Sunday Feb. 27, 2011

This Sunday we are celebrating Pastor Gene’s ministry at Mnatua. Please join us for lunch at Noon. During the service, we will be continuing the series on the Sermonon the Mount. We will be looking at why Jesus tells us not to worry in Matthew 6. It is more than just a “Don’t worry be happy” statement. It has to do with how willing we are to trust God for the everyday things so that we can focus our attention on the Kingdom of God first. If God is faithful today, God will be faithful for tomorrow.

Eve Circle did a “spring” cleaning this morning. The church looks great!! Come check it out and thanks to all who helped.

A question: How do we sustain our faith for the long run? What is helpful to you in doing so?

Sunday, February 20, 2011

We are continuing on with the sermon series based on the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5.  This week, we are reading verses 38-48.  Jesus really hits it hard in this chpater.  He tells us that we have to be better than the “super-religious” in terms of our righteousness.  Then he challenges us to think about how even the motivations for things what we do can be sinful.  Then he tells us that our actions proceed from the state of our spiritual lives.  This week he goes even a bit further to tell us that we have to love and forgive those who wrong us.  What he really is trying to do is to get us to re-think justice.  We look at justice as an eye for an eye and that people deserve to pay for what they do.  Jesus calls us instead to forgiveness and restoration.  Why would he do that?

Some things to think about: 

What happens to our relationship with people when we retaliate?

What happens to ourselves when we strike back at people who wrong us?

How is the way that Jesus calls us to turn the other cheek similar to how we have been treated by God when we have sinned?

February 13, 2011

This Sunday we are continuing the discussion on righteousness. We will look at Matthew 5:21-37 in which Jesus begins to outline what it means to be more righteous than the Pharisees. Not an easy thing.

What is the difference between external and internal righteousness?

How do our hearts get pure so that they are right?

What does lining in a relationship with God have to do with righteousness?

February 6,2011

We will celebrate communion this Sunday and begin a series of sermons on righteousness. The scripture we will be looking at over the next several weeks is the Sermon on the Mount beginning in Matthew 5. The focus this week will be salt and light.

Some questins for us to think about:

1. In what ways are we salt and light?
2. What does salt and light have to do with righteousness?
3. How does Jesus’ work fulfill the law and the prophets and connect us to that same work?

See you on Sunday?