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Humility! - John 13:1-17 By Pastor Lee Hemen August 30, 2013 There was an old country western song by Mac Davis called, "It's Hard to be Humble." The chorus went, "Oh Lord it's hard to be humble, when you're perfect in every way. I can't wait to look in the mirror. Cause I get better looking each day." I wonder if our world today truly understands what it means to be humble. Humility is more than being nice or acquiescing your moral standards to be liked by others or being soft-spoken.  Jesus was humble but he was not weak or effeminate. He willingly displayed his strength in his personal humility. Here in John's gospel we find Jesus actively displaying for his inner circle of disciples what real humility is all about. He would teach, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all." (Mark 9:35 NIV) and that "everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted....

Believe! - John 12:44-50 By Pastor Lee Hemen August 23, 2015 There are those who try to tear apart the theology of the Trinity, but when they do they do so at their own spiritual and eternal peril. While there are spiritual concepts we may never understand until we are face-to-face with Jesus in heaven, there are those that we must appreciate in order to realize who God is, why he sent Jesus, and how he acts in his creation that includes his relationship with us. When I was little I thought that girls were gross; when I was a bit older I was tongue-tied and embarrassed to even speak to the opposite sex; when I got even older I knew I wanted one; and now that I have been married for forty years to the best of the best, I realize I could not live without her. All of this is to say that when I was younger and more immature I did not fully understand the relationship between guys and gals. Not that I fully understand it now, but I can honestly say I am a whole lot more informed than when I...

The Praise of Men - John 12:37-43 By Pastor Lee Hemen August 16, 2015 There's a saying that states, "Different strokes for different folks and some folks need a lot of strokes." I have always found it disconcerting people need constant affirmation for every little thing they do. The need for constant affirmation has created a self-indulgent and narcissistic generation. Of course this is nothing new; there have always been those who love the accolades of the adoring crowds, even if it is forced. It has been likened to a narcotic and those who become hooked need their fix often. Starlets, politicians, dictators, and now even the more common folk look for ways to be recognized, adulated, revered, and remembered. Instagram and Facebook postings that record our every waking moment, and the regurgitation our lives on the Tweetersphere are all part of this self-absorbed lifestyle. We love the praise of others, the praise of men. In fact, many of us live in fear of losing the pra...

Greeks at the Feast! - John 12:20-36 By Pastor Lee Hemen August 9, 2015 The comedy classic Animal House was a sex, booze-ridden, crass, and sometimes funny movie from 1978. In 1962, college freshmen Lawrence "Larry" Kroger and Kent Dorfman seek to join a fraternity at Faber College. Finding themselves out of place at the prestigious Omega Theta Pi House's party and rejected by other houses, they finally visit the slovenly and riotous Delta Tau Chi House, where Kent's brother was once a member. Larry and Kent are invited to pledge. Filmed for $2.8 million, it is one of the most profitable movies of all time, garnering an estimated gross of more than $141 million in the form of theatrical rentals and home video, not including merchandising. It was filmed at the University of Oregon in Eugene and in Cottage Grove, Oregon. In one scene they have a Toga Party, which made these types of riotous affairs ever famous afterwards. Here in John's Gospel we discover a group of...

Jesus Enters Jerusalem - John 12:13-19 By Pastor Lee Hemen August 2, 2015 Living in a small town like Wenatchee growing up we used to get excited when the Fair used to happen each summer, but imagine how excited we were when we found out that the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus was coming to town! Sure, we had seen the Shrine Circus and the Wenatchee Youth Circus, but now there would be actual animals like elephants, lions, tigers, and bears… oh my! And they would have a big parade downtown! Everyone for miles around came to the parade. Now imagine living in an area that has seen, heard, and some had experienced the ministry and miracles of Jesus. Can you imagine what would happen if the folks heard he was coming to the Passover in Jerusalem, especially after raising the man Lazarus from the dead? Needless to say, hundreds of thousands of people would come for the Passover in Jerusalem, and even more would try to see, hear, or experience Jesus if he came as well. H...

Jesus Is Anointed - John 12:1-11 By Pastor Lee Hemen July 26, 2015 When we graduate from high school we have a ceremony to commemorate the event; when we are married for a long time, live into very old age or have been at a job for a long time, folks usually commemorate the event; and when a ship is launched the event is commemorated as well. Here in John's gospel we discover Jesus being remembered by those who owed him so much, especially by one gracious lady. We do not fully understand the idea or the reasoning behind why folks of Jesus' day would anoint him. In fact, I would venture a guess that there are a lot of folks who do not even know what it means to anoint someone. Today we are beginning an entire section that covers the very last days of Jesus' life. Let's discover what it meant for Jesus to be anointed. READ: John 12:1-11 Good food and good company are two of the wonderful things in life. This is why Thanksgiving is especially important to me, because it al...

Isaiah 30:21-- This is the way, walk in it! By Pastor Lee Hemen July 19, 2015 During the time of Isaiah the Prophet, the Israelites had continually turned from following God. When they did, they suffered the consequences of their disobedience. God reminded them through Isaiah that if they would remain in him, he would stay close to them. In our world today we have the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives when we trust Jesus as our Savior and Lord. He remains with us no matter what, and because of this we often take following God for granted. We begin to think that it does not matter what we do in our lives since God loves us there will be no consequences. Nothing could be further from the truth. LifeWay's VBS 2015, Journey Off The Map™, is based on Isaiah 30:21. Children will explore uncharted territory where they will begin to understand that obedience to God can lead them beyond the expected. So, toss the map, stick close to your guide, and prepare to listen for God's dir...

The Fallout -- John 11:45-57 By Pastor Lee Hemen July 12, 2015 People have some strange ideas and then wonder why their lives are so messed up. "I am a god," Kayne West sings on his new album. "I wrote 'I Am a God'... Cause it's like, 'Yo! Nobody can tell me where I can and can't go'," he told W Magazine. "Man, I'm the number one living and breathing rock star. I am Axl Rose; I am Jim Morrison; I am Jimi Hendrix." Michelle Pfeiffer recently revealed that she at one time believed humans could exist on sunlight alone. Fran Drescher reportedly thinks she and her ex-husband were abducted by aliens and implanted with electronic tracking chips. She talks about matching scars they share, noting the marks are from their alien encounters. Shirley MacLaine believes her ex-husband is a clone of the real one, an astronaut named Paul. For years Steve, his real name, conned MacLaine into paying him up to $60,000 a month for “Paul’s space trav...

Lazarus! Part Two -- John 11:17-44 By Pastor Lee Hemen July 7, 2015 The death of a loved one affects folks differently. No one's grief is the same nor is their emotional healing. I know my mother's death affected me as has the death of my father. I still have a tough time going into hospitals and often have to fight panic attacks, especially since my mother's death. However, one thing that helps me is when I remember that this life is but momentary. Death holds no fear for those who know the giver of life, Jesus Christ. Here in John's gospel we find a wonderful account of Lazarus and his two sisters Mary and Martha. Lazarus had gotten ill and died. Sadly, this was often more common than it is nowadays and what occurs when Jesus finally arrives teaches us in graphic detail exactly what eternal life is all about and exactly why Jesus came. Let's discover what this means for us today… READ: John 11:17-44 It is sad when we hear that someone we love is dying and especial...