Met Amy's mother, Jeanne, brothers Rick and Joe along with sister, April, this evening over dinner at Joe's home up on Wall Street in Idaho Springs.
Amy and I had a great time enjoying barbecued hamburgers and chicken along with the enjoyable company. Unfortunately, I had to leave around 8:30pm to finish up my sermon notes for tomorrow's two sermons. Amy stayed behind to play cards and catch up on familial happenings.
The first sermon is at the 10am service at Calvary Evergreen on Floyd Hill and the other is at the 6pm service at Calvary Idaho Springs.
Rick, Amy's brother will be attending the first service. Yikes! I am already a bit nervous to begin with and more so with Amy's brother sitting in the front row with Amy. But, I'm glad he showed enough interest to attend. It was easy to see how close Rick and Amy are. And, it was patently obvious how loving and protective her family seems to be too.
I forgot how nervous I can get. Just a normal case of in-law jitters is all.
I guess I am as ready as I can be for giving tomorrow's sermons. The morning sermon is about the feeding of the 5000 and how that was foreshadowed in the Hebrew Scriptures. Jesus is the New Moses leading his people out of bondage and slavery just as Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. This is the great Second Exodus.
During the evening service I will be expounding out of the Book of Luke and how the stories related to the sacrifices made by the disciples inspired me to chuck everything and to hit the road on my own itinerant missionary journey across the Great Plains.
It's going to be an exciting day tomorrow. First, I am teaching the Adult Sunday School Class at the United Church, then preaching at Calvary Evergreen then lunch with Pastor Josh and Emily Nelson then preaching at Calvary Idaho Springs. Whew!
Getting back to the subject of my morning sermon...Jesus not only came to the world to lead the Jews out of spiritual bondage but he came to do the same with all of the people of Earth.
Now, today, we find ourselves in the wilderness of life living under the care and auspices of the Savior and are headed to the upcoming Marriage Banquet when the New Heavens and New Earth appear after the last days. Read Isaiah 65-66 and Revelation 19, 20, 21 and 22.
Jesus was the Good Shepherd back during the first century when he fed the 5000 families on the hillside on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. And, he still is the Good Shepherd as well as the Bread of Life today.
I found so many allusions to this feast in the Old Testament set like sign posts along the way alerting readers to the fact that God has from the get go planned on coming down to Earth to become one of us and to ultimately reign as King in the Kingdom of God.
Our ultimate destination isn't Heaven. It's the New Earth where we will reign in the Kingdom of God as sons and daughters of the King of Kings! Imagine that!
In a sidebar...Jeanne offered her old wedding ring to Amy tonight. It's a nice large rock to be sure! Amy and Jeanne will soon be busy making wedding plans. The ceremony is scheduled for October 29th.
Well...I need to get cracking on these sermon notes. So, I will provide an update on tomorrow's events.
The first photo is a piece of unleavened flat bread with pickled Herring as a relish possibly similar to the loaves and fishes which Jesus miraculously created when he fed the multitudes. The second photo is my honey sitting on the steps at church.
Grace and peace to you all.
BR Schoenbein
August 13, 2016- Saturday
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