Feed Editor 28 Feb 2009 20:08:17 GMT Valley Covenant News and Information http://www.valleycovenant.org mail@valleycovenant.org http://www.valleycovenant.org en-us mail@valleycovenant.org Con men lie and deceive in order to steal and sometimes to save their own skins. In Joshua 9 we meet some clever con men from Gibeon who trick Israel into saving them from God's wrath on the Canaanites. Yet their trick strangely turns out to be a vehicle for God's own greatest trick, mercy for those who do not deserve it. 7 Mar 2010 14:22:11 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2010-03-07.htm Like a skater getting back up after a fall on the ice, Joshua and the army of Israel get back up the mountain for another try at conquering the city of Ai. In Joshua 8 we watch the commander and his people be restored to fighting courage and also watch them be renewed in their covenant with God, receiving His blessing. 28 Feb 2010 14:41:19 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2010-02-28.htm One man takes what does not belong to him, and a whole nation suffers defeat in a battle. It seems unfair, but the story of Achan is a lesson in how seriously God regards sin. It's also an occasion for us to discover how our salvation in Jesus Christ is rooted more in a corporate identity than in our individual spiritual condition. 21 Feb 2010 14:17:22 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2010-02-21.htm On Transfiguration Sunday we read the Old Testament text which tells of Moses face shining as he came down the mountain from speaking with God. This prefigures the shining countenance of Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration. The brightness of God at first seems unbearable in all that it reveals about us. Yet as we spend time in the glow which Jesus brings we discover that it is bearable -- in two ways. 14 Feb 2010 14:46:50 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2010-02-14.htm A story often told to children, the battle of Jericho, offers us lessons in devotion to the Lord. First, a lesson in the patient devotion of regular worship, then a harder, darker lesson about devoting to God everything that we have. 7 Jan 2010 14:28:00 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2010-02-07.htm In Joshua chapter 5, God gives His people a spiritual "reboot" through the events of three odd little narratives about circumcision, the Passover, and a strange visitor carrying a sword. We are reminded that God regularly reboots our lives so that we can begin again and enter the new lands into which He is calling us. 31 Jan 2010 14:30:24 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2010-01-31.htm As the Israelites camped beside the swollen, flooded Jordan River, it must have seemed impossible that their thousands of men, women, children and animals would cross it the next day. Yet the presence of God led them on a way they had never been before and they saw amazing things. In the same way, God's presence in Jesus Christ gets us through whatever deep waters we are facing. 17 Jan 2010 14:05:33 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2010-01-17.htm Foes found friends behind enemy lines in the story of Rahab in Joshua chapter 2. Rahab sheltered and saved a couple of Israelite spies and in the process found her own salvation. Yet the story is even larger, for Rahab has a place in our own salvation through Christ. God is at work behind enemy lines. 10 Jan 2010 14:23:24 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2010-01-10.htm Beginning a series of sermons on the book of Joshua, we see how chapter 1 offers a recipe for courage as we face the unknown challenges of a new year. 3 Jan 2010 14:19:37 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2010-01-03.htm On Christmas Eve a little reading from a little letter, Titus 2:11-14, gives us every reason for hope as we celebrate the birth of Christ. 3 Jan 2010 14:16:59 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-12-24.htm What does God want for Christmas? Making a list for Him is a daunting task, especially since our text today, Hebrews 10:5-10, begins by telling us what God does NOT want. Yet we find ourselves blessed in a surprising way as we learn that God provides His own Gift for us to give Him. 20 Dec 2009 13:23:12 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-12-20.htm One pink candle amid the three purples on the Advent wreath reminds us on the third Sunday in Advent that Christ brings us joy in the midst of trouble and sorrow and anxiety. Philippians 4:4-9 urges us to rejoice and turn our anxieties over to God, thinking about a whole list of good and beautiful things which are ours at Christmas through Jesus Christ. 13 Dec 2009 14:28:59 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-12-13.htm Our lives are full of "tin fiddles," cheap tools and gadgets that break or fail to perform the task they are supposed to do. We can't rely on such things. In Philippians 3:1-11, Paul talks about tossing out all the spiritual tin fiddles in which we put our confidence and invites us to put our confidence in Christ alone, a confidence which will see us through to the day of Resurrection. 6 Dec 2009 14:09:23 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-12-06.htm In I Thessalonians 3:9-13 we find the apostle Paul still waiting to take a long delayed journey to visit and encourage his friends at the church in Thessalonica. Yet in the text that little wait and expectation is taken up into the grander story of our wait for the Lord's return. As we begin the season of Advent, Paul offers us a lesson in how to wait. 29 Nov 2009 14:17:56 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-11-29.htm The thankful Samaritan leper and his nine ungrateful companions in Luke 17:11-19 show us that we can be so familiar with God's love and blessing that we miss the best and greatest grace of all. As Thanksgiving approaches, we discover that giving thanks is actually a way to be saved. 22 Nov 2009 13:54:24 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-11-22.htm Servers in restaurants stand as they wait on us. They sit down when their work is done. Jesus is seated at God's right hand because His work is done. We are completely and forever forgiven for our sins. Jesus sitting with His work of forgiveness complete gives us confidence to stand and worship together, encouraging each other to shine with new life, ready for the Day that is approaching. 15 Nov 2009 14:39:54 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-11-15.htm If one were going to put Scripture into a literary genre, then attention needs to be paid to the fact that the Bible ends with a wedding. As we look at the scene of matrimony that closes our story as God's people, we learn something about what kind of story God is telling about our life with Him, and we see the beauty and the wonder of the hope we have as God's people, His saints down through the ages. 1 Nov 2009 13:43:10 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-11-01.htm A perpetual diet of baby food would make for a weak and sickly child as she grows up. Hebrews 5:11 - 6:12 teaches us that Christians, just like children, need to move beyond the simple basics of faith and be nourished by solid instruction, genuine worship and loving service. Young people today are looking for churches to provide solid meat and vegetables, not mere milk and baby food. 18 Oct 2009 14:30:20 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-10-18.htm A scientific study, completed in 2006, showed that prayer for healing made no difference in patient recovery. So why do we keep praying? James 5:13-20 shows us that what God is aiming for when He asks us to pray is a healing that is deeper and more complete than just healing of our bodies. 27 Sep 2009 14:01:36 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-09-27.htm Following his warning about the dangers of the human tongue, in James 3:13-18 the apostle takes up the topic of wisdom. But his concern with the way we speak continues as he calls for "gentleness born of wisdom." Real wisdom will speak and act gently toward others. Any wisdom we have for the problems of life is best offered with gentleness. 20 Sep 2009 14:14:09 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-09-20.htm Guest preacher Mike Fargo is with us again, this time talking about the great power and danger of an unrestrained tongue. As we read in James 3:1-12, the tongue can truly be a destroying, devastating fire. 19 Sep 2009 19:23:47 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-09-13.htm 09B41D1E-D56E-44ED-96F4-F9BC28C15870 Guest preacher Mike Fargo continues our study in James, inviting us to heed James 2:1-13 and to learn to regard others through eyes like God's. Let us regard each impartially and with the kind of mercy with which God regards us. 19 Sep 2009 19:22:06 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-09-06.htm We take mirrors for granted, but when the letter of James was written mirrors were few and of poor quality. As he writes in James 1:17-27, it might have been easy to look at oneself and then go away and forget what you looked like. That's how it is for Christians when their behavior does not match who they are. So we are invited to look into the perfect mirror of God's Word and remember who we are in Christ. 30 Aug 2009 13:15:04 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-08-30.htm No police officer wants to be without a Kevlar vest. No parent wants a child to ride a bike without wearing a helmet. No Christian should want to be without the armor of God. In Ephesians 6:10-20, Paul catalogs for us the spiritual armor God provides for those who serve Him. We learn here what this armor is and how to put it on each day. 23 Aug 2009 14:41:31 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-08-23.htm Being careful doesn't just mean watching what you eat or staying safe when driving or crossing the street. In Ephesians 5:15-20 we find that careful living means "redeeming the time," living in a way so as to offer as much time as possible in glory and honor to God. And that includes singing! 16 Aug 2009 14:44:52 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-08-16.htm We talk a lot with each other, but how much of our conversation is really good? Are we talking in ways that build up each other? Is our conversation welcoming and encouraging and so good that people around us will sense a sweet aroma clinging to us and to our words? That's good conversation in the Body of Christ. 9 Aug 2009 14:33:42 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-08-09.htm Carrying a tape measure around can be handy in many situations. Yet there are some things which can't be measured, even though God invites us to try. In Jesus Christ we enter into the awesome dimensions of God's love and find that their width and height and depth are beyond are imagining. 26 Jul 2009 13:46:00 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-07-26.htm Salvation is not merely a private or individual matter. As Paul unfolds the great glory and mystery of the Church in Ephesians 2:11-22, we learn that Christians are meant to get "it," God's grace and blessing, together, in a community of love and grace. 19 Jul 2009 15:13:19 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-07-19.htm It would be nice if we could be guided to our destiny by a spiritual GPS unit, marking all the turns and distances for us. In Ephesians 1:3-14, Paul does show us our destiny in Christ. But being chosen in Jesus does not give us all the details of our journey. What it does give us is a responsibility for the kind of life which praises God. 12 Jul 2009 15:12:05 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-07-12.htm Losing a big fish combines a thrill of excitement and a thorn of disappointment. Spiritual life also combines thrills and thorns as we learn from Paul in II Corinthians 12:1-10 as he talks about his mysterious "thorn in the flesh," following an awesome vision. Thorns are meant to press us even more into relying on the sufficiency of Jesus' grace. 5 Jul 2009 14:43:17 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-07-05.htm Guest preacher Mike Fargo explores what II Corinthians 6:1-13 teaches us about Christian life. To follow Christ is to accept a "burden" that is as difficult and demanding, but also as joyful and rewarding as having a child. 3 Jul 2009 15:05:05 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-06-21.htm It's a good to feel at home. Yet in II Corinthians 5:6-17 Paul invites us to feel at home not in this present life, but with the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. What lasts is not a nice house or a beautiful body or visible success in this world. What we seek is unseen, a matter of the heart and of faith, rather than of outward appearance. 14 May 2009 14:13:45 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-06-14.htm A trinity of groans is heard in Romans 8:22-27 as we listen to the groans of creation, to our own human growns of frustration and weakness, and to the groans of the Holy Spirit who comes alongside us with "wordless groans" when we don't know what to pray. We celebrate Pentecost as the firstfruits of the Spirit whom Jesus sent to be our helper, even in prayer. With those firstfruits we wait in hope for a harvest of glory in God's kingdom. 31 May 2009 14:11:33 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-05-31.htm The very fact that John repeats so often the command to love each other is a signal that the first century Christians had a hard time obeying it. Our failures to love one another seem so terribly obvious. Yet in I John 5:1-8, John says that our faith is victory that overcomes the world, and he gives us the foundation for actually winning that victory in the love of Christ. 17 May 2009 14:26:09 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-05-17.htm We are so often afraid. . . of the consequences of our sins, of illness like the swine flu, even of each other. In I John 4:7-21 we discover perfect love that comes from God, and it drives away our fear. By seeking love first in its source in God's love to us in Jesus Christ, we grow into love for each other that is strong and fearless. 10 May 2009 14:05:50 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-05-10.htm Read the Valley Covenant newsletter on-line. Outdoor worship with students from Alaska Christian College, Confirmation Sunday, and the youth car wash and garage sale raising funds for their conference in Tennesse are among the highlights. 3 May 2009 14:29:06 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/newsletter/newsarchive/2009-05newsletter.htm In I John 3:16-24, John asks us to give our Christian faith an examination, based on the standard Jesus set by dying on the Cross, laying down His life for us. We set our hearts at rest regarding that examination when we do as He commands and give to each other in genuine love. And even when our hearts trouble us about our motives and authenticity in acts of love, we know that "God is greater than our hearts." 3 May 2009 14:24:06 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-05-03.htm "I'm just an old lump of coal, but I'm gonna be a diamond someday." So says John Anderson singing an old Billy Joe Shaver song. So says the apostle John as he writes about the hope God's children have to become something completely unexpected and wonderful when we meet Jesus. 26 Apr 2009 14:25:58 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-04-26.htm Easter is like a second honeymoon, when we try to recapture some of the excitement that began our Christian faith. Yet we need to "come home" and live in the ordinary times when our faults and sin make it hard to hold on to that excitement. That's why Jesus is our Advocate for those times, someone who both knows what we feel like and is competent to help us by purifying us from sin. 19 Apr 2009 14:23:21 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-04-19.htm You quit believing in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny at an early age. Have we placed Christian faith in the resurrection of the dead is in the same category? We've emphasized the incomplete and transitional hope of "going to heaven." On Easter morning, listen to the apostle Paul explain how if we do not go beyond hoping in heaven to believe that the dead will be raised, our faith is pitiful. 12 Apr 2009 14:12:51 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-04-12.htm Last week the queen of England uncharacteristically humbled herself to receive a hug from the American First Lady. On Palm Sunday, Philippians 2:5-11 reminds us just how much more deeply Jesus our king humbled Himself to be our Savior. 5 Apr 2009 14:30:04 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-04-05.htm In the beginning, God said, "Go fetch!" In creating human beings God bestowed on us the honor of playing with Him a holy game of receiving every blessings He tosses our way and rushing to return it. That's what it means to be a priest. Because we fail in the sacred game of fetch, Jesus Christ became our perfect priest, offering back to God all that we were meant to offer, and ultimately offering us back to God. 29 Mar 2009 14:27:04 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-03-29.htm The Valley Covenant schedule for Holy Week, April 5-12, Palm Sunday to Easter, is now available. Join us to praise God for His greatest miracle! 22 Mar 2009 14:39:10 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/events/holyweek.htm From the slums of Mumbai to the lights of Hollywood--and back again. The incredible journey of the child actors in "Slum Dog Millionaire" is a picture of our spiritual situation as believers in Christ. Saved by grace, we now live between two worlds, between the kingdom of this world and the gracious kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 22 Mar 2009 14:34:41 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-03-22.htm Read the Valley Covenant Church Newsletter online. The March/April issue is now available, with a new two-month format. 15 Mar 2009 14:11:34 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/newsletter/newsarchive/2009-03newsletter.htm CA041A87-3F19-47D8-8ACA-E598E58DF8E1 The way to save the world is in a comic book. The plot of the "Heroes" television series doesn't sound any crazier to many people in our time than does Christian belief that the way to save the world is in the Bible. In I Corinthians 1:18-25, Paul challenges us to embrace the "foolishness of the Cross," and to let go of worldly wisdom that in the end will lead nowhere. 15 Mar 2009 14:06:16 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-03-15.htm The fear of losing a job can can hamper performance in a way that actually makes job loss more likely. Through Jesus Christ, God does not base His inclusion of us in His family on our good performance, which means that in Christ, we work with a safety net. In Romans 4:13-25, as we learn of Abraham's unwavering trust in God, we discover the profound change that God's grace can make in our lives, and in our performance. 8 Mar 2009 14:11:20 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-03-08.htm A drenching walk home in the rain is the image as we begin Lent, remembering how Jesus went down into the deep waters of death in order to bring us home to God. Reflecting on I Peter 3:18-22 we find the "Harrowing of Hell," Baptism, and a cold, wet dog all displaying the depth of God's love and our salvation in Jesus Christ. 1 Mar 2009 14:00:56 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-03-01.htm At times it seems this world we live in is a "Bleak House," as in the title of Charles Dickens' novel. But like the house in the novel, our lives don't need to be bleak because of the way the light of our Master's face shines into them, as Paul says in II Corinthians 4:1-6. 28 Feb 2009 20:43:17 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-02-22.htm You can't run very far without some training. In I Corinthians 9:24-27, Paul calls us to the sort of training we need in order to run the race of Christian life. Part of good training is a focus on the goal, the prize for which we are running. For Christians, the prize is the glorious crown of eternal life with Christ. 28 Feb 2009 20:42:44 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-02-15.htm Sensitivity and humility are what is called for if we want to truly show Christ to others. From I Corinthians 9:16-23, guest preacher Mike Fargo shows how Paul embraced those virtues in his desire "to be all things to all people." This did not make him a deceptive "chameleon" but a loving servant of Christ and of others for His sake. 28 Feb 2009 20:41:46 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-02-08.htm Freedom is not just about having rights. Nor is it about always being right. In I Corinthians 8, Paul questions whether those who think they know what their rights are really know very much at all, at least about what is most important, which is love. 28 Feb 2009 20:40:47 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-02-01.htm Read the Valley Covenant Church Newsletter online. The February issue is now available. 28 Feb 2009 20:39:48 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/newsletter/newsarchive/2009-02newsletter.htm The bursting of an economic bubble makes us almost ready to believe Paul in I Corinthians 7:29-31, where he asks to receive and use the things of this world as only temporary possessions. 28 Feb 2009 20:38:49 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-01-18.htm Even non-Christians may echo Paul's thought in verse 19 of I Corinthians 6:12-20 saying, "My body is my temple." But the verse actually says that, as Christians, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, not our temples, but His temples. God valued our bodies so much that He took one on and raised it from the dead. And through Christ, He wants to live in our bodies and in the end raise them from the dead. So we are called to live in a way that worships God with our bodies. 28 Feb 2009 20:37:51 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-01-18.htm Read the Valley Covenant Church Newsletter online. The January issue is now available. 28 Feb 2009 20:36:17 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/newsletter/newsarchive/2009-01newsletter.htm To have the eternal pleasure of pleasing God is our destiny and glory, so says C. S. Lewis in the "Weight of Glory," and so we see in God's huge pleasure in His own dear Child. God's approval of Jesus at His baptism in Mark 1:4-11 is a hint toward His ultimate approval of us, as we also become His children through faith in Christ. 28 Feb 2009 20:36:11 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2009Sermons/2009-01-11.htm A trick birthday candle keeps relighting after it's been blown out. In Luke 1:26-38, Mary receives the promise of a baby son, whose "kingdom will never end." The darkness does not conquer His light. With Mary we may all receive God's gift of the never-ending light of Jesus. Wed Dec 24 15:53:42 PST 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-12-21.htm Mom always said pointing was not polite, but John the Baptist made a career out of it. From John's example in John 1:6-8, 19-31 we learn that healthy Christian life means pointing others to Jesus as often as we can. Wed Dec 24 15:53:42 PST 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-12-14.htm We clean camera lenses and wash windows so the light can come through clearly. As John the Baptist comes in Mark 1:1-8 to prepare for the coming of Jesus, we think of how we prepare for the light of Christ to come and shine clearly through us. Fri Dec 12 21:55:24 PST 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-12-07.htm Read the Valley Covenant Church Newsletter online. The December issue is now available. 15 Mar 2009 14:11:22 GMT http://www.valleycovenant.org/newsletter/newsarchive/2008-11newsletter.htm You can see farther in the dark, if what you are looking for is a tiny gleam of light. The Advent season is a time acknowledge the world's darkness, both before Jesus came the first time and now, before He comes again. Yet sitting in that dark, whether social, physical or spiritual, we look up and out with hope as we wait for the light of our Lord's return. Tue Dec 2 22:46:31 PST 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-11-30.htm All the creatures and people in Narnia rush toward the Lion, looking him in the face and turning either to his right or his left. So C. S. Lewis pictures the last judgment from Matthew 25:31-46 in the final book of his beloved Chronicles of Narnia. As Lewis intended, from meeting Aslan in the stories, we gain insight into what it means to someday meet the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, Jesus Christ. Fri Nov 28 18:41:15 PST 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-11-23.htm The Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14-30 in not about using human talent, nor even about stewardship. It's about faithful Christian living while awaiting the return of Christ. It's not about what we are offering Jesus, but about what we're doing with what He offers us. Tue Nov 18 18:41:16 PST 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-11-16.htm So how do you get a blonde's eyes to twinkle? Find out as we see how Jesus' first century "blonde joke" in Matthew 25:1-13 calls us to be prepared for His return. Wed Nov 12 21:37:07 PST 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-11-09.htm We all like affirmation and recognition, but that desire sometimes gets out of hand. By His criticism of scribes and Pharisees, Jesus teaches us that what's most important is our recognition by God as His children and humble servants of each other. Fri Nov 7 09:58:22 PST 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-11-02.htm Read the Valley Covenant Church Newsletter online. The November issue is now available. Sun Nov 2 01:07:52 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/newsletter/newsarchive/2008-10newsletter.htm We hear an unusual perspective on Jesus' encounter with a question about paying taxes in Matthew 22:15-22. They say money talks. What if it really could? Listen as a coin tells us what it feels like to be in Jesus' hand. Tue Oct 21 21:00:17 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-10-19.htm He was invited in off the street, so why did he get tossed out of the party because he wasn't dressed right? That's the question raised for us at the end of the parable of the wedding banquet in Matthew 22:1-14. That missing garment is the clue that's there is more to the Christian life than just showing up. Sat Oct 18 21:42:51 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-10-12.htm In a time when foreclosures or evictions for failure to pay are happening all around us (and possibly to us), the parable of the tenants in Matthew 21:33-46 touches a nerve. In holy judgment, God has the right to foreclose on all of us who do not pay up what is due in respect and right living. Yet God's justice is tempered with the heavy mercy of His Son. His grace falls on those who reject it like a stone, but becomes the foundation rock of new life for those receive it. Sat Oct 18 13:00:29 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-10-05.htm Read the Valley Covenant Church Newsletter online. The October issue is now available. Sat Oct 4 22:34:55 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/newsletter/newsarchive/2008-09newsletter.htm If it's a choice between promise and performance, we choose performance. So does God. In the parable of the two sons in Matthew 21:23-32, Jesus teaches that being a Christian is not mere talk about what we believe. Talk needs to become fruitful action. He means for us to do what we say, to promise Him our hearts and lives, and then to perform on that promise. Sat Oct 4 18:00:05 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-09-28.htm It's sad but true that the good fortune of others can make us unhappy. When another person, especially someone who doesn't seem to deserve it, is blessed as much or more than we are, envy and resentment arise. The parable of the workers in the vineyard in Matthew 20:1-16 teaches that God is equally generous to all who serve Him, whether that service is little or great. If that bothers us, the problem is in our own eyes. We need to learn to see each other as God sees us, with good eyes. Sat Sep 27 18:26:22 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-09-21.htm Matthew 18:21-35 Sat Sep 27 18:26:22 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-09-14.htm Read the Valley Covenant Church Newsletter online. The September issue is now available. Mon Sep 1 22:27:11 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/newsletter/newsarchive/2008-08newsletter.htm It's not chocolate cake or cute shoes that are to die for. It's life. The eternal, abundant life Jesus offers is worth giving up everything else, even the life we have now. Jesus thought it was to die for. He calls us to come after Him, believing the same. There is a life to die for. Mon Sep 1 21:06:25 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-08-31.htm A man nicknamed "Rock" for awhile knew and understood Jesus better than anyone else. He became the foundation of the Church, along with the other first disciples. And Jesus says that with such a foundation His Church could even storm the gates of Hell. Mon Sep 1 21:06:25 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-08-24.htm It's shocking when Jesus calls a woman a dog, especially a woman who is simply begging healing for her daughter. The harsh word, followed by the tender mercy of Jesus' help, teaches us that it might be well to be a little more "dog-like" both in our persistence in seeking God and in our humility at His feet when we find Him. Thu Aug 21 08:19:35 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-08-17.htm "Cold feet" may make us chicken out at the last moment before some big step, like marriage! Sometimes Matthew 14:22-33 is understood to encourage us to not get cold feet at some big step with Jesus, like Peter's step out of the boat to walk on the water. But this text is more about cold feet that come to us after the first step. It's an encouragement to hold on to our faith and not doubt, and to walk with Jesus all the way back to "the boat." Wed Aug 13 09:45:04 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-08-10.htm After Jesus fed the five thousand (who were really twenty thousand counting women and children) in Matthew 14:13-21, verse 20 says they were all "filled." That word implies the fulfillment of Jesus' promise in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:6, Luke 6:21) that the hungry will be filled. We also see the disciples participating (by distributing the food) in this miracle, implying that all disciples have a call to feed others so that the hungry of the world may be filled. Tue Aug 12 08:03:53 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-08-03.htm Weeds and good plants often look a lot alike. The growth of weeds is discouraging in a garden, but can be even more so as we see and feel the "weeds" which grown up around Christians in the world. In these parables from Matthew 13:24-43, Jesus teaches His people not to be discouraged in the face of the weeds, but to be good seed living in patience and hope. Wed Jul 23 16:22:44 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-07-20.htm Looking at the often left out verses between the parable of the sower and its interpretation in Matthew 13, we learn that this parable is the "parable about parables." It warns us to hear the Word of God in an attentive, active way which produces fruit for the kingdom. We don't need to change the language of Scripture to fit our contemporary lives, we need to change our lives to fit the language of Scripture. Fri Jul 18 14:09:50 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-07-13.htm Read the Valley Covenant Church Newsletter online. The July/August issue is now available. Fri Jul 18 14:09:50 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/newsletter/newsarchive/2008-07newsletter.htm Athletic success and enjoyment comes from a combination of natural giftedness and dedicated practice. Likewise, spiritual success and enjoyment begins with the gift of grace which we celebrate in worship and from the regular practice of sacrificial living. That combination produces a restful rhythm for life, a yoke that is easy, and burdens that are light, as Jesus teaches in Matthew 11:16-30. Sat Jul 12 10:59:54 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-07-06.htm We seek out the best seats at graduations and football games, seats with a good view. In His vision of the world as God's harvest field, Jesus invites us to take seats which give us a good view of His mission to bring lost and needy people into His kingdom. Sat Jun 21 10:49:26 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-06-15.htm A "holy kiss" between Christians is called for in II Corinthians 13:11-14 and in 4 other places in the New Testament. It's meant to be a standard greeting. In this text the call to kiss is followed by a Trinitarian benediction, reminding us that our community of loving interaction as the church is founded in the community that is God's own being as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. What does offering each other a holy kiss mean today? Sat Jun 7 14:52:14 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-05-18.htm As elections near, we worry about who will be in charge, both of our city and of our country. Yet God's plan is to place Jesus in charge of everything in all creation. What does it mean for Jesus to be in charge of us, and to believe that He will ultimately be in charge of everything? Sat May 10 16:58:33 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-05-04.htm "Black Bear Road," an old country-western song by C. W. McCall, reminds us that shortcuts are not always the best way. Jesus does not offer us a shortcut around or out of the trials of life. Instead, He offers Himself as the true and only way through life into the eternal place He has gone to prepare for us in His Father's house. Taking the Jesus way will transform us into new people. Wed Apr 30 21:37:27 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-04-20.htm The Good Shepherd is perhaps the oldest and best loved image of Jesus. His tender care for His flock and gathering of His lost sheep fills us with peace and assurance. Yet because Jesus has "other sheep" as He says at the end of John 10:1-16, we join in His shepherd work. Yet perhaps it's a little less presumptuous to see ourselves not as lesser shepherds, but as sheepdogs, sheepdogs for the Shepherd. Wed Apr 30 21:37:27 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-04-13.htm The guest became the host when two disciples invited their traveling companion to stay the night with them. In Luke 24:13-35, Jesus met Cleopas and another disciple and revealed Himself to them by teaching the Scriptures and breaking bread. We as the Church still find ourselves in the presence of Jesus in the same two ways, in the Word and the Sacrament. As we welcome Christ our Lord as our honored guest in worship, He offers Himself to us as our gracious Host. Wed Apr 30 21:37:27 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-04-06.htm Gregory the Great said, "The unbelief of Thomas is more profitable to our faith than the belief of the other disciples." The disciple Thomas was absent on Easter and refused to believe Jesus was risen until he saw and touched Him for himself. Thomas is our assurance both that there was a "reality check" at the time of the resurrection, and that doubt and questions are acceptable in the Christian community. Sun Apr 6 13:54:50 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-03-30.htm The worst movie ever made is a science fiction/horror film about a plan to raise the dead. The movie is not frightening at all, but death and the rising of the dead may be. We have many fears that may make it difficult to see how there can be much joy in the Easter message. But like the women running from the tomb on the first Easter, we can have fear and joy mixed as we believe in Jesus. Then as we meet the risen Lord we feel our fear overcome by greater joy, producing great courage for living in the face of that which frightens us. Sun Apr 6 13:54:50 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-03-23.htm The thrill of the crowd on Palm Sunday seems like the kind of experience we want regularly as we follow Jesus. Yet we often find ourselves lacking such excitement, even if we are in a crowd of Christians. We imagine that we need someone or something to inspire us again, when what we may really need are some good habits of devotion that will fuel our inspiration and bring back our excitement when it lags. Sun Apr 6 13:54:50 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-03-16.htm If Easter were a movie, Ezekiel 37 and John 11 would be the trailers. In Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones and in Jesus' raising of Lazarus, we are treated to a marvelous preview of the power and glory of our Lord's resurrection. God raises the dead, and He can and will raise even the very dry bones of our lives. Tue Mar 18 22:02:07 PDT 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-03-09.htm The blind man sees more than those with sight. After Jesus heals his eyes in John 9, a blind man shows more insight into who the Lord is than the religious authorities do. When he finally sees Jesus, he believes in Him and worships Him, which is also the main thing for us. As we see, believe in, and worship Jesus, our eyes are opened more and more to see Him even in the dark places and in the needy people of our world. Tue Mar 4 22:15:28 PST 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-03-02.htm Like a church basketball team in the presence of legendary coach John Wooden, we in the presence of God find ourselves overwhelmed with a sense of our own badness, our sin. The Samaritan woman at the well in Jesus' presence had something of that sort of experience. A holy fear of the Lord's goodness is a natural and proper outgrowth of genuine love for the Lord. Karl Barth says, "We must fear God because we may love God." Fri Feb 29 23:33:11 PST 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-02-24.htm We normally regard fear as a bad thing. Yet the Bible tells us, from Genesis to Revelation, that fearing God is a good thing. It is, says Proverbs 9:10, "the beginning of wisdom." For Lent we begin a series of messages exploring what it means to fear God, and to find that fear to be a source of energy, joy and abundant life. Wed Feb 13 07:51:50 PST 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-02-10.htm Read the Valley Covenant Church Newsletter online. The February issue is now available. Thu Feb 7 21:41:53 PST 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/newsletter/newsarchive/2008-02newsletter.htm In Matthew 4:12-23, we hear that Jesus began His ministry in "Galilee of the Gentiles," a place not unlike the Pacific Northwest in that the faith community was surrounded by a non-believing culture and many temptations. In such a place, "the people walking in darkness have seen a great light." Like the first four disciples leaving their nets and boats, we are invited to leave our own familiar and comfortable places and follow our Lord's light through the dark. Wed Feb 6 23:21:23 PST 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-01-27.htm Show and tell is not just for little kids. We all do it as we show friends our new big "toys" and talk about them. But it becomes really important to "show and tell" when we are introducing a person. John the Baptist, Andrew and even Jesus Himself teach us this in John 1:29-42, as we see them showing Jesus to others and telling them who He is. It's not either/or, it's both/and. We need to both show Jesus in love to others and offer them a good explanation of who He is, what He's done and what He means to us. Mon Jan 28 10:17:08 PST 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-01-20.htm From a driving learner's permit to college entrance to a marriage license to retirement benefits, we face requirements. That's true in Scripture as well, where we find the Ten Commandments and then Jesus' Sermon on the Mount with even more stringent requirements. It's nice to think, as today's dialogue between Jesus and John the Baptist might suggest, that Jesus has met all God's righteous requirements for us. But maybe that's not the whole story. Maybe the Lord's work of salvation which begins in baptism is to make us people who are learning how to meet the requirements ourselves. Thu Jan 17 21:11:43 PST 2008 http://www.valleycovenant.org/sermons/sermonarchive/2008Sermons/2008-01-13.htm