Keeping an Eye on Baby

How many times have your father and I told you not to play in the alley!

Turtle Trifle

From the kitchen of Barbara Pomarolli:

Makes 10 servings
Prep: 20 minutes, chill: 1 hour

Mascarpone is rich double or triple cream cheese made from cow's milk.

8 oz. mascarpone cheese, softened (1 (8 oz) package cream cheese may be substituted)
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (2 lb) frozen pecan pie, thawed and cut into 1 inch cubes
1/3 cup chocolate fudge topping
1/3 cup caramel topping
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Teaching Baby to Jump

Like this. No, no, watch carefully and cut out the laughing.

Clam Chowder

From the kitchen of Marilyn Sowell:


CLAM CHOWDER

1 Stick Butter                                        4 cups Clam Juice

1 cup chopped celery                            2 Tablespoons fish or clam base

1 cup chopped onion                             3 cups potates, cooked & diced

4 slices bacon, cooked                          1/3 cup corn starch

1 quart 1/2 n 1/2                                     5 cans chopped clams

pepper to taste

Pork Roast

From the kitchen of Marilyn Sowell:


PORK ROAST

pork loin                                1/2 cup white wine    

potatoes                                 1/4 cup corn starch

carrots                                     2 cloves garlic

onions                                      Emeril seasoning

flour to brown meat                  olive oil

What Man Is This?

Here is the text of Sunday's closing hymn. The tune is the same as used for the Christmas carol "What Child Is This?" The text is based on the story of Jesus calming the sea in Mark 4:35-41.

What man is this, who lays his head
In weariness for sleeping?
Disciples row across the sea
His care with love they’re keeping.
This, this is Christ their Lord
Who teaches with authority,
Praise, praise the Man of God
Messiah, the Lord Anointed.


How can he sleep midst wind and storm
The per’lous waves come crashing?
How now does he command the wind
So stormy gale is ceasing?
This, this is Christ the Lord
Who rules o’er wind o’er sea and storm
Fear, fear the Son of God
Messiah, the Lord Anointed


What man is this who hangs on high
With head bowed down and moaning?
Who does not still the storm that strikes
But bearing our sin is groaning?
This, this is Christ the Lamb
Who bears the cross for me, for you.
Hail, hail, the Lamb of God
Messiah, the Lord Anointed.

Thankful Call

Ginger and I are very pleased to receive and accept an offer from the LOPC session to stay on as assistant pastor. You will not notice a difference of what I do, except that we will no longer use the phrase "while we are here." Although we will still use the biblical phrase, "the Lord willing." It is great to be settling down with a church that we have quickly grown to love.

Fetch

To fetch might be a natural instinct for a dog, but then, maybe not.

Caught in a Storm

Mark 4:35-41                                      Caught in a Storm

2/22/15            D. Marion Clark

Introduction

In the story of Jonah, there is a sea storm that threatened the sinking of a ship. The mariners feared the storm and the sinking, but of special note was their reaction to the calming of the sea that took place after Jonah’s toss overboard. We are told that they feared God. We come to a similar story of a storm-tossed boat, in which the disciples of Jesus fear their boat’s sinking. And, like the Jonah story, it was the calming of the storm that led to an unexpected response.

A Thirsty Woman

John 4:1-42                              A Thirsty Woman

2/15/15            D. Marion Clark

Introduction

We cannot claim that we live in an age of scandals, as though they were not prevalent in other times. But with the advent of the media technology, the internet, and, in particular, social media, scandals are much easier to uncover. How Jesus would fare today? His simple act of asking for water was a scandal in his day, a scandal he evidently was will to risk.

A Time to Preach

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. ³⁶ Simon and his companions went to look for him, ³⁷ and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”
³⁸ Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” ³⁹ So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons (Mark 1:36-39).

What may we learn from Jesus?

1. Turn to God in prayer when momentous decisions before us. Jesus was resolute because of the time he spent in prayer discerning the will of God. If we follow his example of making the time for serious prayer, we will be able to make the difficult decisions and to act with confidence and in peace.

The Authority of Jesus

And they went into Capernaum, and immediately on the Sabbath he entered the synagogue and was teaching. ²² And they were astonished at his teaching, for he taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes. ²³ And immediately there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit. And he cried out, ²⁴ “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God.” ²⁵ But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be silent, and come out of him!” ²⁶ And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying out with a loud voice, came out of him. ²⁷ And they were all amazed, so that they questioned among themselves, saying, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him.” ²⁸ And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee (Mark 1:21-28).

It is authority that Mark is bringing to our attention.  Consider then what we are to understand about it.  It is significant that the hearers of Jesus’ teaching and observers of his exorcism do not use the term “power.”  “This guy sure is a powerful preacher!”  “What power he must have to cast out a demon!”  Jesus, to be sure, is powerful, and elsewhere that term will be used to describe his miracle work, but the point being made here is the authority he possesses.  Jesus is able to teach what he teaches because of the unique authority he has.  He is able to cast out demons by a mere command because of his authority over them.  It is his authority that compels obedience by even the forces that opposed him.  Jesus came not just as a powerful warrior but as the supreme authority over his dominion.

Expectations

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, ¹⁵ and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” ¹⁶ Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen. ¹⁷ And Jesus said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” ¹⁸ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. ¹⁹ And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. ²⁰ And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.

As Jesus did not meet expectations then, so he does not now. What is essential is to understand Jesus on his terms. Throughout his gospel Mark raises the question: Do you get it?  Do you understand now who he is?  The difficulty is not Jesus’ inability to match our expectations; it is our own inability to shed ourselves of the expectations that skew our understanding of him.  This is the Son of God, the divine being who takes on flesh; the eternal God who dies; the Holy One who takes upon himself the sins of the world.  This is the Glory of Israel who displays his glory through humble service.  He is not easy to comprehend, and we must be careful not to perceive him through our preconceived filters.

Opening the Way

At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. ¹⁰ Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. ¹¹ And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.” ¹² At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, ¹³ and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him (Mark 1:9-13).

¹⁰ As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open.  What a dramatic phrase – heaven being torn open.  What is being signified?  Why doesn’t Jesus just see the Spirit coming down?  There is a similar phrase in Isaiah 64:1 which goes like this: Oh, that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains would tremble before you!  Isaiah is calling to God up in heaven to come down and help his people.  Perhaps Mark is alluding to that passage, stating that in Jesus God did come down or that God came down to descend upon Jesus.

Preparing for Jesus

And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.  ⁵ The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River. ⁶ John wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. ⁷ And this was his message: “After me will come one more powerful than I, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.  ⁸ I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Do you know the most effective tactic that Satan uses to keep people from repentance?  It is to give them the sense that they always have time later to repent.  And don’t we feel that way?  Who really feels that the Day of the Lord may be today?  I’m not asking who believes, but who emotionally feels that way.  Or who believes that today he or she may actually die?  Time, we all believe we have it; we all believe that no matter how we may be living now, we will have the time to get things right.

Animal Buddies

I know it's a commercial, but still fun to watch.

What About You?

The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God (Mark 1:1).

The opening verse presents the theme of the Gospel of Mark. Mark lays his cards right on the table, so to speak.  He says, “I am about to lay before you such wondrous words and actions of this man Jesus, that you will see that he was and is no mere man but the actual Son of God.”  It is clear that Mark is begging the question throughout the gospel: “See, do you get it now who he is?”

The Last Prophet

Matthew 11:2-6                      The Last Prophet

2/8/15              D. Marion Clark

Introduction

What would it have been like to encounter Jesus in the flesh? To see him with your own eyes, hear his voice, witness his deeds, and listen to his teachings? What impact would he have had on you? Our new sermon series thinks about such questions. We will consider the testimonies of several characters in the gospels, who bear witness to our Lord. Our first character is Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist.

The Fear of the Lord

Proverbs 31:28-31

Her children rise up and call her blessed;
    her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women have done excellently,
    but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
    but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
    and let her works praise her in the gates.

In the praise of the wife by her husband and children, we learn the real source of her virtues. She is a person "who fears the Lord." And so the end of Proverbs leads us back to the beginning: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge..." (1:7).

Good Purpose

Proverbs 31:20-27

She opens her hand to the poor
    and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
    for all her household are clothed in scarlet.[f]
22 She makes bed coverings for herself;
    her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates
    when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them;
    she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
    and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
    and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household
    and does not eat the bread of idleness.


The woman of wisdom engages in productive work for good purposes. Many people are productive so that they may enjoy wealth for themselves. Many work hard so that they can attain fame, wealth, and power for themselves. The wise woman works that she may help the poor and needy; that she may provide for her household. She is a blessing to her husband. Furthermore, her good work is not limited to the ability of her hands, but she teaches with wisdom; she teaches others what she has learned, what it is to be kind; she teaches the joy of doing good for others.

Productive Work

Proverbs 31:13-19


She seeks wool and flax,
    and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant;
    she brings her food from afar.
15 She rises while it is yet night
    and provides food for her household
    and portions for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
    with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She dresses herself[e] with strength
    and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
    Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
    and her hands hold the spindle.

What is the excellent wife like? She is industrious. She works with willing hands, making good use of her time to provide food and be productive. How different she is from the sloth who declares, "There is a lion in the street!" and so does not get out of bed.

Topo Gigio

I loved Topo Gigio on The Ed Sullivan Show.

An Excellent Model

Proverbs 31:10-12

An excellent wife who can find?
  She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
  and he will have no lack of gain.
She does him good, and not harm,
  all the days of her life.

Proverbs, which presents lesson after lesson about the way of wisdom and righteousness, closes by presenting the example of a wife living such a way. She embodies the attributes of wisdom, also depicted as a woman in chapters 3, 8, and 9. As wisdom is declared to be more precious than jewels in 3:15, so is an excellent wife. As a man may trust in wisdom and profit from her, knowing that good comes from her, so a husband may trust the wise and righteous wife.

Questioning Elders

This past weekend we had a retreat of all the church elders. Friday night was a dinner that include spouses. To help get to know one another, I asked everyone to give an answer to the question of their choice. Here are the questions. Which one would you have chosen?

Almost Sold Out

A week ago there were 200 tickets available for Amy Reber's concert at the church February 22. As of yesterday, there were 26 left! If you want to attend the Winter Event Dinner Concert, I suggest you call the church as soon as you can. Tickets are free, but you must reserve them. The church number is 706-484-0600.

Tunnel Vision

Tunnel vision can produce wide-eyed vision, as these babies demonstrate.

How to Do Everything

Introduction

We come to the end of a series on the church as presented in Colossians 3:12-17. We are to wear the traits of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, and forgiveness. We are to put love on over all, be ruled by the peace of Christ, and let the word of Christ dwell richly in our hearts. Verse 17 sums it all up.

Text

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

The Role of a Ruler

Proverbs 31:1-9

The words of King Lemuel. An oracle that his mother taught him:
What are you doing, my son? What are you doing, son of my womb?
What are you doing, son of my vows?
Do not give your strength to women,
  your ways to those who destroy kings.
It is not for kings, O Lemuel,
  it is not for kings to drink wine,
  or for rulers to take strong drink,
lest they drink and forget what has been decreed
  and pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
Give strong drink to the one who is perishing,
  and wine to those in bitter distress;
let them drink and forget their poverty
  and remember their misery no more.
Open your mouth for the mute,
  for the rights of all who are destitute.
Open your mouth, judge righteously,
  defend the rights of the poor and needy.

A ruler is placed in his position for the purpose of serving those under him, judging righteously, and defending the rights of everyone, especially those who are vulnerable to oppression. As such, he is to see his advantageous position of power and wealth as a responsibility to all the more act soberly and maintain integrity, both of which these very possessions dangerously tempt him to lose.