Text: Luke 24:36b-48 Did the resurrection actually happen? I know what you are thinking… that’s an awfully strange question for a pastor to be asking. But I wasn’t there. You weren’t there. It happened a really long time ago. If someone asked me that question today, if I had proof that Jesus is alive, what…
Easter
Again & Again, the Sun Rises
Text: Mark 16: 1-8 Three women made their way to a lonely tomb just after sunrise… Have you ever thought about a sunrise? Scientifically speaking, it happens every single day, at every single moment, somewhere across this globe. Our planet travels each year in an orbit that is 584 million miles in circumference, but every…
Do you love me?
Text: John 14:15-21 If you love me, you will keep my commandments. If you LOVE me, you will keep my commandments. Do you love God? Do you love Jesus? My heart wants to say, YES!, I do! Of course I do! I love God with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength! Don’t I? Do…
They Recognized His Voice
Text: John 10:1-4,10-11; 21:1-14 In these weeks after Easter, I’ve been spending a lot of my time reading and thinking about the resurrection appearances of Jesus. They seem like a natural way to spend our time… as we find ourselves looking for signs of resurrection and hope in the midst of our own time of…
Behind Closed Doors
Text: John 20:18-20 Almost every Easter, we focus on the tomb. We focus on the women. We spend all of our time and attention on that glorious moment when they discover the tomb is empty and Jesus is alive and they have a story to tell. But this morning, I want to focus on the…
This is Love: Love that Conquers Death
Text: Song of Songs: 8:6-7, Luke 24:1-10 In the sensual poetry of the Song of Songs, we hear the tale of a young couple madly in love with one another. Their love is made every more delicious by its scandalous nature, and explodes with emotion and passion. Every time I read through its passages, my…
Abiding in Love
Loneliness is a growing epidemic in our society. Yes, I said epidemic. Studies have now shown that loneliness and social isolation raises our stress hormones, causes inflammation, and can lead to heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, dementia, and more. In fact, some claim that it could even be a bigger health risk than smoking or obesity.…
A Place at the Table
Yesterday, my husband and I took advantage of the beautiful day to do some work in the yard. One of our primary tasks for the day was to take care of some problematic trees and shrubs and to work on the perennials. Needless to say, like the vineyard keeper in John’s gospel we did some…