Lightly Salted

Jesus speaks some radical and challenging words that both cut to the heart and heal our souls.

Jeremiah faces a difficult ministry that he cannot fulfill. But the Lord strengthens him for ministry even as He strengthens us.

Jesus sent the disciples with the authority to heal, cast out demons, and raise the dead. to which I'm guessing they were thinking, "You've got to be kidding, we're fishermen!" But wasn't them, but the power of Christ in them.

Adults love to count, we are doing it all the time. Thankfully God doesn't count quite like we do but counts the one thing, faith.

We join the Psalmist in singing our praises for the grandeur of creation and salvation.

Jesus is the living water that wells up in us and overflows us.

While we encourage the graduates to soar like eagles as they develop their skills and knowledge, we also remind them that those gifts are to be used humbly among the "turkeys."

Even though Jesus was no longer visible with them, the disciples were still filled with great joy because of the resurrection.

Jesus says, "If you love me you will keep my commandments." That's not so much a new commandment as it is a promise that Jesus fills in us.

We usually don't think of stones as living, but in Jesus, we are, like living stones, being built into spiritual priesthood offering sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (who is the living stone rejected by men, but precious in the sight of God).

"All I learned about sheep I learned in church." With that Pastor Harvala launches into what is called "Good Shepherd Sunday." But before Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd," he first says, "I am the door." And it is through Jesus that the sheep find security and good pasture.

Jesus hides his identity from the Emmaus disciples to strengthen their faith in the Word and promise of God.

Peter simply explodes with joy as he reminds us of all the blessings that flow from the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead!

Fear is powerful. The resurrection of Jesus moreso!

Peter and John saw and believed something. Mary Magdalene heard and knew.

This is a reading of the Gospel of John, the 18th and 19th chapters, interspersed with a hymn and closing prayer.

He began by deriding Jesus along with the crowd. But by God's amazing grace ended his life with a promise.

How do you get the moniker "Son of Thunder?" How do you become known as the "Apostle of Love?" God's amazing grace is how.

Peter the rock. Rocks do one thing really well, they sink, which Peter did plenty of. But rocks also make great foundations and Peter's confession is the best!

Paul confessed, "What a wretched man I am! Who will deliver me from the body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord."

Using the technology of the tv remote control, we look at some of the aspects of the resurrection of Lazarus miracle.

Jesus breaks all social customs and prejudices to share the grace of God with a woman who then becomes an evangelist to her kinsman.

First my apologies to U2 and Bono himself for mispronouncing his name! Karma asks, "Who sinned, this man or his parents." Grace says, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him."

Even as Jesus heals the man born blind we see that our spiritual condition is all too often just as blind.

Life in the wilderness is hard as the newly freed Israel is learning. But God continues to provide as only He can.