Walking with Jesus: Approachable

Luke 8:40-56

Pastor Blane Barfknecht

There are some people in this world that are just unapproachable. You know the kind of people. Their body language and their facial expressions seem to all say the words leave me alone. Such people come off intimidating or standoffish. They give the impression that they are too good for you or at least not interested in interacting with you. There is never a smile on their face they cross their arms. They look like they are bored or inconvenienced by your presence. They seem disinterested in small talk, or any kind of talk. When they do talk it is usually critical.

Sadly even some people in churches are unapproachable. Their face and body language communicate disapproval. They may have the smug built in frown. Maybe they are friendly, but only with certain people – the pastor – the deacons, the half of the congregation to whom they are related. They are good people and don’t have time for sinners. They give others the feeling that they are too high and too holy. Jesus was the highest and the holiest, but he never treated people as too low or to impure to come to him. These were the people to whom he especially opened his arm.

Praise God that Jesus was and is approachable.

Listen to our latest sermon to hear more.

He is Alive!

Luke 24:13-39

Pastor Blane Barfknecht

I love the story of Easter: the open tomb – the terrified soldiers – the earthquake – the appearances of Jesus. Jesus’s resurrection from the dead is our confirmation of faith. For us, Easter is a great day of celebration. The very first Easter was a day of Confusion.

Just a week before thousands welcomed Jesus with joy and jubilation as the Great King. Not all welcomed Him. A claim to be king challenged those who had received their authority from Rome. It didn’t surprise Jesus’s followers that the authorities would oppose Jesus. It shocked them that they succeeded. The hope of nations was killed in the most cruel and vulgar form of torture and death of the day. His death dealt a devastating blow to the hopes of His followers. But now there were stories that His tomb was empty, even claims that He was alive. Two of Jesus’s followers were trying to figure this out while traveling to the village of Emmaus. Listen to our latest sermon to hear how Jesus proved He is alive. The proofs presented then offer hope to us today! He is Alive!

Walking with Jesus: Deliverance

Luke 8:26-39

Pastor Blane Barfknecht

In December 2011, gunmen riding motorcycles burst into the home of Warren Richard Rodwell, an Australian living in the Philippines. The intruders abducted him and took him by speedboat to nearby islands where kidnap-for-ransom gangs operate. The abductors identified themselves as members of Abu Sayyaf, a militant Islamic group with ties to Al Qaeda. In the last decade they have been credited with several kidnappings, beheadings and bombings. The motive for the kidnapping was a $2 million ransom demanded via video tape.

Saturday morning at 1:30, after 15 months of captivity Mr. Rodwell was released, emaciated but alive. He was evacuated by helicopter to a nearby military base. We don’t have specific details of his treatment while being held, but conditions were certainly not pleasant. Can you imagine the joy and the relief of being freed after 15 months of captivity?

When Jesus Christ came to this earth one of His primary objectives was to “proclaim liberty to the captives.” He came to set people free. Listen to our most recent sermon to hear an incredible story of deliverance. This story encourages us with the deliverance Jesus offers us!

Walking with Jesus: Fear to Faith

Luke 8:22-25

Pastor Blane Barfknecht

Faith is easy to come by when life is comfortable. But it often flees when trouble rises.

After calming a storm that scared his disciples to death, Jesus questioned their faith.

It's in the storms that our faith is tested. We may be able to coast through life when things are easy. But will we hold up when trouble comes. It's easy to say you have faith when the water is calm; before you get into the boat; when you're sitting around the campfire talking about the what ifs. But when the wind is raging, the boat is sinking, and you cannot hear yourself think over the chaos and noise, that is when you find out whether you have genuine faith. When the doctor tells you the test results came back positive; when you get that call late at night; when the surprise meeting is called to announce the company’s decision to downsize, that's when faith is tested.

Where is your faith? Listen to our latest sermon to consider this important question.