Questions from Sunday

Read Mark 7:24-37, the passage preached on Sunday. [If you don't have a Bible near by, click the Scripture reference to read it online.]

Some interesting questions were raised by Rev. Stephenson's sermon...

Can Jesus experience transformation?

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Hebrews 13:8 ESV

Could Jesus have spoken from a heart of prejudice?

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are --- yet was without sin.

Hebrews 4:14-15 NIV84

Could Jesus have kept His comments to Himself even if He wanted to?

Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth,

the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only

what he sees his Father doing, because whatever

the Father does the Son also does. ..."

John 5:19 NIV84

Will we understand all His ways?

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord.

"As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts. ..."

Isaiah 55:8-9 NIV84

We will not always understand His ways... at least not from where we stand right now... but He is the Word made flesh... full of grace... and truth.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.

We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only,

who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

John 1:14 NIV84

What should we do, when we are offended by His Word?

Trust in the Lord with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding...

Proverbs 3:5 NIV84

What questions do you have?

Take them to Him.

Ask for revelation.

Wait.

Trust.

Be willing to let the Truth transform you.

Sweet-Smelling Servanthood

Read John 12:1-8, the passage Rev. Stephenson preached from this past Sunday. (No Bible handy? Click the reference, it will take you to BibleGateway.com where you can read it online.)

Rev. Stephenson called Mary's outpouring of perfume on Jesus a sweet-smelling act of servanthood. A new idea to me, seeing this act of worship as service. An act that blessed God.

So I look at her today, and think:

What exactly was it about Mary, and this act of service,

that pleased Jesus so much?

Here's what I see...

Mary served, without thought to her own reputation.

Jewish women did not let down their hair in public. This is an expression of devotion that would have come across as extremely improper and even somewhat erotic, as indeed it would in most cultures. ... John's focus on her anointing Jesus' feet points to Mary's great humility. As she has come to realize a bit more of the one who has been a friend to her and her brother and sister, her faith deepens and she recognizes her unworthiness.

--- The IVP New Testament Commentary

Mary served, without thought to what it cost financially.

Judas tells us the perfume was worth a year's wages. According to The IVP New Testament Commentary, the equivalent in today's market would be about $10,000, the rough pay for someone working at minimum wage for a year.


Mary served, with a heart of love, joy, and gratitude.

The picture of Mary... is a devoted disciple who ignores the taboos of her society in her commitment to Jesus. ... Both aspects of her action --- the extravagance and the method --- were disturbing.

 --- The IVP New Testament Commentary

The expression of such devotion, without regard to what others think or the cost to self, can only originate in a heart of love bubbling over with grateful joy!

She had seen His saving power personally. He raised her brother from the dead. Therein lies the root of Mary's sweet-smelling servanthood.

How much more grateful should we be?
We stand on the other side of the cross... on the other side of the empty tomb...
For those of us in Christ... it is our own empty tomb.... that we stand before.

How does this truth affect your heart of service?
How does your servanthood measure up to Mary's?

Maybe we have some growing to do...

Father God, help me understand more fully the reality of being alive in Christ. Grow me to be a loving sweet-smelling servant who blesses You.

Big Picture Jesus

Read Luke 4:1-30, the passage Rev. Stephenson taught from this past Sunday.
[Click the Scripture reference to read it online if you don't have a Bible handy.]

Rev. Stephenson called us to be the Big Picture Church, but I was struck by something he said on the way to making that point:

Those in Nazareth were blinded by familiarity,

they only saw the Jesus they knew as a kid...

(emphasis added)

Those in Nazareth, Jesus's hometown, could not see past the boy who grew up among them.

"Isn't that Joseph's son?" they asked.

Luke 4:22 NIV84

I wonder, do you only see the Jesus you knew as a kid? The one you grew up with?

Do you only know the flannel-board Jesus? The one who welcomes children and hangs out with lambs?

Do you know the Jesus who invites you to take up your cross... daily... die... daily? (Luke 9:23)

What about the Jesus who says you must hate your mother and father, your sisters and brothers, your spouse and children to be His disciple? (Luke 14:26)

And the Jesus who says you must eat His flesh and drink His blood in order to have life? (John 6:53)

Or what about the Jesus who says you are wretched --- poor, naked, blind--- when you see yourself as richly blessed? (Revelation 3:17)

Do you know this Jesus? Have you wrestled with who He says He is? Who He says you are? And what He calls you to do?

If we don't know Jesus, who He truly is, we will likely desire to throw Him off a cliff rather than follow Him when He shows up in our lives. Just like His neighbors in Nazareth.

If we don't know. If we don't have the beginning of some sort of understanding of who the Big Picture Jesus is, we will never be able to be the Big Picture Church.

Take time. Learn who He is through relationship with Him, don't rely on what others have told you. Actively seek Him through prayer, His Word. Test His faithfulness through obedience. Get to know your Savior. Personally.

Just some thoughts from Sunday.

Communion: The Bread of Life Broken for Us

The heart of the message delivered by Rev. Jack Albright on Sunday came from Luke 14:1-6. Take a moment to read the passage now (click on the Scripture reference to read it online).

Jesus broke bread with His people, for His people,

leading to communion and healing.

Jesus, the Bread of Life, broke Himself to restore communion and make the way for our salvation, deliverance, and healing.

Our incredibly compassionate, merciful, loving, righteous, just God stooped down, became the Word made flesh, in order to bring healing to hearts, minds, souls, and bodies.

What makes it most incredible is the fact that we only need healing, salvation, and deliverance because we rejected our Creator and His way --- we rebelled --- we broke relationship with Him.

God sums up the problem in the Old Testament reading we heard on Sunday:

"My people have committed two sins:

They have forsaken me, the spring of living water,

and have dug their own cisterns,

broken cisterns that cannot hold water. ..."

Jeremiah 2:13 NIV84

We continually forsake the Spring of Living Water for our own way, digging our own reservoirs for life that leak and fail, infect and destroy.

The Bread of Life... 

broken for us... 

a people who reject and find fault... 

with our Father...

What faulty systems are you trusting for life?

Have you noticed how they leak and infect?

Trust Jesus.

Commune with Him.

Eat of His Word.

Walk in His Way.

Know life abundant.