First Mennonite Church March 16, 2014 Profile of a Needy of God’s Redeeming Grace: Naomi Text: Ruth 1: 19-22 19 So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, “Can this be Naomi?” 20 “Don’t call me Naomi” … [Read more…]
First Mennonite Church March 9, 2014 Text: Genesis 50: 15-21 God With Us: The Profile of Joseph 15 When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” 16 So they sent word to Joseph, saying, … [Read more…]
First Mennonite Church March 2, 2014 Profile of a Checkered Character in the Hands of a Faithful God: Jacob Text: Genesis 32:22-32 The same night he (Jacob) got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 32:23 He took them and sent them … [Read more…]
Easter Sunday Letter As Easter Sunday approaches we are reminded of the world-changing event that took place on that first Easter morning some 2000 years ago. Jesus was raised from the dead. This reversal on the grip of death manifested in the resurrection of Jesus opened the door of hope for all humanity and especially … [Read more…]
First Mennonite Church February 16, 2014 Profile of an Unrepentant Heart: Cain Text: Genesis 4:1-10 Now the man knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, saying, “I have produced a man with the help of the LORD.” Next she bore his brother Abel. Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, … [Read more…]
First Mennonite Church February 9, 2014 A Profile of Battle Against Temptation: Adam and Eve Texts: Genesis 3:1-10; Romans 8:1-17 You might remember very well when you had young children and you had just finished painting a door or wall and you said to them, “Do not touch the wall; I just … [Read more…]
First Mennonite Church February 2, 2014 A Profile of A Life-long Calling: Noah Genesis 6:5-18 6:5 The LORD saw that the wickedness of humankind was great in the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually. 6:6 And the LORD was sorry that he had made … [Read more…]
Being Church at Such a Time as This Texts: 2Cor. 5:7; Esther 4: 14-16 “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2Corinthians 5:7). I hope you have noticed the relationship there is between living in faith and risk-taking. So let me restate it once more: The life of faith is a life of risk … [Read more…]
Rahab’s Story: A Story of Risk Worth Taking Text: Joshua 2: 1-18 2:1 Then Joshua son of Nun sent two men secretly from Shittim as spies, saying, “Go, view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went, and entered the house of a prostitute whose name was Rahab, and spent the night there. 2:2 The king … [Read more…]
The Risk of Loving Texts: Romans 5:6-8; 1Corinthians 13:4-8 Romans 5:6 For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 5:7 Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person–though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 5:8 But God proves his love for us … [Read more…]