February 17, 2025
Messages from Origins
This part of our worship was initiated by Jesus’ own hands and mouth. As we partake, let’s remember his death as God’s atonement for our sins.
Articles for tag: Blood
July 22, 2024
KEEPING WATCH WITH JESUS
By Sandy Mayle You may have watched a parade, a horse race, or a team of draft horses, and noticed that some of the horses wore little cups around the outside of their eyes. These are called blinders, and they limit what the horses see so that they’ll stay focused on what’s in front of them. Blinders block the horses’ peripheral vision so they aren’t spooked by waving flags, crowds of people, or other horses who meet them. Instead, they focus on what their driver or rider is asking them to do. Without blinders, some horses can become anxious or
July 10, 2024
OUR UNIVERSAL DONOR
Let’s all join together and praise God that our sins are gone forever . . . through the blood of Jesus.
March 18, 2024
March 24 | Discovery Questions
These Discovery Questions are for use with this week’s Lookout Bible Lesson, "Communion" (1 Corinthians 11:17-34), by Mark Scott.
July 10, 2023
July 16 | Discovery
Questions for group discussion for use with this week’s lesson titled “Hope in God's Loving-Kindness” (Jeremiah 31:1-17, 31-34).
May 1, 2023
In the Beginning
We are just as gullible, just as prone to wander, just as needy as Adam and Eve . . .
October 24, 2022
What to Wear?
(We first ran this Communion meditation in January 2014.) By Ronald G. Davis “What to wear? What to wear?” Millions of Americans echo that question, as seasons change, as holidays and holy days loom. “Should it be the floral print?” “Perhaps little Susie would look good in pink?” “Is it a white shirt and tie day or maybe just a striped henley?” Whatever the answer, for many that is a significant issue. Christians need not ask the question. We have other, more significant truth to ponder and celebrate. Long ago, God answered the question through the pen of Isaiah. Isaiah
September 19, 2022
Blood-Stained Hands
We gather at this time to remember the Son of David—Jesus—who died with blood-stained hands. They were not stained from the battles against flesh-and-blood sinners . . .
September 12, 2022
Every Time
As with track runners, we Christians also have a finish line upon which we focus.
December 27, 2021
Our Hope
al, but they did not. However, it wasn’t just the days of Christ’s ministry for which they longed. Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses saw a better day in the distance when God’s rule will be restored. Their hope has now become our hope.
September 27, 2021
Visible Reminders
The narrative draws an interesting picture. The curtain hid the mercy seat and ark, leaving visible only the ends of the poles by which the ark was carried. . . .
September 20, 2021
Two Different Men
When we gather for Communion, we focus our thoughts on the historical account of one man’s death on a tree just outside Jerusalem. But the Bible tells of another man who died on a tree that very same day . . .
December 21, 2020
God’s Ways
By Stuart Powell Have you ever thought you were the last to hear about something important? Why is that? Do you lack influence or political connections? Is your opinion not valued because of your lowly social status? Do you live in the wrong neighborhood? If the emptiness of your life is exposed by these questions, you are in good company. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the
January 14, 2020
A Table for All People
By Stuart Powell Have you ever wondered if Jesus would eat a meal at your house? Have you ever imagined yourself living in a first-century village in Galilee the day Jesus came to visit? Would you have been bold enough to ask a miracle-working prophet to join you at your table? I think if I had the courage to ask, Jesus would have accepted the invitation. Why do I think that? Because Jesus had a reputation among the pious in Judea. The Gospel writer offered a glimpse of how the Jewish leaders summarized Jesus’ social standards: “Now the tax collectors
November 26, 2019
When the Unlimited Takes on Limitations
By L. Mackenzie Consider an Olympic triathlete becoming a paraplegic or the world’s greatest scientist diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. What is more tragic than someone with so much potential suddenly becoming limited or cut off from what they were created to be? They suffer, and the world suffers with them. When something great becomes severely limited by earthly circumstances—this is tragedy. What of Jesus? He who was infinite, outside of time and space, over and above all, knowing and in control of every aspect of the universe, was born an infant child. How can the infinite take on a limited form?
September 17, 2019
When He Appears . . .
By Stuart Powell Note: This meditation uses two visual aids: fresh produce of some sort, and a canned version of the same produce. Replacing corn (the example I use) with different produce of choice delivers the same message. [Hold up an unshucked ear of sweet corn.] Fresh sweet corn is the greatest food on earth! Its popularity might partially result from its limited availability. Most of the year, we must settle for canned corn. [Hold up a can of corn.] Canned corn is OK to eat, but it is nothing like eating fresh corn on the cob. Canned corn reminds
July 16, 2019
A Moment
By Stuart Powell By definition, a moment is a very short span of time. The swing of a pendulum,a breath,a sigh,a yawn,a statement;all of them take only a moment. We often dismiss the moments of life as insignificant events. But sometimes such dismissals trivialize the impact those moments can have on our lives. _ _ _ A lot can happen in one moment. There was a moment when perfection and beauty were crippled by an act of pride and selfishness. It was the moment Eve stretched out her hand to receive the forbidden fruit. In a moment, the innocence of
July 9, 2019
Godliness
By Stuart Powell Dictionary.com defines godliness as “conforming to the laws and wishes of God.” Those are demanding words. To conform, we must fully understand God’s law. To live up to God’s standards, we must comprehend all of his wishes for us. But who can know what the eternal God wants? Many times, it seems, God’s expectations are much simpler than we anticipate. One action that he made explicitly clear to his followers involves the table before us. Listen to his command: Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to
May 14, 2019
Contemplative Steps
By Stuart Powell On the southern end of the temple mount in Jerusalem is a broad staircase that led throngs of first-century worshippers of Israel’s God to the center of the Jewish faith. The steps were built irregularly and uneven, alternating between long and short treads. This pattern seemed intended to slow down the hectic pace of worship, possibly by directing the pilgrims’ attentions away from social interaction surrounding them. Instead, they focused on what it meant to approach the awesome presence of the Creator. The temple entrance was designed to demand contemplative steps, so that the multitudes passing through
July 31, 2018
Everyday Objects—Eternal Truths
By Joe Harvey Have you ever noticed the way Jesus took the most ordinary objects and attached extraordinary meaning to them? He talked about good seed and bad soil and the next thing we know, he challenges the receptivity of our hearts to the message of God. He talked about weeds to confront our priorities and treatment of others. He talked about catching fish, and he ended up calling his disciples to preach and teach the good news of God’s Messiah come. Over and over again, Jesus used everyday objects to teach eternal truths. When significance is added to the
