Month: September 2020

Choices, Commitment, Consequences: Monday SermonBacking

Posted on by Brian Rice

Our OVERARCHING THEME:
We would like to see Jesus!

I want you to see Jesus. The message this week was to see Jesus model a particular way and then respond as Jesus teaches that way to his followers.  That way is the most distinctive, essential core of Christianity—it is the sacrificial love of God that redeems, saves, and transforms the world for the better.

In the temptation in the wilderness, Jesus chose to of surrender to the will of his Father in heaven to embrace a mission of sacrificial love for the sake of the world. Jesus certainly had choices, commitments, and consequences on his mind during his wilderness temptation and the Garden of Gethsemane prayer (also see Hebrews 12:2 and the JOY that Jesus saw on the other side of the cross).

The Sunday message focused on Mark 8:34-37 with some references to Luke 4:1-13 (the Temptation of Jesus); Matthew 7:13-14 (the Two Roads); Proverbs 14:12 (a way that seems right but is not); Galatians 6:7-10 (sowing and reaping); and 2 Corinthians 6:2 (the time of God’s favor).

 

Choices lead to Commitments. Commitments lead to Consequences. The Way of Jesus is all about you making …

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Voter Registration

Posted on by Brian Rice

In light of the impending elections and the great passion being generated, I am going to do some occasional posts on citizenship and the public sphere.

The most basic right and responsibility of citizenship is, first of all, to:

VOTE

If you are not registered to VOTE,  the deadline is October 19.

It is easy to register online, just go to: Voter Registration Application

Don’t wait until the last minute. Register as soon as you.

If you feel more comfortable using a paper form, Living Word will have voter registration forms available at our Welcome Center on September 27 and October 4. We will be available to help you with registration on these Sunday mornings.

This is completely non-partisan. We are just doing what we can to help you enjoy your right and fulfill your responsibility of good citizenship.

A second issue of good citizenship is being an educated and informed voter. Thomas Jefferson, our third president, was crystal clear on the need for Americans to be educated and informed. There are a number of things I do to be educated and informed about issues and candidates. I will tell you more about them in another post.

A good resource …

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Monday Sermon Backing

Posted on by Brian Rice

An established tradition in the United States is Monday morning quarterbacking. It is the backward look at what just happened on Sunday in the NFL. What went wrong? What should the team have done? And since the quarterback is the figure that controls the flow of the game, how did the quarterback do and what could the quarterback have done differently? By the way, sorry if your team lost.

I feel that way about SERMONS. And usually and I think it could be helpful for some Monday “Sermon Backing” or reflecting after the fact about what the sermon said and didn’t say.

I am not exaggerating when I say that for every 25-30 minutes of preaching, I have left out another 1-2 hours of talking time. Every sermon involves a process of ruthless elimination of most of the content and ideas that have been wrestling with during the previous week.

Every Sunday I get feedback from people about what moved them, spoke to them, bothered them, and their observations and questions.

That is exactly what a sermon should do. It should provoke and activate thinking, feeling, reflecting, envisioning and—above all—ACTING on what has been heard.

What …

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You Are Someone’s Philip

Posted on by Kendall Potter

In last week’s sermon, Pastor Brian Rice outlined the idea that you might be someone’s Philip. The story comes from John 12, when a group of Greeks who were visiting the Jewish Passover festival asked to see Jesus.

Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus.

Philip was the nearest point of contact to Jesus, so they asked him if they could meet Christ. You may not realize it, but you are somebody’s nearest point of contact to see Jesus. People see Jesus through you.

One of the easiest ways you can help people see Jesus is by sharing content on social media. Share Living Word’s music videos, posts, and sermon recaps. Tweet a Bible verse or thought from a sermon.

How can you get creative this week in sharing the hope and love of Jesus? How can you be a Philip?…

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