MAC KIRK

Water into Wine in John 2. Jesus takes the ordinary and turns it into something marvelous. He took the water turned into wine , showed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. John 2:11 I note that Jesus & His disciples were invited to the wedding by I assume His mother. " And ..there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: and Jesus was also bidden." We do not know for sure , but He came to a marriage. I see something here about Jesus being present at this wedding , " He showed His approval of joy and gladness, He sanctified marriage and all our social relationships, and above all He indicated how human lives would be glorified by Him.." Erdman Ordinary life is to be glorified by God's presence & enjoyed by us His disciples when we see life as a gift and a joy. Life for sure is full of joys as well as sorrows, but God is present in all of it. Unfortunately Christians are not always known for joy. We should...

Epiphany I. ----I usually study the texts that are provided each week, and think on them. All Scripture is inspired of God, God-breathed, but I wait until the bells go off in my head for what hits me as good for us to think about. Phillips Brooks , the Bishop of Boston, and author of " O Little Town of Bethlehem" used to say that preaching is truth through personality.This week as I was traveling back and forth to the Rehab, doing other various things through the week, teaching on WED, Tues preparing for that, and being at the CC...etc....it hit me that this was not what I would have said about how God acts. It would have been more dramatic and the calling of God to someone who had not known Him at all, but this is not what I see here. I see drama with the dreams and the angel of God coming to Cornelius, a centurion of all people, but let's take a look at him before we judge what God did . ...while remembering that Epiphanytide is the season of outreach and the appeari...

Wise Men Matthew 2 Many things stand out in these few verses. Note what is said by one famous theologian, " Søren Kierkegaard Although the scribes could explain where the Messiah should be born, they remained quite unperturbed in Jerusalem. They did not accompany the Wise Men to seek him. Similarly we may be able to explain every article of our faith, yet remain spiritually motionless. The power that moved heaven and earth leaves us completely unmoved. What a contrast! The three kings had only a rumor to go by. But it spurred them to set out on a long, hard journey. The scribes, meanwhile, were much better informed, much better versed. They had sat and studied the scriptures for years, like so many dons. But it didn’t make any difference. Who had the more truth? Those who followed a rumor, or those who remained sitting, satisfied with all their knowledge?" Source: Watch for the Light I had never thought about this so much until I read this. It exhorts us as well ...