This Weekend's Message: Seeing With God Eyes

Seeing with God Eyes
Mark 2:13-17

How should we see the people around us? If you’re like me, many times as I’m out and about and I see people around me, I make quick judgments. Maybe it’s their body piercings, maybe it’s the way they are dressed, or maybe it’s a wild hair style or exotic hair color. Whatever it is that I see, I’m quick to make a judgment about them and my judgment usually is known by only me. I would never share it with anyone (except maybe my wife)!

But then there’s that time when one of those people comes along my path and I actually have a chance to talk with them, hear their voice, get a sense in a different way about the kind of person they are, and quickly my first impression changes. I see them differently. How about you? How do you see people?

This week as we continue with our Love in Action series, we are learning about what it means to love mercy. And part of loving mercy is learning to see people the way God sees people. This Sunday we will look at an example from the life of Jesus as we learn to see people with "God eyes." It’s great timing as the next day we’ll be hosting our annual Harvest Party, inviting our community to come and get to know us as we get to know them.

By the way, if you haven’t volunteered yet, it’s not too late. Be sure to sign up on Sunday – you’ll have a blast and who knows, you may even have the chance to put love into action. I know I’m planning to look for ways to put love in action that night.
Gary Keith

This Weekend's Message: LOVE Mercy

I remember as a kid playing the game "mercy" – a game where you interlock your fingers with another person, palms pressed together. On "go" each person tries to bend the other person's fingers back until one cries "MERCY!" At that point it is up to the person in control to either grant mercy and release them from their power...or not.

In life, we are faced with this opportunity all the time. Sometimes it is easy to show mercy and not give someone what they deserve, but other times it proves difficult. This trait of being merciful is something that God demands as evidence of authentic faith.

This weekend as we continue our "Love In Action" series, we will take a look at what it means to LOVE mercy, how it applies to our life, and why it is so important.

See ya Sunday!

Jeff Taylor

This Weekend's Message: Family Resemblance

Family Resemblance
Matthew 5:43-48

Who do you look like – your mother or your father? Who do people say you look like? And when they tell you who you look like, are you happy or are you wishing you just didn’t look like that person? I think we all have some sort of family resemblance. I mean we have to, right? Each of us carries certain characteristics from our parents, but those resemblances go beyond our looks. We also have a family resemblance when it comes to our personalities, our emotions, and our likes and dislikes.

This week as we continue to look at what it means to put love in action by doing justly, we are going to be asked to have a family resemblance with our Heavenly Father. Last week Dan Franklin talked about the internal standard set by Jesus in letting go of our self-protectiveness. This week we are going to an even more challenging level of living in the Kingdom of God – one that some say is impossible. Come this week and let’s learn together.

Gary Keith

This Weekend's Message: Doing Justly: Trading Eyes and Teeth

Trading Eyes and Teeth

            It is amazing how quickly children learn the word, “Mine.” Most parents aren’t eager to pass that word along, but kids pick it up, nonetheless. And years later, as adults, most of us just as quickly shout “Mine!” if we need to protect what is ours. We cling to what is ours, whether it is our possessions, or our status, or our bank account. Rarely do we find ourselves as passionate as we become when someone threatens to take something that belongs to us. We become empowered to fight, argue, go to court, and cut off relationships.

            In Matthew 5:38-42 Jesus address this instinct to protect what belongs to us. And in the passage Jesus’ words are surprising in two ways. First of all, he surprises us because he doesn’t validate these seemingly natural desires to protect ourselves. Second of all, he surprises us because he doesn’t simply tell us to stuff our selfish desires so that we can be kind to others. His response is not only surprising, but it is liberating.

Dan Franklin

Teaching Pastor

Message Reflection - Gary Keith

Doing Justly – what does that look like? On Sunday I covered a familiar story that Jesus told called the Parable of the Good Samaritan. As we are learning what it means to do justly we saw that Jesus taught this is not about earning our salvation it is about responding to the love he has given us by putting our love for him into action.

We also learned that doing justly is about the need not the person that it starts with a feeling in our gut, that we get personally involved and that it will cost us something.  Think about your own life and the times you have act justly – what was that like? Did you have to apply these principles that Jesus taught? What was the result? I’d love to hear your stories of doing justly – let’s learn and experience life together!!

-Pastor Gary

This Weekend's Message: Doing Justly: No Distinctions Allowed

Doing Justly: No Distinctions Allowed
Luke 10:25-37
I love to watch people. It’s fun for me when I’m out with Miriam and we are walking Victoria Gardens to observe people. I like to see what people are wearing, who they are with and wonder what their life is about. What is their story? What are their values? What experiences have they had that makes them the people they are today. Of course all of this is pure speculation but the down side is that it can cause me to be judgmental. They never know it but in my mind I’ve made distinctions. And these distinctions are filtered through my own life and beliefs and experiences.

I think many of us, without even thinking, make distinctions when it comes to people. I guess the question we need to answer is whether this is a good thing for those who call themselves Christians. If in the process of making distinctions with people, will that cause us to act differently toward them? This week as we continue our series called “Love in Action” we will look at the words of Jesus and see what he says about what it means to love others by doing justly and how making distinctions can hinder what God calls us to do. I hope to see you Sunday.

Pastor Gary

This Weekend's Message:

What Does God Really Want?
Micah 6:6-8

This week starts a new nine-week series called “Love in Action.” Usually when we hear the word love thoughts of romance or thoughts of a good friend and companion who is always there come to mind. Or maybe it’s a movie that you think of when you think of love. I still remember that famous line in a movie called “Love Story.” Ryan O’Neal said to the love of his life, “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” I remember hearing people in the theatre say, “Aw, that is so right” when that line hit the movie screen. But I think today we all know that love means just the opposite.

With all the ideas about love out there what is love really? God has much to say about love and you might be surprised to know that it involves action. What does it mean to put love into action? Come this week as we begin to find out.

Pastor Gary