Scripture Reading — Psalm 71:1-18 My mouth will tell of your righteous deeds, of your saving acts all day long.— Psalm 71:15This week we have reflected on what it means to be a witness to God’s saving work. To be a witness is to simply tell about what you have seen and heard.
Scripture Reading — Matthew 10:16-20 “At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.”— Matthew 10:19-20Someone told me recently about an illustration that I used in a sermon several years ago. Th
Scripture Reading — Luke 14:15-24 “The master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full.’”— Luke 14:23Let’s return to a parable we looked at last week (Sept. 6). We can reflect on this story through the l
Scripture Reading — John 1:1-8 [John] himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.— John 1:8When we think about sharing our faith, we are often nervous about having the right words to say. What if I say something wrong? What if someone asks me a question
Scripture Reading — John 4:1-26 When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?”— John 4:7Many Christians are uneasy about sharing the gospel message. We don’t want to say the wrong thing or offend people or push them away. I remember h
Scripture Reading — Acts 4:8-20 “As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”— Acts 4:20When we see or experience something extraordinary, usually we can’t help telling people about it. Whether it is an encounter with a celebrity or a wonderful vacati
Scripture Reading — Matthew 11:25-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”— Matthew 11:28Today is Sunday, so let’s pause our focus on mission themes and take some time out for worship and rest. This is important, because missions can easil
Scripture Reading — Luke 14:15-24 Jesus replied, “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests.”— Luke 14:16Thinking about the gospel reminds us that at the heart of the Christian faith is a life- changing message of joy. That’s why I like this parable s
Scripture Reading — Romans 6:1-11 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.— Romans 6:8As we think about the Lord’s good news, the gospel, it is important to be aware of the radical change it brings to our lives.A few years ago, I had the privileg
Scripture Reading — Philippians 2:1-11 God exalted him to the highest place . . . that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow . . . and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord. . . .— Philippians 2:9-11When I was a pastor, one of the churches I served celebrated
Scripture Reading — 1 John 4:7-12 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.— 1 John 4:10My wife, Jacquie, is a teacher in a Christian elementary school. One day she asked her students to complete this sente
Scripture Reading — Matthew 9:35-38 Jesus went through all the towns and villages . . . proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.— Matthew 9:35The first word we want to focus on as we think about God’s big mission is gospel. Here is a def