Wilderness Wanderings

A special, extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Isaiah 41:10 from the New International Version of the Bible.  There are no Dive In   questions today. We do not ask that from a guest preacher. To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it  here on YouTube .  Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanu...

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8) Lately, I have been mulling over this verse.  What does it mean to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with God?  Just before Canada Day there were more graves discovered near a residential school in B.C.  It may seem easier to p...

Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his s...

Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment.    And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Matt 22:37-39 Service is embedded in the second greatest commandment, to "Love your neighbour as yourself."  So, what exactly does that mean?  The interpretations of this sentence cou...

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory. One issue that faces all religious people is that of security. How certain can we be t...

A special, extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Matthew 28:16-20 from the New International Version of the Bible.  Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it  here on YouTube .  Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC:  immanu...

Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. (Romans 15:7) When we are hospitable to another we create a space that is safe and that is open. Hospitality is a gracious welcoming of others into the presence of Christ.  It's a laying aside of our own desires to let others into our space.  That can seem like an intrusion at times and at other times, a welcome...

I will give you new hearts. I will give you a new spirit that is faithful to me. I will remove your stubborn hearts from you. I will give you hearts that obey me. I will put my Spirit in you. I will make you want to obey my rules. I want you to be careful to keep my laws (Ezekiel 36:26-27). Over the past weeks, I have been reflecting with you on the Holy Spirit. As of yet, I have not referred to A...

 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21 Sharing with others is an act of worship.  It is offering up what we have free...

This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I ha...

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take it; this is my body." Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many," he said to them.  (Mark 14:22-24) "Do this in remembrance of Me."  The words of Jesus...

A special, extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Matthew 28:16-20 from the New International Version of the Bible.  Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it  here on YouTube .  Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC:  immanu...

This week Wilderness Wanderings is featuring a five-part series called Disruptive by Mr. Rick Verkerk. Today is episode 5. Holy Disruptions Read 1 John 2:15-17 Text: "Do not love the world or the things in the world." (1 John 2:15) WWJD: What would Jesus do?  Years ago, many chose to wear rubbery arm bracelets bearing these letters. The noble idea was to get each person to think like Jesus for all...

This week Wilderness Wanderings is featuring a five-part series called Disruptive by Mr. Rick Verkerk. Today is episode 4. Disruptive Power Read Luke 18:1-8 Text: "…when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:8) Do you believe God is only interested in big things?  Have you ever considered, "What is big to God?"  Nothing is too big or too small for Him. He did, after all, cre...

This week Wilderness Wanderings is featuring a five-part series called Disruptive by Mr. Rick Verkerk. Today is episode 3. Disruptive Paths Read 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 Text: "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1) This first sentence of Scripture calls me to a decision: Do I believe this truth claim or I don't I?  I can continue reading the Bible, but I will eventual...

This week Wilderness Wanderings is featuring a five-part series called Disruptive by Mr. Rick Verkerk. Today is episode 2, for the first installment, check out yesterday's edition. Read John 3:16-21 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." – Romans 8:1 In the beginning, Adam and Eve lived in a perfect world. Then they ate a fruit from the tree that they were for...

"When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, 'Moses, Moses!' And he said, 'Here I am,'" (Exodus 3:4) Most collisions in life are far from beautiful. In fact, vehicle collisions or a jarring hit in a sport can result in destruction and pain. God's grace is like a collision, except it's beautiful.  God's grace is the most dangerous, expectation-wrecking, smile-c...

A special, extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Romans 8:22-27 from the New International Version of the Bible.  Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it  here on YouTube .  Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC:  immanuel...

All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust. When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the ground" (Psalm 104:27-30). We return...

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labour: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.  But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken" (Ecclesiastes 4:9...

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you" (John 14:16-18) Today, we return to Jesus promise of the Holy Spirit. His disciples were in...

"Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.  But whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm." (Proverbs 1:5, 7, 33) Before I head into some disciplines which have more of an outward focus, I want to pause for a day to look at what...

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth" (John 14:16-17) . As Jesus prepared to leave his disciples, he spoke at length about the Holy Spirit. In our text he names the Holy Spirit 'our advocate'. The Greek word is Paraclete, which is also translated as "Comforter" or "Counselor". In the ancient world, a Paraclete wa...

A special, extended Sunday Sermon edition of Wilderness Wanderings!  The text is Romans 8:22-27 from the New International Version of the Bible.  Dive In discussion questions are below for further reflection! To see this sermon in the context of the worship service it comes from, find it  here on YouTube .  Or, head to our website to connect with the worshiping community of Immanuel CRC:  immanuel...

"Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." (Colossians 3:13) Much of Jesus' teachings and at least a third of his parables are about forgiveness.  Over and over again he modeled what it looked like to bless those who curse you and forgive those who don't deserve forgiveness.  One of the central pleas of the Lord's...