Monday, April 28, 2014

Less of Me, More of Him


This Sunday will be GEMS Sunday. GEMS is an acronym for Girls Everywhere Meeting the Savior. We have a very active GEMS club in our church with lots of excited girls and a committed group of leaders. They are a blessing to all of us and this Sunday they will lead our worship service in song and in word.
The theme for the GEMS season has been John 3:30: He must become greater; I must become less. This week, using these words of John the Baptist,  we will explore what it means to become less. Does this mean that we cannot have goals, celebrate achievements, aim for success? Does it mean that Christians need to be in the background, retiring, diminutive or is there something else here?




Join us this week as we celebrate our GEMS and as we learn how to make Him greater in those celebrations.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Do Not Be Afraid

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Don't be afraid. We say it all the time to our kids as they try something for the first time, swimming, school, driving, leaving home. Don't be afraid, we're right here to walk you through this, Nothing bad is going to happen to you. This is a good thing, the next stage in your life.

In Matthew 28 the angel tells the women not to be afraid after they experience an earthquake that turns soldiers into quaking mounds on the ground. The angel, white as lightning is almost as frightening. And then, just a little while later, Jesus says the same thing. Don't be afraid. Your world is shaken, your perceptions stretched to the limit,  everything is off kilter because dead men aren't supposed to get up, walk and talk.

And yet, Jesus calms their fears and sends them to tell.

On Easter Sunday we are going to celebrate the end of fear as we live into the resurrection story once more.

Monday, April 14, 2014

Lord Remember Me

Death bed conversions don't seem fair to many of us. Would God really forgive someone who has lived a godless life, done their own thing, never volunteered a moment of their time, or given to a worthy charity? Would God really let someone like that into the kingdom just because, at the last moment, they realize there is no way out, death is inevitable, and Jesus might just be the only way to be saved?

The story of the criminal crucified with Jesus who, after asking Jesus to remember him when he comes into his kingdom, is assured of his salvation, tells us Jesus does honour last minute conversions. The larger message though, is in the fact that salvation is God's work, not ours. While we may feel we have brought a lot to the table, making ourselves worthy of salvation, we have the same as this dying criminal, absolutely nothing. Our hands are empty, our bargaining chips useless. We are saved by grace alone.

Join us on Good Friday as we remember what Christ has done for us.