Called by Name

called by nameIsaiah 43:1-7.   The Sermon begins at 9’20”.

Look for your name in the word cloud!  We tried to include the church family as best we could. This is a visual way to show that you are important to your family in Christ, and a reminder that your name is precious to God.

When you think about being precious to God, think of value, think of uniqueness, think about God being overwhelmingly interested in, concerned about, even willing to pay any price for, YOU. That can be an inspiration. Me? Me, who sometimes questions God? Me, who sometimes forgets about God entirely? Me, who sometimes feels I’ve got it all covered. Me, who feels like I have to constantly be asking forgiveness? God is that interested in ME? Continue reading “Called by Name”

God’s Secret Plan

Ephesians 3:1-12  (January 6, 2019)   Perhaps you have found that making use of different translations of the Scriptures helps to expand your understanding. Sometimes when you hear the words in a fresh translation it makes you think about the passage in a different way. It can open your eyes and you find that God is speaking to you in a new way. That happened to me when I was exploring this portion of the letter to the Ephesians in a newer translation that I enjoy using for my personal study: the Common English Bible. The Greek word that has traditionally been translated as mystery in several different spots in this passage is translated as “secret plan”. Continue reading “God’s Secret Plan”