COMMUNION SUNDAY                         February 4, 2022

Dear Road Church Friends,

Jesus grew up in Nazareth. But the time came when he said goodbye to family and friends to find his destiny elsewhere. He found it when he heard a voice in the wilderness calling to him. He was baptized and closed the door on his past. His baptism was like passing through the waters of his own Red Sea. From then on, he knew what he was meant to do. He made a fresh start at Capernaum in a fisherman’s house by the sea, where the people believed in him. He found he could do amazing things, and that he had a way with words. News about him spread and soon he was in demand. Then he received and accepted an invitation to speak at his hometown. He knew those hill country folks well, and used the occasion to address some of their deeply held religious prejudice. It didn’t go well, proving that you can’t go home again.

On Sunday I will share my experience growing up in a small-town church entrenched in its ways.

HYMN:  Let Us Break Bread Together

   SCRIPTURE:  Luke 4:22-30 (My Translation)        SERMON: You Can’t Go Home Again

The hometown crowd of Jesus’ youth was amazed at his poise and his way with words. They couldn’t believe this was Joseph’s boy.

They said they were eager to see him do the things they heard he did at Capernaum. He could tell they were skeptical. “It seems I’m still a little boy to you. You think I can’t be what I seem because I grew up here. As the saying goes, ‘a prophet never gets a fair hearing from a hometown crowd.’ Do you remember the stories about the Phoenician widow in the days of Elijah whom God fed for three and a half years while widows in Israel went hungry? Or, the time when Elisha the prophet cured Naaman, the Syrian general of his leprosy, but not one leper in Israel was cured. Maybe God loves all people as much as he loves Israel.”

Upon hearing this they became enraged. They seized him, and dragged him out of the city, intending to throw him off a nearby cliff.  But somehow he got away.

YOU CAN’T GO HOME AGAIN

This 'ole town never did really care that much for me.
I don't know why I always come here in my dreams.
It's the hardest to hold and the easiest to find.
But you can’t save your past for today.
It's that old blue line that you can never go back home.
So I'm waiting for the moon to rise, to set my heart in line.
Let the River roll on to the sea. I will be crossing it in changes
This 'ole town never did care that much for me.
I only come here to remember my dreams.
Sleep tight Hill Country town. Goodnight.     

by D.J. Sebesky 

Blessings and Best Wishes to all,

Pastor Norm

Our morning worship is posted on YouTube at: https://youtu.be/6OqIw8XogCM