January 22, 2021

Dear Road Church Friends,

May the God of Love be with you and supply all of your needs.

The story of Jonah, the “Runaway Prophet” is one of my favorite Bible stories. There is something in it to appeal to all ages. The story grows up along with us. In Sunday school the Jonah story was all about the big fish. In high school the Jonah story raised a big question: did this story really happen? In College we learned that the Jonah story wasn’t about the big fish at all. In fact the big fish is a red herring, —a distraction. The real question is: what is this story trying to tell us? Where does it fit, and what does it add to God’s plan of global salvation through Jesus? Here is a hint: It’s all about Love.

The title of my Sunday message is: “Jonah, Jesus and Us.”

If you want to get a head start read the Book of Jonah. It’s one of the shortest books in the Old Testament.

The scripture readings are,

Luke 11:30,

“As Jonah was a sign for those people who lived in Nineveh,

the Son of Man will be a sign for the people of this time.” 

Psalm 139:7-12

“Where can I go to get away from your Spirit? Where can I run from you? If I go up to the heavens, you are there. If I lie down in the grave, you are there. If I rise with the sun in the east and settle in the west beyond the sea, even there you would guide me. With your right hand you would hold me. I could say, The darkness will hide me. Let the light around me turn into night. But even the darkness is not dark to you. The night is as light as the day; darkness and light are the same to you.”

POEM OF THE WEEK

THE WAY

He who seeks for heaven alone to save his soul,

May keep the path, but will not reach the goal;

While he who walks in love may wander far,

But God will bring him where the blessed are.

Henry van Dyke

Blessings to you all,

Pastor Norm

Road Church worship service on January 24, 2021 on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VQxYOs6dYyc