Thursday, December 11, 2014
Modesty, Teens, and Parents
Check out this blog written by my friend Jaime Walters. Very good, and worth reading and considering!!!
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Redline Youth December 2014 Calendar
December is going to be a great month!! Lots of events as we wind down 2014. Here is what we have going on:
I think this covers it. Of course, if you have any questions please just let me know.
Stay close to Jesus- Vince
- 12/2/14 (Tuesday): Haven of Rest. Those that have signed up will be meeting at CBC at 5:20pm to serve dinner at the Haven of Rest.
- 12/7/14 (Sunday): IGNITE December- 5:30-7:30pm at Rootstown United Methodist Church on SR44, across from Talmer Bank. We will meet there.
- 12/14/14 (Sunday): Redline Youth Group- regular Redline Youth Group, at CBC 5:30-7:15pm.
- 12/21/14 (Sunday): Redline Special, Live Nativity- we will meet at CBC at 5:30PM and then drive down to The Live Nativity at Camp Wanake in Brewster, OH (weather permitting). We should be back around 9:00pm.
- 12/28/14 (Sunday): Redline Special, Year End Family Banquet- like last year, this will be a special Sunday night where we really want to encourage parents and siblings to come on out and spend the evening with us. We will have a catered meal, and some special activities, as well as a devotional service and communion. Please come on out, its going to be AWESOME!!
- Sunday 12/21/14 will be our Christmas Play for the little kids, and Undie Sunday for the Haven of Rest. Just bring some new undergarments for the Haven, and enjoy a Christmas Kids performance. Service is at 10:30am
- Our church Christmas Service will be on Christmas Eve at 7:00pm. We'd love to see you there.
I think this covers it. Of course, if you have any questions please just let me know.
Stay close to Jesus- Vince
Friday, June 20, 2014
A Friday Psalm: Psalm 1
1 How blessed is the one who does not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand in the pathway with sinners, or sit in the assembly of scoffers!
2 Instead he finds pleasure in obeying the Lord 's commands; he meditates on his commands day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted by flowing streams; it yields its fruit at the proper time, and its leaves never fall off. He succeeds in everything he attempts.
4 Not so with the wicked! Instead they are like wind-driven chaff.
5 For this reason the wicked cannot withstand judgment, nor can sinners join the assembly of the godly.
6 Certainly the Lord guards the way of the godly, but the way of the wicked ends in destruction.
2 Instead he finds pleasure in obeying the Lord 's commands; he meditates on his commands day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted by flowing streams; it yields its fruit at the proper time, and its leaves never fall off. He succeeds in everything he attempts.
4 Not so with the wicked! Instead they are like wind-driven chaff.
5 For this reason the wicked cannot withstand judgment, nor can sinners join the assembly of the godly.
6 Certainly the Lord guards the way of the godly, but the way of the wicked ends in destruction.
Monday, June 16, 2014
Are You Really Ready To Be A Disciple Of Jesus?
Luke 14:25-26 The Cost of Discipleship
Now large crowds were traveling with him; and he turned and said to them, 26 “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
I believe that the Bible is the infallible, inerrant, authoritative Word of God. What that means is, since it is authoritative, it has authority over me. Or put another way, I am in submission to the Word of God. Or put yet another way, if the Bible says one thing, and I say another, then I am the one that needs to change. Now that we have that cleared up, how must we understand this passage?
This passage from Luke shows that Jesus is telling the crowds what the cost of following Him (discipleship) are, and Jesus is pretty clear: Nothing…NOTHING is supposed to be more loved in your heart, or higher on your priority lists than following Jesus. Nothing, nada, zilch, nyet, niente!! Jesus first, everything else behind. This means not your job, not your family, not your friends, nothing comes before Jesus and following Him. Hate your family though? Is that what Jesus wants? As you’ll read in the commentaries below that I included, Jesus doesn’t want you to “hate” your family in the sense of hatred towards them. That would fly in the face of Jesus’ teaching on Love and the law. However, if you love your family more than you love Jesus…something is wrong. You cannot be a Disciple and love anything more than Jesus.
What about Sacrifice? Are you ready to sacrifice for Jesus? Jesus is puting it out there, if you’re not picking up your cross and following Him, you cannot be His disciple. Discipleship means daily sacrifice, daily picking up the cross, and loving Jesus more than anything and anyone else.
Going to church on Sundays is easy. Going to outings, playing on church teams, helping out once a year at camp or VBS, attending a gathering or a weekend retreat…that’s easy. The question though is this: Are you ready to deny yourself, forsake all things and relationships in this World, and submit to sacrifice in service to the King? If you are, then you may be ready to be a disciple and one day hear the words below that we all long to hear! Stay close to Jesus- V
21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy servant; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ Matthew 25:21
Commentaries
Reformation Study Bible: Discipleship means loving the Master so much that all other loves are hatred by comparison.
Asbury Bible Commentary: In further teaching about discipleship, Jesus asserted the priority of loyalty to himself over the closest family ties. The word hate (v. 26) is an exaggeration. Jesus meant that love for family should take second place to devotion for him. People should count the cost of discipleship: giving up everything for Christ. Otherwise disciples become like salt that has lost its strength.
IVP New Testament Commentary Series: With this very short subunit in the journey section, Jesus' attention turns almost totally to his disciples. The leadership has been warned and rebuked. But what does following Jesus really require? The previous parable had hinted that other issues became higher priorities for the original invitees to God's kingdom. This single unit will make it clear that disciples should count the cost of following Jesus, because success will not come easily.
This passage is unique to Luke, though verses 26-27 are like Matthew 10:37-38 and verses 34-35 are similar to Matthew 5:13 and Mark 9:49-50. It is extremely significant that this passage is addressed to large crowds. Jesus offered himself to all, but he also was honest from the very beginning of his preaching about what the journey would involve. What Jesus asks for is first place in one's heart. That is what successful discipleship requires.
So Jesus calls for a follower who will hate his mother and father, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life. The point of the list is that no other relationship is first for a disciple. "Hate" is used figuratively and suggests a priority of relationship. Jesus is first. To follow Jesus means to follow Jesus, not anyone or anything else. A disciple is a learner, and the primary teacher in life is Jesus. This total loyalty is crucial, given the rejection and persecution that lie ahead. If his followers care more about family than about Jesus, when families are divided under pressure of persecution, they will choose against Jesus. This is what lies behind Jesus' remarks. Discipleship is not possible if Jesus is not the teacher.
This is why bearing the cross and coming after Jesus is the issue of discipleship. Learning from Jesus means following him, experiencing the rejection he experienced and so bearing the cross he bore. We cannot "learn Jesus" without being prepared to walk this path. Discipleship is basically allegiance. To follow Jesus is to rely on him. Paul makes the same point in different imagery in Romans 6.
Now large crowds were traveling with him; and he turned and said to them, 26 “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.
I believe that the Bible is the infallible, inerrant, authoritative Word of God. What that means is, since it is authoritative, it has authority over me. Or put another way, I am in submission to the Word of God. Or put yet another way, if the Bible says one thing, and I say another, then I am the one that needs to change. Now that we have that cleared up, how must we understand this passage?
This passage from Luke shows that Jesus is telling the crowds what the cost of following Him (discipleship) are, and Jesus is pretty clear: Nothing…NOTHING is supposed to be more loved in your heart, or higher on your priority lists than following Jesus. Nothing, nada, zilch, nyet, niente!! Jesus first, everything else behind. This means not your job, not your family, not your friends, nothing comes before Jesus and following Him. Hate your family though? Is that what Jesus wants? As you’ll read in the commentaries below that I included, Jesus doesn’t want you to “hate” your family in the sense of hatred towards them. That would fly in the face of Jesus’ teaching on Love and the law. However, if you love your family more than you love Jesus…something is wrong. You cannot be a Disciple and love anything more than Jesus.
What about Sacrifice? Are you ready to sacrifice for Jesus? Jesus is puting it out there, if you’re not picking up your cross and following Him, you cannot be His disciple. Discipleship means daily sacrifice, daily picking up the cross, and loving Jesus more than anything and anyone else.
Going to church on Sundays is easy. Going to outings, playing on church teams, helping out once a year at camp or VBS, attending a gathering or a weekend retreat…that’s easy. The question though is this: Are you ready to deny yourself, forsake all things and relationships in this World, and submit to sacrifice in service to the King? If you are, then you may be ready to be a disciple and one day hear the words below that we all long to hear! Stay close to Jesus- V
21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy servant; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ Matthew 25:21
Commentaries
Reformation Study Bible: Discipleship means loving the Master so much that all other loves are hatred by comparison.
Asbury Bible Commentary: In further teaching about discipleship, Jesus asserted the priority of loyalty to himself over the closest family ties. The word hate (v. 26) is an exaggeration. Jesus meant that love for family should take second place to devotion for him. People should count the cost of discipleship: giving up everything for Christ. Otherwise disciples become like salt that has lost its strength.
IVP New Testament Commentary Series: With this very short subunit in the journey section, Jesus' attention turns almost totally to his disciples. The leadership has been warned and rebuked. But what does following Jesus really require? The previous parable had hinted that other issues became higher priorities for the original invitees to God's kingdom. This single unit will make it clear that disciples should count the cost of following Jesus, because success will not come easily.
This passage is unique to Luke, though verses 26-27 are like Matthew 10:37-38 and verses 34-35 are similar to Matthew 5:13 and Mark 9:49-50. It is extremely significant that this passage is addressed to large crowds. Jesus offered himself to all, but he also was honest from the very beginning of his preaching about what the journey would involve. What Jesus asks for is first place in one's heart. That is what successful discipleship requires.
So Jesus calls for a follower who will hate his mother and father, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life. The point of the list is that no other relationship is first for a disciple. "Hate" is used figuratively and suggests a priority of relationship. Jesus is first. To follow Jesus means to follow Jesus, not anyone or anything else. A disciple is a learner, and the primary teacher in life is Jesus. This total loyalty is crucial, given the rejection and persecution that lie ahead. If his followers care more about family than about Jesus, when families are divided under pressure of persecution, they will choose against Jesus. This is what lies behind Jesus' remarks. Discipleship is not possible if Jesus is not the teacher.
This is why bearing the cross and coming after Jesus is the issue of discipleship. Learning from Jesus means following him, experiencing the rejection he experienced and so bearing the cross he bore. We cannot "learn Jesus" without being prepared to walk this path. Discipleship is basically allegiance. To follow Jesus is to rely on him. Paul makes the same point in different imagery in Romans 6.
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