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.
The Peter Problem
by Pastor Dennis on 04/26/13
Last week Peter
came face to face with His Lord on the beach of the Sea of Tiberius. (John 21) As the Risen
Christ waited in the darkness, He prepared a meal for Peter and the Disciples
of fish and bread. Peter has denied His Lord and does not understand the
resurrection. But Jesus will not give up on those He has called even when
feelings of fear, doubt and unworthiness seek to overpower the love and redeeming
purpose of God.
On the beach that
is now named after the gentile, Roman Emperor, Simon Peter is given direction and
purpose by the Lord. Peter has been forgiven and empowered by Christ’s Holy
Spirit to proclaim God’s everlasting redeeming mercy.
The Adversary
seeks to lead the Children of God away from God’s calling to be Shepherds for
His sheep by taking their eyes off Jesus and focus on the chaos of this world.
Once there was
a storm on the lake in the darkness of night. (Matt. 14:22-33) The Disciples in
their boat were tossed to and fro by the storm when they saw Jesus walking
calmly on the water as though He would pass by them. They “cried out in fear” but Jesus said, “Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.” Then Peter asked to come
to Him. And hearing the Lord say, “Come’…Peter
got out of the boat, started walking on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he noticed the strong wind,
he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Jesus
immediately reached out his hand and caught him, saying to him, “You of little
faith, why did you doubt?”
The
Lord's Supper is where we meet the Risen Christ int the darkness of our life, laying down all the baggage and doubt
that takes our eyes off Him; knowing He is faithful and
will renew our hearts and minds to be Shepherds of His Sheep.
