April 29, 2018 – Today right after our worship service, I am hosting a welcome lunch for people who are new to Calvary East. Over the past few years, we have held a meeting like this every quarter. They give me a good opportunity to introduce people to what
Continue readingTo read Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, most of us turn to the Gospel of Matthew. But Luke also records the sermon in his Gospel, and there are several differences. In the English Standard translation, Matthew’s version is around five hundred words longer. He includes several memorable parts that Luke
Continue readingEvery structure has some parts that can be removed, while others are essential. Take away one stone in an old archway and the whole thing will come crashing down. When you look at Christianity today, it can be difficult to determine what parts are essential, what parts are open to
Continue readingFor the past two years, we have decorated our sanctuary at Calvary East in ways that reinforce the main themes we have covered in our study of God’s Word. In 2016, we explored Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. So, our display featured waves and curves in bright spring colors on
Continue readingTo identify someone, we rely on physical characteristics like height, weight, hair color, and facial features. But the authors of the New Testament Gospels did not consider any of these details important in telling us about Jesus Christ. Instead, they focus on his character, teaching, and abilities. As we continue
Continue readingOrganization seems to be a normal part of New Year’s resolutions. People organize their time by getting a new calendar. They organize their stuff by getting new bins and containers. Christians have also found it helpful to organize our beliefs. A systematic approach to theology identifies the various subjects
Continue readingThursday, December 28, 2017 Almost every sermon I shared with our church family in 2017 tied into the idea of shining in the darkness. As we celebrated our 10th anniversary last January, it seemed fitting to focus on this concept that captures our mission and is even displayed in our
Continue readingDecember 22, 2017 One of the classic Christian books of the 20th Century is J. I. Packer’s Knowing God, that examines the attributes of God’s character—majesty, wisdom, truth, love, grace, justice, wrath, etc. Over the past few months I have been reading through it with our staff. If you happen
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