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The cross! - John 19:1-22 By Pastor Lee Hemen February 7, 2016 What signifies a horrendous death in our culture today? The wanton and greedy dismemberment of the unborn by abortionists; the thoughtless alcoholic induced daze of a drunken driver smashing into an unsuspecting family; or perhaps the self-aggrandized gang bang to enforce a self-indulgent pseudo machismo? History would point to concentration camps, atomic weapons, firebombing, or torture machines. Yet in the midst of all these horrific deaths there is one that pierces the heart and soul of mankind as nothing else; the innocent torture and crucifixion of the Son of God. Far too many in our day and age willingly wear crosses on their clothing or around their necks without giving a thought to the horrendous torture and death they represent. Tattoo artists and biker gangs have used the symbol for their own purposes without a thought to the real pain and suffering it symbolizes. And here in John's gospel we discover anew jus...

The betrayal! - John 18:1-13 By Pastor Lee Hemen January 3, 2015 Did you know that Guy Fawkes (the namesake of the Guy Fawkes mask you see at every odd ball protest these days) was a traitor and betrayed his protestant homeland of England? He joined with Spanish Catholics in a miserably failed plot to assassinate King James and reinstate a Catholic king of England. He has since become a cultural figure of anarchy. He was and is no hero as some would have you think and in fact is a traitor and betrayer. Have you ever had someone you considered a friend betray you? It is a hard thing to live through. One of the men whom Jesus personally picked to follow him betrays Jesus to the Jewish authorities perhaps thinking he can force Jesus' hand in becoming a Messianic leader who would overthrow the Romans and the corruption. Instead greed gets the better of Judas and he receives 30 pieces of silver for his betrayal of Jesus. Here in John's gospel Jesus finishes his personal prayer...

Protecting human life! -- Exodus 1:15-20; Jeremiah 19:3b-6; 33:6-9; Romans 8:1 By Pastor Lee Hemen January 19, 2014 AM Imagine that a 16-year-old girl from your church comes to you for advice. She knows you well and needs to talk to someone outside her family. She tells you that she recently discovered she is pregnant. She has not told anyone, not even her boyfriend. She is a Christian and has grown up in your church. What advice would you offer this girl? What options does she have? What should a Christian do in this situation? This story is imaginary, but I expect some of us have encountered similar situations. Some people in our society would condone an abortion. Others would suggest the girl give her child up for adoption; still others might insist that the girl marry and raise her child. Many people in today’s world view life as cheap. Entertainment, including books, TV, movies, music, and video games, frequently exalts violence and killing. Constant exposure to portrayals of brut...