John 1:6-9, 15 {Prayer} Nadin Khoury was 13 years old, 5 foot 2 and weighed, soaking wet, 100 pounds. Nadin’s mom had lost her job as a hotel maid and needed work. She moved her family from Minneapolis to Philadelphia. In 2000, the family had escaped war-torn Liberia in West Africa. Nadin Khoury, then,…
John 1:1-5 {Prayer} “You have my word!” When you hear those four little words, it’s easy to become skeptical. And why is that? I think it’s because we live in a world of broken promises, a world filled with empty vows, a world where pledges are made only to be forgotten. Assurances are given…
John 6:60-69 {Prayer} Road A or Road B. You know nothing about what looms beyond what you can see nor do you know where each road leads, but you have to choose. Faced with this decision you would probably start asking some questions, looking for some sort of clue in order to help…
John 6:35-51; Ephesians 4:25-5:2 Grace and Peace to you from our Lord and Savior, Jesus who is the Christ. Amen There are verses from our gospel lesson in John and our epistle lesson from Ephesians that I would like to pay close attention to this morning. From Ephesians chapter 5: 1 Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly…
John 3:1-17 {Prayer} Some things, no matter how much time is spent on studying and research … some things, some things are just a mystery. Take for example the Kryptos. Kryptos is a mysterious encrypted sculpture which sits right outside the headquarters of the CIA in Langley, Virginia. So mysterious this is, not even…
John 16:5-15 {Prayer} Betrayal … Denial … Hatred … Harassment … Grief. These five words … these five words could easily describe the plot line of really any daytime soap opera. These five words … they can also describe the emotional status of the disciples. Let me explain. Before the ascension…
John 15:9-17 {Prayer} Have you ever been asked, especially by someone who may not be connected to a church or who may not even be a Christian … “Why are you doing that?” Something similar happened at the Easter Egg Hunt this year. One of the little ones there was so excited to…
John 15:1-8 {Prayer} Whenever I have gone away on a youth trip, mission trip, or a hunting trip … as much as I look forward to them and enjoy myself on them … there is also this voice in the back of my head which says, “Don’t call home.” Now it’s not that I…
John 12:23-36 {Prayer} We just sang these words: “In the cross of Christ I glory, Tow’ring o’er the wrecks of time. All the light of sacred story Gathers round its head sublime” (LW 101, “In the Cross of Christ I Glory”) In the cross of Christ I glory. Really? Just listen to this … “Roman citizens…
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens has become a well-known story throughout the world. Originally published on December 19, 1843 in England, the story has come to life in many different renditions over the years. As we go through our Family Midweek Advent Series, we are going to take this beloved classic and look at…