Author: Pastor Doug

Our scripture this morning is Ephesians 2:8-10 (NLT).

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Paul writes that we are saved by God’s grace, that it is a gift we can’t earn, it can only be accepted. Any good works we do are a response to His love, not a way to curry favor with God or earn “points” toward eternal life. As Paul says “Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done.”

In Philippians 2:13 we read “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” This reinforces the fact that when we accept His forgiveness He has “created us anew in Christ Jesus so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” God has always had a plan for us, we just need to give up our selfish need for control and let Him work in and through us.

In the old hymn Love Divine, All Loves Excelling we sing “Finish then Thy new creation, pure and spotless let us be. Let us see Thy great salvation perfectly restored in Thee.” Jesus brings a new humanity to all God’s children, living and working together as He planned for us from the beginning.

Loving Lord, we are amazed at Your forgiveness offered to us. Still us and fill us, mend us and send us to be Your face and hands to all Your children. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Matthew 1:20-21 (NLT).

As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

When I read Matthew 1:19 I cringe a little -“Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.” Joseph could have ended things then with no repercussions for himself. However, as a righteous man Joseph listens to the message he receives from God.

This fulfills the prophecy given in Isaiah 7:14 – “All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).” God always had a plan for our salvation, and it was always Jesus. 

Two things here are very important parts of this – the promise that “God is with us” and “He will save His people from their sins.” We can’t save ourselves, only through Jesus can we be forgiven. When we repent and return we can be made whole and part of His work in the world.

Heavenly Father, in Your mercy You made a way for us to be saved from our sin. Bless us to be the messengers of the Gospel. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Genesis 2:1-3 (NLT).

So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.

When we read “He rested from His work” don’t get the impression that God was tired. God gave us the Sabbath as a gift, and He demonstrated a balance of work and rest for us. It was to be a time of connection with Him and reflection on all His gifts to us. 

The Filament Bible Commentary says “In the same way God separated light from darkness and water from dry land, Sabbath separates the ordinary from the holy.” Sabbath is a special but regular occurrence to remind us that we are made in God’s image and called to follow His example. Observing the Sabbath and keeping it holy is one of God’s commandments for us.

In Mark 2:27 Jesus says “The Sabbath was made to meet the needs of people, and not people to meet the requirements of the Sabbath.” Different faith traditions teach different days to be set aside, but there’s no wrong day for Sabbath. What is important is to stop our busyness to thank God for His blessings and be refreshed by His Spirit that we may return to our tasks and tell the Good News energetically.

Loving Lord, thank You for a time of rest and connection with You and each other. Help us to rest in You and go into the world to share Your love. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is John 13:12-15 (NLT).

After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.”

Jesus often did the unexpected. As they prepare for the Passover celebration, He washes each of their feet, a job usually reserved for a low ranking servant. Then He says if they want to follow Him they must learn to “do as I have done to you.” In Matthew 20:28 He tells them “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

I remember taking a group of high school kids on an urban mission trip. One of the locations we went to work at was a huge food pantry. A girl from our group was very excited to hand out food to people, but when we arrived we were assigned to do cleanup in the warehouse. She was disappointed at first but did what was asked. She was unusually quiet the rest of the day. That night during prayer time she said God taught her about true serving, that all things work together for good, even cleaning!

I remember hearing that if the cross were not the symbol of our faith, reminding us of Christ’s sacrifice for us, the basin and towel would be a wonderful reminder of what we are called to do in the world. Jesus wants us to love and care for each other as He has shown us. May we use the gifts we have been given to serve all God’s children.

Heavenly Father, we are grateful for the example Jesus gave us of service to each other. Help us to see the needs of the world and go in Your name to care for our brothers and sisters. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Isaiah 43:18-19 (NLT).

But forget all that— it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.

Isaiah is the prophet most closely related to the Exile and the Second Exodus when God brought Israel out of Babylon. He is also noted for his statements that foretell the coming of the Messiah. In Isaiah 9:2 we read “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.” God wanted His people to know He was still with them and would act to forgive their sin.

This was fulfilled when Jesus came to be with us. John 1:4-5 tells us “The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.” God was still at work to bring us back! Isaiah also wrote “For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). These are the titles and connections Jesus has with the Father and us. God sent His only Son to show us how to love Him and each other.

Jesus came to save us in a way we never expected, not as a mighty warrior but as a suffering servant. Isaiah tells us “Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5). Christ bore the burden of our sin to redeem us to God. Now we are commissioned to tell the Good News of His resurrection to the world.

Loving Lord, You had a plan to recover us from our selfish ways all along. Thank You for the gift of Christ our Savior and the blessing of salvation. Make us part of what You are doing in the world now. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Zechariah 14:9 (NLT).

And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day there will be one Lord—his name alone will be worshiped.

Zechariah wrote to the children of Israel during the captivity in Babylon, reminding them of their sinful behavior. However, he also reminded them of God’s promise to be their king and restore them. More than that, God’s kingdom will extend to all people.

Jesus began His public ministry with the words “The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” (Mark 1:15). Repent and believe, that is what Christ asks of us. 

Paul tells us “And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory” (Colossians 3:4). We are blessed to follow our savior! Our love and trust in Him lead us to continue the work He began, sharing the Good News with the world. 

Gracious God, in Your mercy You sent Jesus to show us the way to salvation. May we be the disciples of today, going in His name to bring Your love to all. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Psalms 42:11 (NLT).

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again— my Savior and my God!

I spent many, many joyful years in different choirs, so every time I read this verse my mind goes to the song “His Eye is on the Sparrow”.  This psalm and related quotes in the Gospels remind us that we are valuable to God. If God sees value in us, how can we not see the value in ourselves and others?

In Matthew 10:31 Jesus tells us “So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows.” Luke records almost the same quote “And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows” (Luke 12:7). God created everything and loves everything He created, but we were made for a higher purpose – to be part of His work here.

The final phrase of this verse is the source of our joy and our salvation. God made a way for us to be saved from our failure and to be reconnected to Him. We have no cause to be discouraged when our hope is in Him.

Why should I be discouraged? Why should the shadows come?

Why should my heart be lonely and long for heaven and home?

When Jesus is my portion, my constant friend is He.

His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me! 

His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me!

I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free.

For his eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is 1 John 4:4-5 (NLT).

But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world. Those people belong to this world, so they speak from the world’s viewpoint, and the world listens to them.

Jesus said that there would be obstacles to our discipleship. However, John reminds us that “the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.” When we accept the gift of the Holy Spirit that He sends, we can stand against worldly things.

In John 6:63 Jesus tells us “The Spirit alone gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.” This teaches that living by the Sprit’s guidance is the way to be saved. We can do nothing apart from Him.

Later as Jesus prepares to give Himself up for us, He says “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). God the Father made a way for Jesus the Son to save us when we live by the Holy Spirit. It is not through any power we have, but it is by our own decision through faith and love.

Gracious God, Your love created us and Your love saves us. We are sorry for the times we have tried to do it on our own, when there is only one way, Your way. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Isaiah 43:1 (NLT).

But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.

Ransomed, redeemed and restored – God has done everything possible to bring us back from our willful disobedience to the connection He planned for us from the beginning. He brought His people out of Egypt and later sent His Son as the final sacrifice to save us from sin and death.

God created us to be in relationship with Him, in a different capacity than all His other creatures. We are made in His image, called to be the stewards of all He has given us. He gave us free will so that we might choose Him out of love. When we ignore our connection to Him and our responsibility, creation suffers.

Isaiah gives us the biggest reason that God continues His efforts on our behalf: “I have called you by name; you are mine.” He wants to be a part of our lives to sustain us, and make us part of what He is doing in the world. When He lives in us we can share that blessing with all our brothers and sisters.

Loving Lord, we are sorry for the times we choose our way instead of the path of Christ. Forgive us and strengthen us by faith that we may bring the Good News to everyone. Amen.

Our scripture this morning is Matthew 6:25-26 (NLT).

That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?

Jesus warns us against trusting in the security of our wealth and possessions – this distracts us from our reliance on God. However, He doesn’t tell us not to plan or act, but not to be obsessed with our needs or our things. We are to use God’s gifts to provide for ourselves and others responsibly.

Later in Matthew’s Gospel Jesus says “What is the price of two sparrows—one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows” (Matthew 10:29-31). All of this is to teach us how precious we are to God, who created us in His own image.

We are way too focused on the pursuit of “more”. The only thing most of us really need is more Jesus! This doesn’t mean our needs are selfish or unjustified, only that worrying won’t change anything. We can’t worry ourselves into salvation. Only our relationship with our Savior can do that.

Gracious God, help us not to worry about things and worry more about each other. Help us to use Your gifts wisely and spread the Good News to all. Amen.