Posted in Uncategorized on May 31st, 2009 No Comments »
Pastor Phil Kniss reminded us that “to conspire” literally means “to breathe with”. A conspiracy is a group of people who work so closely together, that they are breathing the same air, working toward the same goal. Conspiring with the Holy Spirit fills our lungs with the very breath of Jesus, and gives us what we need for life in God. What does it mean to become “God-breathers”? How do we know it is Holy Spirit breath, and not simply holy hot air? What is the fruit of this God-breathing? These are the challenges we are called to ponder on this Pentecost Sunday.
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Posted in Uncategorized on May 17th, 2009 No Comments »
Looking at John 15:9-17, Pastor Phil Kniss challenged us about what it means to be a friend of Jesus. He noted that friendship and obedience are linked, and gave the following observations. A friend takes seriously what their friend takes seriously. Friends don’t keep important secrets from each other. Friends argue with each other. They can rely on each other. We are all invited into deep friendship with God through Jeus Christ.
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Posted in Uncategorized on May 3rd, 2009 No Comments »
Psalm 23 is a comforting psalm from the perspective of the sheep, but less so from the perspective of the shepherd. Pastor Phil Kniss says that from the shepherds perspective, there is a commitment to lay down his/her life for the sheep. In looking at 1 John 10:11-18, we are called to live like the Good Shepherd and be willing to lay down our life for the other. In true Christian community, we will be willing to place our lives into the lives of others, just as our brothers and sisters will do the same for us. In this posture, we do not lose our true selves, we gain our fullest individual life.
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