Forest Hills Church

We always say we welcome the stranger in our church.  Here's a challenge: what if  a homeless naked guy came in and started shouting as if he was possessed by demons?  How would we react?  I don't even know how I'd react. We know how Jesus would react, because he met a guy like this.  Other people would often bind the guy with chains.  Jesus decided to unbind him from his real trouble: he commanded the unclean spirit to leave the man. The demon didn't go easily.  It turned out there were many of them, not just one.  But Jesus sent the demons into some pigs, and the pigs drowned in a lake.  How do you suppose other people reacted when they saw that?  We'll find out on when we hear the sermon.

Do you speak two languages? Did you ever wish you could? God calls us to do it, every single day. Let's learn how today, as we begin our journey!

The story of Samson ends with a big crash, which also ends his life. The mighty Samson found himself helpless as a result of his own foolishness. Yet, in desperation, he prayed, “Remember me, O Lord!” The true hero of the Samson story is actually God, who answers Samson’s prayer. God is still our true hero, for He still answers our desperate prayers. Although Samson reminds us of how we fall short of God’s plans for our lives, he also becomes a vivid testimony to make God our Hero!

This Sunday, Mother’s Day, we begin our spring message series on Samson, the confusing strong man of the Bible. One quarter of the Samson story is actually about his mother! Samson, throughout his life, has four involved relationships with women. The first is the loving mother who raised him. She is the example of a faithful, godly woman. The other relationships Samson has with women fail miserably. So we begin with his mother, and our mothers. How has your mother been a godly example and witness? 

This Sunday is Palm Sunday! We will wave palm branches in worship as a way for us to join the parade that greeted Jesus when He came into Jerusalem. It will be fun for the whole family! Yet there are dark clouds overhead: there’s a “storm” of betrayal and condemnation looming. Jesus, whom we greet with praise, will be crucified by Friday. Our service will also have this mixed message. We’ll hear how Jesus is the Gate to life and peace for us, His sheep, but we’ll also hear how Jesus earns this for us by laying down His life for His sheep.  Come join the parade this Sunday, but also notice the threatening clouds overhead.

Doors often represent a choice: do we go through or not? The next threshold in the Biblical story is the door frame in the Passover story. The Israelites are slaves in Egypt. God promises to set them free. Yet they must trust in God’s protection, and show that trust in a strange act of obedience: They must make a sacrifice and spread the blood of the lamb on their doorposts. Those that did were spared death and set free! This Sunday we’ll learn how Jesus became our Passover Lamb. Our “Door of Decision” is if we will trust in Him and live in obedience, even when the calling is strange.

As we continue to explore what it means to be a disciple, we are discovering that following Christ involves every part of our lives, including other people!  Our faith is not just a blessing for us, it is for those around us as well.  Discover how Jesus calls us to befriend others and how we can be disciples in our relationships!