Losing It All and Finding Blessing
Camden First United Methodist Church
The lectionary for this week includes the famous words from Micah 6, the Beatitudes, and the second chapter of Paul's letter to the church in Corinth. So much of our religious fervor is focused on verifying that God loves us when we should be asking Tex Samples' question, "Can God change us?" If you want to understand the blessedness of the Beatitudes, ask how we can be changed.
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How to Change the World
Camden First United Methodist Church
John did not realize it, but when he baptized Jesus, the world changed. The Holy Spirit descended and there was a voice from heaven saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." How do you changed the world?
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Scandalous Courage
Camden First United Methodist Church
The Lectionary for the Fourth Sunday in Advent in Year A features King Ahaz and Joseph, the fiance of Mary. The men were both in crisis and both knew the law but they made very different decisions.
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The Last Prophet
Camden First United Methodist Church
Moses was the first prophet but perhaps John the Baptist was the last? John prepared the way for Jesus who changed everything. If you want to know what God is saying, Listen to Jesus. John had a clear message Repent & live lives worthy of the Gospel!
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Despair vs. Hope
Camden First United Methodist Church
Many of us have never read the parables of the minas found in the Gospel of Luke because we look it over and think it is the same as the parable of the talents found in the 25th chapter of Matthew. Jesus tells this story after he visits Zacchaeus in Jerricho. It is the last parable before he rides into Jerusalem on a donkey. The parable gives despair but Jesus offers hope.
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Faith & Persistence
Camden First United Methodist Church
Luke 18 contains one of my favorite parables - The widow and the bad judge. She persisted even when he refused to care. But we worship a God that does care so if our prayers are not being answered in the timeframe we hope for, do we persist? More importantly, do we believed God is good and cares about our well-being?
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Fill Every Seat
Camden First United Methodist Church
Jesus is invited to a Shabbat dinner with local Jewish religious leaders. We are not sure if Luke believed it was a set up but Jesus finally told the Parable of the Great Feast about that great heavenly banquet we talk about whenever we have communion.
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Where You Least Expect It
Camden First United Methodist Church
Today we look at Luke 10:25-37 which most of us know as the Parable of the Good Samaritan. In the first century, no Jew would have called a Samaritan "good" which proves once again that God shows up where you least expect it.
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Believe - Isaiah 65:17-25
Camden First United Methodist Church
God is doing a new thing, creating a new heaven and a new earth. We must have the courage to believe at work towards that new Kingdom.
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The Answer Is Always Justice
Camden First United Methodist Church
Everything Isaiah has warned about has now come to reality. God's people are in exile in Assyria and Babylon but now those in Babylon have the opportunity to return home and rebuild. It will be hard but Isaiah has words of encouragement. Isaiah 61:1-11
info_outlineJesus used vineyards as the setting for many of his parables so it should not be a surprise to see Isaiah using the setting of a vineyard for one of his early oracles. Rotten grapes betrays God. How should we respond as Christians if we find ourselves in a surrounding of bad fruit?