Extraordinary Claims

In America, we've made a promise with ourselves not to beat up on each other over religion. That's a good decision, I think. All one has to do is to look to countries in which that promise hasn't been made to see the costs of religious intolerance. But our faith has a degree of exclusivity built into it because of the claims made about and by Jesus. Logic would lead you to the conclusion that Jesus either was who He said He was, or He was ... well ... nuts. We who believe He was who He said He was don't like that alternative. Those who don't believe He was who He said He was, don't like to hear us boast of it. What does it mean, then, to follow Jesus? Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, KY for this week's sermon from John 10:1-10, "Extraordinary Claims", by clicking on the title above, or any of the blue text here.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

The Power of the Powder

As a nation, we really believe in the power of gunpowder to resolve conflicts. From our entertainment choices to our private thoughts, we truly believe that since evil exists in the world, the only course is to oppose it violently. Then, somewhat hypocritically, after making the power of the powder our national mantra, we are surprised when some of our citizens reach the conclusion that violence is the answer to conflict in their own lives. We shouldn't be surprised.

But the deed is done. Osama bin Laden has been killed. Whether that was the right thing to do is for another time. I'm not smart enough to answer it in any event. The question we can approach on this Mother's Day is that of how is a Christian to relate to the use of violence to resolve conflict? Join the Congregations of the Chapel of St. Starbuck and Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, KY for "The Power of the Powder", our sermon this week from Romans 12:17-21 and Luke 24:13-35.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Riggin the Wheel

It has been a long, dark trip through Lent as we contemplated the last week of Jesus' life, but now, He is Risen and we find ourselves in the season of Easter. So we should eat Brussels Sprouts and read Pascal! If you don't immediately see the connection between a 17th Century mathematician and Brussels Sprouts, join us for this weeks sermon, Riggin' The Wheel, from Acts 2:14a,22-32 and John 20:19-31 by clicking the title above, or any of the blue text.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

The Pastor's Dream

Today's sermon brings to a close the walk we took with the Disciples of Jesus as they entered Jerusalem through the east gate to face the forces of Rome entering through the west gate. What is the significance of these two entries -- military might, force and violence on the west side of the city, some guy on a donkey on the east side? These are our two life courses laid out before us. When we are frightened or angry about crime, we turn to the west gate. "Hanging's too good for them", we cry. "Fill the prisons so that we can feel safe in our homes", we shout with those at the west gate. But at the east gate is some guy on a donkey, and he has a different message. Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, KY for our sermon from Acts 10:34-43 and Matthew 28:1-10, The Pastor's Dream, by clicking on any of the blue text.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

The Three Little Pigs

What would you predict would happen to some rube from who-know-where in Galilee who came to Jerusalem in 30 A.D. and made a disturbance? Wouldn't you predict that he'd get beaten up by the Roman troops, or maybe disappear mysteriously and that would be the end of that?

That's not what happened at the East Gate of Jerusalem, sometime around 30 A.D. Just such a guy entered the East Gate just as Pontius Pilate entered the West Gate with the reinforcements for the Antonia Fort. The rube from Galilee somehow upset the chief priests, the scribes and the Romans, the three little pigs, so much that they hunkered down in their brick house and squealed "Not by the hair of my chiny-chin-chin". Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, KY for this Palm Sunday's sermon, "The Three Little Pigs" from Philippians 2:5-11 and Matthew 21:1-11 by clicking on any of the blue text.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Thursday

We've followed Jesus' steps in his last Week from Sunday to Thursday. On Maundy Thursday, there was a secret meal. Jesus went to enormous trouble to see to it that his entire community, even including Judas, was present to remember the Exodus. Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, KY for this week's sermon from Exodus 12:1-14 and Mark 14:12-25, titled Thursday, by clicking on any of the blue text.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.

Wednesday

It is the fourth Sunday in Lent, and so we take up the fourth Day of Holy Week -- Wednesday. The story of Wednesday is the story of failed discipleship. Mark tells us of Jesus' attempts to prepare His disciples for their part in the events of Holy Week, and also documents the disciples' utter failure to grasp that we cannot say "Jesus did it all". We are, rather, challenged by Jesus to follow him and to participate with him in His death and resurrection. Join the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky for this week's Lenten sermon, "Wednesday" from Mark 14:1-11 and Romans 12:1-3 by clicking on any of the blue text.

Community Presbyterian Church of Bellefonte, Kentucky, was built on the casting floor of a 19th Century iron blast furnace. We use "The Casting Floor" as an image for the power of the Spirit to form us. Visit us at http://communitypresbyterian.org.