Welcome!
I welcome your comments regarding our shared ministry at St. Paul.
If you would rather comment privately please, email me at Prshepherd@westriv.com
"Two are better than one," says Ecclesiastes,
"because if one falls down, his friend can help him up."
I deeply desire to bring Christian comfort and the power of prayer to those who are challenged with sickness or circumstances in life. However, in this time of restricted visitation call me and I will attempt to contact them.
Please, assume that if you don’t tell us, we do not know.
Call me at 301-4956 if surgery or hospital stay is imminent or if a visit could be helpful.
Pastor Dennis
from my perspective…
Breaking News, or Headline News, is updated by the hour and minute. The programs are designed to get our attention and to sell advertising. (Big surprise!) On the other hand, the Good News of Jesus Christ was proclaimed and is proclaimed today for an entirely different purpose.
Mark begins his gospel with “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.” (Mk 1:1, ESV) It sounds like Mark is reporting, “Breaking news! Pay attention! Something important has happened!”
Matthew begins his gospel, “The book of genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David.” (Mt. 1:1) It sounds like Matthew is introducing a history lesson whereby we might learn something. Don’t get me wrong – I love history because I believe with George Santayana, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
John begins his gospel, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God.” (Jn. 1:1) This is something totally different. John invites us to lay aside our daily concerns and ponder life’s Big Questions concerning God and “The Word of God.”
Each year, we might take a measure of our life on Tax Day, an anniversary, or any number of other milestones. Regardless of the circumstances, we go through a process of reflection, evaluation, and decision-making. We might reflect on the Big Questions of Life, like “Who are we? And “How do I fit in with family and society?” or “What positive difference am I making?”
I will grant that the most common daily question is, “Am I happy.” But I believe the Bible teaches us that happiness results from how we think of ourselves and our relationship with others. Therefore, John invites us to ponder anew our relationship with the One God of the Holy Scriptures, as opposed to mental or emotional gods of pleasure, wealth or self-importance.
In the church year, Lent is the season that encourages us to ponder our relationship with the one and only eternal God and one another or who we desire to become.
Join us as we explore Jesus’ great encounters with religious rulers, a disrespected woman from a disrespected people and His disciples. In John, Jesus, the Word of God, invites people to question who we are in God’s eyes and who He desires us to become to live a fulfilling life. (e.g. John 10:10)
As John informs us, Jesus, the true Word of God, comes into the world to save us from ourselves and the destructive temptations brought on by the evil lies of the great Satan. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:17, ESV)
Please join us in our encounter with the Living Word of God, your pastor, Dennis.
I will not leave you orphaned
by Pastor Dennis on 05/20/14
A note on the Gospel; John 14:15-21
Jesus is left with His friends at the Last
Supper. These are His final words for them. They have been together for three
years and in that time their relationship has grown and deepened. He speaks of
the time when he will return to them as the resurrected Christ and to all
believers when he will come to them and never leave them alone.
“I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to
you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me;
because I live, you also will live.” (John
14:15–18)
The reality of an unseen God sending His Son
to be seen and touched and heard and known is a miracle in itself. Now they
will see the innocent Son of God suffer and die a horrible death for sinners.
But that is not the end. Jesus promises to send “another Advocate, to be with you forever.” Jesus is the first
Advocate for sinners and the Holy Spirit will continue God’s redemptive work.
An Advocate is a friend who will testify for
the accused; like a lawyer. In the book of Job it is the fallen angel, Satan
who accuses and God who saves. Likewise, it is the accuser who proclaims to
sinners, “You are worthless; you sinned and deserve nothing by death.”
“But Jesus called them to him, saying, “Let
the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the
kingdom of God.” (Luke 18:16, ESV) The voices of the Adversary are all
around us but those who call upon the Holy Spirit to silences them will hear
the words of Jesus, “…and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and
I will love them and reveal myself to them.”” (John 14:21, NRSV)
