Resisting the Old Way of Life (Colossians 3:5-11)

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Colossians 3:5-11

The Apostle Paul said: “Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must also rid yourself of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.” (Colossians 3:5-11)

When I was a youth, our youth group had an annual fall retreat. Part of this retreat included a half-hour hike up to a mountaintop overlook we called “The Ridge.” Continue reading

What Did Jesus Teach About Marriage (Matthew 5:27-30) – Sermon on the Mount Series, Part 2

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Matthew 5:27-30

The authors of a popular marriage book say we grow up believing the romance myth. We believe that if Cinderella happens to meet Prince Charming, they will live happily ever after. However, if friction arises or a couple “falls out of love,” they believe they married the wrong person and are destined to live “unhappily ever after” or need to get a divorce. In such a culture, marriage becomes a whimsical ideal rather than an accessible reality. Continue reading

Don’t Lose the Source (Colossians 2:16-23)

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Colossians 2:16-23

Someone once told a fictitious story about Peter that went like this. One day Jesus said to his disciples, “I would like you to carry a stone for me.” Since Jesus had not given any specifics in regard to weight or size, and since Peter was of the practical sort, Peter picked up a small stone and put it in his pocket. Continue reading

Why Not a King? And the Answer. (Colossians 2:8-15)

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Why did our nation’s forefathers not choose a king or queen for our government? No one had ever had a “president” before. Continue reading

Pentecost – Can it Happen Again? (Acts 2:1-13)

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Acts 2:1-13

On the day of Pentecost we are told that Jesus’ followers were gathered and filled with the Holy -Spirit. They began declaring the wonderful things of God in languages that they previously had not known. (Acts 2:1-13) What does it mean to be filled with the Holy Spirit? Is the Pentecost event to be repeated in some way? In this brief article, we tend to these questions. Continue reading

Are You Willing to Suffer? (Colossians 1:24-29)

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Colossians 1:24-29

Millions of Pacific Salmon migrate from their saltwater sea home to inland freshwater streams and rivers every year. They often traverse hundreds of miles against the current, facing barriers, predators, sudden shifts in temperature, and many other obstacles to reach their destination. Many do not make it, but those who do die within days or weeks of their arrival. Continue reading

Once Alienated; Now Reconciled (Colossians 1:21-23)

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Colossians 1:21-23

I can’t think of a person today who would want the words “alienated and hostile toward God” applied to them. Yet, the Apostle Paul refers to the Colossian Christians in this way, “Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior (Colossians 1:21).” Continue reading

Christ is Sovereign Over All (Colossians 1:15-20)

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Colossians 1:15-20

Abraham Kuyper, former prime minister of the Netherlands, once said, “…there is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human life of which Christ, Who is sovereign over all, does not cry: ‘Mine!’” Continue reading

Hope in Heaven Makes a Difference (Colossians 1:1-14)

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Colossians 1:1-14

The Christian hope in Heaven has often been criticized for being a form of escapism. Christians believe in a time when all will be made right, therefore they exempt themselves from doing any earthly good is how the argument often goes. But, is such criticism fair? Continue reading

The Lord Lovingly Descends to Our Doubt (John 20:25-29)

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John 20:24-29

In C.S. Lewis’ The Lion Witch and the Wardrobe, Peter and Susan are troubled by their youngest sister Lucie’s claim she had entered a magical world through a wardrobe in a large, old house. Lucie claims their brother Edward visited this world too, but Edward denies it. Peter and Susan decide to visit the professor, who owns the house, for advice.

To their surprise, the professor says, “How do you know…your sister’s story is not true?” Continue reading