Weekly Sermons, Announcements and Events
First Mennonite Church May 20, 2018 Paul and His View on Women in Ministry 1Timothy 2:6-15 Our passage for today is one that for many Christians sets the boundary between those who can serve in ministry and those who cannot. According to this group, pastoral ministry is reserved only for men. Women should learn in … [Read more…]
First Mennonite Church May 13, 2018 An All-Inclusive Prayer Text: 1 Timothy 2:1-7 Paul’s words of instruction to Timothy continue here in chapter two. The instruction here appears to have an order of priority. I checked more than 40 Bible translations and they all begin verse one with: First of all. But Timothy is not … [Read more…]
First Mennonite Church May 6, 2018 Witnesses of An Overflowing Grace Text: 1Timothy 1:12-20 Today and in the next few Sundays, I will be focusing on some passages in the letters of Paul to Timothy. 1 and 2 Timothy are among the so called “Pastoral Letters.” The Pastoral Letters also include Titus and the reason … [Read more…]
First Mennonite Church April 29, 2018 The Advocate: Praying With and For Us Text: Romans 8:12-27 Paul was a remarkable expositor of the mysteries of God’s work in Christ. But Paul not only grasped the depth of such mysteries, more importantly, he was able to explain how they relate to and affect the life of … [Read more…]
First Mennonite Church April 22, 2018 No Condemnation in Christ Text: Romans 8:1-11 In the early chapters of Romans, Paul writes that Jews and Gentile stand equally guilty before God, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (3:23). But in Christ, God will justify both Jews and Gentile in the … [Read more…]
First Mennonite Church April 15, 2018 Afraid No More! Text: Acts 5:12-42 Last week we saw the disciples hiding behind closed doors out of fear. And had the story of Jesus’ disciples ended with that image, Jesus, his life, death, resurrection and ascension would not have been a great deal. The story of Jesus would … [Read more…]
First Mennonite Church April 8, 2018 The Disciples and Their Own “Resurrection” Text: John 22:19-29 There are things that are simply hard to believe. But as people used to say, fact are facts. I do not know about you, but as for me, reading facts about things has always fascinated me. Here is one about … [Read more…]
First Mennonite Church April 1, 2018 The Lord Is Risen: It Is Not a Metaphor Text: Matthew 28:1-10 Today, Christians around the world greet one another with, “Christ is risen!” and return the greeting with, “He is risen indeed!” The Easter greeting’s claim that “Christ is risen,” is not a metaphor. Jesus’ resurrection literally took … [Read more…]
First Mennonite Church March 25, 2018 Do This in Remembrance of Me Text: Luke 22:14-23 In the manner of every Jewish household, Jesus took the role of head of the household when he celebrated his last Passover with his disciples. He took his place at the table and expressed his eagerness to eat the Passover … [Read more…]
First Mennonite Church March 18, 2018 Being Church in a More Excellent Way Text: 1Corinthians 13:1-13 This chapter is one of Paul’s most well-known passages in the New Testament. Some call 1Corinthians 13 the “Poem to Love,” some others the “Great Hymn to Love, and yet others call it, “The Song to Charity.” Often times … [Read more…]