October 13, 2024
Rev. Scott D. Hamley
That’s Offensive! Week 7: Hatred
October 6, 2024
That’s Offensive! Week 7: Hatred 1 John 2:3-11 Our love for God and our belonging to God, our identity in Christ, are both demonstrated by our obedience to his commands. There is no other way to show it. We can’t send God a nice gift basket, so we show our love by doing his will. … Read More »
That’s Offensive! Week 6: Gossip
September 29, 2024
Ephesians 4:25-32 In the verses just before these, Paul compares the Christian life to changing one’s clothes; taking off the old and sinful ways and putting on the new nature, which is in the likeness of God. In these verses, he specifically addresses anger and words. In regards to our speech and our temper, we… Read More »
That’s Offensive! Week 5: Pride
September 22, 2024
1 Corinthians 1:18-31 You can’t talk about sin without talking about pride. In a sense, pride is the original sin. Satan rebelled against God and tried to take his place. Genesis chapter three tells us that Satan succeeded in tempting Adam and Eve into disobeying God by claiming that if they ate the forbidden fruit,… Read More »
That’s Offensive! Week 4: The Unwillingness to Forgive
September 15, 2024
Matthew 18:21-35 In the passage immediately before this one, Jesus is discussing reconciliation within the faith community. And you can’t have reconciliation without forgiveness, so Peter brings it up. He’s no less human than the rest of us. He often doesn’t want to forgive, but he knows Jesus expects it. So, how many times should… Read More »
That’s Offensive! Week 3: Idolatry
September 8, 2024
Galatians 4:8-20 There is a curiosity in here. What is the situation Paul is talking about when he mentions the illness he had when he first arrived in Galatia? This would have been a part of his first missionary journey, when he visited several cities in southern Galatia. The mention of eyes in verse 15… Read More »
That’s Offensive! Week 2: Selfishness
September 1, 2024
2 Timothy 3:1-9 I want to start with an aside. I hate to do that because I know I’m taking away from the main point, but I think it’s important. Paul talks here in verses 6-7 about false teachers working their way into the homes of women. To our ears, that implies sexual impropriety, which… Read More »
That’s Offensive! Week 1: Complacency
August 11, 2024
Matthew 7:21-29 It seems it’s almost become a cliché to talk about how easily offended some people are. It’s often a generational thing, for sure. “My generation wasn’t offended by anything but young people these days are offended by everything!” For the record, I don’t think we should ever make a habit out of needlessly… Read More »
Looking for a Better Connection 10: Generosity
August 11, 2024
2 Corinthians 9:1-15 Let’s talk for a couple minutes here about the background of this chapter. In Acts chapter 11, a prophet named Agabus gave a message from God warning that there would be a severe drought and famine that would affect Judea. We are told this happened during the reign of Emperor Claudius, who… Read More »
Looking for a Better Connection 9: Accountability
July 21, 2024
1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 The witness of Jesus, and the rest of the New Testament, is that Christ will return, but he will do so at an unexpected time. The phrase Jesus used, which Paul picks up here, is that his return will be like a “thief in the night.” So when you hear people say… Read More »
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