Text:  Hebrews 9:23-28 How we approach God depends a lot on how we understand God to be.  Is God a passive observer, a cruel judge, or the One who is determined to reconcile the world to Himself through Jesus Christ?  In the person of Jesus Christ, we see clearly that God has seen fit to…

Today’s sermon, based on 1 Thessalonians 5,  focused on the importance of how we should live as a Christ-centered community.  St. Paul tells us not to be concerned about matters beyond our control, such as times, seasons and divinely-appointed events, but to center our energies on faith, hope and love.  We can’t fix the world,…

1 Peter 3:8-22 (ESV) – 8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. 10 For “Whoever desires to love life…

1 Peter 2:2-3 – Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. The apostle Peter assumes that the Christians to whom he is writing have experienced the goodness of the Lord.  In fact, it would be quite strange for people…

This morning’s text was from 1 Peter 2.  The sermon explored the tension we Christians feel because we acknowledge two realities:  one is the kingdom of God and its radically beautiful vision of peace and justice, and the other is our current state where human governments are necessary to maintain order and security.  We must…