Saint John Community Church

Pastor Tom Grieb continues our Lenten/Easter series "In His Steps."

The Gospel of John gives a fuller picture of what went on in the Upper Room the night Jesus was betrayed.  While the meal is not so much mentioned as in the other gospels, Christ’s desire to teach about servanthood is.  It is in John’s gospel where we find the account of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet.  By so doing, Jesus offers the supreme example of what it means to be a servant leader.  He kneels at the feet of each disciple demonstrating the sort of humility that comes with true service.  Of course, the greatest example of Christ’s selfless service is his death on the cross.  So then in this account we learn about Jesus.  He is the supreme example of a servant. 

We also learn about ourselves and do so through the life of Peter.  Peter was quick to refuse Christ’s offer to wash his feet.  If you have ever had your feet washed, you know that it is quite disarming.  It might be that in refusing Christ’s offer Peter was expressing his unworthiness.  It might also be that Peter figured he was at an okay place and didn’t need his feet washed.  Regardless, Peter refused Christ’s offer, that is, until Jesus responded by saying, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” 

Pastor Ashlee Adkins begins our Lenten/Easter series "In His Steps."

This message is from our Ash Wednesday service.

Pastor Tom Grieb concludes our series "New Habits/Old Habits." All through this series,  I have been both challenged and inspired.  To be honest, the "holy habits” we’ve been talking about have gained quite a bit of traction in my life since the first of the year.  As we draw the sermon series to a close, I pray that all of us will employ the sort of habits that draw us closer to God and one another. It’s interesting that this last sermon in the series puts us right at the precipice of the great season of Lent.  I can’t believe it, but Ash Wednesday is next week.  In preparation for Lent, by intention, we will be talking about fasting.  Fasting is something that most of us don’t practice on a regular basis.  It is something though that we do during Lent, at least in some form or fashion.  I will be the first to admit that fasting is one of the tougher spiritual disciplines for me.  I have fasted plenty of times, but it hasn’t always been easy.  That might be your experience as well. That being the case, we will talk frankly this Sunday about the grand opportunity that is ours to fast, and how fasting really can invigorate our spiritual lives and bear much fruit for God’s Kingdom.   We’ll talk about what it means to make this “holy habit” a regular part of lives as we study Christ’s thoughts on the subject as recorded in Matthew 6:16-18.

Pastor Tom Grieb continues our series "Old Habits/New Habits."

Since the beginning of the year, we have considered some of the classic spiritual disciplines; namely, prayer, Bible study, and worship.  A regular practice of these will put us in closer relationship with God.  They are the sort of habits we need to have in place as we make our way into the new year. 

This Sunday we consider yet another spiritual discipline, but one of a different sort.  This week we will be considering service.  Serving also puts us in close relationship with God.  Who of us hasn’t reached out to serve in God’s name and pulled away from that service thinking, “I received a greater blessing than the one I offered?”  That blessing comes from experiencing God through service.

As we talk about service this week, we will do so against the backdrop of the misguided ambition of James and John who desired to sit at the right and left of Christ.  The two wanted to be noticed.  They wanted to be seen in a place of power and position.  To be seated at the right or left of a dignitary was viewed as a place of prestige.  That may have been the case for the kingdoms of the world, but not for Christ’s Kingdom.  Christ’s Kingdom was all about humility and service.  That is Christ’s way for all who seek to follow him.

Pastor Ashlee Adkins continues our series "Old Habits/New Habits."

If I were to ask you, ‘Why do you worship?” how would you respond? I think there are a lot of underlying things that would need to be addressed before any of us could accurately answer. For instance, our understanding of  “What is worship?” Perhaps our answer to one question may answer the other.

Eugene Peterson says this, “Worship is an act that develops feelings for God, not a feeling for God that is expressed in an act of worship.” The Psalms have a great way of bringing our attention to the wonderful ways of God -  his attributes, promises, and his love for us. But how do we allow the Psalms to live out through us? Are there old habits we need to move away from in order to build the new habits that bring worship and praise to God more evidently in our lives?

Pastor Tom Grieb continues our series "Old Habits/New Habits."

Bible study is one of those “holy habits” that every one of us would do well to make a part of our lives.  God is able to speak through his word in ways he is able to do no other way.  God is able to both challenge and inspire us through scripture.  Through scripture God is able to guide our way and provide a mooring in uncertain and choppy waters.  The Psalmist writes in Psalm 119:105, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”   I am thankful for the guidance God provides in his word. 

Whenever I read scripture, I ask myself, “What is God saying to me?” and “What am I going to do about it?”  These two questions put me to listening intently and preparing my heart to act.  James writes in James 1:22, “Do not merely listen to the word.  Do what it says.”  Through his word God not only speaks but prepares our hearts to act.  In the end, Bible study is not so much about information, but transformation that leads to God’s good work being done in and through us.

Pastor Tom Grieb begins our new series "Old Habits/New Habits."

As we enter the new year, we’ll be talking about those things that, if regularly practiced, help us face whatever might come our way.  We’ll be talking about breaking old habits that need breaking and developing new ones that lead to a new way of approaching life.  We’ll consider such things as prayer, Bible study, worship, service, the sacraments, and fasting, realizing that all of these are a means to an end.  A regular practice of these “means of grace” will ultimately bring us to a closer relationship with God, which always puts us right where we need to be whatever the year. 

This Sunday, we’ll be talking about prayer.  What better thing to talk about as we begin the new year?  If we simply resolve to pray more often and with an intent to connect with God more faithfully, we will find ourselves better prepared to meet whatever 2021 might bring.  Our scripture for this Sunday is from the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus talks about prayer.  Let me encourage you to read and re-read, Matthew 6:5-15.

Pastors Tom Grieb and Ashlee Adkins conclude our Advent/Christmas series "Signs."

They talk about Christ's fulfillment of the prophet Isaiah's prophecy that he would be the one to bring good news to the poor, and more.