Grace Alone Online

Pentecost Sunday is celebrated by the miraculous and mystifying speaking in tongues of the disciples and the pilgrims from around the Middle East who hear the Word of God for the first time in their own languages.  But is it really about hearing and speaking?  Listen in... 

I enjoy road trips. When our children were young, we would pile in the car – that’s right, we drove – and we’d drive and drive and drive. Our favorite road game was: Are We There Yet!” The kids would play this about every five minutes. The game ranks right up there with songs we sang: This is the Song That Never Ends, and our family favorite: I Know Song That’ll Get On Your Nerves. I would usually lead. If you don’t know these songs, try singing them…now.  In Acts 1:1-11, the disciples were asking, "Are We There Yet?" Was the kingdom of God going to be restored right then and there?  No....why not?

Trials and Tribulations - not only common in Toy Story but, yes, something similar.  In the lives of all people there are trials.  In the world of Christians, these trials are tribulations and they happen every day.  Only Christians can endure tribulations because of Christ.  The greatest tribulation in the world is.....the WORLD.  Being persecuted for thoughts, opinions, movements against popular culture and self-centered, narcissistic legislation that goes in the face of god's Word.  Like Lydia, in Acts 16, Christians cannot bed the knee to freedoms offered by legislation that fly in the face of God's Word.  You cannot serve two masters.  Lear how Christ is your peace in these trials and tribulations.

"Wait 'til your father comes home."  How often did you hear that as a child?  The phrase never brings "good" memories.  Anyone hearing this would probably find themselves waiting for their punishment with guilt and fear.  As adults this phrase takes a different shape, "Hey, the boss wants to see you," striking guilt and fear in the hearts of the employed.  For some, this phrase brings back so many memories of failure, suffering, pain, and abandonment, that even the image of god as Father is disturbing.  Even as parents, we fail in the image of father and mother.  John offers a new vision of fatherhood.  Find out what he sees in his revelation.  

During the last four weeks we have heard our Lord's resurrection from eyewitnesses, from "doubting" Thomas, from the women who ran from the tomb bewildered and afraid, and on this 4th Sunday after Easter, St. Paul speaks about the last enemy, death, which will be destroyed upon our Lord's return. Paul offers us an additional two perspectives on the resurrection.  One, he describes as a "battle" won over the "enemy" death.  We are used to such a description.  But Paul leads us to look at the resurrection through Jewish eyes in a way that connects us more intimately with our Lord.  Find out what this is!

"The name is Bond....James Bond."  We're probably all familiar with this phrase from the James Bond movie franchise.  Just this little phrase brings back memories of all the attributes of Bond: suave, debonair, sly, dangerous, crafty.  Sometimes, descriptive names precede a person's name like Alexander "the Great".  These names have historically labelled the person for his or her actions, and those actions are usually infamous or despicable.  So, what about "doubting" Thomas.  Listen and find out how you might be related to our friend in John 19.

There is a grave in Hannover, Germany, called THE OPEN GRAVE.  It is Henrietta von Ruling's grab.  Buried in 1784, Henrietta's epitaph reads, "This grave, bought for eternity, must never be opened."  But....a little birch seed implanted itself into the foundation of the crypt and 100 years later it broke through the sarcophagus and crypt and opened the tomb.  The impossible happened; the tomb meant to be closed for ever burst open.  It became a tourist attraction.  today, Christ burst forth from the tomb.  What does the impact of Christ have on your tomb?

Palm Sunday.  Jesus riding into Jerusalem.  You know the story.  Probably too well.  You glide over it; dismiss it with an, "I know what happens today."  Do you?  Who were those people on the side of the road?  Why would they welcome Jesus.  He did nothing victorious.  He certainly wasn't Hercules in a Disney movie. Remember that parade?  Yes, who were they that sang Hosanna?  Were they scoffers? Because Jesus didn't have an army of victorious soldiers following him.  He didn't defeat anything.  Find out who is among this crowd of people.

Our final Sunday in Lent for our Mercy in Lent Theme: Mercy in Service.  Perhaps you know the joke where in the Scripture tennis was a big sport, because in Genesis 41 we read: "Joseph served in Pharaoh's court."  Service is important in playing tennis.  It puts the ball in motion and the game begins.  Without the service there is no game.  Christians serve too, only it's not a game. If the Christian does not serve in bay talking about his/her faith or serving others' needs there is a good chance friends and family, neighbors and strangers, will not come to know Jesus.  The song refrains says, "they will know we are Christians by our love."  Jesus sets the example and says if you follow me, you will do the things I do....not for salvation, but because Christ creates us anew, with a fresh spirit, a forgiven life, that frees us from slavishly serving only self and actually thinks of others first.  Listen and see what mercy in Service truly is.