It’s time to follow Jesus

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.

“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.”

At once they left their nets and followed him.

Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets.

Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.

~ Matthew 4:18-22

Jesus heals two blind men

After Jesus raised a dead girl, he went on from there. Two blind men followed him, calling out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”

When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

“Yes, Lord,” they replied.

Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; and their sight was restored.

Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.” But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.

Edited verses and excerpts taken from Matthew 9:27-31

Sunday School at Living Hope

Sunday School begins at 9:00 on Sunday mornings!

The children start out in the chapel, and then go to their classrooms for a Bible story and an activity. They finish with a snack in the Fellowship Hall. 

Bible Studies for adults and teens are held during that same time period. Infants and toddlers can be with their parents during Bible study.

• This is an opportunity for the entire family to learn about God’s mercy and love 
• This is a great time to ask questions
• This is a fantastic time to meet new friends
• The coffee is hot and you are always welcome to join us!

Jesus raises a dead girl

A man named Jairus, a synagogue leader, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.

As Jesus was on his way, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. “Your daughter is dead,” he said. “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.”

Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”

When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child’s father and mother.

Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.”

They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up.

Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened.

Edited verses and excerpts taken from Luke 8: 40-56

The Loving Father (Prodigal Son)

Jesus told this story to help us understand that God is our compassionate and loving Father, and he will forgive our sins for Jesus sake if we repent.

There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, “Father, give me my share of the estate.”  So he divided his property between them.

Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.  After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

When he came to his senses, he said, “How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death!  I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.”  So he got up and went to his father.

But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

The son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.”

But the father said to his servants, “Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”  So they began to celebrate.

Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. “Your brother has come,” he replied, “and your father is having a feast because he has him back safe and sound.”

The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, “Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders.  Yet you never gave me special food so I could celebrate with my friends.  But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with wild living comes home, you have a feast and celebrate!”

“My son,” the father said, “you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”    (Edited verses and excerpts taken from Luke 15:11-31)

Jesus calms the storm

Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge.  He taught them many things by parables.  

That day when evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side of the lake.”

Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.  A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.

Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”

They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Edited verses taken from Mark 4:1-2, 35-41

Hannah and Samuel

The Bible tells us that a long time ago there was a man named Elkanah. He and his wife  Hannah had no children, which sadden Hannah greatly.

Year after year Elkanah and Hannah went to worship the Lord Almighty at the house of the Lord at Shiloh. Once, while they were there, Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly.  And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give me a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life.”

Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house at Shiloh. As Hannah kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”

“Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not think that I am a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.”

Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.”

She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way, and her face was no longer sad.

In the course of time Hannah gave birth to a son.  She named him Samuel (which means heard by God) saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.”  She told her husband that when Samuel was old enough, she would take him and present him before the Lord, and Samuel would live there always.

After Samuel was old enough, his father and mother took the boy,  young as he was, and brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh.

Hannah brought the boy to Eli, and she said to him, “Pardon me, my lord. As surely as you live, I am the woman who stood here beside you praying to the Lord. I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give Samuel to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.

Then Hannah thanked God, saying: “My heart rejoices in the Lord… There is no one holy like the Lord…”.  Then Elkanah and Hannah went home, but the boy Samuel stayed and served the Lord under Eli the priest.

Each year Hannah made Samuel a little robe and took it to him when she went up with Elkanah to worship God. Eli would bless Elkanah and Hannah, saying, “May the Lord give you children to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to the Lord.” Then they would go home. And the Lord was gracious to Hannah; she had more children–three sons and two daughters.

The boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord, and he continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with people.  The Lord was with Samuel and spoke to him.  All Israel recognized that Samuel was a prophet of the Lord.

Excerpts and edited verses taken from 1 Samuel 1