Simple Church

These are real people, with real struggles, and a real history.  And the lesson they have to teach is that God is in the seemingly mundane details of our lives no matter how distant He feels at the moment. 

Ruth encounter a man that will provide for her in a way that is both surprising and foreshadowing of the Messiah that is to come and ultimately provide for all our needs.  Not only did Boaz, and the Lord, say they would take care of her…they actually did. 

Ruth, chapter 2

Shortly after Jesus has been crucified, Rome isn't a happy place for Christians. 

Christians were being fiercely persecuted, and yet there were people still following Jesus and, additionally, Paul is telling the Christians to put their lives on the line for the privilege of sharing the Good New about Jesus to others. 

Because when you surrender your life to following Jesus life instantly becomes about sharing that Good News with someone else.  

Romans - Romans 1:1-7, 16-23

Moab wasn't a place where people worshipped the one true God.  But godly people were going to an ungodly place because they were hungry.  Life wasn't pretty; it wasn't easy.  But, in the everyday drudgery of life, God was in the details.  Even when we can't see it at the moment, God IS in the details. 

Time had passed and Naomi knew God was in control.  It wasn't an easy life, and she wasn't happy about how things were turning out, but she knew who was in control.  She was bitter, she was broken, and she was going home to the land where  people were worshiping God. 

Miraculous - Ruth, chapter 1

Peter had denied ever even knowing Jesus at the moment of His greatest need.  Jesus knew Peter would deny Jesus, and now, after it was all said and done, Peter knew it, too.  

But when Jesus came back from the dead He didn't just reappear to some of the disciples and tell them to spread the word.  Jesus told them specifically to tell Peter.  Jesus called Peter by name. 

Later, Peter and the disciples were fishing, Jesus tells them how to catch the fish (again), He calls them all on shore for breakfast, and it's all Cokes and jokes until breakfast is over and Jesus ask a question.  "Do you love me?" 

And Jesus already knew the answer. 

Miraculous - John 21:1-19

August 12 - Miraculous

Jesus knows that one of them is a betrayer.  He'll be sold for the same price as a slave.  Judas saw Jesus as a means to an end, and that end was money.  

Sin was going to cost Jesus His life.  They are coming to take Jesus by force, but He isn't intimidated by the situation.  

Peter and the rest of the disciples only had the ability to see things from a human perspective.  The end they were looking at wasn't good from their perspective.  But sin had to die.  The Kingdom had to come.  Sin had to die.  

Our vision is short-sided.  But, Jesus saw the salvation of the world was at stake. 

Miraculous - Matthew 26:47-56; Matthew 16:21-23

Church planters Matthew and Kathryn Nunnelley share their vision for church planting in Montpelier, VT. 

What's the big deal about a fig tree?  So what if it doesn't bear fruit.  Doesn't that happen sometimes? 

Just a few days before this miracles of Jesus, He's entered Jerusalem with great fan fare on Palm Sunday.  Jesus had been in and throughout the city for several days now, and what He's seeing isn't just troubling but absolutely infuriating.  There's a whole lot of activity in the city, but not a whole lot of fruit.  Just like the fig tree. 

Miraculous - Matthew 21:18-22

The humanity of Jesus is seen in His closest relationships.  He loved people.  He cared about what they cared about.  He's not a distant God that is removed from what His people are going through.  

But there are moments that it feels like He isn't there when He should be.  Like, when His good friend has died.  

The problem was Jesus had information nobody else had - sickness isn't unto death.  And the ultimate purpose was the glory of God. 

Miraculous - John 11:1-44 

The moment Jesus declared Himself God, there was a target on His back.  Even in the midst of running for His life, He stops with compassion and heals a man that had never before seen the light of day.  

Was the man blind because of his parents sin?  Because of his own sin?  Or could this be the moment his whole life up until that point had been leading to? 

What if we looked at every circumstance and situation as an opportunity to glorify God?

Miraculous - John 9:1-12

July 26 - Miraculous

Jesus had just feed 5,000 people (really, about 25,000 men, women and children), then He insist that they leave.  Jesus sent them all home.  Not only that, He sent the disciples ahead of Himself to the other side of the sea.   

Then He left to go and pray, alone.  

And, wouldn't you know it, as the disciples are working their way across the sea there's a bit of a storm that's come up on the water.  

The disciples had been in this situation before.  I can only imagine they wished so badly that Jesus was with them instead of left behind.  But, nothing could keep Jesus from the people He loved.  Not the wind, not the waves, not distance, not a storm, not anything.  He went to them.  Walking on the water. 

Miraculous - Mark 14:22-33