Miracles can be tough to get a handle on. The secular society in which we live claims that miracles don't happen, that they are scientifically impossible. Experience, however, even for the most skeptical demonstrates otherwise.
Even more disturbing though, is how miracles are distributed. We are excited for someone when we hear they had something happen to them that can only be explained by God's direct intervention, but we would also like to know why God doesn't do those kinds of things in our lives. For that matter, why doesn't he just do a whole bunch of miracles on one particular day and get rid of the world's problems? Wouldn't that make everyone believe in him? It seems so simple.
When we read the Bible, though, we find that God is pretty economical when it comes to miracles. There are times in history when he acts more obviously in the lives of human beings (eg. when he parted the Red Sea), but there are also long periods during which he has seemed to give up on miracles completely. The most simple and effective answer to these questions is: God is God and he can do miracles whenever and however he wants. He's the Boss. And when all is said and done, that's very true.
The life of Jesus Christ provides us with a great many examples of God suspending the laws of nature and doing extraordinary things in the lives of human beings. This Sunday we're going to look at three healing miracles which Jesus performed. And while there is no doubt the reason he did those miracles was due to the fact that he chose to do them, there is much to learn from these three accounts--not only about miracles, but also our relationship with God and how we view life on this earth. Join us this Sunday at 10:00 am. You probably won't see a spectacular miracle like the ones Jesus did, but you might experience the miracle of learning to know Christ better. And when you look at life from the standpoint of eternity, there's no bigger miracle than that!
Friday, February 11, 2011
Friday, February 4, 2011
Getting Really Radical
Here are two questions to think about:
What's more important to follow, the political unrest in Egypt or Charlie Sheen going to rehab again?
What are more people interested in, the political unrest in Egypt or Charlie Sheen going to rehab again?
Unfortunately, more people are going to their computers to find out the latest on Charlie Sheen. Most will shake their heads in disgust, but if the truth be told, deep down many, many people wish they could have the lifestyle of Charlie Sheen. Their reasoning goes something like, "Sure he's decadent but he's having fun. He's doing everything all of us want to do but can't." If the allegations are true, that means "having fun" involves snorting cocaine, passing out on booze and sleeping with multiple porn stars at the same time. Is that actually what people want or is there a con game going on? Have people watched so many films and passed so many hours in front of the TV that they think fun is literally destroying oneself?
We could all save ourselves a lot of grief if we would take 15 or 20 minutes away from the tube and read a little book from the Old Testament by the name of Ecclesiastes. The guy in that book makes Charlie Sheen look like a two bit player when it comes to trying to get all the fun out of life. He tried everything and came up with nothing.
A thousand years later Jesus Christ came along with a totally different message. Instead of describing the path to happiness as sex, drugs and rock n roll, he talked about things like repressing our animal instincts and doing what is right. He talked about self-denial, sacrificing for others and living for something that lasts more than 5 minutes.
If you want to get really radical about living, Jesus Christ is your only option. He made you. He knows how you are and how you were made to live. He cares about you. Just look at the cross for proof of that. He is getting a place ready for you in heaven. That's right, a special place just for you. And what he taught about how to live while we wait here to get into that place in heaven is absolutely the key to having a great earthly life.
Is the Jesus life always easy? No. Is it always comfortable? No. Will you always understand everything that happens? No. Well then, what's so great about it? The primary objective of human beings was never meant to be "having fun". Our purpose is to be who God created us to be, to live for Someone and something bigger than ourselves. It is to fulfill the mission our Creator and Savior God has planned for us.
This Sunday we are going to study what is called Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. His message is challenging to the core. But isn't that exactly what you would expect from the One who challenged and defeated Satan, sin and death? Join us at 10:00 am and begin living the really radical life.
What's more important to follow, the political unrest in Egypt or Charlie Sheen going to rehab again?
What are more people interested in, the political unrest in Egypt or Charlie Sheen going to rehab again?
Unfortunately, more people are going to their computers to find out the latest on Charlie Sheen. Most will shake their heads in disgust, but if the truth be told, deep down many, many people wish they could have the lifestyle of Charlie Sheen. Their reasoning goes something like, "Sure he's decadent but he's having fun. He's doing everything all of us want to do but can't." If the allegations are true, that means "having fun" involves snorting cocaine, passing out on booze and sleeping with multiple porn stars at the same time. Is that actually what people want or is there a con game going on? Have people watched so many films and passed so many hours in front of the TV that they think fun is literally destroying oneself?
We could all save ourselves a lot of grief if we would take 15 or 20 minutes away from the tube and read a little book from the Old Testament by the name of Ecclesiastes. The guy in that book makes Charlie Sheen look like a two bit player when it comes to trying to get all the fun out of life. He tried everything and came up with nothing.
A thousand years later Jesus Christ came along with a totally different message. Instead of describing the path to happiness as sex, drugs and rock n roll, he talked about things like repressing our animal instincts and doing what is right. He talked about self-denial, sacrificing for others and living for something that lasts more than 5 minutes.
If you want to get really radical about living, Jesus Christ is your only option. He made you. He knows how you are and how you were made to live. He cares about you. Just look at the cross for proof of that. He is getting a place ready for you in heaven. That's right, a special place just for you. And what he taught about how to live while we wait here to get into that place in heaven is absolutely the key to having a great earthly life.
Is the Jesus life always easy? No. Is it always comfortable? No. Will you always understand everything that happens? No. Well then, what's so great about it? The primary objective of human beings was never meant to be "having fun". Our purpose is to be who God created us to be, to live for Someone and something bigger than ourselves. It is to fulfill the mission our Creator and Savior God has planned for us.
This Sunday we are going to study what is called Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. His message is challenging to the core. But isn't that exactly what you would expect from the One who challenged and defeated Satan, sin and death? Join us at 10:00 am and begin living the really radical life.
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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.