The Parable of the Two Debtors: Luke 7:36-50 Background in Luke Before Jesus tells this parable, we find an unnamed woman in the house of Simon the Pharisee. This is early in Jesus’ public ministry. She washes His feet with her tears and dries them with her hair, kissing His feet and anointing them. Though […]
The Baptism of Our Lord: Genesis 1:1-5: Creation Teaches Us About Re-Creation
January 23, 2018 by
To the first ticking of time, and before the creation of time, Moses takes us back to the beginning. From his words, he allows us to peek into those moments of prehistory when only God existed, and we find primordial chaos. One thing is evident—in the emptiness of the void, life is powerless to blossom […]
The Parables of Jesus: Lesson 11: The Parable of the Lamp
January 23, 2018 by
Intro Earlier, in both Mark 4 and Luke 8, Jesus told The Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:9, Luke 8:5-8) and then explained it (Mark 4:10-20, Luke 8:9-15). He did this to prevent a misunderstanding about “the mystery [Greek, musterion, mystery; Latin, sacramentum] of the kingdom of God” (Mark 4:11, Luke 8:10). On the heels […]
Galatians 4:4-7: The Firstborn’s Birth Brings Your Birth From Above into Being
January 23, 2018 by
The first Christmas makes the second one possible. By conceiving Jesus, the life-breathing Spirit reveals Himself to be the Spirit, sent by the Son, who permits us all to become sons of God. For the second Christmas is our Spirit-born birth, which is but an extension of the first. The Divine Spirit breathes Jesus into […]
Class Begins on Being Fully Human: Thursday, 18 Jan, 2:00 PM
January 18, 2018 by
For four successive Thursdays, beginning on January 18, at 2:00 PM, we will delve into a Bible study series: “Being Fully Human.” This will be an exploration on the ramifications of God creating us as physical beings. How does this change our understanding of ourselves, our salvation, and the eternity awaiting us? Contrary to the […]
Being Fully Human: Lesson 1
January 18, 2018 by
The Beginning: The Physicality of Our Creation and Being Read Genesis 1:1-3a, 6a, 9a, 11a, 14a, 20a, 24a, and 26a What is common in how God creates what exists? Read Genesis 1:27-28 What is different about the creation of man? What is different from what God gave Adam and Eve to do than […]
Church Information for Sunday, January 14
January 6, 2018 by
For Sunday, January 14, we recommend you stay home. A weather advisory was announced this morning until noon and the snow came earlier than expected (now above a 50% chance). In Kimberling City, a light snow is already on the ground. Pastor has not yet tried to make his way up the driveway. If you plan to come […]
Christmas Eve Sermon: The Humble Poetry of Jesus’ Birth
December 25, 2017 by
So distant are we from creation’s dawn. A time forlorn, forgotten by our fragile minds, when the Father spoke all into being, and formed a humanity in His image. Too soon did defect begin to breed, to blemish and blacken a perfect creation. For the man and woman, Adam and Eve, feast on what is […]
John 1:6-9, 15: No Longer Need We Fear
December 17, 2017 by
In life, we face many tormentors, whether in school or those of the spiritual kind—sin and shame, guilt and blame. The worst tyrant in town is the Devil, who is a liar and the father of lies (John 8:44). With His deceit and slander, He seeks to destroy us, taking all the children of men […]
The Parables of Jesus, Lesson 10: An Exploration of Salvation and Damnation
December 17, 2017 by
Intro In the last Lesson, in “The Parable of the Final Judgment” or “The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats,” many in the class left perplexed. For the parable didn’t answer many of our questions. The parable did make clear: Salvation is 100% God’s doing. “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit […]
