“[C]rying out, ‘Men of Israel, help! This is the man who is teaching everyone everywhere against the people and the law and this place. Moreover, he even brought Greeks into the temple and has defiled this holy place.’ For they had previously seen Trophimus the Ephesian with him in the city, and they supposed that …
Category Archives: Pastor’s Blog
As sure as Death and Taxes
We are all familiar with Ben Franklin’s statement that nothing is as certain as death and taxes. And while it was said a bit tongue in cheek (at least about the taxes) we understand its truth. It is not even questioned. But in the church, we regularly see something else that is just as sure …
The Power of Interpretation
Recently I preached a message which inspired some confusion and several questions. It can be difficult, at times, to make sure everything meant in a message is understood. What I was saying is the Bible, as a book, is simply unable to answer plainly every question faced in an entire human life. Part of my …
Which are you?
The story of the prodigal son is well known. It’s a beautiful parable about redemption. You can find it in a section of Luke which includes several similar teachings. For example, there is the parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin. Then we come to the prodigal son—another story of the lost being …
Friends before Facebook
Think back about how many fights you have seen on social media. If your experience is anything like mine, you have probably lost scores of friends over various issues. Today I was reminded how easily this could happen when a Facebook “discussion” started with an old friend—we’ve been friends for 15 years, not just on …
What is Love?
Recently, I was asked, “What is love?” This question may seem simplistic to many, but it becomes pretty complex if you think about it. Rather than answering right away, I stepped back to consider it. The world, of course, has its own definition. This is part of the problem when we discuss issues with the …
Reigning in Social Media
Social media has produced some unusual fruit over the last few years. How many of us see a post, do a quick assessment, decide whether we agree, then share it or comment—all in a matter of seconds? It’s incredible how many don’t read the whole post before reacting or read the article linked before sharing. …
Filters
Since our granddaughter moved away, we regularly video chat. It is lots of fun to watch her experience her new home and love her new sister. Her mother will just give her the phone from time to time, and she’ll run and hide to talk to Pawpaw (me). But she does little talking. Mostly she …
Fear or Faith
Recently, our newest Supreme Court Justice, Amy Coney Barrett, told an audience that Supreme Court Justices are not partisan hacks. Here is a CBS News article about it. She wanted people to understand this because many are confused about how two judges can reach such different conclusions in the same case. The difference between them …
Sunday Best
For those of you who don’t know, I have two places which are my favorite to eat in our beautiful little town. One is the Brick House Café. The other is the Cable Café, especially for breakfast. If you haven’t been in either of these lately, go in and support local businesses. I’ve been in …