Sermon Reflections from Name | Alex Hardt | May 12, 2024  
 
Throughout his sermon Pastor Alex reminded us how Mothers or Mother figures are vital to our emotional health.  By providing that listening ear and gentle guidance they emulate Jesus’ loving care and help us to lead stronger and more resilient lives. 

For his text this week, Pastor Alex chose the story of the Samaritan woman in John 4.  Jesus’ encounter with this unnamed woman showed his great love and careful counseling that led to her transformation. When he first met her in John 4:1-9 she was what we would consider today a ‘hot mess’.  She was an outcast in her village because of her immoral behavior but Jesus reached out to her when she least expected it.  Jesus was tired and thirsty sitting strategically at the well knowing she would arrive.  He asked her for a drink of water.  She was doubtful and filled with trepidation as men did not speak with lone women especially one like her.  She had come in the heat of the day to avoid the other women who had shunned her.  Since Jews did not associate with Samaritans, she did not expect him to speak let alone ask her for something.  He realized her fear and led her into a discussion that pointed her towards a deeper meaning as he introduced the idea of living water.   She was intrigued and asked him about this thinking this living, eternal water could be the solution to her having to come to the well and face those she lived around.  Just like many of us, she sought to avoid her problem emotions and was structuring her life so that she could avoid conflict. However, Jesus is teaching us here that we need to openly discuss our issues and realize that HE is the solution.  I love 2 Corinthians 2:20 which assures us, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.”

Next, Jesus invites her to partake of the living water. John 4:13-14 “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”  She was eager to embrace this idea and was joyful at the thought of such water.  Then Jesus caused her to have to confront her sin.  John 4:15-18 He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.” 17 “I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. 18 The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”   His words caused her to think and reevaluate who this man could be.  She saw him as a prophet and moved the conversation to religious differences between the Jews and Samaritans.  Jesus was not waylaid, he confronted her with the truth of her sin and guided her to seek the truth of who he was.  4:25-26 “ The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” 26 Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”  When she realized the truth of his words, she was transformed!

Jesus had made her world turn upside down.  She was no longer afraid or cowering when thinking about those around her and their criticisms.  She became bold and returned to them changed. John 4:39-42 “Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. 41 And because of his words many more became believers. 42 They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”   She was transformed by Jesus and his message and taking his message of how he had changed her life impacted on those around her.  Jesus not only transforms our lives through faith in Him but it spills out and over as we share with others.  Just like the Samaritan women did for those around her, we too are God’s plan to share and spread His Good News to those around us!

Blessing,
Linda
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MESSAGE LINK
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Our Sunday service is online and in-person at 11:00am.
​Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass
 
 

Sermon Reflections from Jesus is Alive| John Klobuchar  | April 21, 2024
 
It was a pleasure to have John with us this Sunday giving the message and telling us more about the Bay Area Chaplin’s ministry.  John oversees this ministry and works directly with inmates on a daily basis.  His goal is “To Make Christ Known.”  Working with the segment of society that is incarcerated is a calling and requires understanding, insight and wisdom as he seeks to make Christ relevant and meaningful to those in hard circumstances.  Regardless of where we are in life, Christ is the answer.  Showing the inmates the pathway to life and true freedom holds a spiritual challenge for the one who is delivering the message.  Knowing that God is impartial and His Holy Spirit can cut across any boundary or barrier is essential. John knows this and walks this pathway each day.

John encouraged us from the book of Colossians as he read 3:1-17. As John does with the inmates, he sought to show us that the things we have in Christ are already there, accomplished, finished.  We have these things by faith and are now hidden within Christ ourselves.  We are secure in Christ.  Knowing this we are instructed by Paul to put aside our old self, our old nature and put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  We are to leave that old life and those sins that came so easily to us and take up a new course with Christ.  Even though we may not be in jail for crimes, we too have committed crimes against God.  We are all sinners as we are reminded in Romans 3:23 “ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”  Thankfully, in Christ we are all new creations 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”   All of us, regardless of who we are or where we live or what we’ve done need Jesus.  He is the answer, John 17:3 “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”  Jesus is the answer. 

Whether John is at the prison, at home with family or with us, he is striving to make Christ known as he knows that Jesus is the answer!  2 Corinthians 1:20 “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.”
Linda

MESSAGE LINK
Click Here to View the Message on Youtube
Our Sunday service is online and in-person at 11:00am.
​Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass

 Sermon Reflections based on from ​Cosmic Interpretations, Galactic Forgiveness | Alex Hardt | January 28, 2024

What a wonderful way to end our series on Joseph and God’s goodness. Redemption and Forgiveness are at the heart of the gospel and were so well demonstrated in the story of Joseph. Our memory verse, Genesis 50:20 shouted out to us each week the truth of God’s sovereignty, goodness and omniscience.  “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. 

Pastor Alex began with Genesis 45:1-4 where the story of Joseph’s revelation of himself to his brothers shows his great humility and love for his ‘lost’ brothers.   During a great famine in the whole land, Joseph’s brothers had journeyed to Egypt to buy grain. (Joseph had interpreted a dream Pharaoh had concerning 7 good years and 7 lean years.  Pharaoh believed Joseph and put him in charge of the plan to keep them all alive during the 7 lean years.  Genesis 41.)  In chapter 42, Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to buy grain but did not allow his youngest Benjamin to go with them.   While buying grain they encountered Joseph but did not recognize him.  He required that they leave one of their brothers there and bring their youngest brother to him to verify their story, he had accused them of being spies.  Then Joseph had his servants put the silver they had paid for the grain with back in their sacks.  When the brothers discovered this, they were terrified and decided not to go back.  Well, the famine continued and they eventually needed to return.  The fact that Jacob’s youngest, Joseph’s brother, was required to go troubled Jacob immensely.  All he could think about was how he had lost Joseph and feared losing Benjamin too.  Judah promised that he would bring Benjamin back or die trying.  When they appeared before Joseph this second time, they were very afraid of his retribution for the ‘stolen’ silver.  Joseph as overcome with emotion at their meeting and said in Chapter 45:4-5 “ Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you.”

After all that had transpired, Joseph had seen God’s hand in all that God had allowed to happen.  He did not have hatred or revenge in his heart but overwhelming love.  Joseph had seen God’s provision from the pit to the palace.  He knew from experience God is sovereign and omniscient!   He tried to relay this to his brothers, but they had not made the journey from pit to palace and did not understand Joseph’s love and compassion. 

​Our life’s journey gives us opportunities to see God in action, experience His love, compassion and forgiveness first hand.  If we allow Him to work in our lives we are enriched in both faith and character.  Joseph is a wonderful example to us of God’s power of sanctification and how He grows and matures us in our faith. Joseph wanted restoration of his family and reconciliation with them not revenge. 

Joseph is an example to us of the power of forgiveness.  His life was transformed from possible bitterness and hatred to love, acceptance and longing for his brothers and father.  Forgiveness is transformative to each of us on the inside. It works it wonders by making us better in Christ.  We can accept hurts, betrayal, wrongs and hatred and let them go. Christ will take those and replace them with love and kindness.  Letting go frees us and gives us a new pathway in Him.  Joseph certainly had a new pathway with his brothers and father and whole family who come to be cared for and settled in the land of Goshen. 

Where are your pathways leading you?  Are you moving forward with forgiveness by embracing Christ?  God promises forgiveness in Christ, Ephesians 1:7 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”   Through forgives we are free to serve Him, Psalm 130:4 “But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you.”    Our memory verse from our study of 1 John was 1:5 “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.”   Forgiveness in Christ brings us into God’s light and the darkness is dispelled!  Praise God!

1 Timothy 6:17 wisely speaks to us and I see Joseph lived by these principles.  “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” 

Joseph kept his focus on God.  May we do likewise and experience His providential care, forgives of sins and love.
Linda
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MESSAGE LINK
Click Here to View the Message on Youtube
Our Sunday service is online and in-person at 11:00am.
​Come visit us at 5353 Concord Blvd, on the corner of Concord Blvd and Kirker Pass.