Author Archives: Max Brennan

Friday’s Word – “A Rotten Apple”

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As our democracy slips away, we continue to wonder how this could happen. A new study sheds light.

Poland also is tending to elect authoritarian leaders. A new study there of 2,000 voters revealed people do not all agree on what democracy is.

The word “democracy” is popular, but many people have no interest in the elements of democracy, like protecting the rights of minorities and freedom of the press.

Turns out Jesus was right again. He divided the world into two groups: those who love humanity as God does, and those who love only their own group.

“If you love those who love you, what reward do you get?” he asks.

He tells us anyone can do that. It comes naturally.

Jesus says we must love beyond the bounds of our own friends and family.

Jesus ministered to the outcast, the marginalized.

We know some who put us in our present danger were simply uninformed. All they knew was the price of eggs.

But many, as the study shows, simply do not love or even care about the neighbor who is different.

They have no interest in the rights and needs of those Jesus called “the least among us,” those who are vulnerable, powerless.

They don’t care who gets hurt if it’s not them.

But there may be a change coming. It looks like everyone will get hurt except the billionaires.
The evil now loosed seems all-consuming.

Again, Jesus warned us, “Do not expect good fruit from a bad tree.”

Most people may come to see it: This rotten apple will hurt all of us.

Yes, worship is at 11:00.

Max’s Corner

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I thought we had a very good class last week. And this week we move on to a tantalizing subject—After-Death Communications—loved ones who speak to us after they are gone.
Class at 9:45. Breakfast after.

Breakfast this Sunday

This is a “We Bring Sunday.” Don’t forget that. Feel free to help. Breakfast is at 10:30.

Last Sunday and This

Mary will be out this Sunday visiting her grandmother in (I believe) New Mexico. And Kristi will be gone (along with Steven). So, Blake will do the piano thing. And Julian will sing the beautiful Above All. (The choral anthem last Sunday was very powerful.)

And—OK—since I talked last week about the younger brother in Jesus’s great Prodigal Son parable, I’ll talk about the older brother this Sunday.
My sermon title is: God Is Not Just.
And let me add—you don’t want him to be.

We Will Not Ask

Two dear friends of mine—former members of this church—died last year in Oklahoma. They have left some money to St. Matthew, and it will cover the very expensive work we are about to do on our sound and light system. We could not, in fact, do this work without the loving gift of Fred Stearns and Eileen Engleson Stearns.

When they moved to Oklahoma, they never found a church like St. Matthew. Their membership remained here, and they continued to watch our services online.

So, my request is that we continue to be faithful in our regular giving. Help us pay our bills from week to week. Let us keep the work of St. Matthew going. God knows that we are here.
I believe God wants this church living and serving.
I believe God will help us meet our needs.
Thanks be to God.

See you Sunday.
God bless—MB

Friday’s Word – “Get the Wrath Out”

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This Sunday, I will talk about something much of the church has failed to get right— salvation.

And much of the church fails to get salvation right because they fail to get God right. Many ministers are very confused about God.

They will say that “God is love,” for John clearly tells us that. But they also preach that God is vengeful and full of wrath.

Even some parts of the Bible get God wrong. Revelation tells us God will pour out “bowls of wrath” on humankind.

God will not do that.

There is no wrath in God. And how do I know this? In two ways.

First, Jesus tells us.

He says that God loves even His enemies. He says that God is “kind to the ungrateful and to the wicked.”

Dumping bowls of wrath is not kind.

Second, our experience of God tells us that God is love—always love.

I know thousands of accounts of religious and near-death experiences in which people meet God. No one has ever met a God of anger. No one has ever met a God who would want to hurt us.

Millions of people have gone to heaven briefly in near-death experiences. They have not seen one bowl of wrath there.

Yes, I know. Even the blessed Paul mentions “the wrath of God.”

That’s why it is essential that we put Jesus first in reading the Bible.

That is the only way for us to get God right.

Now, how does salvation look without the wrath? Who is saved?

My sermon Sunday: How Did She Get In?

It’s about a Jewish woman who receives a welcome from Jesus during an NDE.

Sunday at 11:00. Join us, in person or online.

Max’s Corner

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Service for Jim Lee

Thanks to all who helped—with the service and with the food. Your love, expressed in service, was very important to the family during a hard time.

We are a great church.

Discovering God Class

A few years ago, I called for readers of Friday’s Word to share their experiences with me. One thing I received was a remarkable near-death experience, and this Sunday, we will look at that for the very first time.

I have never shared it anywhere before. Class at 9:45. Breakfast after.

Breakfast This Sunday

This is a “We Bring Sunday.” Don’t forget that! Feel free to help. Breakfast is at 10:30.

Last Sunday and This

Mary had a lovely sermon, and it made me hungry for some chocolate pie!

The anthem O Sacred Head, Now Wounded may have been the loveliest thing our choir has ever done. The cellist, Alex Hyme (spelling may be wrong), will be back with us on Good Friday when the choir will repeat this anthem.

This Sunday, the sermon will be: How Did She Get In?—about a Jewish woman who went to heaven during an NDE.

Thanks for the Cleanup

The sanctuary seemed fresher last Sunday.

Some of our women gave the church a spiffing up after their luncheon last Thursday.

Much appreciated!

Remember the Needs of Eastside Ministries

They are hurting for help. Hundreds of families in need depend on Eastside Ministries for food and clothing.

We will continue letting folks make a special contribution this Sunday.

I do hope to see you in worship this Sunday. Let’s talk about the meaning of salvation.

And sing the songs of grace.

God Bless,

MB

We also welcome those who worship with us online.

Friday’s Word – “Bless Their Hearts”

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Ah!—now we know.

We’ve been so troubled, trying to make things make sense.

How could they do that?

Let children die in Africa.

End research on cancer in children.

Drastically cut aid to veterans.

Rob from the poor to give to the rich.

Side with the aggressor against the victim.

What, in the name of common decency, is wrong with them?

Then the Car Guy said it out loud. He told us what he is fighting against.

Empathy.

He said empathy is destroying civilization.

There is too much of it, he says.

Empathy is the ability to feel the pain of others.

It is the essence of love.

It is the heart of morality.

It is the foundation for the Golden Rule.

“Do unto others—”

When Car Guy said to get rid of empathy, I remembered.

These guys can’t feel the pain of those dying children because they are sociopaths.

Bless their hearts.

They can’t help it. That’s how sociopathy works. Look it up.

A chief trait is the inability to feel empathy for others.

So, stop expecting them to suddenly hear the cries of grieving mothers and change their ways.

Won’t happen.

They are not going to feel your pain.

Nor the pain of dying children.

But I can’t help wondering: Why are so many Christians attracted to sociopaths?

Looks like they would know better.

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Hey! Let’s do something good. Let’s go to church this Sunday.

Worship is at 11:00.