In the Way with Charles St-Onge

In some ways, everyone is a sheep (even when they are more "goat-like"). The real question is, who is your shepherd?  Support the show Visit us at intheway.org or stjohnspembroke.org . 

What does Peter mean when he says we should "conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile" (1 Peter 1:17 ESV)? Do Christians understand that they are at home both everywhere and nowhere? Citizens of all places, and yet citizens of none?  Support the show Visit us at intheway.org or stjohnspembroke.org . 

Support the show Visit us at intheway.org or stjohnspembroke.org . 

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Support the show Visit us at intheway.org or stjohnspemb...

Why didn't the disciples simply just up and stop Judas from leaving? Why did Judas feel the need to ask if he was the one who would betray the Lord? Could it be because they weren't looking the right way? Could it be that sin causes us to look the wrong way as well?  Support the show Visit us at intheway.org or stjohnspembroke.org . 

In the musical  Hamilton , George Washington tells a young Alexander Hamilton that "Dying is easy, young man. Living is harder." The way Jesus deals with the death of Lazarus shows that Jesus understood this all too well, and chose as the last sign before his death to reveal himself as the Lord of Life.  Support the show Visit us at intheway.org or stjohnspembroke.org . 

Being physically blind is hard. Being spiritually blind is much worse. Who is more blind than the one who believes that, spiritually speaking, they have 20/20 vision? Support the show Visit us at intheway.org or stjohnspembroke.org . 

Jesus speaks to a Samaritan woman at Jacob's Well, stung quite likely by her barrenness and sense that God has abandoned her. Can Jesus show her that despite all this that God is love? Support the show Visit us at intheway.org or stjohnspembroke.org . 

"As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For in this way God loved the world." (John 3:14-16) Support the show Visit us at intheway.org or stjohnspembroke.org . 

Israel failed. We fail. But Jesus has prevailed, is prevailing, and will prevail. Even in the desert. Support the show Visit us at intheway.org or stjohnspembroke.org . 

" And we have more fully confirmed the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts." (2 Peter 1:19) Support the show Visit us at intheway.org or stjohnspembroke.org . 

Encirclement is a military strategy which cuts off any reinforcement or path of retreat, leaving troops the option of either fighting to the death or surrendering. In many ways, Jesus' teachings in the Sermon on the Mount encircle us with God's Law, in the hopes we will surrender to being encircled with his grace. Support the show Visit us at intheway.org or stjohnspembroke.org . 

"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way,...

The beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount announce that the blessings of God are not found in what the world considers to be blessings.  Support the show Visit us at intheway.org or stjohnspembroke.org . 

Kingdoms with no inhabitants are silly. Jesus could have done his mission alone, but then he wouldn't be bringing a kingdom near.  Support the show Visit us at intheway.org or stjohnspembroke.org . 

In a few short seconds, John the Baptist explained who Jesus was and what he came to do: "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." (John 1:29) Support the show Visit us at intheway.org or stjohnspembroke.org . 

When it comes down to it, most of us want to grow up to make a name for ourselves. God is more interested in giving away his good name. We see this most clearly in Jesus' baptism, and in his desire that disciples of all nations should be baptized in the name of the God who has saved us. Support the show Visit us at intheway.org or stjohnspembroke.org . 

Advent is often centered around four words, one for each Sunday: Hope, Faith, Joy and Peace. Christmas could also have four words associated with it: those would be light, life, truth and grace. Support the show Visit us at intheway.org or stjohnspembroke.org . 

Signs of God's wrath are everywhere, and often terrifying. But God's Good News wraps itself up in simple things: a manger, rags, water, bread and wine, and even simple preaching. Support the show Visit us at intheway.org or stjohnspembroke.org . 

Again the LORD spoke to Ahaz: “Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven.” But Ahaz said, “I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test.” And he said, “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary men, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall...

"From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force." Matthew 11:12 (ESV) Support the show Visit us at intheway.org or stjohnspembroke.org . 

John the Baptist said, "I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:11-12, ESV) Suppo...

NOTE: We are fine tuning a new sound system. The sound quality today was not great, but should be fixed next week! We WILL be ready :-)  Support the show Visit us at intheway.org or stjohnspembroke.org . 

"The rulers scoffed at him, saying, “He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, his Chosen One!” The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine and saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!” There was also an inscription over him, “This is the King of the Jews.” One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not...

In the words of Nick Fury (The Avengers), “Until such time as the world ends, we will act as though it intends to spin on.” Or if you prefer, in a quote often falsely attributed to Martin Luther, “if the world were ending tomorrow, I would still plant a tree today.”  Support the show Visit us at intheway.org or stjohnspembroke.org .