Verona United Methodist Church

March 8, 2020

Our Lenten sermon series continues this Sunday with a look at Matthew 6:5-18 as Jesus calls us to prayer and fasting with hearts focused on our Heavenly Father. The hypocrisy of those who practiced public religion for the praise of others was a central concern for Jesus and remains a strong cautionary note for Christians today.

Besides the dangers of hypocrisy, what other concerns should we have in our modern age? I would point to a general trend in modern life that discourages the sacrifice of time and worldly pleasures for spiritual growth. While the Bible and God’s Spirit call us to spend time in prayer and contemplation, the world often tries to drown out that call with the endless demands of self-indulgence and -gratification.

The Way of Jesus is the way to true freedom. Freedom from the things that enslave us. Freedom to see and experience life the way God intended. By spending time in prayer and freeing ourselves from our addiction to this world’s counterfeit pleasures, we can begin to find the joy and peace that come only through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Pastor Bob

Matthew 6:5-18

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March 1, 2020

Driving home from our Ash Wednesday service this evening, I was struck by the abundance of light in our modern world. For almost all of human history, the darkness of night was overwhelming and unconquerable. Fires generated by wood and oils could bring some comfort, but most people lived half their lives in virtual darkness.

Salt is another item we take for granted in today’s world that was once an invaluable item for food preservation and seasoning… so valuable that Roman soldiers were paid a “salary” (from the Latin word for salt) which allowed them to buy salt, an expensive but essential commodity.

Given the distinctive value of salt and light in ancient times, is it any wonder that Jesus would use both to illustrate the central characteristics of his followers? Like salt, their lives should bring distinctive, sustaining value to the lives of others. Like light, their lives should bring illumination to the lives of others so that they may see God’s path for their lives.

How can you and I bring value to the lives of others? How can we be salt and light in a world that needs Jesus more than ever? Our Lenten sermon series continues this Sunday with a look at Matthew 5 and Jesus’ call for us to be “Salt and Light.”

Pastor Bob

Matthew 5:13-16

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February 23, 2020

WARNING: The following opinions reflect the thoughts of a senior citizen. It’s obvious, since the first words are “When I was a little boy….”

When I was a little boy, most of the available reading material in our home was pretty innocent. But pretty powerful, too. We had “Tales of Great Men & Women,” and “Dogs: Heroes, Adventurers, Friends,” and a children’s Bible with pictures. As I got a little older, there was “The Call of the Wild” and “The Day Christ Died” and books about great empires and scientists and explorers and people who made a difference in our world.

I was blessed to grow up in a home that understood how important it was for us to focus on the things that the Apostle Paul deemed worthy of our thoughts: things that are true and noble, and right and lovely and admirable; excellent and praiseworthy.

I hope you’ll come this Sunday to hear our church’s Lay Leader Chad Brown share a message from Philippians 4:6-8 on living a righteous and holy life free of fear and anxiousness. Lydia and I will be back on Monday the 24th from our visit with our son in Colorado…. Thank you for your prayers!

Blessings in His holy name!

Pastor Bob

Philippians 4:6-8

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February 16, 2020

I’m loving our time in Philippians! Some of the most inspiring, faith-fortifying verses in all the Bible are contained in this relatively brief letter to the ancient church at Philippi. Our text this Sunday calls us to be “filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through our Lord Jesus Christ….” I’ll explore in my sermon a fuller description of this fruit and the biblical keys to living a fruitful life in the Spirit of Christ.

Blessings in His holy name!

Pastor Bob

Philippians 1:3-11

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February 9, 2020

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. (Philippians 2:14-16)

Before I was a pastor, I belonged to a small country church in Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia. The older church members told the story of a local man who some years before would have nothing to do with preachers or their churches. He had a rather wild reputation so there was shock all around one Sunday morning when he walked into the church, sat down, and fervently joined in the worship. It wasn’t long before he had joined the choir, reformed his “wild” life and given his heart to Jesus.

This new church member wasn’t content to simply be a pew sitter on Sunday mornings. He knew the church had no indoor plumbing for restrooms and a kitchen; and little room for Sunday School classes. So he headed up a committee to build an multi-purpose building next to the sanctuary. He personally did much of the manual labor.

When the man passed away a few years later, the deeply appreciative congregation named the building in his honor.

It’s easy, isn’t it, to become jaded about the possibility of change – in others and in ourselves. Is it really possible for the Gospel to bring about a complete turn-around in a human being? God’s Word answers with a resounding “Yes!”

I hope you’ll be in worship Sunday to hear the testimony of a man named Paul. A man who was changed forever when he met Jesus.

Blessings in His name!

Pastor Bob

Philippians 3:8-12

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Feb 2, 2020

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. (Philippians 2:14-16)

The Christian life isn’t supposed to be a “blend in” sort of enterprise. In this week’s sermon text from Philippians 2, Paul reminds us that we live in a broken world – “a warped and crooked generation.” By not arguing with each other; by not grumbling; by holding firmly to the word of life; Paul promises us we will shine!

It doesn’t necessarily require a close reading of the Gospel accounts to see how counter-cultural Jesus was when it came to attitudes and actions. Love your enemies. Forgive – forgive – forgive. Don’t worry about stuff. Above all, don’t trust in the things the world trusts in… trust in God!

We, the Church, when we live in the way of Jesus, can’t help but shine “like stars in the sky.”

Come this Sunday and join in sharing the bread and the cup of holy communion as we proclaim our faith in the redeeming, soul-cleansing blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. And may we all shine like stars in the sky as we hold firmly to the word of life!

Blessings in His name!

Pastor Bob

Philippians 2:12-16

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Jan 26, 2020

“Those in darkness have seen a great light.”

This Sunday’s message imagines the magnificent ways in which light changes our view of the world around us. And how the light of Christ in our lives can dramatically change how we see ourselves, others, creation, and God.

Are you living in the “shadow of death?” Are you yearning to experience the dawning of the light of Christ in your life? By God’s grace, that light is available to you and all who are living in darkness.

I look forward to opening God’s Word with you as we gather to worship this Sunday.

Blessings in His name!

Pastor Bob

Matthew 4:12-23

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Jan 19, 2020

We have so much to celebrate in this first month of 2020. By our human standards, our congregation is healthy. Our finances are solid, our second site (Aisle 7 Fellowship) has experienced solid growth. Our church staff works well together. Our church council leadership is committed and hard-working. Our members love and care for each other.

The list could go on and on.

So when I sit back and take stock of where we are as a church, it’s tempting to be satisfied.

But if the Scriptures tell us anything, it is that human standards are not God’s standards. The prophet Micah shares with us this timeless truth: “What does the Lord require of you? To act justly, and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

So in this new year, let us measure our church with these three standards:

Are we acting with justice in every facet of our lives?

Do we love mercy and offer it to friends and foes alike?

Are we walking humbly with our God?

Those are the standards our Lord calls us to fulfill.

Grace, peace and love to all in this new year!

Pastor Bob

John 1:29-42

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Jan 12, 2020

The story of Jesus’ life in the Gospels moves rapidly from birth to adulthood. Just a couple of weeks past Christmas, we are already reading in Matthew of the baptism of Jesus as he enters into his ministry in his late 20’s.

One statement by Jesus in Matthew 3 has always challenged me. In reply to John the Baptist’s protestation that it is Jesus who should baptize John, Jesus replies: Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” How do we know what is right and wrong? What does it mean to fulfill all righteousness? These are the questions we’ll address in this Sunday’s message as we ask ourselves, “Are we doing all we can to live God’s way?”

Grace, peace and love to all in this new year!

Pastor Bob

Matthew 3:13-16

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