April 26, 2009 PMDavid Dawson
Acts 1:12-26 is filled with many difficulties and is often a source of challenge for those of us who want to interpret the scriptures. This evening we will take the time to resolve a number of issues, including whether or not the example of the apostles choosing a replacement for Judas is a model for decision making today.Audio
April 26, 2009 AMDavid DawsonWe all want to be closer to Christ, to feel his presence and live in his power. We know this is our privilege as children of God, as those raised with Christ, but how do we do it. Are there things that we can do in order to experience a more spiritually fulfilled life?Audio / Questions
April 19, 2009 PM
David DawsonIt is often tempting to skip to the end of a novel to see what will happen, but when we do this we are in danger of spoiling the middle of the book. In the same way we must be careful not to spoil our witness by focusing on the kingdom to come rather than the kingdom work to be done. Christ's return should not be a preoccupation, but rather it should energize our occupations.
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April 19, 2009 AMDavid DawsonSometimes a brush with death will change our perspective on life. The book of Colossians helps us focus on the fact that we have died and been raised with Christ. We are challenged to embrace this spiritual identity and allow it to shape our life. Because we are raised with Christ, we set our hearts on things above, which means a new perspective on passion, a new response to anger and a rejection of prejudice.
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April 12, 2009 AMDave Marttunen“It seems odd to have to say so, but too much religion is a bad thing.” This is from Eugene Petersen’s introduction to the book of Hebrews in the Message translation. He’s right. We can’t get too much of God. However, religion is our efforts to clean ourselves up so that God will like us. The message of Easter is that God does for us what we can never do for ourselves. The message of the resurrection, “He is risen”, is not a call to be better. It’s a call to be free. We don’t open the prison bars through our efforts, we simply walk through the door Jesus opens for us. Fixing our eyes on Jesus is not a challenge to get better, work harder or perform acceptably. Fixing our eyes on Jesus is the call to see that what he has done works. It is the message of Hope. What we cannot possibly do, is done. He is Risen!Audio
April 5, 2009 AMDave MarttunenDiscipline is a great tool. Discipline, we are taught in the Bible, is good for a few things. It restrains orders and organizes, but it is weak in that discipline cannot create anything new. Like a vacuum cleaner, discipline gets rid of the extras, the junk, and the fluff, but it cannot supply what we lack. In this way discipline is a tool of religion; it makes conformity look attractive, it makes restrictions look like development, and it makes the effort appear satisfying. But the self-discipline of the religionist cannot give you lasting satisfaction. In fact Paul tells us that discipline fosters pride and elevates self-accomplishment rather than faith. The forced discipline of the religionist puts our focus on the wrong place. Discipline, the Bible tells us, makes us serve our flesh by trying to restrain it, instead of having the funeral it needs to bury it deep. The Holy Spirit is telling us in Colossians 2 that if we are ready and willing to abandon our old and natural ways, we can live as happy citizens under a new governor. Are we smarter than a religionist to embrace fully our freedom in Christ?Audio / Questions
