September 28, 2024Dear Road Church Friends,

One of the most famous first lines in a novel is the opening sentence of A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, “It was the best of times and the worst of times.”

The times of our lives are ambiguous. There are good times and there are bad times, and then there are the times that are both at once. When Jesus was asked to prove himself he refused saying, “You can predict the weather by looking at the sky, but you don’t know what’s going on around you!” This insightful observation is a warning against stumbling blindly through life, oblivious to the opportunities or pitfalls in the larger world around us. Sunday’s message is about learning to interpret the signs of our times to our advantage.

SCRIPTURE: Matthew 16:1-3       SERMON: Navigating Changing Times

Some Pharisees and Sadducees who came to Jesus wanted to trap him, so they asked him to perform a miracle for them, to show that God approved of him. But Jesus answered, “When the sun is setting, you say, ‘We are going to have fine weather, because the sky is red.’ And early in the morning you say, ‘It is going to rain, because the sky is red and dark.’ You can predict the weather by looking at the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs concerning these times!”

AT SET OF SUN

by George Eliot

If you sit down at set of sun and count the acts that you have done,

And counting, find one self-denying deed, one word

That eased the heart of him that heard, —One glance most kind,

That fell like sunshine where it went,

Then you may count that day well spent.

But, if, through all the lifelong day, you’ve cheered no heart, by yea or nay,

If through it all you’ve nothing done that you can trace

That brought the sunshine to one face, no act most small

That helped some soul and nothing cost,

Then count that day as worse than lost.

Blessings to you all,

Pastor Norm

This service on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/-BP2dKZqDtw?si=IkRNP-t9lX_uGcWT