The story of the people of Israel is our story. It is a mix of history and myth. It tells us something about ourselves. Like the people of Israel, we have a propensity to build idols.
Sermon Texts
It wasn’t trivial. It was serious. Painful. It cost you a lot. And now you’re expected to forgive him? You would rather see him suffer, like you did. How do we forgive others when we really don’t want to?
The religious leaders of Jesus’ day talked a good game. They claimed authority to be the official teachers of the people. Unfortunately, they did not practice what they preached. We never do that, do we?
This Sunday we will ordain Andrew Sivak and Beverly Olmsted to the office of deacon. Others will be installed as deacons.
People experience God in many ways. For some, it is high church worship with all the “smells and bells.” For others, it is a simple praise chorus. For still others, it may be in nature, another person, or a solitary encounter.
Attendance decline. Scandals. Irrelevance. The Church today faces some stiff headwinds. What’s going to happen to the Church? Sociologists have made predictions, as have church leaders. What did Jesus have to say?