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.
Immanuel: Spirit of God in Baptism
by Pastor Dennis on 01/13/14
Jesus comes to be baptized for the remission
of sins, but he was sinless. John is confused much like Elizabeth is confused
when she exclaims, “Why has this happened…that the mother of my Lord comes to
me?” (Lk. 1:42) Certainly, Jesus comes as an example of obedience which Jesus
does frequently. His actions are in harmony with His preaching. But Jesus is
not only a great teacher who lives as a great example. He is the Savior and
Redeemer sent by God, who takes all the debt of the world’s sin onto Himself
and by His obedient actions, pays the debt so that those who believe in Him
might be free from the burden.
A
baptism of repentance is a physical sign of remorse over past words and actions
and a sincere plea to turn away from hurtful behavior and trust in the Lord, in
the midst of accusation and temptation. John says, “He [meaning the Messiah]
will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Mt. 3:11)
A
baptism of repentance is an activity by the sinner before the Lord. Baptism by
“the Holy Spirit” is an activity of God. The first is a heartfelt desire to change;
the second is the activity of a loving God giving the sinner the power to receive
a transformed spirit; to become more Christ-like. One has temporal consequences
the latter has eternal consequences.
So,
why has the Lord come to us today? To transform our spirit, so that we may
become and grow as children of God.
