Tag: restoration

Restoration and Our Present Pain

Rob WoodrumLeave a comment

This Sunday we’ll be continuing our study in Micah – reading ch 4:6-13.

Micah has had some really tough words for God’s people in ancient Israel – but chapter 4 gives respite from that with forecasts of God’s great plan of restoration.

In this passage, we’ll read the promise of the end of suffering and pain – a restoration from pain. We’ll also consider God’s restorative work that happens in the midst of our pain – where we find restoration through suffering. We’ll also consider what God can accomplish in our lives in those times when we face difficulty and pain.

None of it will provide quick or easy answers, but all of it is intended to give us a perspective of hope, which can be one of the most valuable gifts we recieve.

I hope you can join us this Sunday as we dig into Micah’s words and consider how God meets us in our present struggles.

The Mission Continues

Rob WoodrumLeave a comment

I still remember one of the most often repeated phrases I heard after Hurricane Michael was: “I just can’t wait for things to get back to normal”. It was an understandable sentiment. Whenever we go through times and circumstances that push us out of our regular patterns in life, as when life is hard and confusing, we just want to get back to something familiar so we can try and reorient ourselves. It’s a typical response.

We’re going to be reading about Jesus’ disciples doing just that as come to the final chapter in our study of the Gospel of John this Sunday. We’ll be reading John 21:1-25. Peter and six other disciples don’t quite know what to do with themselves after all of the events that unfolded in Jesus’ execution and then mind-blowing resurrection. They probably had hoped that the skies would rain fire and Rome collapse in a blaze…but none of that stuff happened. Instead, life seemed to just go on and Jesus only seemed to pop in on them sporadically, and I’m sure it all felt really surreal. It makes sense to me that they wanted to get back to what they knew how to do, fishing.

However, now that Jesus is on the loose, things done under their own initiative seem to result in frustration (v3). Have you ever experienced that? Have you ever not known what God is up to and so in exasperation just decided to go back to old habits and patterns you had before meeting Christ? What were the results, and what can we learn from that?

Jesus’ interaction with Peter is, to me, one of the most moving scenes in all of the Gospels. What significance do you see in Jesus inviting Peter to confess his love for Jesus three times? How could this interaction provide a sense of closure to Peter? What can that tell us about our own failures and Jesus’ intent?

Jesus doesn’t just let Peter say words, he commissions him with a way of demonstrating his love for Christ. How does Jesus indicate a love for him is revealed? Is it something we can do in isolation, and if not, what does that tell us about our Christian priorities?

Jesus finishes his instruction to Peter by commanding him to follow. What does it mean to you to follow Jesus? What does it look like for a 21st Century American Christian?

I’ve really loved this gospel. We’ll have one more study after this Sunday where we wrap up all the themes we discovered. I hope it’s not the last time you visit this gospel…we barely scratched the surface of it. I truly hope you go there often, and go looking for Jesus in those words.

I hope you can join us this Sunday at 10 AM!

God’s Rule in Action

Rob WoodrumLeave a comment

I remember once when my wife and I were going to turn an enclosed porch area on the back of our house into an extra bedroom for our boys. We planned and considered how this could be accomplished and what it would take. We drew a lot of diagrams on napkins and contemplated this task – and then realized it was too big for us and had to be hired out. A friend from church did construction jobs like this agreed to take on our project. What I still remember was the great sense of satisfaction and even surprise when he set out to tear sections out and rebuild others, because there was a big difference between this project in theory and seeing it in action. It turned out much better than we had imagined.

That’s a lot like what’s happening in our study in Matthew. We’ll be reading the last part of Matthew chapter 4 this Sunday and we’ll finally see the start of Jesus’ ministry.

In v15-16, Matthew identifies Jesus’ work as a fulfillment of a prophecy given by Isaiah, 600 years earlier. Light dawning on people living in darkness is how the action of the kingdom of God is described. What is your impression of this metaphor? What do you think it means, and how does that inform your understanding of God’s purposes for humanity?

We then read about Jesus’ first disciples. We’ll be unpacking the dynamic of rabbis and talmidim (disciples) on Sunday morning – but succinctly put: if these guys were working in the family business, it was because they didn’t measure up for normal rabbinical activities. Yet Jesus chooses these fishermen to be his close associates who will set out to imitate him. What does that tell us about God’s rule in action? Who is it open to, and what action does he call his disciples to (v19)?

V23-25 provide a summary of the excitement that was building around Jesus. What is it that he is becoming famous and sought out for? What is this revealing about God’s rule in action – what is intended? In all three of these examples, what is it about this that makes it good news?

Looking forward to this study! Happy Father’s day in advance – and don’t forget it’s Surf-N-Grill this Sunday, and if you want to be baptized, follow this link to sign up online: sign up!

See yez’ Sunday!

The Hero’s Power to Restore (or, “Jesus Makes Deviled Ham”)

Rob Woodrum4 Comments

Hey everyone…it’s been a few weeks!  Hope everyone is cool with the Big Room makeover.  If you have any suggestions about it, lemme’ know (albeit, a suggestion that we put a drop ceiling in will be ignored  😛 )

I want to remind everyone that we are going back to two services starting this Sunday (August 1st), at 9 and 11am.

We’re going to continue our study in Luke this Sunday, reading Luke 8:26-39 .

Evil is a real force in our world.  What characterizes evil as you read the description of this man…what effect does evil have on him?

We have a lot of different views about how to tackle the problem of evil in our world, but I would say that this passage shows us the ultimate answer.  The answer is obvious as we read this, but is it the answer you go to when struggling with a particular temptation or habit in your own life?  Jesus has the power to restore us to God’s original intent for our lives, but way too often we settle for chains, don’t we?

Why do you suppose Jesus grants the request of demons and pagan hostiles, but NOT the request of someone who sincerely seems to appreciate Him (v38-39)?  What lesson can we learn about our OWN lives from that?

This should be an interesting exploration…hope to see you Sunday (at 9 or 11am).