MAC KIRK

  Sun, Mar 30, 2025 The Fourth Sunday in Lent Josh (4:19-24) 5:1(2-8)9-12 Ps 34 or 34:1-8 2 Cor 5:17-21 Luke 15:11-32 " The two parables are written to heal our wounds, for they represent the Divine remedy that comes from the Trinity, the father representing God the Father, the shepherd Christ, and the woman the church - Ambrose"  in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture-Luke " But you, Lord, are good and merciful, and your right hand plumbed the depths of my death, draining the cesspit of corruption in my heart, so that I ceased to will all that I had been wont to will, and now willed what you willed." St. Augustine of Hippo "In 1986 Henri Nouwen, a Dutch theologian and writer, toured St. Petersburg, Russia, the former Leningrad. While there he visited the famous Hermitage where he saw, among other things, Rembrandt's painting of the Prodigal Son. The painting was in a hallway and received the natural light of a nearby window. Nouwen stood for two ...

  Sun, Mar 23, 2025 The Third Sunday in Lent Ex 3:1-15 Ps 103 or 103:1-12 1 Cor 10:1-13 Luke 13:1-9(10-17)  " YBH-Yes But How?..." "A man borrowed a book from an acquaintance. As he read through it, he was intrigued to find parts of the book underlined with the letters YBH written in the margin. When he returned the book to the owner, he asked what the YBH meant. The owner replied that the underlined paragraphs were sections of the book that he basically agreed with. They gave him hints on how to improve himself and pointed out truths that he wished to incorporate into his life. However, the letters YBH stood for "Yes, but how?" Those three letters could be writ on the margins of ours souls: "I ought to know how to take better care of myself, but how?" "I know I ought to spend more time in scripture reading and prayer, but how?" "I know I ought to be more sensitive to others, more loving of my spouse, more understanding of the weakn...

  Deut 26:(1-4)5-11 Ps 91 or 91:9-16 Rom 10:4-13 Luke 4:1-13; The First Sunday in Lent Too Tempting The story is told of four high school boys who couldn't resist the temptation to skip morning classes. Each had been smitten with a bad case of spring fever. After lunch they showed up at school and reported to the teacher that their car had a flat tire. Much to their relief, she smiled and said, "Well, you missed a quiz this morning, so take your seats and get out a pencil and paper." Still smiling, she waited as they settled down and got ready for her questions. Then she said, "First question--which tire was flat?" from sermons@sermons.com King James Bible "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" The Hymn says it all so well for the Season by George Hunt Smyttan, 1856 " Forty Days and Forty Nights -Thou Wast Fasting in the Wild Forty ...

  A Meditation on the Transfiguration---Sunday before the 40 days to Easter   This week we are led up to a mountain , secluded, snowy ---  probably Mount Hermon with Jesus and His disciples to pray.  He had just spoken words of suffering and death ." Luke :23--- "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away."   The Disciples had been called, and had seen the miracle of feeding the many people about 5, 000.  What was happening now on the Mountain?  He shows Himself to them, white and glistering .  His face was changed. They saw His glory.     We too have mountains in our lives where we stop and rest and pray.  It can be a place that we know, or a place we imagine in o...

  That Love Thing -Luke 6:27-38  "How am I to ascertain whether or not a company of professing Christians, whether in a church, a Bible Institute or anywhere else, will truly help or hinder me? In this way: Does their teaching and influence make my conscience more tender or more callous? Does it emphasize the loftiness of the holy standard God has set before me and make me realize how far, far short I come of it, or does it make me pleased with myself? Does it foster pride or humiliation?" ~ Arthur Pink, "Letter to Lowell Green, June 3 1934" This quote is very helpful to our Christian growth I believe.  Where we go to Church, if we go, and we should if possible is important. Today's Sermon is more of a meditation, than a sermon with points....  Today's reading is from the Sermon on the Plain again, and it hits home for a lot of us of course who listen.  Luke 6 : "27 But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, 28 Ble...

  The Sixth Sunday of Epiphany Jer 17:5-10 Ps 1 1 Cor 15:12-20 Luke 6:17-26 ( and the 70 Days before Easter- Septuagesima) " Count Your Blessings"   ---Why is it that disasters and bad things seem to highlight the news and our lives?  We pay attention !  But the good things are not so important it seems at least .  The hymn " Count Your Blessings"  Rev. Oatman Johnson wrote over 3000 hymns. This one is well -known.  It says so much.  Today's Gospel has many positive and blessed thoughts from our Lord. It is a Beatitude on the plain .  Matthew has it on the mount.◄ Luke 6:17 ► "And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases" He had just called the  12 Disciples/ Apostles . He spent the night praying before He did it.  He heals the...