Words of Welcome

 John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15.  If you’ve been to a tourist destination like Orlando,  Vegas, or Niagra Falls, you probably encountered a museum that proclaimed that “truth is stranger than fiction.” You may have even paid the admission price to check out the claims. I’m talking about Ripley’s Believe or Not Museums. I can’t verify the claims since I’ve never ventured inside any of the museums but I’ve passed by them. Since I didn’t go in, I have to take their word that truth is stranger than fiction.   You don’t have to go to a Ripley’s museum to encounter strange “truths.” That’s because we are living in a “post-truth” world. What do I mean by post-truth? One online dictionary defines “post-truth” as “relating to or existing in an environment in which facts are viewed as irrelevant, or less important than personal beliefs and opinions, and emotional appeals are used to influence public opinion.” If we are living in a post-truth world, then it’s not surprising t...

Job 38:1-7, 34-41 For thirty-seven chapters Job and his friends have been debating the question: “why me?” That’s a question that many of us ask at one point or another. Bad things happen and we want an explanation. Sometimes, as is the case with the answers provided by Job’s friends, the answers don’t make sense. Sometimes we even want to take up the conversation with God, but we’re not sure we’re up to the task.  Last Sunday we listened to Job as he challenged God to appear in court and answer his questions. He believed he was innocent, but he was also terrified of the possibility that God might actually show up. One of Job’s friends assures Job that he needn’t worry about God showing up. God was too busy to bother with his futile questioning.  Elihu is the fourth “friend” to enter the debate with Job. In many ways these four friends, demonstrate the principle that with friends like this, who needs enemies! Elihu feels the need to defend God’s honor. He tel...

Revelation 21:1-6 In the movie The Perfect Storm, a group of fishermen heads out to sea looking for one good catch that will sustain them for the winter. After many days of failure, they finally bring in that big haul and get ready to head home. The only problem is that their ice machine is broken and without ice the catch will spoil. Their only hope is to make fast break home and hope that their small supply of ice holds till then. This strategy is, however, dangerous because a massive storm stands in the way. If they wait out the storm they’ll lose the catch and needed cash for the winter, but heading home could lead to their deaths. Believing they can conquer the sea, they head home. Their audacity is tested because this is no ordinary storm. This is a perfect storm, a convergence of weather and sea so powerful that there’s no way out – and in the end they’re lost without a trace. THE THREAT OF CHAOS The ancient world feared the power of the Sea. Homer’s Odyssey is a good example of...