Words of Welcome

  Twenty-Third Psalm by Frank Wesley Revelation 7:9-17 This morning we encounter a great multitude gathered around the throne of God. Once again John of Patmos serves as our eyes and ears, interpreting the scene for us. John sees a crowd of people clothed in white garments and carrying palm branches. One of the elders tells John that this multitude is composed of the saints of God who went through the great ordeal. They’re drawn from every nation and tribe and people and language. Together they declare that “salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!” They are accompanied by the angels,  the elders, and the four living creatures. They sing a song of praise to God and to the Lamb: “Blessing and honor and power and might to our God forever and ever! Amen!” What a grand sight this is. It’s hard not to be overwhelmed. If you’re like me and you love to sing the great hymns and songs of the faith, you’ll want to join this heavenly choir. Oh, what ...

Revelation 7:9-17 On this fourth Sunday of Easter we continue our journey through the Book of Revelation. When we last gathered, we found ourselves standing before the throne of God. We were singing praises to God and to the Lamb who was slain. This morning, we again find ourselves standing before the throne of God. We look around and we see a great multitude that is drawn from every nation and tribe and people and language. Together we declare that “Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb!”  There is a company of people robed in white garments standing in the midst of this multitude. One of the twenty-four elders asks John: “who are these, robed in white, and where do they come from?” While John didn’t know the answer, he learned that they are the faithful witnesses who stood firm in the midst of persecution at the cost of their own lives. These martyrs stand before the throne of God waiting to receive their reward. This is their rewar...

John 4:5-42 There are all kinds of communication barriers out there, with language barriers among the biggest and most difficult to get around. He speaks Spanish; she doesn't. How do you communicate? But there are other kinds of barriers that inhibit communication. There are, for instance, generational differences, which can cause major headaches. If you read Zits, you know that this is true. Each generation has its own dialect, and if you’re not hip to the lingo, you’ll likely miss something in a conversation. Although we don’t always think about it, there are also theological barriers that get in the way of our sharing our faith with others. Sometimes our religious lingo – you know, words like Trinity, grace, atonement, Eucharist – gets in the way. They may be important terms and doctrines, but they’re often meaningless to people on the outside. And so we have to stop and explain what we mean. If you read the gospels closely, you’ll discover that Jesus often dealt with communic...