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.
from my perspective
by Pastor Dennis on 10/24/18
Supper Time Discussion:
Friendly Talk about God’s Word for our life.
People use
to talk after meals rather than watch TV. Perspectives were shared and the
whole community grew in wisdom. Please, invite 4-6 people to meet with you
weekly in October and November for a chat around Word and faith topics.
Topic: Christians are known for
their generosity. Jesus clarifies the Law of charitable giving for the Godly
reasons.
Matthew 6:1-4. Giving to the less
fortunate.
Psalm 19:7-14 Following the ways of
the Lord.
Exodus 3.1-15. God acts Moses follows
and is rewarded with the ability to change the world.
Romans 10.5-13. Those who confess
that Jesus is Lord, will be saved.
Matthew 19:16-26. Is being good, good
enough?
by Pastor Dennis on 10/11/18
In past generations, people visited after meals and on Sunday. Perspectives were shared and the whole community grew in love and wisdom. Please, invite 4-6 people to meet with you weekly in October and November for a chat around God’s Word and faith topics.
This Week: Just as Jesus focuses in on unresolved anger as the first step on the slippery slope leading to murder in Matthew 5: 21-26; He now reveals that lust and unhealthy desires are first steps to destruction of relationships.
Explore the passages below and make a note of your impressions.
1) Matthew 5:27-30. Why does Jesus call for such drastic action for lust?
2) Psalm 26. The confession of a person seeking a right relationship before God.
3) 2 Samuel 11:1-17. The lust in David’s heart sees its desire and down the slope he goes.
4) Matthew 25.14-30. A talent is literally money but the talent could also be thought of as anything that the Master possesses that can be given. Consider this perspective: What if the talents are the human blessings God gives to us such as spouse and family and friends. How would Jesus have us faithfully care for these blessings according to this parable?
Questions to ponder: What do you think about Jesus teaching?
What is the situation that the passage addresses?
How could Jesus’ perspective impact my life and our community?
by Pastor Dennis on 10/07/18
Supper Time Discussion: Friendly Talk about God’s
Word for our life.
In
times past, people visited after meals. Ideas and perspectives were shared and
the whole community grew in wisdom. Please, invite 4-6 people to meet with you
weekly in October and November for a chat around Word and faith topics.
This
Week: October 7-13th: “They made me so angry!” Anger seems to
permeate the media culture and consequently the self-righteous always seem to
be justifiably angry and some hold on to that anger for years or decades. Jesus seems to take a different perspective
in Matthew 5: 21-26.
Explore
the passages below and make a note of your impressions.
Genesis
4:1-16: Cain is angry at God.
Genesis
37:1-24: Joseph’s brothers are angry at Joseph.
Proverbs
10:11-32: Proverbs about anger that speaks out.
1 John 3:11-18:
The price of carrying around anger
Matthew
5.21-26: What do you think about Jesus teaching?
What is
the situation that the passage addresses?
What
does God’s Word say about the situation?
How
could God’s perspective impact my life and our community?
by Pastor Dennis on 09/27/18
Supper Time: Friendly talk about
God’s Word for our life.
There are family
laws, community laws and social laws which are constantly being rewritten to
protect society from its less “lawful” members.
God’s desire (commandments)
for our life are expressed in Holy Scripture and fulfilled in Christ Jesus. The
Bible is made up of over 66 writers over thousands of years. It is a record of
humankind’s interactions with God who is the “same yesterday, today and
forever.” (Heb. 13:8, Jn 10:30)
God’s gift to all
who follow His instruction (torah) is
Shalom; a peace the fulfills and
gives satisfaction and wellness to us and those we live with.
For each text consider the following
questions.
- What is the
situation that the passage addresses?
- What does God’s
Word say about the situation?
- How could God’s
perspective impact my life and our community?
Sunday,
Sept. 30th – Oct. 6th
- Joseph challenged
to set aside God’s Law: Genesis 39:1-10
- Delight in the Law
of the Lord: Psalm 1
- Hear ye all who
struggle with God: Deuteronomy 6:1-15
- Divine love satisfies
the Law: Romans 13:8-10
- Christ fulfills
God’s Law in righteousness: Matt. 5.17-20
by Pastor Dennis on 08/31/18
This fall, identify a 4-6 people
you would be comfortable with to meet weekly in October and November for supper
to talk about God’s Word and faith.
Many people are hesitant to get
together because they are afraid of saying something wrong. The first rule of these groups is that we
must respect each other’s ideas.
During the week we will all look
at certain passages. In a notebook, pray that the Holy Spirit will help you see
answers to three questions.
1. What
issue or concern does this passage address?
2. What
does God or Jesus do or say?
3. How
can this teaching affect how I interact with people and situations in the
future?
On the Sunday following, I will take one or more aspects of
what we have read together and expound on it.
Sounds like fun, don’t you think?
Your teaching pastor, Dennis
