2023 April

Wrestling with God Like Job

Wrestling with God Like Job

This sermon is based on Job 42:1-9. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: Jacob in the Bible was a schemer, a swindler, a screw-up and a pretty shameful sinner; but somehow, he ended up as a patriarch and the father of the twelve tribes (it’s a mystery!). In any case, Jacob did one good thing (he asked his brother to forgive him) and one great thing—he wrestled with God. In that, Jacob was not alone. After all, Job wrestled with God and the teacher in Ecclesiastes wrestled with God and Hannah wrestled with God and Abraham wrestled with God (and there are more besides this). Now, contending with God doesn’t sound like a good idea, but as strange as it sounds, God invites us to wrestle with him with our hearts in the balance. That’s right, you’ve been invited to a skirmish.

A Portrait of a Man of Many Hats

A Portrait of a Man of Many Hats

Today, we want to draw a portrait of Kierkegaard. And so, let’s begin by thinking like an artist. Edward Hopper said: “If I could say it in words, there would be no reason to paint.” We are looking at the first chapter in Mark Tietjen’s excellent book, Kierkegaard: A Christian Missionary to Christians (InterVarsity Press, 2016). Tietjin believes Kierkegaard has lots to say to the church today; but to hear what he (either Kierkegaard or Tietjen) has to say, we have to set Kierkegaard in the right context. So, who was Kierkegaard? As we will see, he was a man of many hats. So, let’s begin our portrait. Who was Kierkegaard? He was a philosopher. At least, that is how most people think of him. If you want to read something by Kierkegaard, you go to the philosophy section. If you want more specific help, find the sections marked, “existentialism,”

Wrestling with God

Wrestling with God

This sermon is based on Genesis 32:22-30. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: Jacob in the Bible was a schemer, a swindler, a screw-up and a pretty shameful sinner; but somehow, he ended up as a patriarch and the father of the twelve tribes (it’s a mystery!). In any case, Jacob did one good thing (he asked his brother to forgive him) and one great thing—he wrestled with God. In that, Jacob was not alone. After all, Job wrestled with God and the teacher in Ecclesiastes wrestled with God and Hannah wrestled with God and Abraham wrestled with God (and there are more besides this). Now, contending with God doesn’t sound like a good idea, but as strange as it sounds, God invites us to wrestle with him with our hearts in the balance. That’s right, you’ve been invited to a skirmish.

What Is Faith?

What Is Faith?

How important are books? Let me count the ways or, at least, count the quotes. From C.S. Lewis: “You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” From Mark Twain: “The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.” From Fran Lebowitz: “Think before you speak. Read before you think.” From Erasmus: “When I have a little money, I buy books; and if I have any left, I buy food and clothes.” Let me just say it: I like Erasmus! And last, from Mortimer Adler: “In the case of good books, the point is not to see how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you.” Recently, I finished Mark Tietjen’s Kierkegaard: A Christian Missionary to Christians (InterVarsity, Downers Grove, 2016). Let me be honest. I have

The Story of a Spiritual Screw-Up

The Story of a Spiritual Screw-Up

This sermon introduces our new series and is based on Genesis 32:22-30. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: Jacob in the Bible was a schemer, a swindler, a screw-up and a pretty shameful sinner; but somehow, he ended up as a patriarch and the father of the twelve tribes (it’s a mystery!). In any case, Jacob did one good thing (he asked his brother to forgive him) and one great thing—he wrestled with God. In that, Jacob was not alone. After all, Job wrestled with God and the teacher in Ecclesiastes wrestled with God and Hannah wrestled with God and Abraham wrestled with God (and there are more besides this). Now, contending with God doesn’t sound like a good idea, but as strange as it sounds, God invites us to wrestle with him with our hearts in the balance. That’s right, you’ve

Some Queries about Some Theories

Some Queries about Some Theories

One Sunday, a few months ago, I was in our kitchen getting ready to go to church when I heard a pop and a shoosting sound upstairs. I thought that was weird, but houses make noise. But when the shoosting (shoosting is a very technical hydrology word) continued, I knew I had a problem. And as soon as I walked upstairs, that was confirmed. The water line to our master bathroom sink had popped and was shoosting water all over the bathroom by the Niagara full. It was a completely random occurrence, one that could have happened at any time (apparently, either whoever installed our water line didn’t secure the line properly or it just loosened up over time). Thankfully, I was able to shut off the line, dry most of the floor and still get to church on time. But (and this is the point), had I not gone

“Do you believe?”

“Do you believe?”

This Resurrection Sunday sermon is based on John 11:17-26 and concludes this series. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: This is telling: Throughout the Gospels, Jesus asks over 300 questions. That’s a lot of questions! Now, some of them were extremely poignant (questions like, “Who do people say that I am?” and “What do you want me to do for you?”). Some were very challenging (questions like, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” and “Do you still have no faith?”). And some, if we were honest, sound a little strange (“Do you want to be well?” and “Who touched me?”). Nevertheless, all of Jesus’ questions were designed to make the people around him think. That is still the purpose behind his questions. But remember, without a doubt, answers are important, but it’s the questions

What Rome Meant in the Atonement

What Rome Meant in the Atonement

There are many impossible things to ponder during Holy Week (questions that remain a mystery; answers that exceed our capacity to understand), but for me one question rises above all others: Why did God choose the cross? I believe that the cross is at the center of our salvation. I also believe that it didn’t just work out that way; rather, God chose, even before the foundations of the earth, that he would redeem fallen humanity by dying for it on the cross. There are all sorts of impossible things in those last three sentences to ponder, but the one that makes no sense to me whatsoever is why would God choose the cross as his instrument of salvation. After all, there are thousands of ways to die; why choose one of the most painful, the most agonizing, the most horrific? Even if we focused only on the 3 most

“Who is it you want?”

“Who is it you want?”

This sermon is based on John 18:1-13. You can also view each week's sermon/worship service on our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5ncsq_QNvCv61bIwKUpP5A SERIES OVERVIEW: This is telling: Throughout the Gospels, Jesus asks over 300 questions. That’s a lot of questions! Now, some of them were extremely poignant (questions like, “Who do people say that I am?” and “What do you want me to do for you?”). Some were very challenging (questions like, “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” and “Do you still have no faith?”). And some, if we were honest, sound a little strange (“Do you want to be well?” and “Who touched me?”). Nevertheless, all of Jesus’ questions were designed to make the people around him think. That is still the purpose behind his questions. But remember, without a doubt, answers are important, but it’s the questions that are telling. Join us for a