Pastor Craig's ConSpiritu Blog

John 16:12-15: “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you." This week I begin a sermon series based upon our congregation's model for the Formation of Disciples of Jesus Christ. Our overall purpose as a congregation is to build a caring community of Christians where we accept, renew and change lives by sharing God’s love in ways that make a difference in our world. The formation of disciples of Jesus Christ is how we do that. There are four aspects to our mission and ministry that accomplish this: Connecting with God, Connecting with Others, Connecting in Ministry, and Co...

John 12:12-19 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) 12 The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord—
    the King of Israel!” 14 Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it; as it is written: 15 “Do not be afraid, daughter of Zion.
Look, your king is coming,
    sitting on a donkey’s colt!” 16 His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written of him and had been done to him. 17 So the crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to testify.[a] 18 It was also because they heard that he had performed this sign that the crowd went to meet him. 19 The Pharisees then said to one another, “You see, you can do nothing. Look, the w...

In the movie Secondhand Lions , the character Hub, played by Robert Duvall, gives his speech about “what every boy needs to know about being a man” to young Walter, played by Haley Joel Osment. He says, "Sometimes the things that may or may not be true are the things a man needs to believe in the most. That people are basically good. That honor, courage and virtue mean everything; that power and money ... money and power mean nothing. That good always triumphs over evil. And I want you to remember this.... that love....true love never dies! Remember that boy ... remember that. Doesn't matter if it is true or not, a man should believe in those things, because those are the things worth believing in...... got that?" Religion and Spirituality are all about how we live according to the things that are most important to us. These things are spiritual in that they form us at the deepest places in our lives, and they provide for us a way of life steeped ...

You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, ‘You fool,’ you will be liable to the hell of fire. So when you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift. Come to terms quickly with your accuser while you are on the way to court with him, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you will be thrown into prison. Truly I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the last penny.   ( Matthew 5:21-26) This week we continue with some thoughts towards the Sermon Se...

Today I want to pause for a moment and look a little closer at a description of the Realm of Heaven about which I have been recently writing and preaching. I use the term “Realm of Heaven” as a translation of the Koiné Greek expression, basileian tōn ouranōn (βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν), which is often translated as “kingdom of heaven.” There are those who object to the use of hierarchical and monarchistic descriptions of God and heaven, redolent as they are with references to human despots, dictators and tyrants. This attitude is in keeping with the teachings of Jesus when he told his disciples: “Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. It will not be so among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be your slave; just as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (...

Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have come not to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17-20) I have recently started a sermon series entitled, “Okay, Jesus, Now What?” We have just celebrated Advent, Christmas and Epiphany. Jesus has arrived (again). Fine and dandy, but what now? This sermon series focuses upon the Sermon on the Mount , found in the fifth through seventh chapters of the Gospel According to Matthew. The basi...