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What part of the book of Jonah is hardest to believe? |
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Written by Pastor Ryan
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 I have to admit that I did not know very much about the book of Jonah. I'm finishing a sermon series on the book, and one of the surprising parts is which part of the story is really hard to believe.
When I talk to people about the book of Jonah, people often voice difficulty over believing that Jonah was swallowed by a fish and survived. Considering what we know about the insides of fish today, and that it is very difficult to find someone who has had a similar experience, some are inclined to categorize the book of Jonah as legend.
But the fish story is not really the fish story. By that I mean that the hardest part to believe about the book of Jonah isn't necessarily the fish part (which, by the way, has little to do with the meaning of the book as a whole).
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Advent: Longing for Christ's Coming |
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Written by Pastor Bill Burns
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 According to the traditional church calendar, the season of Advent consists of the four Sundays before Christmas and begins the church year. This practice originated in the fourth century as a time to prepare for the celebration of Christ’s birth. Deriving from the Latin word meaning “coming”, Advent focuses on the coming of Christ in two distinct ways: it looks forward to Christ’s birth in Bethlehem, but it also looks forward to Christ’s return.
Appropriately, Advent is a time of anticipation and hope. We share in the hope and longing of those in Old Testament times who waited eagerly for a promised Messiah to come. As that time drew near, John the Baptist “prepared the way” for the Lord’s coming by calling God’s people to repentance. Likewise, during Advent we seek to turn from our sins and make ready for the Lord’s coming. We rejoice with the angels and shepherds in God’s glorious fulfillment of his plan of redemption. Just as God demonstrated his power in coming to earth as a baby, who would grow up to die on the cross for us, so Christ will demonstrate his power when he comes to fully establish his kingdom.
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Written by Greg Hewlett
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Wednesday, 29 April 2009 |
"The Church Must Stop Trivializing Easter"
In our sermon series, we are in 1 Corinthians 15, where we have been considering the theme of resurrection. A theological editorial in a recent edition of the London Times Online speaks about the resurrection as it is viewed today.
"Easter was the pilot project. What God did for Jesus that explosive morning is what He intends to do for the whole creation. We who live in the interval between Jesus's Resurrection and the final rescue and transformation of the whole world are called to be new-creation people here and now. That is the hidden meaning of the greatest festival Christians have." (full article). |
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Written by Pastor Saji George
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Saturday, 25 April 2009 |
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 Humankind hungers for restoration. The refugee in Rwanda and the rich attorney living in Highland Park both want restoration. The refugee wants to go back to the home and family that were taken from him by gun point. The attorney wants the idealism and the hope he lost along the way to achieving material wealth and privilege. In both cases, there is something original that has been lost because of violence and selfish desires.
There are clues, though, that there is more potential to humanity than this fallen state we are in.
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