Southwest Harbor Congregational Church

We observe the radical nature of the gospel as seen in the transformation of Paul from zealous persecutor of the church to preaching to the Gentiles.

An examination of the heart of Herod the Tetrarch. We see that he is a conflicted man in that while he respects and fears John the Baptist he also wants to kill him for saying that it was not lawful for Herod to have his brother Philip's wife. We find that our hearts are often full of weeds that conflict and choke out holiness and sanctification.

Jesus goes to his hometown of Nazareth and teaches. There he marveled at then ultimately rejected by the people he grew up knowing. We find that familiarity can lead to contemptment, that in our own lives sometimes consistent love for Christ becomes a numb behavior and even gets left off for other "more important" things.

We take a look at one of the hardest tests of faith anyone in scripture has gone through, consider the questions it raises and the implications it has in our own lives.

A look into the opening of Paul's letter to the Galatians. We reflect on the grace of God in the formation of His covenant with Abram and how this weaves into the grace that Paul speaks of saying "Grace to you and peace from God... who gave himself for our sins..."

We continue to look at some of the parables that Jesus used to describe the Kingdom of God. Here we find that the Kingdom has small beginnings and that the growth is slow but sure, that the roots go deep. Secondly it is seen that the Kingdom is worth everything and should hold the highest priority in our lives, above family, friends, properties, anything.

Jesus tells many parables showing what the Kingdom of God is like. We see that the Kingdom did not come in the ways that many expected, but rather it is obscured and at times hard to discern. We see that while there are many who claim to be Christians, Christ tells us that only some "seeds fell on good soil and produced grain."

We take a look at the life of Solomon and the pursuit of all his desires and how they ended up only a striving after the wind. We find that nothing in this world will be totally satisfactory, fulfilling us ceaselessly. From this we know that only the worship and praise of God will bring us eternal satisfaction.

Jesus uses an opportunity to show the value of the Family of God showing that it holds a place like our physical family and sometimes even takes priority over our physical family.

Jesus give us a measuring device for our hearts, telling of how our words reveal how we truly are.

Jesus gives warning to the pharisees and to us as well stating that the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. We dive into what this means and what He does not mean.

Jesus paints a picture of His mission to overcome Satan and death.

Jonah flees from the Lord in a rejection of His word. In many ways we can see ourselves in the actions of Jonah in that we often object to the word of God and deceive ourselves thinking we are still being obedient.

We take a look at the differences in the gospel of the pharisees and the gospel of Jesus. We see that the ministry of Christ is radically different than the ministry of the pharisees in that Jesus seeks to please God and is gentle while the pharisees, and often ourselves, are harsh and seek to please people.

Jesus reproves the pharisees for asking for a sign. He tells them that they will only receive the the sign of Jonah "For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

How Jesus makes corrections to a legalistic approach to the Sabbath. Telling of how we are to be merciful.

Jesus shows a holy frustration with the people he has preached to and compares them to children that aren't satisfied with anything. He pronounces judgment on the cities that remain indifferent to him in spite of all his works. Even so he offers to take on our burdens and give us an easy yoke.

Paul gives us a wonderful view of the gospel and through that, encourages us to remain steadfast for Christ, even during times of tribulation. We are admonished here also to 'keep the main thing the main thing' and not to think ourselves superior or beyond the gospel but to press into it in faith.

We find here a passage that shows John the Baptist in a doubtful state. There is some encouragement here seeing that even the strongest of Christians experience times of doubting. However, we are not to stay in the dungeon of doubting but are to remember our highest hope, setting our expectations in proper orientation, looking to Christ and his promises.

Facing one of the most shaking portions of scripture we hear Christ tell that we are to fear God over man, for God is capable of destroying both body and soul. Yet after such a fearful verse encouragement is given showing that God values his people and cares for them.