Taking a Break

So we haven't updated this in a long time. I think the main reason for me was that I was feeling like this was something I had to get done, rather than something I was excited to do. So, I decided to take a break. We are having a good summer. I have had a few opportunities to preach and am currently working on a sermon for this Sunday. Here's the essence of it:

Scripture: Gal 6:14-16

Subject: Should we place our boast in circumcision?

Compliment: No, circumcision is nothing, our boast must be in the cross of Christ through which comes new creation.

Exegetical Idea: We should not place our boast in circumcision, but in the cross of Christ through which comes new creation.

Homiletical Idea: Where your boast is, there your heart will be also.

Purpose: Listeners should understand that our efforts at attaining the fruit of the Spirit, living by the Spirit, walking in step with the Spirit, and following Paul’s rule are derived from the cross of Christ and how much of our pride, boast we place in it. Listeners should feel a sense of relief that they are not dependent on trying to produce their own fruit, but only keep the cross of Christ as their source of pride.

This is how I developed my sermons. It's based on Haddon Robinson's Exegetical Preaching Method. He was my prof at seminary and is well known as one of the best preachers in the US. Hope all are well. Come visit.

Parent's Post

My Parents put up a nice post (with lots of pictures) about their trip out here with us. You can go to it by clicking on the "Mom and Dad" link on the left hand side of the page under Friends.

Graduation Day

So busy, but so close

I have one assignment left to complete and will finish officially next Tuesday, April 24. Kim and I have been extremely busy looking for apartments, but we found one. Here are the pictures from Craigslist of the apt. We will be living in Watertown, MA, which is about 20 minutes from the church and 45 minutes from Kim's work. We promise to much more faithful as soon as summer rolls around here. We'll post more pictures once we set up the apt. Oh and by the way, it is a working fireplace. We're stoked :)

Downs & Ups

Once again the March Madness brackets have been a humbling experience. once again I was in first place after the first day and then fell an amazing 50 some places onto the second page of our listings. Once again, my stinking brother will defeat me. Most amazingly my sister is in first place having correctly selected all four of the final four teams. Life is in warp speed right now as I try to finish my reading, two sermons and two papers for the semester. I am very much enjoying getting to know the Westgate family as I am visiting two to three couples/ individuals a week. Our home fellowship group are preparing to host a prayer room the Tuesday of Holy Week (April 3). If you have any ideas or have experienced a prayer room before, let us know by leaving a comment. We promise to be more faithful once the semester is over and we have moved. Love for you to pray for us concerning that as our budget will be tight and housing is EXTREMELY expensive out of here. Out of control expensive. Oh well. We know that if God has called us here, he will provide the right place for us. Take care everybody!

1,005 Days and Counting

Last Thursday, March 8, Kim and I celebrated our 1,000th day of marriage. Although Kim didn't know it, I knew it. We ate dinner in Boston's South end near the theater district. We ate at Masa's; a swank, trendy, no one over 40 admitted (at least it seemed like that) place to be. We ate in the two person booth in the middle of the picture. Kim had the tuna and said it was the absolute best tuna she has ever had beating out the great tuna she had in Costa Rica on our honeymoon. I had the steak frites and they were marvelous. We do not go into to Boston to eat all that often. Perhaps a few times a year when we have guests visiting. It was a great treat. My mother will be happy to know that we used the gift certificates that she gave us for Christmas of '05. I wanted to use it for a special night rather than any old time and last Thursday was that night.

God's Names & Ours

Tonight for our home fellowship, I plan on speaking to our group about the many names that God has given us to describe Himself in the Bible. Here is a great website with many of those names: http://www.ldolphin.org/Names.html. It includes Scriptural references as well. Some of my favorites are Jehovah-Shalom: "The LORD our Peace," Jehovah-Tsidkenu: "The LORD our Righteousness," and El Roi, "God of Seeing." Since many of the kids in our group don't realize that Biblical names revealed an aspect of that person, I am going to have the meanings of all the kids' names in the group, and we shall see if they can guess who's name means what. For a great site to find out the etymology and history of first names, check out: http://www.behindthename.com/. Two questions: 1. Do you have a favorite name for God? 2. What does your name mean?