Trinity United Presbyterian Church

Identity / Inheritance... Our living hope is not just for some day long from now. The resurrection ushers in an entirely new identity for followers of Christ. It reorients how we see God, ourselves and others. It fuels our priorities and directed our obedience.

What is the present-day impact of the Resurrection of Jesus? 1 Peter 1 gives nine (!) ways that Jesus' Resurrection changes our lives today.

On a dusty road, going away from Jerusalem, two disciples don't recognize that the Risen Jesus walks beside them. His miracle ignored and his greatness unnoticed, Jesus speaks with them as they go -- as he often does with us as well. But on that journey, those two disciples are startled by...hope. Even before they know they are with Jesus (!), they are encouraged and thrilled that 1)God is faithful, 2)Jesus is Risen, and 3)Everything is different. Those truths change them and change the Road Ahead.

Through the meticulous preparation for the Passover meal, Jesus not only underscores the significance of tradition, but highlights his pivotal role in redemption, foreshadowing his imminent sacrifice on the cross.  Communion serves as a poignant reminder of the depth of God’s love,  the transformative power of Jesus sacrifice and redemptive work in our lives. 

After such a joyous entry into Jerusalem, Jesus probably surprised the crowd by...weeping. It wasn't the first time he wept over the city (Lk 13:34). What saddens him so is that people do not notice his arrival, his coming near (or "visitation"). God still longs to be noticed, and when his approaches go unnoticed, it brings him to tears.

In life - and especially in the life of following Jesus - it is often a struggle to "keep the main thing the main thing"! Eugene Petersen says, "The Puzzle is why so many people live so badly. Not so wickedly, but so inanely. Not so cruelly, but so stupidly. …People, aimless and bored, amuse themselves with trivia and trash. Neither the adventure of goodness nor the pursuit of righteousness gets headlines." Mary and Martha exemplify this, and the real challenge to choose a singleminded path alongside Jesus.

As Jesus is "on the way" to Jerusalem, he now sends his followers out to minister in advance of his presence. They are Envoys (another word derived from "via") in that they - and we - act as ambassadors of Jesus. Thus, his instructions to them are also for us as we live as Christ's ambassadors (see 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:1)

On our walk of faith, there are temptations to deviate from the road. The cost of discipleship, being swayed by other’s expectations, and having divided loyalties can all play a part. Come hear how we can keep our feet steady on the path and not swerve from our devotion to Jesus.

Generosity is the outcome of an Authentically Grateful life

Paul begins by encouraging the Philippians to stand firm, not waver in their faith.  He also exhorts two women who are bickering to make up. This passage is applicable to all of us as we tend to worry and fret---God gives us a very practical prescription for the problem of worry and anxiety. Verses 8-9 I think of as a filter---that whatever consumes our mind, whatever worry and anxiety we have, we run them through the filter of God's amazing faithfulness and goodness. For Study one way to go through this passage is to make a list of all of the commands and a list of the promises given.

Our citizenship is in heaven: follow me as I follow Christ. What does it mean to have our primary identity as a citizen of heaven? What are the temptations that lure us to put other identities ahead of that? (political, national?). How does a future focus on the coming of Christ change our attitude? (this world and its attractions are temporary)

Whatever gain, I count as loss

As you shine as lights in the world. Our best witness of the work of Christ in our lives is how we…

Church unity is difficult and takes servant-hearted sacrifice. However, Christ came as a servant, giving up privilege and glory for the sake of others – and we should follow his example.

Paul encourages the Philippians to live in a manner worthy of the gospel, standing firm in unity and facing opposition with courage and faith. The key application for a Christian's life today is to embrace a mindset that values Christ above all else, persevering in faith despite challenges, and living in unity and steadfastness. We are encouraged to prioritize our relationship with Christ above worldly desires, knowing that our ultimate hope lies in Him. Just as Paul found purpose and joy in serving Christ amid hardship, modern-day believers can draw strength from this passage to face trials with resilience, knowing that our sufferings can be a testimony to our faith in Christ. God gives us the ability to “walk worthy” (1:27) of Christ, so others will see our example even (and, perhaps, especially...) in our struggles.

How can we live an authentic Christian life – as 24-hour day Christians with integrity–? In saving us, Christ begins the good work of knitting together the parts of our life that feel divided and often broken, even feel incomplete. He will complete it by his Grace and Peace.

If there is any "Scrooge" in the New Testament, it is Herod ("the Great"). But this is more than a story of history - it describes our life today. It says: 1 -- despite what we'd like to believe, Christmas is NOT a perfect time, but instead is a real world of pain and joy. 2 -- The Herods of the world will always be outmatched and confounded by the love and faithfulness of Jesus Christ. Also, there is a bit of Herod in all of us - a part of us that is both threatened by Christ's Lordship and protective of our power.