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Built Into God’s House (Hebrews 3:1-6)

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Have you ever paused to consider what kind of people God is forming us to become? We often think of faith as a personal journey, but Hebrews 3 reminds us that God is also creating a community that reflects his character. After describing the faithfulness of Moses and the greater faithfulness of Christ, the writer declares, “Christ, however, was faithful over God’s house as a son, and we are his house if we hold firm the confidence and the pride that belong to hope” (v. 6). By God’s grace, we are being joined together into something far greater than ourselves. This means that the house of God is not merely a building we enter on Sunday. It is a people being shaped by the faithful work of Christ. God’s grace transforms each of us personally, calling us to holiness of heart and life, while at the same time binding us together in love, service, and mutual encouragement. As we respond to his grace with trust and obedience, our individual lives become part of a larger testimony to God’s pr...
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Growing into the Life God Desires (2 Peter 1:2-11)

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Have you ever felt discouraged by how slowly spiritual growth seems to happen? Many Christians long to become more like Christ, yet wonder why the journey can feel gradual and challenging. In 2 Peter 1:2-11 , Peter reminds believers that growth in holiness is not something we accomplish alone, nor is it something that happens automatically. God graciously provides what we need, and we are invited to respond faithfully. Peter writes, “His divine power has given us everything needed for life and godliness” (v. 3). Because God has already acted through Christ, we can actively participate in the work of becoming the people God created us to be. Peter encourages believers to grow in faith, goodness, knowledge, self-control, endurance, godliness, mutual affection, and love. These qualities are not merely virtues to admire. They are signs of a life being transformed by grace. Christian maturity is not about perfection overnight. It is about daily cooperation with the Holy Spirit as God shape...
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Laughter Fulfilled (Genesis 21:1-7)

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Have you ever waited so long for something that you wondered if it would ever happen? Waiting can test our faith, especially when God's promises appear delayed. Genesis 21:1-7 tells the joyful story of Isaac's birth. After decades of waiting, Sarah gave birth just as God had promised. The passage begins, “The Lord dealt with Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah as he had promised” (v. 1). What once seemed unimaginable became reality through God's faithfulness. Sarah's laughter, which had once been marked by doubt, was transformed into laughter filled with joy. She declared, “God has brought laughter for me; everyone who hears will laugh with me” (v. 6). God's promises are not empty words. Even when fulfillment takes longer than we expect, God continues to work in ways we cannot always see. This story reminds us that God's blessings often arrive after seasons of patient trust. While we may not receive every answer in the way or timing we desire, we...
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Welcoming God’s Presence (Genesis 18:1-8)

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Have you ever wondered if an ordinary act of kindness might become a holy encounter? In Genesis 18:1 through 8, Abraham is sitting at the entrance of his tent when he notices three strangers approaching. Without hesitation, he runs to greet them, offers water for their feet, invites them to rest, and prepares a generous meal. What begins as simple hospitality becomes an unexpected meeting with God’s presence. Abraham’s open heart and willing service remind us that welcoming others can also become a way of welcoming the work of God into our lives. Hospitality in Scripture is more than good manners or entertaining guests. It is a way of living that reflects the generous heart of God. Abraham’s eagerness to serve shows a faith that moves beyond belief into loving action. Grace had already called him into covenant, and he responded by making room for others. In the same way, God continues to shape our hearts through everyday opportunities to notice the lonely, care for the stranger, and s...
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The Would Be Disciples

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I recently visited a sweet church member, Helen Little, from my days at Horne Memorial. She is always a joy to spend time with and on this visit she gave me a couple of old newsletters from my days at Horne. The text that follows is from the article “The ‘Would-be Disciples’” that was run in the church’s newsletter The Methodist Messenger . Jesus had his twelve disciples. Actually, he had many more disciples, but there were the Twelve. They were the closest to Jesus. Sometimes they were called Apostles. There were other disciples. We know that 70 were sent out two by two to prepare the way for the coming of the Teacher. We also know that many women went about with Jesus. I imagine that it seemed to be quite a caravan whenever Jesus moved on to another town. It is no wonder he craved time to be alone with the Twelve or to be by himself. Sadly, there were the others - the “Would-be Disciples”. Jesus called many people to follow him. These were people who said they wanted to be discipl...
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Eating with Sinners (Sermon)

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This is a sermon I preach at Ebenezer and Black Creek on June 7, 2026. 1. Introduction: The Physician and the Sick Today we find ourselves standing before a table that is more than a piece of furniture—it is a battleground for the heart of the Gospel. In the cultural landscape of first-century Judea, the table was the ultimate site of radical inclusion or cold exclusion. Consider the scene in Matthew 9. Jesus is walking down the road when he sees a man named Matthew sitting at a tax booth. To the crowd, Matthew was a traitor, a collaborator with Rome, a moral leper. Yet Jesus looks at him and says, “Come, follow me.” Matthew doesn’t just follow; he opens his home. That night, the clinking of cups and the smell of roasted meat filled the air as Jesus sat as a dinner guest alongside a crowd of “notorious sinners.” Some Pharisees, watching from a distance with narrowed eyes, were indignant. They didn’t just question the etiquette; they questioned the holiness of the mission. “Why does ...
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Eating with Sinners (Matthew 9:9-13)

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Have you ever wondered whether God could really use someone with a complicated past? Many people carry the weight of mistakes, regrets, or labels that seem impossible to escape. In Matthew 9:9-13 , Jesus walks past the tax booth of Matthew, a man many in his community would have considered a traitor and a sinner, and simply says, “Follow me” (v. 9). Matthew responds immediately, leaving behind his old life to follow Christ. This brief encounter reminds us that Jesus sees more in us than our failures. He sees who we can become through the transforming power of grace. The religious leaders were troubled when Jesus shared a meal with tax collectors and sinners. Yet Jesus responded, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick” and “I desire mercy, not sacrifice” (vv. 12-13). Christ’s ministry was not centered on preserving appearances but on restoring people. God’s grace reaches toward those who know their need, inviting them into a new way of life. Grace not o...
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