Author: Matt
Community, Pt. II
Part 1 can be found here. Last week we saw the birth of human community when Eve was created out of Adam’s rib. Together, they were able to share experiences and the world around them. They made mistakes together and learned together. They became so tied together that large sections of their life were inseparable. Most of their life could not have been possible if the other wasn’t around. This is known today as marriage, that can be viewed as a subsection of community. → Read more...
Community, Pt. I
This past couple of weeks I’ve been dwelling a lot on what it means to be part of a community, especially with Pastor Howard taking us through the book of Acts, a book all about the birth of the early church. Many of us have heard the adage that we come into the world alone and we will depart the world alone. While there is a small grain of truth in that, I think that saying is largely wrong. → Read more...
…With Our Offerings, Part II
Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. → Read more...
With God, Anything’s Possible… Part I
Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee, and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick. When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. → Read more...
Remember the Future
History. For most people, it’s a topic that’s akin to watching paint dry: tedious, boring, and ultimately pointless. “Why should I learn about George Washington crossing the Delaware or about a Macedonian named Alexander the Great who lived close to 2,400 years ago?” For most of us, we feel anonymous, insulated and not part of the history-making process. We’re not a Washington, Jefferson, or Lincoln. For that matter, we’re not even close to or work in places where “history” is made, like the White House. → Read more...
Reaching Out to God, Sort of
Nine years ago, I had the fantastic opportunity to go to Italy when I attended Trinity Christian College. It was a trip that’s never really left me, staying close to my heart. We started our journey in Milan and worked our way south to Rome through cities like Venice, Florence and Naples. We walked through and touched walls of buildings that were hundreds of years older than America. If there was ever a time that I wished that walls could talk, it was then! → Read more...
The Colors of the World
Ever since Pastor Howard preached a few weeks ago about racial reconciliation, I’ve been thinking more and more about how diversity is one of our (when I say our, I mean us as a species) greatest strength. Most people make the wrong assumption that it divides, but that’s only because we allow it to. (If you missed the sermon, don’t forget you can listen to it online by visiting our website! We had some issues that prevented us from uploading, but it is now fixed and we’re caught up.) → Read more...
Your Book Report
“And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. … If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” –Revelation 20:12,15 One of my both equally fondest and hated memories of school is doing book reports. → Read more...
It’s Not Just You and Me in America, Part II
A lot of times, through no fault of our own, we forget that there are other people in the world. Once we do that, we usually make the mistake of thinking that our experiences in America are replicated everywhere else. We often forget that there are countries that don’t have the same freedoms and blessings that we’re fortunate to have in America. One of the benefits of keeping up with the news and reading well-written news stories is that they brIng my attention to many things that I would not know about. → Read more...
Community, Pt. III
June 17, 2010
Calvary
Comments Off on Community, Pt. III
Matt
Part 1 can be found here. Part 2 can be found here. For the past two weeks, I’ve been dwelling on the idea of community. We saw the birth of it in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve, and then we saw it expand to include a small group of people that can help us along whatever journey we are on. I mentioned my wife and I participating in a small group for young married couples because that’s precisely where we are in our lives and it is great to be with others who are at a similar stage in their lives. → Read more...
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