Montecito Covenant

Matthew 5:38-48: the way of the olive branch

2009-07-04T16:33:00.000-07:00

The olive branch is Jesus' gift to his followers of an alternative way of dealing with enemies in our lives: love and prayer.

Matthew 5:21-26: On Anger

2009-06-12T11:52:00.000-07:00

Matthew 5:17-20

2009-06-05T14:06:00.000-07:00

June 7th is Trinity Sunday. Trinity is the BIG mystery for the Christian faith. We swing between our attractions to the sovereignty of God the Father, to the intimacy of God the Son, to the energizing emotion of God the Holy Spirit. In the text for Sunday, Jesus, while not pointing to the Trinity per se, speaks of his connection to God and the Law.

Matthew 5:13-16

2009-05-30T20:33:00.000-07:00

50th Anniversary: Don & Rennis

2009-05-05T10:01:00.000-07:00

Joshua 4:6 "What Do These Stones Mean?"

2009-04-25T08:46:00.000-07:00

John 20:19-31

2009-04-18T18:17:00.000-07:00

Easter Sunday 2009

2009-04-11T16:32:00.000-07:00

Palm Sunday

2009-04-04T16:36:00.000-07:00

John 3:1-17

2009-03-20T17:04:00.000-07:00

John 2: 13-25

2009-03-13T08:39:00.000-07:00

Jesus' cleansing of the Temple made a mess. We don't like messes, especially when others make them. But what about Jesus? Does he ever rearrange the furniture in your life? Does he tip over tables loaded with clutter? Does he try to make your life less a place and business and more a place of prayer?

Mark 8:34-38

2009-03-07T19:08:00.000-08:00

Transfiguration: Mark 9:2-8

2009-02-21T15:48:00.000-08:00

What do you see? What visions sustain your life and your faith? What are your most precious pictures? What is the role of seeing to your believing?

Mark 1:40-49

2009-02-14T17:13:00.000-08:00

What does barbed wire have to do with leprosy? Who are the ones we put a "barbed wire" fence around?

Mark 1:29-39

2009-02-07T20:59:00.000-08:00

What does Jesus' prayer life teach you?

Mark 1: 14-20 Leave your nets...for His

2009-01-22T18:24:00.000-08:00

It's about discipleship...and it's about learning. Disciples are life-long learners of new ways to fish.

I Samuel 3:1 & John 1:43-51

2009-01-18T07:42:00.000-08:00

The weather vane tells us what shape our spiritual weather system is: cold or hot, windy or still, parched or lush. The leaning staff speaks about Jesus, the good shepherd who is always on the prowl, seeking the lost and calling them to him.

John 1: 1-18: the Word became Flesh

2009-01-04T08:37:00.001-08:00

Luke 2: 22-40

2008-12-28T08:07:00.001-08:00

Christmas begins uniquely with the birth of Jesus, then gets anchored in the Jewish traditions of the Temple; the presentation of the child and the purification offerings for the mother.

Advent #1: Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19

2008-11-29T16:03:00.000-08:00

The Shepherd's staff hints at the theme for the day. We are a people lost and stuck, badly in need of a shepherd to save us.

Matthew 25: 31-46

2008-11-23T07:25:00.000-08:00

Christ the King Sunday celebrates a different kind of kingdom, a kingdom of care.

Matthew 25:1-13

2008-11-08T12:01:00.000-08:00

Who's wise....who's foolish?

All Saints' Sunday

2008-11-01T18:19:00.000-07:00

Psalm 34:1-10 for desperate saints

Matthew 22:34-40

2008-10-25T18:09:00.000-07:00

Sunday is Reformation Sunday. The color is red. The text is the questioning of Jesus about the greatest commandment and he give back two; love God, love your neighbor.

What Image Do You See?

2008-10-18T08:56:00.000-07:00

Matthew 22:15-22 is the encounter of the Pharisees and Herodians with Jesus. It's the trap-question about taxes. Holding a denarius, Jesus asked them whose image and whose inscription is on the coin? The emperor's image and name is the answer. Then Jesus told them to give back to the emperor what belongs to the emperor and give back to God what belongs to God. The mirrors on the table reflect what we see: serving towels of love or a basket of spilled coins?