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Showing posts with the label sabbath

Do you share the Good News? – Matthew 28:1-10, 16-20

Do you share the Good News? – Matthew 28:1-10, 16-20 By Retired Pastor Lee Hemen August 1, 2021 As a family drove home from worship the mother exclaimed, “What a wonderful service we had this morning!” The oldest daughter from the backseat asked, “So, what do we do about Christ’s resurrection?” “What do you mean, honey?” “I mean Christ’s resurrection supposedly changed everything. We say it changed our life. It seems to me we should be doing more to indicate Christ has made a difference in us and he wants to make a difference in others.” It made the mother realize that she needed to share the good news with others joyfully and more consistently. Let me ask you, “How does your worship influence your daily service for Christ?” As Sunday morning dawned, two lowly women walked to the tomb of Jesus. An earthquake occurs, and an angel of God rolls back the stone at the entrance of the tomb and sits on it. He tells the women not to be afraid because Jesus had risen from the dead. What occurs ...

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...

Lord of the Sabbath – Mark 2:23-28

Lord of the Sabbath – Mark 2:23-28 By Pastor Lee Hemen October 4, 2009 AM I was in a discussion with one of our area’s ministry directors when he grandly announced that he did not agree with “organized religion.” I was stunned and immediately asked him, “Why then do we pay your salary?” He could not answer me. I then followed this by telling him, “If you have placed your faith in Christ, you are now part of an ‘organized religion’ that was prearranged by God Himself, centered on the foundation of the gospel message of salvation through His One and Only Son!” In being a Christian, you have submitted yourself to membership in the body of Christ. There is a foolish discussion going on in some circles today about the importance of church membership in the life of the Christian. It has come about because of universalism creeping back into Christian theology from sources like the emergent church. It is not a new heresy. It is the notion that the church and thereby worship should center spiri...