work. We saw in Genesis 1-3 that all of work is good, all of work is fallen,... Continue Reading →
Sermon: Grace Beyond Explanation
[This sermon was originally delivered on Sunday, November 22, 2015.] Not every story in the Bible is worthy of imitation. Not every person, nor even every action of a genuine faithful person in the Bible, serves as an invitation to ‘go and do likewise.’ Except for God himself and God made flesh in Jesus Christ,... Continue Reading →
First Glance: 2 Kings 5
“Go in peace,” Elisha said. After Naaman had travelled some distance, Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, “My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from... Continue Reading →
First Glance: Mark 14:53-15:15
He [Peter] began to call down curses and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you are talking about.” Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him, “Before the rooster crows twice, you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.... Continue Reading →
Etz Pri 