Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Giving Blood and the Gospel

Luke 11:29–32

Luke 11:29-32 

  Imagine you're living in the time of Jesus.  You've heard about his teachings and miracles, so you go to see for himself.  Maybe you see him perform a miraculous feeding, or you see a lame man healed.  Would that be enough?  Would you be convinced that he is the Son of God?  Or would you ask for more?
  Some of the people clearly asked for more.  I understand where they're coming from -- it's a big step to believe that the person in front of you is the long-awaited Messiah.  But Jesus starts talking about the sign of Jonah.  Jesus is telling the people that the people of Nineveh repented at Jonah's preaching, and someone greater than Jonah is here, but the people are still resisting.  Are they open to what God is doing in their midst?  Are we open to what God is doing in our midst?  Do we resist?  Are we willing to trust in Jesus?
  Think of Jonah... dead for 3 days in the belly of a whale, forgotten at the bottom of the sea, the watery tomb, and then he rises and countless repent.  He was pointing ahead of himself to the day when the new and better Jonah would arise and demonstrate the grace and power of God for all to see.

Monday, April 27, 2026

Sermon on Ephesians 6

Luke 11:27–28

Luke 11:27-28 

  Being a student of Jesus is challenging.  We grow in knowledge, and Jesus pushes on us.  Jesus wants us to grow, and to keep growing, so that we don't get comfortable and stop moving.  Jesus sees the distance between who we are and who we were created to be, and because Jesus loves us, he wants us to be as close to that image as possible.  He knows we were made for incredible joy and peace.
  So here a woman is crying out blessing, and Jesus is redirecting.  He's pointing us towards action -- to follow Jesus is to be in motion.  The Word of God guides our hearts, and it leads us to be a people in motion.  We do what Jesus calls us to do -- we love and we serve one another, and we lead and we are led closer to Christ.