He knew it was coming. He even told his friends months before what was going to happen. They couldn’t believe it. In fact, they had trouble even comprehending why he would talk about such things. But he did. And he talked about them over and over.
He didn’t have to go to Jerusalem. He could have stayed in Galilee where it was safe. But instead, he put himself in the most dangerous setting possible. He went to the Temple and caused riot – just before Passover, no less.
Even the night before he was put to death he had countless opportunities to walk away. But he didn’t. To be honest, it almost seemed like he was orchestrating the final outcome. But why? Why would anyone purposely do everything to make his own execution take place? Why would Jesus choose the cross?
You are the answer. Have you ever thought about Jesus’ crucifixion that way? Have you contemplated the immense truth of the Son of God choosing death so that you might live with him for eternity? If you haven’t, you’ve shortchanged yourself. We spend our lives looking to be loved and love. We give every effort to be seen by others as people of value. And so often, so very often we come up short when all the while supernatural love and worth are available to us at the cross.
Jesus Christ chose the cross so that you would be loved and have the greatest worth – for all of eternity. If that doesn’t make a difference in your life, nothing will.
Saturday night service: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning service: 10:00 am
Friday, February 27, 2015
Friday, February 20, 2015
The Jesus Challenge
Lent marks the 40 days before Easter. It is a time when Christians focus intensely on the suffering and death of Jesus. And it is precisely the cross which turns so many people off to Christ. They are willing to accept his teachings such as, “Love your neighbor as yourself”, but to believe with all one’s heart that we are so alienated from God because of our sin that only the death of the Son of God could forgive that sin – well, such a concept is just too much for them to accept.
Two thousand years ago the apostle Paul openly admitted, “The cross is offensive.” It is offensive to our pride, to our independence, to our “can-do” spirit. The cross tells us we are helpless, totally dependent on divine mercy. The cross of Christ is the greatest of insults to the human heart.
But to those who have experienced life and looked at it with realistic eyes, for those who have come to grips with the certainty of death and the loss of everything dear – the cross, the old rugged cross becomes the most precious truth in the world. For it is in the cross that we have hope, we have comfort, we have life no matter the circumstances in which we may find ourselves!
Jesus challenges us to see human life for what it is, to honestly evaluate our capabilities to resolve our problems – especially the problems of evil and death. But he also offers us the ultimate solution – a solution that is free and full.
Join us for one of our weekend services. Let’s walk together the journey of Lent.
Saturday night service: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning service: 10:00 am
Two thousand years ago the apostle Paul openly admitted, “The cross is offensive.” It is offensive to our pride, to our independence, to our “can-do” spirit. The cross tells us we are helpless, totally dependent on divine mercy. The cross of Christ is the greatest of insults to the human heart.
But to those who have experienced life and looked at it with realistic eyes, for those who have come to grips with the certainty of death and the loss of everything dear – the cross, the old rugged cross becomes the most precious truth in the world. For it is in the cross that we have hope, we have comfort, we have life no matter the circumstances in which we may find ourselves!
Jesus challenges us to see human life for what it is, to honestly evaluate our capabilities to resolve our problems – especially the problems of evil and death. But he also offers us the ultimate solution – a solution that is free and full.
Join us for one of our weekend services. Let’s walk together the journey of Lent.
Saturday night service: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning service: 10:00 am
Friday, February 13, 2015
Praying Like Jesus Prayed
“I need to pray more!”
“I’ll be praying for you.”
“About all we can do now is pray.”
Those are all statements we can identify with. As Christians we know that prayer is important. We believe it makes a difference. But the sad truth is, we very often don’t pray. We all have our reasons, but we’re the ones who lose the most when prayer becomes only an occasional activity in our busy lives.
While Jesus said a lot about prayer, he also prayed a lot and we have many of his prayers recorded in the Gospels. This Sunday, rather than just talk about prayer, we’re going to pray through the prayers of Jesus. Maybe if we learn to pray like him, our own prayers will become more real and relevant.
Saturday night service: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning service: 10:00 am
“I’ll be praying for you.”
“About all we can do now is pray.”
Those are all statements we can identify with. As Christians we know that prayer is important. We believe it makes a difference. But the sad truth is, we very often don’t pray. We all have our reasons, but we’re the ones who lose the most when prayer becomes only an occasional activity in our busy lives.
While Jesus said a lot about prayer, he also prayed a lot and we have many of his prayers recorded in the Gospels. This Sunday, rather than just talk about prayer, we’re going to pray through the prayers of Jesus. Maybe if we learn to pray like him, our own prayers will become more real and relevant.
Saturday night service: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning service: 10:00 am
Saturday, February 7, 2015
How to Lose Heaven
Why in the world would a Christian want to even think about losing heaven, much less consider how to make that happen? Because Jesus did. In fact, he frequently talked about how people who thought they were going to heaven were actually doing everything possible to give up exactly that in which they had so much confidence.
This Sunday we are going to study a story Jesus told about a wealthy man who prepared a sumptuous banquet for his friends. When it came time for the festivities to begin, however, none wanted to attend. They all made excuses that they had better things to do!
The point of Jesus’ parable was: people can outwardly receive God’s heaven invitation, but their priorities, attitudes and lifestyles can cause them to not take that invitation seriously. And for Jesus, to not take heaven seriously is to lose it.
When you became a Christian, Satan did not suddenly call off all attacks on your faith. Instead, he doubled them. Those attacks can be “in your face”, or they can be so subtle, we sometimes don’t even realize they are happening. No Christian would ever admit to wanting to lose heaven. But we are definitely all open to being led to believe that heaven is for such a long time in the future that all we really need to think about is taking care of business today.
An intense focus on the present very often leads to a dismissal of eternity. There is just too much to worry about today and heaven is forgotten.
Does your spiritual vision need readjustment? Accept our invitation to study the banquet Jesus offers this weekend. It might just help you to see things differently.
Saturday night service: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning service: 10:00 am
This Sunday we are going to study a story Jesus told about a wealthy man who prepared a sumptuous banquet for his friends. When it came time for the festivities to begin, however, none wanted to attend. They all made excuses that they had better things to do!
The point of Jesus’ parable was: people can outwardly receive God’s heaven invitation, but their priorities, attitudes and lifestyles can cause them to not take that invitation seriously. And for Jesus, to not take heaven seriously is to lose it.
When you became a Christian, Satan did not suddenly call off all attacks on your faith. Instead, he doubled them. Those attacks can be “in your face”, or they can be so subtle, we sometimes don’t even realize they are happening. No Christian would ever admit to wanting to lose heaven. But we are definitely all open to being led to believe that heaven is for such a long time in the future that all we really need to think about is taking care of business today.
An intense focus on the present very often leads to a dismissal of eternity. There is just too much to worry about today and heaven is forgotten.
Does your spiritual vision need readjustment? Accept our invitation to study the banquet Jesus offers this weekend. It might just help you to see things differently.
Saturday night service: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning service: 10:00 am
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Hawaii Lutheran Church (WELS)
- Community Lutheran Church
- Honolulu, HI
- Community Lutheran Church holds protestant chapel services in Honolulu, Hawaii near Pearl Harbor, HI. We are next to the USS Arizona Memorial, Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Hickam Air Force Base, and Fort Shafter Hawaii. Look for us directly behind the Salt Lake, Hawaii, Target.