“I Would Never Do That!”

When we hear the statement “I would never do that,” we assume the person who said it is talking about their personal morality, that they would never do something which the majority of people consider to be wrong. But there is another way of taking that statement, a meaning which we have all probably used. We’ve seen or heard of a person making a huge sacrifice on behalf of another person and we are shocked by the selflessness of the individual and admit we probably wouldn’t be capable of doing the same thing. Such behavior both humbles and inspires us.

In the New Testament book of Hebrews there are a great many passages describing the incomparable nature of Jesus Christ – that as the Son of God, he is unique and superior to everything we human beings know and experience. Yet, at the same time the author of this short letter contrasts the greatness of Christ with the unbelievable suffering he went through to accomplish the reconciling of God with human beings. His selfless sacrifice leaves us wondering why he went through it all when he didn’t need to. We’re left with the inescapable thought, “I would never do that!” But Jesus did, and that can make all the difference in eternity and right now.

A good many of us struggle with getting along with people. And the main reason for the conflict is usually we want our way and are willing to do just about anything to get what we want. We are selfish instead of selfless. We can justify our thinking, rationalize our pride but what we need is Jesus. We need to understand how his selfless suffering can change our selfish arrogance. If you are struggling with selfishness, join us for one of our services this weekend. Spend some time with the Selfless One who sacrificed so much so that you might spend eternity with him.

Saturday evening worship: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning worship: 10:00 am

Cut to the Heart

It’s a painful experience to be in a discussion and have a person unintentionally say something which clearly and specifically exposes an area of our lives where we have failed miserably. The speaker probably didn’t mean to hurt us and maybe no one else even perceived how what was said applied to us – but we knew. And we were shaken to the core. While such moments can be awful to endure, they are also healthy because they remind us of who we really are and what we are capable of.

The message of the Bible is described as a two-edged sword which cuts to the very core of our being, revealing how much we need our Savior God. Maybe that’s why so many set aside their Bibles, what they read is just too hurtful to their egos. But the goal of God in giving us his Word is not to beat us down into a senseless humiliation but rather to show us he is the only solution to our natural condition. The truth sometimes hurts, but if that painful truth leads us to the loving arms of our healing God, then we need to hear more of that truth.

Join us for one of our worship services this weekend. Let the Word do its life changing surgery in your heart.

Saturday evening worship: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning worship: 10:00 am

Without Searching Google, “Who Won the 1989 Super Bowl?”

So, what’s your reaction to that question? “Who cares?”

Are you racking your brain, pounding your fist on the table saying, “I know who won that game, it’s on the tip of my tongue?”

Are you in the middle of an internet search to find out that the 49ers beat the Bengals 20 to 16?

Whatever your reaction might be, what was so important to so many people on January 22nd, 1989, today is just another piece of trivia that has little influence on the lives of the vast majority of those alive when the 49ers beat the Bengals.

Winning is a big thing. It always has been and always will be. Someone once said, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.” But when it comes to so much of what people struggle to win, the truth is, it isn’t all that important in the long run.

Sunday we’re going to be talking about Jesus Christ’s victory over Satan. On first glance, that might not mean a whole lot to you. But give it a few moments to sink in. We’re always talking about the struggle between good and evil. Christ’s victory means the good wins. It means there is hope. It means that even death might not be the final word. The word “victory” fills our minds and media, but when it comes down to the victory which matters – there’s only one – the victory of Jesus Christ.

If you’re interested in what that victory means to you, join us this weekend for one of our worship services. You might find there’s a whole new way of looking at winning and losing.

Saturday evening worship: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning worship: 10:00 am

Figure It Out for Yourself!

Have you ever had someone shout at you in frustration, “Figure it out for yourself”? It’s a pretty discouraging experience because you’ve gone to that person not knowing what to do in a situation that is pretty important. You’re looking for direction, but the person you’ve gone to doesn’t have a clue of what you should do and isn’t interested in putting any time or effort into helping you. So, at a loss of what to do they say something to the effect of, “Look, it’s your problem. Don’t bother me with it. Go figure it out for yourself!” We leave feeling not only even more uncertain as to what to do, but also rejected.

What if God just put a big sign in the sky for all people to see, “Figure it out for yourselves”? What if God were silent, silent about himself and us? How would we know about right and wrong? Where would we get answers to questions like, “Why was I born? What’s the point of my life? How am I supposed to live?”

The person of Jesus Christ is God’s resounding answer to our deepest questions about life. He has not been silent. He has not cast us aside to figure things out for ourselves. Instead, he himself came to this world not only to speak to us, but to figure everything out for us.

If you’re having trouble making sense of life, join us for one of our services this weekend. God is not silent. He has spoken. And what a message it is!

Saturday evening worship: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning worship: 10:00 am

If God Isn’t in Control, Who Is?

The question is not a new one. People have been asking it for centuries. “If God is in control, why do so many bad things happen on a daily basis?” The famous atheist Bertrand Russell reportedly said, “No one who has witnessed the death of a child can possibly believe in a loving God who rules all things for the benefit of human beings.” It would seem either God is not in control of what is going on or he is not loving. Either option isn’t very attractive.

At the end of his life the Old Testament Israelite Samson might have asked similar questions. From birth he had been chosen to lead his fellow countrymen out of the political repression of the neighboring Philistines. He had spent most of his life doing just that, but for all his efforts, not much seemed to have changed. Now, blinded and imprisoned by the very people he was meant to defeat, Samson wondered if God really was in control.

Things didn’t turn out the way Samson had envisioned for his life. But that doesn’t mean God had lost control. Looking back on history we see that Samson had a role to play in God’s master plan to send his Son into the world. Maybe Samson wanted a more influential part, but what he did was necessary. No, God’s rationale is not always apparent to us. Before we choose to write him off, however, we need to consider massively one question: “If God is not in control, who is?” It is not enough, no, it is even intellectual disaster to cynically dismiss the question with the flippant response, “No one is in control. Everything just happens.” That kind of thinking won’t do, not on a practical, daily basis because it means everyone of us has no purpose for being on this earth nor any value. We are all just random chance accidents. Our passions, our loves, our efforts, our pain, our suffering have no significance other than the chemical reactions they produce in us and in others.

If you find yourself resentful towards God because you don’t think he’s doing the best job running things, join us for one of our services this weekend as we explore the options of making sense out of life without God being in control.

Saturday evening worship: 6:00 pm
Sunday morning worship: 10:00 am