Dec 30

First Miracle for the New Year!

John 2:1-11

What do you make of this miracle?  In John we will see the miracles of raising the dead, stilling the storm, healing the blind and lame, and cleansing the lepers.  But this miracle doesn’t seem to fit.  The first miracle for the “Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world”, what does that show his ministry will be?

As we consider the nature of the miracle, providing in the time of need, over providing for the need, and even providing the best for those in need, these are the signs from a generous God in a stingy world.  The wine for the wedding shows the heart of the God that calls all to “come and buy milk and wine without cost.” 

As we enter the year 2026, this miracle causes us to pause and examine our expectations of God.  Do you see a God that grudgingly gives the worst wine when all other is gone?  Do you fear that God will not give you enough for your daily bread?  Do you suspect that God’s gifts come only to others and not to a group of humble villagers just to highlight their privation?  Or do you have a God that supplies out of his abundance? 

This miracle was not known to the majority of the guests at the wedding.  They were given the gift for them to enjoy and celebrate life.  The miracle happened when the servants obeyed the instructions of Jesus.  That is our part.  We live in obedience to God’s way and then enjoy the blessings of God provided in even secret ways. 

This first miracle brought belief to the disciples.  Later Jesus reminds Mary, and I think the rest of us, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?”  The call of 2026 is for us to use our faith to see the glory of God present in the simple and everyday parts of our lives.

In One Sentence:
The miracle at Cana reveals the glory of Jesus Christ as the quiet, compassionate, transformative, abundant presence of God who brings new creation and joy into ordinary human life.  (Biblegateway.com)

Have a God-filled and expectant 2026!

Pastor Greg

Dec 23

Judgement—Not Judgementalism

John 1:19-34

Each of the Gospels has John the Baptist as the introducer of Jesus as the Christ.  As we begin our adventure into the Gospel of John, it is significant how John the Baptist identifies Jesus.  He is “the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the whole world!”  This is the universal action of Christ, to remove the sin of the whole world.

The New Testament helps us understand that the world lies under the sway of the wicked one.  We are taught that all have sinned, and that each sinful act will be judged by God.  The judgement of God on the sinful world was on the cross of Christ when he became sin for us.

But too often, we take knowledge of the judgement of God for sin, and turn that into judgmentalism of others.  Yes, often what we point out in them is sinful.  Yes, it is a violation of God’s Holy Law.  But we do not put their sin in the context of the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the whole world.  Instead of trusting God that judges all in truth, we make our voices and views the judge of the other.  We make the remedy of their sin conformity to our view and not conformity to the love of God.

Here is a meditation I found on a web site that lets me think about this:

The Sin of the World

Not just your sin. Not just individual failings. But the tangled, systemic, generational mess of humanity. The violence we inherit, the injustice we perpetuate, the wounds we pass along.

The Lamb steps into that whole web and begins to unweave it.

This is not a private salvation. It is cosmic healing.

Where do you see the world aching? How might you join the Lamb’s work of mending?

In our time in John’s Gospel notice the way Jesus deals with people, even sinners, and the remedy that he prescribes for their sins.

Pastor Greg

Dec 18

Prayer for Advent

Here is a prayer that lifted me up for the hope of Christmas from the Daly Prayer App:

There is a world out there that is oversupplied with theories and technology, but drastically undersupplied with hope.  You however, like Christ, are tomorrow’s people, those who know the future is pregnant with promise and hope.

This same Jesus Comes again with glory to judge the living and the dead. So go and live out your hope graciously and courageously.

The grace of Christ Jesus who the same today, yesterday and forever will lead you to the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, and then take you on those tasks and joys which will prepare you for the greater glory which is to come.

Amen!

This Advent, we’ve seen how God provides for his people.  The greatest provision is the Word of God.  The Word gives life in Ezekiel, and gives confidence in Isaiah.  This Sunday we are in John 1, and the Word gives life, light, and hope to all people.

Pastor Greg

Dec 10

“Joy Without Price”

Isaiah 55
An Invitation to Abundant Life

Slavery is a word that causes a strong response in the emotions of most people today.  Yet, there is a type of slavery that we do not consider, that is “wage slave.”  These are individuals that are bound to a system of surviving only paycheck to paycheck; facing extended debt, and owning no property or means of building wealth.  Unfortunately, this is the condition of too many people, especially young people in our society.  This type of life, bound by an economic system designed to keep them in debt and no hope for the future.  This is why that many are postponing marriage, family, or just giving in and putting their next Uber Eats order on a payment plan. 

In one of his last interviews, the free speech advocate, Charlie Kirk was talking about how the economic system, where the super-rich are getting richer and the bottom half of the population are stagnated or even falling behind.  In his conversations with multiple college students, he realized that hopeless is what most of them feel about the future.  They are disillusioned with the American Dream that their lives will be better than their parents.  Too bad this voice for the future of young adults has been silenced.

Isaiah 55 is speaking to former slaves, to those that did not have a hope for their future.  He calls them to the abundant life found in the gifts of God.  This is not a call for “government giveaways,” but a presentation of the full life that comes to those that call upon the Lord while he is near (v. 6), and seek out his way for living V 7-10).  To stop wasting your money on that which does not satisfy.  Just a Jesus warned the disciples, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”  The junk food of this world, the junk food of those that want you to remain subservient to them, the junk food that keeps us in a delusion is countered by the freely given abundant life of God.  

The answer to wage-slavery is dignity in work.  Yes, there are unpleasant jobs, but those in them need to have the satisfaction that what they are doing is providing a home and hope for their children.  A dignified life that allows you to enjoy the fruit of your labor is the life envisioned for all in Scripture:

But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree,
    and no one shall make them afraid,
    for the mouth of the Lord of hosts has spoken. (Micah 4:4).

We are not calling for the end of private property because some abuse it.  We are proclaiming the biblical vision of each person enjoying the fruits of their labor and them being an active participate in the economic system.

Pastor Greg

What is One Great Hour of Sharing?

For over 75 years, the One Great Hour of Sharing Offering (OGHS) has been helping Christians bring God’s hope and healing to hurting people both in the US and around the world.

OGHS’s mission is to support domestic and international development, fight poverty and its consequences, bring aid and relief to communities torn by war or ravaged by national disaster, provide advocacy and resettlement assistance for refugees and displaced persons, and combat injustice in its many forms. OGHS provides funding and hands-on assistance in collaboration with local and international partners.

Each year, OGHS is gathered by several denominations and Church World Service (CWS) under a single theme developed by the ecumenical OGHS Committee.  In the United Church of Christ, the Global H.O.P.E. team oversees the distribution of the offering. You can learn more about this team at www.ucc.org/global-hope.

Thank you for supporting One Great Hour of Sharing for over 75 years. You continue to embody a love offering to the world.

Learn more at www.ucc.org/oghs

Offering is March 15