Fall Creek Christian Church

"Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, 'Listen to me, everyone, and understand this.  Nothing outside a person can make them unclean by going into them.  Rather, it is what comes out of a person that makes them unclean."  Mark 7:14 - 16 While attending a martial arts class many years ago, we had some random man show up in a full ninja outfit, complete with mask and sword.  The instructor had seen him before so he wasn't too concerned.  At some point, he came back and took the instructor up on an offer to work out with him.  It turns out the man had absolutely no clue about martial arts.  He looked the part on the outside, but inside ... nothing. Jesus had a challenging time, as this passage in Mark reveals, convincing people that outward appearances of righteousness did not make a person right with God.  He continually drove people to evaluate the internal.  What's in the heart?  Is there a genuine love for God and others or ...

"As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at his tax collection booth. 'Come be my disciple,' Jesus said to him.  So Levi got up and followed him.  That night Levi invited Jesus and his disciples to be his dinner guests, along with his fellow tax-collectors and many other notorious sinners. (There were many people of this kind among the crowds that followed Jesus.)"    Mark  2:14-15 On more occasions than I care to admit, I've found myself in a place of real internal tension being around certain people.  It wasn't an issue of personal safety.  It was an issue personal image.  I didn't really want people to see me with that person or those people.  It feels really ugly even as I write the words, but I'm just being honest.  My suspicion is that I'm not the only one who has struggled with this insecurity. Thankfully, Jesus was and is perfectly comfortable with those at the bottom of the social strata.  He was neither dim...

"Jesus said, 'My friend, go ahead and do what you have come for.'  Then the others grabbed Jesus and arrested him.  One of the men with Jesus pulled out a sword and slashed off an ear of the high priest's servant.  'Put away your sword,' Jesus told him.  'Those who use the sword will be killed by the sword.  Don't you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us and he would send them instantly?  But if I did, how would the scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?'"  Matthew 26:50-54 As the tires spun wildly, the truck made absolutely no forward progress.  The snow and ice were not impressed with horsepower or towing capacity.  As the tires began to smoke, I caught myself saying, "Gentle ... gentle ... gentle"  Why?  Simply, the faster the tires spun the less traction they had.  The power needed to be restrained. In our verses for the day, we see this same principle at work. ...

"Moses listened to his father-in-law's advice and followed his suggestions.  He chose capable men from all over Israel and appointed them as leaders over the people.  He put them in charge of groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten.  These men were always available to solve the people's common disputes.  They brought the major cases to Moses, but they took care of the smaller matters themselves."     Exodus 18:24-26 There are moments when I feel like I have it all figured out.  Moments when my understanding is full and complete void of any blind spots whatsoever.  Moments when they are wrong and I am right.  These are the moments when I am at my worst.   Moses is described in the Bible as one of the most humble people who ever lived.  Today's verses reveal this quality of humility in Moses in unmistakable terms.  He was teachable.  He didn't feel the need to impress his father-in-law with his newfound celebrity...