Luke 8:22-39 (click to display NIV text)
May 26, 2013
Pastor Dwight A. Nelson

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ . . .”

“One day Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side of the lake.’ So they got into a boat and set out.”

Jesus took his disciples on an intentional journey that would have a specific purpose in their lives. They needed to experience the authority of Jesus and the peace of Jesus. So he took them to places of fear and anxiety. He took them to the “other side of the lake.” This was Gentile country. It was the only time Jesus went there. It was a fearful place. Joel Green writes, “Jesus is way beyond the boundaries of acceptable Jewish behavior.” Read more

  • Corban Chang as he is Confirmed
  • Makayla Ramas as her parents, Mike and Debby, present her for Dedication
  • Pastoral Search Committee
  • Covenant Harbor and Covenant Point
  • Fritz and Barb Lansky
  • Community Christian Food Pantry and the many people served by it
  • The Vitality Home Meetings
  • Brent and Brittani Keller as Brent was recently diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma
  • Vernamae Juel, Kari Reid’s mom, as she begins cardiac rehab
  • Linda Lee and her family on the recent death of her father.

Luke 9:18-26 (click to display NIV text)
May 19, 2013
Pastor Dwight A. Nelson

But what about you?’ He asked. ‘Who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered, ‘God’s Messiah.’”

The question “Who do you say that I am?” arises out of prayer. Luke tells us that Jesus was praying in a private place, and the disciples were with him, presumably praying too. It was out of that experience that Jesus knows the time is right to ask the central question of faith and discipleship. The crowds of people who have been listening to Jesus and watching Jesus have been coming up with their answers. They are looking backward to Elijah and to prophets from the Old Testament. If only we could go back to another day, to a time of great leaders. If only we could see John again, who was so suddenly and brutally executed. But Peter’s answer looks forward. Jesus is the long-hoped-for Messiah, a new voice who comes from God’s future, God’s kingdom.

As much as I respect the faith and courage of Elijah, and as much as I understand John’s call to repentance and feel its conviction, I am thankful for all the years that I have known Jesus as Lord. I have not sought to walk with Elijah or John. I have walked with Jesus, and in Jesus the Messiah I find grace, a deep love, a strong call, and always a future hope. Read more