Grace Alone Online

Paul says that these three remain "faith, hope and love" but that the greatest of these is "love."  Why is that, do faith and hope fail at times?  Is he referring to God's love, or to human love?  This 1 Corinthians passages is a well known passage to Christians and non-Christians alike turning 'love' into something of a cure all.  But our love is not powerful nor authoritative....how then, is love the greatest of the three?  listen for more.

In Luke's Gospel, there is an elephant in the room.  You know, when  everybody in a room knows there is an issue but nobody wants to talk  about it?  Our two texts (Nehemiah and Luke) help to understand what is  going on in this synagogue where Jesus was invited to speak and why He  chooses to confront the elephant head on.  Find out what (or who) that  elephant is!

Sometimes, fairy-tales help us understand imagery that is brought out in the Bible.  One theory is that Biblical stories were so powerful in the history of storytelling, that they also influenced cultural fairy-tales.  "Mirror, mirror on the wall..." shows us who we are, in the light of what we think or imagine that we are.  The truth is, "You are not the fairest in the land."  Painful as it is, the mirror shows we are NOT the princesses, or princes, that we think we are.  But it points us in another direction....find out here.

Today the Church celebrates the Baptism of Jesus.  Why was He baptized?  did he want to start a tradition? a fad?  Was His baptism the same as ours...only better?  Jesus was baptized not only to fulfill prophesy about the coming of the Messiah.  But, yes, he did need to be baptized, because he was fully "man" and fully "God."  Not that His "God side" didn't need Baptism and his "Man side" did.  We can't think of Jesus in that half/half way.  He, Jesus, God incarnate was truly human.  He underwent all things as a human.  As a human he was flesh and blood; a descendant of sinful flesh and blood he inherited when He took on flesh.  but, he was fully God, something that was not "passed" on genetically from his mother, Mary.  His Baptism was unique in that respect; his baptism was not needed except that he was "one of us" and so He if he was meant to redeem humankindness, God's creation, He too was to be clothed in sinful flesh - participate in sinful flesh - yet be perfectly obedient to His Father's will...His Father's original creation design - in order for His sacrifice to be one of obedience and perfection.  As truly human Jesus was called to repentance in John's Baptism.  In, with and through our baptism we are brought into Jesus' own baptism. Baptized in His name, in the name of Jesus, we put on the Baptism with which he was Baptized - to be like him in his death and so be raised with Him in his resurrection (Romans 6:1-10).  Our baptism in indeed necessary....listen in.

January 6 marks the Epiphany. Epiphany means “light” like in “starlight.” We commemorate the arrival of the Magi to the Christchild’s manger. This date, in fact, celebrates the Gentile Christmas. Whereas the 24th of December celebrates the announcement of Christ’s birth to the Jewish world, the star and the Magi who sought the Christchild were not Jewish, they were Gentile. Epiphany, January 6, is therefore the “Gentile Christmas.” Matthew doesn’t tell us a lot about the Magi who sought Jesus out, but the significance is world-altering. Just how wise were these three shadowy figures who knelt before a Savior that they longed to call their own?

The countdown has started.  Another year has come and gone.  How has it been for you?  Glad to see 2019 go?  Are you ready for a new year?  These are trying times for most people.  Some can say it was a good year, but many reflect with what the past year left them: challenges, failure, suffering, loneliness.  Where is God in all this?  Has he abandoned the hope of His people?  Paul writes to the Romans that God's love for them is INSEPARABLE in Christ Jesus.  How is this true?  Especially, how is this true even in the midst of when I feel that HE has abandoned me?  When I don't see him in my life?  When he feels so far from me?  Listen in for the concrete hope and assurance of God's love.

Everyone knows about the 2-minute warning in football.  You know, the clock stops to alert everyone that there is only two minutes left in the game.  Everything is coming to a close and if the losing team does not want to lose, they will do everything they can to win.  The prophets, particularly Daniel in our text for today, gives a two-minute warning on the coming end of all time.  Are you ready?  Do you have a game plan?  Listen in.

This 3rd Sunday in Advent we turn to Malachi, the final prophet of the Old Testament Scripture, to look at what he says about the second coming of Christ.  He is the Sun of Righteousness that will dawn.  That day will be a day of destruction for all evil and those who have not believed and trusted in the Lord for for forgiveness and salvation; that is, those who have not believed in the covenant made by God through Christ's blood sacrifice and resurrection....for by their reluctance to believe, they are not part of that covenant.  But, for those who believe, living in a world of injustice, danger, destruction, and evil brings about doubts and thoughts that Christ will not return.  People in this world - including Christians at times - wonder about Christ's return, and how God can permit injustice and evil to continue in this world.  Some dismiss the account of His return as fantastical, a myth or legend.  Malachi's message is DO NOT BE MISCONCEIVED - misconceptions can be fatal, when the truth is that HE WILL RETURN.  Listen in on God's promise for salvation to those who believe.

This second Sunday in Advent.  Listen to a familiar story about Beauty and the Beast.  There is a connection here with real-life in this world between the evil of sin and the Light which we welcome at Christmas time.  Listen in.

We begin the Advent season, the four weeks prior to December 24th (Christmas Eve).  This year we focus on "Light" and the coming of Christ 2000 years ago when God's light entered the world.  We look forward to the return of Christ in the End Times as God returning to this world in victory, to take us home to dwell with Him.  Along our life's path in this world, however, we experience darkness, depression, anxiety, and all things which are "not" light.  Christ entered into the world to BE light for us; to show us the path to the Father.  He came to overcome the darkness and evil that exists in the world today.  Celebrate with us and listen to Isaiah's prophetic message as he announces the coming Messiah some 600 years before JEsus' birth.