Christ Insight

Based on: Joel 2:28-29

What do you do when you have good news to tell? What if you are going to get married? What if you are going to be a new mother or a new grandmother? Don't you go and tell people, as many people as you can find and soon as you can find them?

The same is true with God.  He has good news to tell and on Pentecost he announces that good news.  That's what Pentecost is about.  On Pentecost God shares the good news of salvation through Jesus Christ and pours out his Holy Spirit on all people.

Based on: John 17:1-11

One of the questions presented to our confirmands last Friday evening was to name the three offices of Christ.  The the three offices of Christ are prophet, high priest, and king.  We use these three titles the to describe all that Jesus has done and continues to do for us.  Today we focus on the  second one, high priest.

Based on: John 14:15-21

Have you ever played peekaboo with a baby? They all seem to love that game.  But, do you realize what's happening as you play that game? You are teaching them, as you hide your face, that there are times when you will go way and they will not be able to see you, but you are also teaching them, as you show your face to them, that you will come back.  You're teaching them to not be afraid during the times you are gone because you will come back.

Based on: John 14:1-12

Yes, it is still the Easter season, that portion of the church year in which we celebrate the resurrection, but the words we hear from Jesus in the gospel for today are words that he spoke to his disciples on Maundy Thursday evening. It is good for us to recognize this because it gives us a glimpse into the heart of our Savior.  Jesus knew that in less than 24 hours he was going to suffer horribly and then finally die on the cross.  In spite of that, actually because of that, he took time to give these words of comfort to his disciples.  He gives these words of comfort to us as well.

Based on: Revelation 7:9-17

They were far from home, strangers in a strange land. Their home was the land of Judah, in the land that God had promised to Abraham and their forefathers, but 600 years before the first Easter the king of Babylon attacked Judah, laid siege to Jerusalem, and took many of the Jews with him back to Babylon. He separated them from their homes and from the Promised Land and made them exiles in Babylon.

Based on: Luke 24:13-35

Imagine walking along the road and having Jesus come up to you and start talking to you.  Wouldn't you be surprised and shocked? Wouldn't you listen to every word that he had to say? Wouldn't your attention be focused on him and nothing else?

Based on: John 20:19-31

Just a few days ago I received an e-mail from a woman in Africa.  I did not know her previously, but she said she needed my help.  Her husband had died recently while in the United States and had accumulated quite a bit of money, $11.6 million to be exact.  She said that she couldn't get to it, but if I helped her to get this money transferred to her, she would share 30% of that money with me.  All I needed to do was to send my bank account information to the right person.

Based on: Matthew 28:1-10

Dear Fellow Recipients of God’s many blessings, made certain for us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

Perhaps it has happened to you before. It was late at night or a holiday and there was something you needed—medicine or groceries or maybe your gas tank is close to empty.  You go from place to place hoping to find what you need but every store you go to, but they are closed.  Finally, you come to a store and the neon sign that says “OPEN” is lit up or maybe it is a plastic sign in the window – in either case you can finally get what you need.  That “OPEN” sign can bring joy or at least a feeling of relief.

Based on: Matthew 27:50

Audio only

Based on: Philippians 2:5-11

We know the story well.  We heard it again earlier, that story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey.  Perhaps it is not the most magnificent or spectacular entry that Jesus could have made.  Just think how Jesus could have miraculously rolled out a plush red carpet right through the gates of Jerusalem, or how he could have arrived in his own limousine or Rolls Royce or even his own private jet.  But no, he rides a donkey through the gates of Jerusalem.  A donkey, cheaper and less expensive to maintain that a horse, it was the Chevrolet or the Ford of Middle Eastern travel in that day.