MAC KIRK

Witnesses to the Resurrection” On this Easter Day we are vividly reminded of the people who saw the empty tomb and the Lord Himself raised from the dead. The evidence of the resurrection is seen in the people who saw Jesus and told about it. If we can demonstrate this through the witnesses , then we are giving weighty evidence to those who are struggling with unbelief, doubt and despair. These are myths some say. They are not able to be proved. Today people want others to share with them what has happened and the reality of what Jesus did, is and who He proves to be is seen in the witnesses to the resurrection. We do not live in an age that enjoys the printed page. People communicate thru phones, texts, and tweets , and movies, dvds and videos. People speaking to people is more powerful to our culture than a manuscript. After 6 pm on Saturday, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James go to view the tomb. (Mt 28:1) They along with Salome “bought spices that they might come and an...

Another Holy Week Has Begun Mark 14 No one can understand mental anguish better than Jesus as we read of His being awed, surprised, shocked may be a better word and deeply troubled with sorrow. Which is worse---mental or physical hurt? Let me see the hands of those who think it is physical hurt. Now let me see the hand of those who think it is mental. Bingo. WE know from our own experience if we have ever been disappointed, or have disappointed someone that we feel great turmoil in dealing with our emotions and our frailities of the mental mind. I have been rejected by some and that has made me feel badly through my life. One time I was in the way on the bridge of a merchant ship, and the CPT threw me off. Talk about feeling bad after that! As a young midshipman I was trying to learn shipboard navigation but the surly old CPT thought I was in the way. I was. I have counseled those who were going through loss of a loved one or a relationship. ....or suicidal Soldier...

Hebrews in Passion Sunday "...There is a vast difference between divine and human sorrow. True contrition occurs when God turns and looks upon us. Human sorrow is us turning and looking upon ourselves. True, there is nothing wrong in turning and looking at oneself – only there is a danger. We can miss the most authentic experience of life in the imitation. For genuine repentance consists of feeling deeply our human helplessness, of knowing how God comes to us when we are completely broken." Henry Drummond Broken people are needy. Broken people know their need of Divine assistance , even a priest. Christ is such a comfort and priest to us. He knows the value of broken seeds. " Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. " John If we have the need of help, we will seek for help and assistance but if we think we are able to do things without help, we will not. John ...

Today’s Gospel calls us to look at the miracle that Jesus did in multiplying the loaves and fish. Jesus sees the crowd and asks one of his disciples, “ Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?” 6:5 He was trying to test Philip. The Gospel writer John tells us or “prove” him, for he “himself knew what he would do.” 6:6 Philip sees that they do not have enough money to buy bread for all the people and is “ not sufficient for them” 6:7 But another disciple seeing the same situation Andrew who was Simon Peter’s brother says unto Jesus, “ There is a lad here which has five barley loaves, and two small fish.” 6:8 Even he realized that they were not enough among so many. 6:9 We all encounter situations in our lives where we have to choose courses of action and make decisions. Should we just give up? Some seem to do that. That talk may be under some of our feelings in one way or another. Now giving up is not such a bad idea as it sounds either. For when we give up, we can let God work,...

Going Up the Hill - Thoughts from Romans 7 Have you ever walked up a hill for a long way and found it hard yet at the same time invigorating? I lived in S. Korea , and the Retreat House for us was in Seoul, at the top of that hill. I even tried to run up the hill, which was very difficult. It was such a beautiful place to be away from the duties and up the hill . I wonder if we feel that life is a hard walk up that hill? It can be very healthy to walk up the hill but it can be very hard especially in conditions of warm weather. But when you get to the top you are content to draw in the air and relax. Our vs from Romans today remind of that hill with the huge incline. It is difficult to go against the grain of the society and culture around us, yet if we see its value, that is the law, holy and good , we will be rewarded . The God who made us gave us His Word and His law for our good and His glory. Yet there is a struggle. We struggle because though we be in Christ we...

An Exchange and and an Encouragement Mark 8; Romans 8 Against the background of these two texts and the OT one of the offer of Isaac by Abraham to God after He tested him these texts offer us an exchange and an encouragement. An article on God's control of our situations no matter how desperate highlights this as well, " The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow. Those rivers sweep many good things away. Your deepest distress is deeply distressing. But the God who loves you is Master of your significant sorrow. He calls you to go through even this hard thing. Though woe feels impossible, though woe devastates earthly hopes, God sets a boundary (but not where we would set it). He convinces you that this hard thing will come to good beyond all you can ask, imagine, see, hear, or conceive in your heart (Eph. 3:20; 1 Cor. 2:9). You will pass through the valley of the shadow of death that is filled with evils and enemies. But you will come out saying that goodness and merc...

Christ's Suffering for Us Has an End/Purpose I Peter 3:18--- " For Christ hath once suffered for sins" " the just for the unjust" "that He might bring us to God" The theme of Peter is the suffering of Christ and Christians and that this is a part of the Christian life. (" In this world you will have tribulation" Jn 16:33) The first point is that Christians have a duty to conduct themselves with meekness and hope, vs 15 , and that if we suffer we have Christ as our hope and Chief Sufferer. (note the Apostle's note in vs 14 about why we suffer....and vs 17...if you and I suffer for well doing , good, but if for evil doing then that is not suffering but what we are reaping so to speak...) Luke 22:44 reminds us that He being in agony "sweat great drops of blood as it were falling down to the ground." Once suffered also recalls His One Offering of Himself for our sins... Hebrews 10:10, 12, 14 Once for all Sacrifice ...