In the Way with Charles St-Onge

To know the Name of God is to know God himself. And Jesus gives us God's name. Support the showCheck us out at ascensionlutheran.ca and intheway.org.

God has always called us back to himself through a simple pattern: we cry out under the weight of our sin; he provides a sign that points to himself; then he instructs us in salvation. When the Church does this right, it brings "times of refreshing" to a world so deeply in need of refreshment.Support the showCheck us out at ascensionlutheran.ca and intheway.org.

The early disciples held everything in common and took care of the least of their members. They did not do this because it was a law, but out of overflowing gratitude for the grace and gifts that the Lord had shared with them. Support the showCheck us out at ascensionlutheran.ca and intheway.org.

Note: a guest who attends frequently was not in a great mood this Easter, and began to preach his own sermon in the middle of this one. I was going to edit it out... and then realized it might be better to leave it in. This is ministry in the inner city. Support the showCheck us out at ascensionlutheran.ca and intheway.org.

He knows what sorrow feels like. He knows what griefs we bear. He knows we all have gone astray. He holds us up in prayer. He sees the wounds within our hearts, and in our bleeding souls. He died that we might live again. He bled so we’d be whole. Support the showCheck us out at ascensionlutheran.ca and intheway.org.

Mark's Passion of Jesus says as much about the condition of the human race as it does about the character of God. Why do we follow Jesus? Because he alone would suffer what he did and then forgive us for what we had done. Support the showCheck us out at ascensionlutheran.ca and intheway.org.

Jesus tells the disciples that the nations have leaders that lord it over them, and that it shall not be among them. (Mark 10:43) What he says is aspirational, because this often is so among us. But by the grace of God in Christ and through the Spirit, it shall not always be so.   Support the showCheck us out at ascensionlutheran.ca and intheway.org.

When God sent serpents among the people of Israel, they repented and prayed that the Lord would take them away. He didn't, but he did provide a means to live among the serpents in safety, without fear. This is what Jesus does in his being lifted up: gives us the certainty that the poison of sin and death cannot truly harm us. Support the showCheck us out at ascensionlutheran.ca and intheway.org.

God's laws are not a fence within which we can 'do as we please.' They are a lightning bolt to our black hearts. Support the showCheck us out at ascensionlutheran.ca and intheway.org.

Wild animals often serve as a stand in for the forces of evil in Scripture. That Jesus does battle with them, and wins, is a comfort to our times spent in the wilderness with "the beasts." Support the showCheck us out at ascensionlutheran.ca and intheway.org.

Why does Jesus charge the disciples not to talk about his transfiguration until he has risen from the dead? The answer is a real blessing to those who are struggling with life. Support the showCheck us out at ascensionlutheran.ca and intheway.org.

Franklin Roosevelt famously said, “There is nothing to fear but fear itself.” It’s like he was reading Jesus’ mind. Support the showCheck us out at ascensionlutheran.ca and intheway.org.

Satan is in the business of misinformation, disinformation, hoaxes, and lies. But Jesus speaks the truth. He silences Satan and his horde, that we might know his truth and find life in Jesus' name. Support the showCheck us out at ascensionlutheran.ca and intheway.org.

The Lord is slow to anger, gracious and merciful - and is always offering everyone a second chance in Christ. That is Good News for us, even as it is bad news for those expecting judgment on others instead of looking for repentance and trust.Support the showCheck us out at ascensionlutheran.ca and intheway.org.

Peter both confessed that Jesus was the Christ and that he should shun suffering and the cross. Which was his "confession?" From a certain perspective, it was both. Support the showCheck us out at ascensionlutheran.ca and intheway.org.

"Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him sand let none of his words fall to the ground." 1 Samuel 3:19. Our words often fall like sheets of ice off a skyscraper. But God's Word never fails to heal even when at first it might hurt.Support the showCheck us out at ascensionlutheran.ca and intheway.org.

The Lord set Israel apart to be a light in a darkened world. But God's people are too often interested in the selfishness of being special than being special by sacrificing themselves. Support the showCheck us out at ascensionlutheran.ca and intheway.org.

We find the grace of God in the face of Jesus his Son. Support the showCheck us out at ascensionlutheran.ca and intheway.org.

Mary had Elizabeth, the shepherds and the women at the empty tomb had each other. God draws us to him in Christ while drawing us to one another. Support the showCheck us out at ascensionlutheran.ca and intheway.org.

The Lord always meant to be with us where we are, rather than making us be with Him where He is.  Support the showCheck us out at ascensionlutheran.ca and intheway.org.