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Showing posts from March, 2016

Resurrection! - John 20:1-9

Resurrection! - John 20:1-9 By Pastor Lee Hemen March 27, 2016 We are at a spiritual crossroads in history. We live in a day and age whereby folks do not use critical thinking but rely on their instinct or passion. This is dangerous because we are then motivated to think that what we feel is more important than facts. Or worse, that we can distinguish what is right or wrong in life simply by how it feels to us. From personal relationships, what we believe in, or to whom we vote for is a matter of feelings and not what we truly know. We end up hurt and confused when our emotions have steered us in the wrong direction. The resurrection is not a matter of emotion or personal feelings. It is a historical physical fact. This is why later when Mary is crying by the empty tomb and the angel rebukes her by reminding her of the facts, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'Th

Hosanna! - Matthew 21:1-11

Hosanna! - Matthew 21:1-11 By Pastor Lee Hemen March 20, 2016 We all get excited about different things. For some it is sporting events where the crowd is worked up over the home team; for others it is rock concerts, musicals or plays while still others get excited about a newly released movie and campout overnight just to be the first in line to purchase a ticket. Whatever the reason we can get excited over different things. But what if you had heard that someone was coming to your town that had the ability to cure disease, raise the dead, walk on water, or turn that water into the finest wine? What if you had heard that this man could be the answer to all your prayers and the fulfillment of prophecy and thousands of years of longing? (And no it is not Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders!) What would your anticipation be like then? Jesus has reached the final days of his earthly ministry and everything from this point on builds to a final crescendo like the final movement of a sympho

The life of Christ - Philippians 3:7-17

The life of Christ - Philippians 3:7-17 By Pastor Lee Hemen March 13, 2016 The Game of Life, also known simply as Life, is a board game originally created in 1860 by Milton Bradley, as The Checkered Game of Life because the game board was set up like a checker board. The Game of Life was America's first popular parlor game. The game simulates a person's travels through his or her life, from college to retirement, with jobs, marriage, and possible children along the way. You spun a six-sided top; dice were seen as gambling, to move to your space. Two to six players could participate in one game. The modern game was introduced in 1960 and consists of a track on which players travel by spinning a small wheel (in the center of the board) with spaces numbered 1 through 10. You collect a spouse, kids, jobs and cash as you head around the board. Of course the real "game of life" which one lives is a lot more complicated. However God has given us a way to live our lives

The selflessness of Christ - Philippians 2:14-18

The selflessness of Christ - Philippians 2:14-18 By Pastor Lee Hemen March 6, 2016 With every weed pulled I grumbled, "Why did I have to do this today? It's Saturday, I want to go play with my friends. This stinks! I hate weeding!" My father overheard me and reminded me that I should willingly give up a part of my Saturday to do the work because my mother needed it done. By weeding I was helping her use her time better and it displayed a selfless act. Of course being eight-years-old I didn't care about being selfless; selfishness is an eight-year-old's creed! Sadly, it seems the eight-year-old credo has infected many adult Christians as well. If we are to truly understand what Jesus did on the cross, we have to understand Jesus himself. Last week we discussed Jesus' humility and his being God. We also talked about how our attitude is to be the same as that of Jesus. Here in the next few verses we discover just how unselfish Jesus was and we come to reali