“Follow me!” This is Jesus’ call as he gathers his first disciples. In this season of Epiphany we see Jesus reveal himself to be the Savior of the world. In the Gospel of John he shows his divine power. This catches the attention of the disciples, but it is the Word of God that creates faith.
I just love getting Christmas cards! It’s my once-a-year update from my family and friends. To many people Jesus is just like one of many Christmas cards. Throw him on the pile with the rest. Is he a nice guy? There are some people (like us) who actually worship him as God.
The harvest festival of Pentecost was not a new concept to God’s people. Every year they would come in from the fields with their first fruits and offer them to God. This was a statement of thanks and a statement of faith. Thanks for the harvest that they already had and a statement of faith that God would continue to give them more as the harvest continued. That festival marked the birth of the New Testament church. What a harvest it has been! God continues the harvest of souls for his kingdom through you and me.
How to live – that is the question. I have to ask you – have you ever seen death? Our society is quarantined off from death for the most part. Death is something that happens in the hospital or maybe in a hospice setting. Because of Easter life is more certain!
This Sunday we’ll answer the question, “What do we do when our hearts are troubled?” The takes takes us to the night that Jesus was betrayed. That might seem like quite the jump, but his words of comfort to his disciples are all the more sure now that we live in the reality of Easter. He lives!
Do sheep listen? I don’t know much about sheep, but nine months into dog ownership and I can tell you that they don’t always listen. In fact, I’m convinced that my dog hears what I’m saying, comprehends what I want, but he still refuses to do what I say simply because he is unwilling. I’m told that sheep don’t always listen either, but before I start in on a rant on white woolly animals, I should confess my own selective hearing issues. Yes, I don’t listen at times too.