Saint John Community Church

Pastor Tom Grieb continues our discipleship series, "unhurried." As Christian disciples, we can very well expect our lives to be different. We can expect God to be at work to transform us in all sorts of ways. While our circumstances may not always be to our liking, we will have the wherewithal to meet them. As God does his thing in our lives, our love for him and others will abound. The Christian faith is all about transformation. Our lives are made new. Paul talks about such things in II Corinthians 5:17 where he writes, “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, that person is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” All of this is made possible when we offer ourselves to God. We are to do that as “a living sacrifice.” Offering ourselves as “a living sacrifice” is a matter of total commitment. We are either all in or we are not. Eugene Peterson paraphrases Romans 12:1 this way, “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering.” This is the mark of a true disciple being transformed by the power of God in Christ Jesus.

Pastor Tom Grieb continues our series "unhurried" about discipleship. As disciples, it comes to us to bear fruit. Fruitfulness is simply a by-product of being a Christ-follower. As we abide in Christ, fruitfulness will come. Jesus illustrates this beautifully in John 15 where he talks about the branch abiding in the vine. As the branch is positioned in the vine, fruit is borne. Sometimes pruning is needed to help things along. Being pruned spiritually is simply a part of following Christ. While not always easy, pruning leads us to abide even more, which in turn leads us to be even more fruitful. Jesus comes at it in a somewhat different way when he says in Matthew 16:24, “If anyone would come after me, that person must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” As we put our desires aside and wholly dedicate ourselves to Christ, we will find ourselves “abiding” in him. We will grow closer not only to Christ, but to those around us. In that, surely fruit will be born for his Kingdom. It was that way for Christ’s disciples as they gave themselves to him; it is that way for us as well.

Pastor Tom Grieb and Pastor Ashlee Adkins continue our discipleship series "unhurried." This week we take a close look at our part, the part of others, and the part God plays when it comes to making disciples. We share against the backdrop of that great passage from Philippians 2:1-5 where Paul encourages us to have the same attitude as that of Christ when it comes to putting the needs of others ahead of our own.

Pastor Tom Grieb continues our series "unhurried" about discipleship. If we are really interested in discipleship, then we need to consider how Jesus did it. That will point us to how Jesus interacted with his disciples. There’s no doubt that he taught them a lot, but Jesus went much further than simply instructing his disciples. He opened his life to them, living as a model for how they were to live. Jesus also gave his disciples plenty of opportunity to give ministry a try. He was all about sending them out. This is the rhythm of discipleship: instruction, example, and sending forth. Paul was also all about discipleship and raising up leaders for service within Christ’s church. In Colossians 3:12ff., Paul offers a list of characteristics that every Christian should “put on” as they seek to be in relationship with others. Paul also talks about “the word of Christ dwelling richly” in every Christian so others are taught and encouraged in the faith. The right balance of invitation and challenge form the basis of helping persons along in the faith.

Pastor Ashlee Adkins begins our new series "unhurried." We are digging into discipleship for the next six weeks, specifically about how we are called to live in this fast-paced, always on-the-go world. So, how do we live as Christ’s disciples? Why is it so important that we talk about this now?

Pastor Tom Grieb concludes our series "Majoring in the Minors." This Sunday we wrap up our present sermon series on the Minor Prophets, studying form the Book of Malachi. Malachi has a way of putting us on notice when it comes to a half-hearted response toward God. Yes, there’s that theme of judgement that has surfaced so often during this study. Malachi also offers a word of hope as he points to the future. He sees God acting in a decisive way. He sees God sending the long-awaited Messiah. “The sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays, says the Lord.” We have come to know that as a prophecy come true. God did act by sending his Son Jesus Christ, the light of the world. In him there is true healing and wholeness.

Pastors Tom Grieb and Ashlee Adkins continue our "Majoring in the Minors" series. We turn to the rebuilding of the temple. I can imagine what a wonderful process this was, after all the destruction, fear, war, and fall. Hope was felt once again. Trust in God was reassured and his promises once again visible. The obedience it took on behalf of so many to build that temple, brought a renewed spirituality – one that felt like a rain storm in the middle of a very long drought. These days we are all in need of some encouragement. It’s been all too easy these past months to lose focus. In some ways, it feels like we have been exiled as well, separated from the life we had grown accustomed to. In our second to last Minors sermon, Haggai and Zechariah bring us encouragement. And just as they needed it then, we need it now.

Pastor Ashlee Adkins continues our series "Majoring in the Minors."

Ask and ye shall receive. A couple weeks ago, we talked about Nahum and he brought the hammer! Some of you wanted a part two of that teaching, and guess what? You are gonna get it!

This week we turn to Zephaniah – who brings the hammer as well. But he finishes where Nahum does not. With a beautiful promise of hope and salvation for those few righteous of the remnant left after the destruction of Judah.

NOTE: When Pastor Ashlee calls for reflection, her slides are included in the Notes PDF file.

Pastor Tom Grieb continues our series "Majoring in the Minors" with a message from the prophet Habakkuk.

Every so often things get so tough that we wonder where God is in the mix. We may even want to have a “word” with him. We wonder why things are happening as they are. We figure that since we believe, we should be exempt from some of life’s problems. We all know from experience that that’s not the case.

Habakkuk, one of the Minor Prophets who prophesied during a very tough time, challenged God about such things. He wondered out loud why things were as they were. Instead of offering a word from the Lord, he offered a word to God. He gives voice to those times when we wonder out loud.

In the end, Habakkuk came to resolve that if everything was taken away, he would still praise the Lord. He resolved to put his faith in God even if circumstances weren’t very good. I had a professor years ago call that “disinterested religion.” Disinterested religion is a pursuit of God that is not for selfish gain, but to simply know the Lord and to follow his ways.

Pastor Ashlee Adkins continues our series. "Majoring in the Minors" with a message from the prophet Nahum.

The Old Testament can be tough to read at times. Stories of destruction, brutality, assault, and oppression are found throughout. And even harder, sometimes that destruction and annihilation is set forth because of God’s wrath. How do we reconcile God’s judgement and forgiveness? How do we grasp God’s hate of evil with his love of humanity?

God brings the hammer in the Scripture we will be talking about this week. And while it’s important to understand God’s judgement and his desire for justice, we shouldn’t take advantage of the fact that he is slow to anger. We know it’s always best not to test God. The good news is that the hammer isn’t where the story ends.