Alētheia

  On Mother’s Day we had a lesson centered around mothers and the importance of a mother in the life of her children and her being able to let go and let them find their way in the world equipped with the knowledge she has prepared them with to face life. Today our nation has set aside this day for us to pause and be thankful for the fathers we have in our lives. So, it is an appropriate day for us as Christians to observe with a lesson because fatherhood is a position Jehovah created for men in order to bring leadership, structure and guidance to the family unit. Today, all across America, families will be gathering around tables. Some will gather around restaurant tables after worship today. Some around backyard picnic tables. Still others will gather around dining room tables covered with fried chicken, potato salad, and sweet tea. And in many homes today, there will be a chair at the table that means something special. Maybe it’s “Dad’s chair.” The chair no one else sat in when...

It is strange sometimes how a sermon topic or idea will present itself. Today’s sermon came to me as a result of listening to a new, well new-to-me, all female bluegrass infused heavy metal band that is “Christian” based. One song led to another and another and I came across this one song this group does titled “Rattle The Bones.” It inspired me to do some research, and I discovered the song was based on the Old Testament book of Ezekial and chapter 37, verses 1-14. And so, today’s lesson is based on that text. If you’ve never read it before or if you have and you’ve forgot the story we’re going to read it in a few minutes.   Before we do though, let me say this - there are moments in life when everything feels dry. Not just tired or discouraging. But dry. Dry marriages. Dry faith and churches. Dry hearts and hope. There are people who sit in church pews every Sunday with smiles on their faces while inside they feel like a valley of bones. Some are carrying guilt from years ago. So...

Key Text “ 37  Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.” Matthew 10:37 As I was sitting reflecting on what to speak on this morning I thought back to a woman I know who is a good friend. She had lost her eldest son unexpectedly on the day of his high school graduation. He had surgery several weeks before and he got the all clear and was supposedly fully recovered, but due to some kind of complication from the  surgery he had something go amiss during his recovery and sadly, he passed away. Honestly I was ill-prepared to handle the conversation I had with her many years after her son’s death about her salvation and I worry there may be others in the church who have encountered similar instances and either unintentionally created a block to that person following Jesus because of the way they handled it or just bypassed the conversation all-together because it was honest...