Jesus: Where Is He and What is He doing now?

The resurrection of Jesus is without doubt the most important event in all of history. It is the basis for our hope and the foundation to our faith. As Paul says, without the resurrection our faith is in vain (1 Cor. 15:14) We love the resurrection and we love the narrative of what Jesus did during his wonderful years of ministry. We live off the stories of Jesus' healing, his power to love and his commitment to suffer for us. We see his years on earth as the glory years. Have you wondered though where He is now and what He is doing? I wonder if sometimes we treat Jesus as some retired celebrity who had several great years with us and He has now moved on? Could it be what He is doing now and where He is now is what really matters when you consider the story of the resurrection? I cannot wait to speak about this and I am so eager to worship our King with you on Sunday.

Knowing What you Are Up Against

My attention getter for this blog could easily have been " COME TO CHURCH SUNDAY AND FIND OUT WHAT THE UNPARDONABLE SIN really is"! I would be tricking you into coming to hear a sermon about this when really its only going to come up at the end of my message. (Oh, so now I still have your attention. GOOD!) Really there isn't a whole lot of explanation to it. Jesus explains it quite clearly in our passage for this Sunday when he talks about any blasphemy directed toward to the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. There is no sin that is unforgivable other than the sin of never responding to the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Those who are bothered that they have somehow crossed that preverbal line of sinning with no return need fret no longer. The mere fact that you are bothered by it tells me the Holy Spirit is urging you to find cleansing in Jesus. Its the person who never cares, who never stops sinning and dies without ever looking to the cross that is lost and has committed the unpardonable sin.

Now that I have this pesky little issue out of the way, what I really want to talk about Sunday is the joy of following Jesus and knowing that because he enters the battle field with me I can experience every kind of victory. We can only be with Jesus so long on the mountain before being called to follow him into a war zone. A true disciple knows what he us up against and that is what I cannot wait to talk about with you this Sunday.

Pastor Mitch

A WORLD Christian!

When you hear the term "a world Christian" what comes to your mind? A world Christian can be defined as someone who sees the world as Jesus does. You know the verse. "For God so loved the world..!" Well, now with the heart of Christ pulsating in me, I find myself also "so loving the world" with the understand that "God gave his only son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have ever lasting life". To be a world Christian, I suggest, means I possess the heart of Jesus for the world and I join him in what he is doing to pursue the lost in this world. While we should not have to distinguish between a disciple of Jesus and a Christian, unfortunately we have to. When you came to Jesus, (accepted him as "your Lord and Savior"), you became one of his followers. You became his disciple. You don't become a Christian, then a disciple. Jesus' call to himself, was a call to follow him and that following took you on a journey that embraced the whole world with a tireless commitment to reach that world with his saving message contained in the gospel. That is what it means to be a world Christian. I sure look forward to sharing more about that with you this Sunday as we look at Mark 3:7-12.

What Happened to NICE?

I have known of a number of really nice people in my life who do not profess to know Jesus. They take time out of their schedule to help others and seem to have all the qualities and attributes you would find in a good person. So what is the problem? Well, many nice people are not real nice when you bring up the subject of Jesus. Like turning a switch to bring darkness into a lighted room, speaking about Jesus can put a dark cloud over the countenance of a nice person. We easily write off the Pharisees as mean, ugly and angry people bent on evil in all they did. Many of them, though, were nice people. They helped others, they laughed, played with their kids and were respected by many. THey were nice people - until they were seen with Jesus. Being with Jesus brought about an ugly change to an otherwise pleasant demeanor. Why? Jesus being holy, good and perfect, exposes the true nature of our hearts. We have no choice around Jesus but to be what we are. A godly person is seen to be godly around Jesus, but an evil person will show evidence of evil. When reading over Mark 3:1-6 (our subject for this Sunday) I want to understand what really lay in the hearts of the Pharisees. Why do people resist Jesus? What is really going on when seemingly nice people suddenly turn into angry wolves bent on destroying Jesus? By understanding such a heart I am better able to understand the kind of heart from which I have been saved. I sure look forward to talking about this with you Sunday and I look forward to worshipping the Lord Jesus with you. HE IS SO GOOD!

Pastor Mitch

SO, HOW IS THAT WORKING FOR YOU?

Dr. Phil, the popular TV psychologist is known for leaning toward his troubled guest to ask the question "so, how is that working for you?" I would like to ask you that question this Sunday. So, how is that working for you? All the disciplines. All the bible studies. All the church attendance. Praying. Giving. So, how is it working for you? Are you any happier? Holier? Closer to God? More affective? So, how is it working for you? The Pharisees (in Mark 2:18-27) questions Jesus as to why his disciples don't fast, and, why they were picking grain from a field on the Sabbath. Jesus turns the question on them. So, why do YOU do what you do? Why do you fast? Why do you not pick grain on the Sabbath? It is working? Do you know why are you doing it?

Lots of questions to ask this Sunday and hopefully some refreshing answers.

I sure look forward to worshipping with you this Sunday.

Pastor Mitch

Compeled By Love

A Church in town has a sign outside that "Welcome Bikers". What would be your reaction if you came to our Church this Sunday to see a large sign reading, "Liars, Thieves, Gossipers, ALL sinners are welcome". It would catch your attention wouldn't it? You can begin to understand the mood and reaction to Jesus showing up at Levi's house in Mark 2:13-17 and seen eating with "sinners and tax collectors". You and I might easily say we would welcome sinners and hang out with them, but consider carefully how well you follow up on that claim. The Word will challenge us this Sunday as we look at what it looks like to be Compelled By the Love of Jesus. I sure look forward to worshipping with you this Sunday.

The Blessing of Death

Dear Brothers and Sisters of FAC

Think about this. Had God not proclaimed a death sentence on Adam and Eve, post fall, they would have had to live forever in a world severed from its creator, alone and afraid. If scientists discovered a way for us to live forever in the world as we know it, would you really want it? Yes, God did punish Adam and Eve by telling them they would die, but death was also a blessing. It told them they would not have to live forever in this broken world in these broken bodies. The harshness of working, of child bearing pain, conflict and turmoil would be short lived. What seemed to be a cruel consequence to sin also became a merciful way out. It told Adam that it would not always be this way. And we know that ultimately Jesus stepped into this brokeness, took on himself the full brunt of Adam's punishment, and by dying and rising again gave us the hope and provision of life after this death. Suddenly being sick doesn't sound so bad. When sick, I am reminded that this body has to die before I can enter the experience of a new body placed in a new and restored climate totally free from the reality of sin.

I sure look forward to worshipping with you this Sunday as we gather in a the crowded room of Capernaum in Mark 2 where Jesus restores the hope of a man paralyzed by sin. The sin of Adam worked its way down centuries to affect this man's life, physically and spiritually. But here before him stood the new Adam with a new hope and a new offer. LIFE. It's why he came! Ultimately, whether you are sick or just struggling with life, you and I have a lot to look forward to. Sickness and the harshness of living in this world, remind us that something better is ahead. I cannot wait and in the meantime I am thankful that God, in his mercy, gave us all a way out of this.

Drinking Deep during Depression

Dear Brothers and Sisters of FAC

10% of Americans suffer from depression and it seems the stats do not vary that much for believers. The difference for believers of course, is in our hope. God made us emotional beings and those emotions are often impacted by the realities of living in a broken world. There is nothing shameful about depression! You might not suffer from depression but you know someone who does. Psalm 13 not only give us a place to identify with King David as he suffered depression, but the Psalm also offers a place to identity and rest in the victory offered to us by Jesus. I have shared with you before that I suffered for three years during High School with severe depression. During those dark years something deep in me led me to believe that this would not last forever. It was as though I was grasping the hand of the Holy Spirit as he led me down a long tunnel. The first bends were dark and cold, but eventually I could feel a breeze of assurance that the darkness would not last and the final turn revealed a glorious light and I have been walking in that light ever since. John 10:10 tells us that the thief comes ONLY to kill, steal and destroy but Jesus revealed that he came ONLY to offer life and life to the full. I want to talk about that life this Sunday knowing that many of you will be deeply encouraged as we come around this beautiful Psalm.

I sure look forward to worshipping with you this Sunday.

Pastor Mitch

Lets Meet at the Well

Amy Carmichael wrote: "Drink from the well, not from rivers which flow from the well". We are most nourished and only nourished when we discover how sufficient Jesus is. We only need to come to him and exchange our bucket for his. What he offers quenches the greatest thirst and fills the deepest recesses of our soul. Jesus came to transform lives. He came to offer hope. He came to offer Living Water in exchange for water that keeps making us thirsty. Have you really met Jesus? Are you drinking from his well? I sure look forward to joining you around the Well in John 4 this coming Sunday. Bring your bucket, but be ready to exchange it for His!

The Value of a glass of Water!

What do you do when you are really thirsty? If you were to go three days without water and I put in front of you a box of chocolate and a glass of water I would venture a guess that your hand would lunge for the glass of water. When thirsty, the glass of water has great value. There is a huge difference between what we want and what we need and what we need becomes most evident in our times of desperation. This Sunday I will preach the first of three sermons on the subject of THIRST! Jesus stood before the huge crowd celebrating the Feast of Tabernacle and offered what even the greatest day of the feast could not offer! WATER! Living Water! Himself! And He promised that any who come to him thirsty and drink out of him will flow rivers of living water. (John 7:37-38)

I sure look forward to worshipping with you this Sunday. Come thirsty!

Pastor Mitch