Forgiveness can never be forced, but it is the only way forward.  God always finds a way to love and forgive us. 14th Sunday after Pentecost – Sunday, September 14, 2014 – Genesis 50:15-21, Matthew 18:21-35 St. Jacob’s-Spaders Lutheran Church, Harrisonburg, Virginia “God Finds a Way” – Pastor Evan Davis […]

There are times when we might want a quick, easy way to show someone in our church community the door.  “Three strikes and you’re out” can sound pretty good.  Jesus gives us a healthy way to deal with conflict, but if we look at this conversation more closely, what is […]

It is so easy to, as the apostle Paul says, to “be overcome by evil.”  It is much harder to “overcome evil with good.”  A closer look at what’s going on in Ferguson, Missouri, shows that very clearly.   12th Sunday after Pentecost – August 31, 2014 Romans 12:9-21, Matthew […]

It’s hard work keeping up with the Joneses, but we try.  If we’re honest with ourselves, in one way or another we follow the trends and try to buy, think, speak, and act like the crowd.  But when we get down to it, following Jesus is walking a different path. […]

We all have friends, family, neighbors and co-workers who do not share our Christian faith.  What about them?  It’s a loaded question, but we will explore it this week.   10th Sunday after Pentecost – Sunday, August 17, 2014 St. Jacob’s-Spaders Lutheran Church – Pastor Evan Davis Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 […]

Sometimes we think the church and the house of faith is OUR house.  But it’s GOD’s house, and God decides who’s invited.  In fact, God already has in Christ.  God builds his house through our hands, as we share the word of faith we’ve received – amazing news! Listen to […]

As Christians, we often wonder about our relationship with Jews.  Oh and if you didn’t notice, Israel is in the news quite a bit these days.  So, what about Israel, anyways?   8th Sunday after Pentecost – August 3, 2014 Romans 9:1-5, Isaiah 55:1-5 – Pastor Evan Davis 8th Sunday […]

If we’re honest, we fear many things and sometimes many people.  But seriously – if God is for us, who’s against us? 7th Sunday after Pentecost – July 27, 2014 Romans 8:26-39 – Pastor Evan Davis

As the Church, we’ve spent a lot of time worrying about who’s in the will and who’s out.  Who gets the inheritance of Christ and who doesn’t?  The good news for us is that we’ve been written into God’s will in the blood of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen.  That […]

The good news CHANGES us.  It does not leave us the same.  The apostle Paul is serving up some serious good news in Romans 8:1, which we heard today as we travel through the letter this summer.  At Power in the Spirit, our Virginia Synod ministry conference last week, I […]