Cutlerville East Christian Reformed Church

We continue to ask in this Advent season: how far was it to Bethlehem? In this story, we will visit the place where the Messiah is born, and we are joined by some strange characters.  Pagan astrologers chart our path, at least in the beginning, and we find ourselves in the palace of King Herod in Jerusalem. We are caught up short by their audacious, though innocent, question: "Where is the on...

Scripture: Phillipians 1:19-26

Sometimes we believe the worst about God, that he won’t forgive. But at other times, we are too cavalier with forgiveness: “to err is human, to forgive divine” — as if forgiveness is merely God’s job. This petition gives balance.  Scripture:  Matthew 6:12, 14-15; 18:21-35 

Scripture: Leviticus 16; Hebrews 9-10

Phillipians 1:12-18

Laodicea was an incredibly prosperous and magnificent city, standing on the Roman road to the east. They thought themselves completely selfsufficient. Apparently the church in Laodicea had that same sort of attitude, bragging about their wealth and their need for nothing, presumably including Christ! Then the Great Physician gave them a checkup, giving them an unwanted diagnosis.  Scripture:  Reve...

“Give us this day our daily bread” may be the most familiar petition in this familiar prayer. But overfamiliarity with a biblical passage can lead to misunderstanding, or can reduce it to a cliche’. What is this petition saying and does it still have meaning for us today? At first glance it sounds rather demanding. But what does this mean for us, who live in prosperity? Our kitchens hold food suff...

Scripture: Psalm 63

Scripture: Psalm 46 

Philadelphia was well-known for its commercial enterprises, but also as a stopping-point, a highway exit, on one’s way to the East. In that city was a small church, struggling to hang on to its witness there. Circumstances had caused that church to decline in numbers in recent years. But Jesus Christ, from his throne in heaven, was watching that church and encouraging it to endure patiently, to wa...

Scripture: Philippians 1:9-11

 Last time we looked at the petition in the Lord’s Prayer: “may your kingdom come.” We noted that the kingdom is God’s active rule that happens progressively in the world and in individual lives. To pray that petition is to pray both Jesus, continue to rule this world and Jesus, come and rule my life. We also noted that this next petition is directly connected: when the will of God is done on eart...

Scripture: Romans 12:1-2

The history of Sardis is literally a “riches to rags” story. Sardis was a wealthy Lydian capital city, known for being impregnable — almost. Twice in their history there had been surprise assaults that caught them sleeping. They had not been keeping watch because by all appearances they were secure. Just as the city was living off a former but no longer existing fame, so the same attitude had infe...

 Scripture: Philippians 1:3-8 

Imagine your job included union membership, which not only entailed paying dues, but also mandatory attendance at union meetings.  Not only did you discuss and vote on issues, but you were called to worship the "god" of the union.  And meetings always ended with Satanic rituals and orgies in which you were expected to participate.  If you quit the union, you'd not only lose your job...

What does it mean to pray "your kingdom come"?  Brad Young, in his book on the Lord's Prayer, states:  Probably no other aspect of Jesus teaching has been so greatly misunderstood as the kingdom of heaven. Certainly, no other theme is more essential for understanding Jesus. It's a concept  at the very heart of the Jewish faith, and of Jesus' mission, not to mention the sub...

Scripture: Philippians 1:1-2. 

Compromise. Jesus — specifically the Jesus who in John’s vision wielded a sharp, double-edged sword — saw compromise as a growing threat for the church in Pergamum. Not that the city of Pergamum was subtle. Jesus calls it “Satan’s throne” for a reason. Which is easier to resist as Christians: persecution by enemies (Smyrna) or seduction by culture (Pergamum)?  Scripture: Revelation 2:12-17 

If love is the first mark of the Christian church — as we saw in last week’s letter to Ephesus —suffering is the next mark. It proves the genuineness of one’s love for Christ. Now he comes to them, described with words from the previous vision: First and Last (Alpha and Omega), but particularly the “one who came to life again.”  Scripture:  Revelation 2:8-11

Jesus, as we heard last week, teaches us is to pray to “Our Father,” a reminder of our intimate relationship with God, as well as his promise to care for us as children. Now we turn to a promise of our own: “hallowed be your name” Do we need to make God’s name holy? NO, it already is holy! Then what does Jesus mean by this phrase? What “promise” are we making? We are pledging to sanctify God’s nam...

To better understand how and what Jesus is teaching us to pray, it helps to explore Jewish aspects of prayer. It starts with the opening, which in Hebrew would be: Avinu shebashamayim (our Father in the heavens). This is a very Jewish concept, in two ways: (1) Jewish prayer is communal or corporate, and (2) directed to “our Father.” How we pray depends on to whom we are praying.  Scripture:  Matth...

Revelation 2:1-7 Jesus Christ is pictured walking among the lampstands, that is, the churches in Asia, as John witnessed in 1:20. It is a reminder of the unseen presence of Christ among the churches, and almost as if he is doing an inspection tour, giving the lampstands or churches the “white glove test.” How will Ephesus measure up? How would we? 

God hears simple prayers, for his Spirit searched our hearts and brings them to God (Romans 8:26). But, as we grow as disciples, we should mature in prayer.  Our prayers should still have a child-like devotion, but the content of our prayers is also important.  When the Bible calls us to pray, it involves not only the emotions of the heart but the content of the mind.  Feeling as well as focus, co...

On one hand, the headlines of our day, on the other, the book of Revelation.  Two worlds, as different as a hare-brained dictator and a seven-headed monster, as a terrorist's bomb and a bowl of wrath. How can one world speak to the other?  As different as they seem, they are actually parallel worlds: one, our fleeting and shallow glimpse at life; the other, a cosmic perspective on reality, wh...