Who does he think he is?

Jesus comes home and on the Sabbath and he begins to teach in the synagogue.  True to form, “many who heard him were amazed.”  At first.  But then a shift happens.  Maybe those present had come for a big show, after all, if Jesus had done great things abroad, didn’t he owe his own town something really impressive?  And the muttering starts.  Who does this man think he is?  
When we discover who Jesus is, we will discover who we are.  

This Sunday  we also celebrate the ordination of Dr Michael Fallon as Commissioned Pastor.  March 30, 2014, 10:00 a.m.

Cadet Sunday

Last week, March 23, was Cadet Sunday at Ancaster Christian Reformed Church. Our boys' club participated in the service and with them, we celebrated their commitment to growing in their relationship with Jesus - a work in progress!

A matter of life and death

When one of my sons, as a toddler, required stitches, I rushed him to the doctor's office, convinced that we were dealing with an emergency. But  the doctor calmly waited until the waiting room had cleared out so that no one else would have to hear the screaming of a little one being stitched up (or maybe it was his mother who did the wailing). No, the gash our son took to his forehead that day did not constitute an emergency; it was not a matter of life or death.

Sometimes we think something is urgent and it’s not.  But more often, the opposite happens: we fail to see the urgency of the matter; we become complacent about our broken relationships and about our walk with God. When something stands between us and God, don’t ignore it, for it could be a matter of life and death.  Jesus is ready to heal, and then he’s ready to help you with that project you’re working on.  You know the one- the project that displays God’s glory in you. 

This Sunday we welcome our Cadets boys' club and their participation in the worship service. The message is from Mark 3:1-6 and from the Cadets' theme for the year, Philippians 4:1-6. Sunday, March 23, 10 a.m.

Above the law

While we don't always appreciate rules and traditions, we do recognize that without them, it would be anarchy.  So when someone, anyone, claims to be "above the law," we are suspicious and wary.  Jesus came into town one Sabbath, and made that very claim - that he is above the law (Mark 2:23-27).  The irony is that this same Jesus, who is above the law, willingly put himself under the law when he took our sins upon himself.  On Good Friday, justice was done: the debt which was owing for our sins was fully paid.  Join us as we worship our amazing Saviour, this Sunday, March 16 at 10 a.m.

Welcoming Jesus back

We've all said it: "Don't worry, it's not the end of the world!"  Popular media - movies, novels - depict the end of the world as we know it as an ominous, frightening event.  We are curious about Christ's return, but mostly we are fearful. And so, when John McArthur, Chuck Swindoll, and David Jeremiah preach a gospel that says that we Christians will be snatched out of this world when that day of terror arrives, we are ready to embrace the rapture as gospel.  The world may go to hell, but God is going to rescue us from disaster in the nick of time. 

In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul says that we are going to meet the Lord in the air. The word “meet” here is a technical term referring to a custom in Paul’s day. It’s a custom whereby a reception party would be sent out to meet a visiting dignitary and then escort that person on the final part of their trip into the city.  

Of course, this is not a foreign concept to us.  It’s like going to the airport to welcome home your son or daughter who has been overseas for several months.  Oh, they could get a cab, we could greet them when they get to the house.  What’s a few more hours.  But what kind of a welcome would that be?  We go to the airport.  And rather than wait at the curb, we even park the car; so what if airport parking is expensive.  And we position ourselves at arrivals, watching the board to see if the plane has landed.  And then we fasten our eyes on the door through which he will come.  

This is the way we will "meet Jesus in the air" when he returns.  And when we returns, rather than the annihilation of our world, he will make all things news - a new heaven and a new earth (Rev 21). "Encourage one another with these words; encourage one another and build each other up" (I Thess 4:18, 5:11). Join us for worship on Sunday, March 9 at 10 a.m.