Reach. I like the title of our lesson this week. I think about a little boy reaching across the counter to grab the cookie jar. Because his arm is too short, he must strain his little body as he stands on his tiptoes and extends his fingers as far as he can, just barely reaching his prize. But alas, he succeeds and, with a big smile, eats a delicious cookie.

The church was

Freedom. It’s a word we all love. More than that, it is an experience we both enjoy and expect in our culture. Unfortunately, not everyone in the world is free. For some, freedom is a distant dream. They long for the day when they can be free. For Christians, however, freedom is a reality that defines our faith. The Bible says that “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” (Gal 5:1, NIV). Followers of Christ are not bound to God by religious tradition or

Several years ago, my wife and I had a house built, but only the downstairs. I took the next year and a half to finish the upstairs. As I spent my nights and weekends working, there were times when my son, who was only three, would come up beside me and mimic what I was doing. I have a fond memory of him picking up his little plastic hammer and trying to nail a 2×4. As we come to our text (Romans 13:1-14), Paul is urging the church to become

Not long ago, I watched a documentary on the transformation that takes place inside a cocoon. With less than scientific language, let me explain it: a caterpillar is enveloped by a cocoon. While in that state, the caterpillar literally dissolves into a pile of goo, then miraculously is rebuilt into a lifeform utterly different from what it was. It goes in as an ugly little worm and comes out as a beautiful flying butterfly. The scientist’s explanation was longer, but not clearer. Quite simply,

Adoption is something that is common. Families adopt children every day. What is unique is that these families share a bond of love as strong as that of families who have not adopted children. God’s love is like that. It is strong enough to love adopted children as much as natural children.

In our text (Romans 11:17-32), Paul is addressing

There is nothing like knowing you have a home. Many are familiar with the Christmas song, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” I was a young soldier in the army as Desert Storm began in 1991. As the prospect of war became real and our training began to reveal the dangers we would face, thoughts of home and the knowledge that I had a place to return to one day gave me both courage and hope. No matter where you are or what you are going through, knowing you have a home waiting for you

“It’s just too good to be true. And besides, I was always told that if something is too good to be true, then it must not be true.” I understand. We live in a world filled with uncertainty and hopelessness. Indeed, as I write this, the COVID-19 virus is wreaking havoc around the world. Many are filled with fear. Just yesterday (March 17), I made the painful decision to cancel all church activities and services due to the virus. In fact, in the minds of many, the only things certain in this life are death and taxes. Our current circumstances do not offer encouragement.

But …

“So, I’m saved. Now what? I was told that if I confess my sin and call on Jesus, I am saved by faith. Further, I was told that because of what Jesus did on the cross, I am justified before God, have peace with God, and am declared righteous. But I don’t feel righteous. I still struggle with sinful thoughts and impulses. I feel old urges coming to the surface. Preacher, was I

As I reached for the remote to turn off the TV, a commercial featuring a famed chef caught my eye. He was holding up a cooking utensil and began telling how it changed his life. A cooking utensil changed his life? I chuckled as I turned the TV off. I wondered how many sales that would generate.

As I walked upstairs, I thought about something that changed my life. The gospel of Jesus Christ. Christ came into my life in August of 1994, and I have never been the same. Our lesson comes from Romans 1:1-17, where the apostle Paul introduces himself to the church at Rome. What immediately stands out is that Paul had a great desire