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Choosing Your Master

2/25/2026

This blog is based on the sermon by Les Kovacs on February 22, 2026 titles "Choosing Your Master"

Choosing which Master to follow, Jesus or the world, poses challenges to Christians every day.

1) Are you willing to let Jesus redefine success, greatness, and purpose for you?

2)  Do you trust Jesus enough to obey Him even when you don’t fully understand the “why”?

3)  What fears or doubts make trusting Jesus difficult for you?

4)  Are you willing to let Jesus confront your sin, not just comfort your pain?

5)  What do you believe your life is ultimately for—and how does Jesus’ vision of the Kingdom reshape that?

6)  If Jesus really is who He claims to be—Lord, Savior, King—what is the cost of not following Him?

"Radical Righteousness" by Rev. Kim Salo

2/11/2026

This blog is based on Rev. Kim Salo's sermon "Radical Righteousness: Beyond the Letter of the Law", preached on February 8th.

1. Why don’t the traffic laws make us into better drivers? What else is needed?

2. Read Genesis 2:15-17, and 3:1-6. Why did Adam and Eve disobey this one command of God?

3. Read Exodus 20:1-17. Why don’t the Ten Commandments make us into better people? What else is needed?

4. Read Matthew 5:17, and 5:20. The Pharisees were scrupulous in obeying God’s laws. How did they fall short? (Hint: Read Matthew 23, the seven woes against the Pharisees.) How can Christ’s disciples outdo them in righteousness?

5. What, according to Jesus, are some of the deeper meanings of the law found in Matthew 5: 27-48?

6. Read Romans 6:8-14. What does Paul mean when he says at Romans 6:14, “Sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.”

7. Read John 14:23-26. Why does Jesus say “anyone who loves me will obey my teaching”? At verse 26, what is the work of the Holy Spirit in helping us obey Jesus’ commands? How else does the Holy Spirit help us obey Christ?

Sermon for Sunday, February 1st, 2026, by Rev. Ruemu Theme: The Kingdom Citizen: A Heart Condition.

2/3/2026

A Sermon based on the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-12)
Introduction: A Kingdom Upside Down
When Jesus sat down on the mountainside and began to speak, His first public sermon shattered expectations.
The Beatitudes aren’t a list of spiritual requirements. They’re a diagnosis of what a heart looks like when the Kingdom of Heaven has taken root. They describe not what we must do, but what we become when God’s reign transforms us from the inside out. Jesus isn’t giving us eight steps to blessedness; He’s painting one portrait—eight facets of the same diamond—the portrait of a Kingdom citizen.

CONTEXT: EIGHT FACETS OF THE HEART OF A KINGDOM CITIZEN.
I. Poverty of Spirit: The Empty Hands
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)
The world says: Blessed are the self-sufficient, the confident, the ones who have it all together.
Jesus says: Blessed are those who know they have nothing to offer—whose hands are empty of spiritual merit.
Poverty of spirit is the foundational heart-condition. It’s the end of pretending. It’s the collapse of the ego before a holy God. It’s the tax collector beating his breast saying, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Luke 18:13).
This isn’t low self-esteem; it’s accurate soul-assessment. You cannot receive grace if your hands are full of your own righteousness. The Kingdom belongs to beggars who know where the bread is found.

II. Those Who Mourn: The Broken Heart
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4)

The world says: Blessed are the happy, the carefree, the ones who avoid pain.
Jesus says: Blessed are those whose hearts break over sin, suffering, and the world’s brokenness.

This mourning is a divine discontent. It mourns personal sin—the gap between who we are and who we were made to be. It mourns systemic evil, injustice, and the suffering of others. This is not a passive sadness, but an active, holy ache that aligns our hearts with God’s own heart. And the promise? Comfort—not the removal of pain, but the presence of the Comforter (John 14:16).

III. The Meek: The Surrendered Will
“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5)

The world says: Blessed are the powerful, the assertive, the ones who seize control.
Jesus says: Blessed are the gentle, the God-controlled, who trust His timing and justice.

Meekness is not weakness. It is strength under God’s control. It’s the warhorse whose power is directed by the rider. It’s Moses, who could confront Pharaoh but endured the complaints of Israel. It is Jesus Himself, who said, “I am gentle and humble in heart” (Matthew 11:29). The meek inherit because they don’t grasp; they receive. They don’t demand their rights; they entrust themselves to the Righteous Judge.

IV. Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness: The Holy Longing
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)

The world says: Blessed are those who hunger for success, pleasure, or approval.
Jesus says: Blessed are those whose deepest craving is for things to be made right—in them, and in the world.

V. The Merciful: The Unbound Heart
“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” (Matthew 5:7)

The world says: Blessed are the shrewd, the ones who protect their interests.
Jesus says: Blessed are those who treat people better than they deserve.

Mercy is the overflow of a heart that knows it has received mercy. Having stood before God as debtors forgiven an unpayable debt, we cannot then demand petty payments from others (Matthew 18:21-35). Mercy forgives offenses, shows compassion to the struggling, and bends down to lift another up. In giving mercy, we live in the reality of the mercy we’ve received.

VI. The Pure in Heart: The Undivided Life
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” (Matthew 5:8)

The world says: Blessed are the savvy, the pragmatic, those who get results.
Jesus says: Blessed are those with undivided loyalty, unmixed motives, and transparent integrity.

VII. The Peacemakers: The Reconciling Heart
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

The world says: Blessed are the winners, the ones who defeat their opponents.
Jesus says: Blessed are those who actively build bridges, heal divisions, and reconcile people to God and each other.

Peacemaking is not peace-keeping (avoiding conflict). It’s the costly, active work of Shalom—restoring things to how they ought to be. It requires truth and grace, courage and humility. In this, we most resemble our Father, the God who “reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18). We are family business.

VIII. The Persecuted: The Committed Heart
“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:10)

The world says: Blessed are the popular, the celebrated, the ones who fit in.
Jesus says: Blessed are those whose loyalty to Me costs them something.

Conclusion: The Heart Transplant

The Beatitudes are impossible… for the natural heart. They are not a self-improvement plan; they are an autopsy of the old self and a description of the new.

This heart condition is not manufactured by human effort; it is implanted by divine grace. It is the result of the Spirit’s surgery, making us “new creations” (2 Corinthians 5:17).-The transformative grace given by the HOLY SPIRIT.

So, today, examine your heart:
· Is it self-sufficient or poor in spirit?
· Is it complacent or mourning over sin?
· Is it demanding or meek?
· Does it hunger for the world or for righteousness?
· Is it merciless or merciful?
· Is it divided or pure?
· Does it stir conflict or make peace?
· Does it seek approval or remain faithful under pressure?

If you find your heart lacking, do not despair. Come to the One who perfectly embodied every beatitude. He was poor in spirit, a man of sorrows, meek and lowly, hungering for God’s will, merciful, pure, the Prince of Peace, and crucified for righteousness. He offers you His own heart. He offers you His righteousness. He offers you His Kingdom.

The call of the Beatitudes is not “Try harder,” but “Come to Me.”

For it is only in Christ—crucified, risen, and reigning—that a sinner can become a Kingdom citizen, with a heart made new for the King and His Kingdom.

LET US PRAY:
Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
(Psalm 51:10-12 KJV)

Amen.

The Practical Outworking - Love and Service in the Everyday by Les Kovacs

1/28/2026

I received much feedback on my Sermon from January 25, 2026. It appears that many people have been waiting for someone to give voice to some of their similar concerns about the current state of politics and Christianity in our world. I hope you find some of these questions helpful in exploring your own feelings. May the Lord Jesus guide you in your journey.

1) Have you ever been challenged by someone who is not a believer and wants to know why you believe in Jesus? How did you respond to them? How did they respond to you?

2) Is it possible that Jesus’ commands may apply to some people but not to others? Why or why not?

3) How would you try to convince a Christian whom you believe is behaving in a manner inconsistent with biblical teachings to change their ways? If you don't feel confident enough to speak to that person, what activities can you do to increase your confidence?

4) What actions can you take right now to show the love of Jesus to someone that desperately needs Him?

Theme: The Ministry of the Towel: A Sermon on the Humble Posture by Rev. Ruemu on Sunday, January 18th, 2026.

1/20/2026

(Text: John 13:1-17)

Introduction: If you have your Bibles, turn with me to the Gospel of John, chapter 13. We find ourselves on the night before the crucifixion. The tension in Jerusalem is thick. The disciples are expecting a kingdom; they’re jockeying for position, wondering who will sit at the right and left hand of the throne.

Context: This, friends, is the Humble Posture. This is the ministry of the towel.

I. The Posture of Understanding (vv. 1, 3)

II. The Posture of Unmasking (vv. 4-5, 6-11)

III. The Posture of Ushering In (vv. 12-17)

Jesus ushers in a new kingdom order. In the Kingdom of God:

1. Greatness is measured in service. Any relevant Bible verse (s)?
2. Leadership is measured in sacrifice. Any relevant Bible verse (s)?
3. Authority is measured in knee-bending love. Any relevant Bible verse (s)?

“Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”
The blessing is not in the knowing, but in the doing. The joy, the fulfillment, the true life—it is found in taking up the towel.

Application: So, what does the Ministry of the Towel look like for us?

It is the posture of the parent, kneeling to tie a child’s shoe for the tenth time, serving with a love that does not keep score.
It is the posture of the employee, doing the thankless task with excellence, not for recognition, but as unto the Lord.
It is the posture of the spouse, laying down your right to be right, seeking forgiveness, choosing to cherish.
It is the posture of the neighbor, noticing the need, taking out the trash for the elderly, bringing the meal, listening without rushing.
It is the posture of the church member, setting up chairs, teaching the children, visiting the sick, giving without fanfare—seeing no task as beneath you.

It is a posture, not just an action. It’s the bending of the heart before it bends the knee.

Conclusion: The Towel and the Cross
The ministry of the towel finds its ultimate meaning in the ministry of the cross—the ultimate act of humble service, where the King of Glory served us by giving his life as a ransom for many.

He invites us today: Take up the towel.

Let us pray:
May God Almighty, who sent the Servant-Son, EMPOWER US TO SERVE with humility and release monumental achievements and an ocean of blessings on us in the name of the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. Amen.

"Cultivating a Heart of Compassion" by Rev. Kim Salo

1/15/2026

Sermon: Cultivating a Heart of Compassion Jan 11.26
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Click on the icon above to read in full Rev Kim's sermon of January 11th, "Cultivating a Heart of Compassion". Based on this sermon, here are some questions:

1. READ Colossians 3:1-4. Verse 1 says "you have been raised with Christ." V.3 says "you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God." How can Paul say we have died, and have been raised, long before our own physical death? (Hint: look at Romans 6:2-4)

2. READ 3:5-10. V. 5 tells us to "Put to death whatever belongs to your earthly nature." V.8 says "rid yourselves of all these things." After each of these Paul gives lists of vices. How do we "put to death" and "rid ourselves" of the vices listed? How do we "put on the new self"? Is it by our own efforts? Or some other way? (Bonus question: why do so many New Years resolutions fail?)

3. We often read about Christian conduct as it applies to individuals. How does it sound if we READ Col. 3:12-17, as it applies to community life, as the church's house rules? What stands out for you when you hear 3:12-17 addressed to the whole church? READ it aloud that way.

4. Kim's sermon pointed out the difference between "churchianity" which emphasizes our personal lives, self improvement, "living your best life," etc., and Christianity, a church that puts Christ at the center, especially Christ's dieing and rising.
Why is it a mistake to read Colossians 3:1-17 as a self improvement plan? What will eventually happen to a church that does that? Why is Christ's dieing and rising so connected to our behavior, as it is in Col.3?

The Source: Understanding God's Agape Love by Rev. Ruemu on Sunday, January 4th, 2026.

1/7/2026

Beloved, we come today to the wellspring of all reality. To the foundation of all meaning. To the answer to the deepest ache of the human heart. We come to consider not a concept, not an emotion, not a transaction, but The Source itself. And the name of that Source, scripture tells us, is Agape. (1st Cor. 13:4-8- Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres).

So, how do we understand this Agape? Let’s look at its flow from The Source.

First, Agape Love is INITIATING.-How and what relevant Bible verse(s)?

Second, Agape Love is SACRIFICIAL.-How and any relevant Bible verse(s)?

Third, Agape Love is TRANSFORMATIVE.-How and any relevant Bible verse(s)?

Today, you are invited to do two things:

1. Drink (Smoothies) and Eat the Fruits of the Spirits.-But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Gal.5:22-23-The 9Fruits

2. Flow. Let the ingredients of the fruits of the Spirit flow to everyone around us using our Gifts of the Spirit (9 Gifts).-To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. (Ist Cor.12:8-10)
Ist Cor.13:13- And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. Using each of the 9 Gifts to produce 9 Fruits, we would strive to achieve 81Fruits. (9 x 9=81F2 -This equation is self-derived by Rev. Ruemu)

For this is the final purpose of all things: that we, loved eternally by The Source, would become like The Source—vessels of His holy, self-giving Agape, until the whole earth is filled with the knowledge of His glory, as the waters cover the sea. Amen.

SERMON FOR SUNDAY DECEMBER 14TH, 2025BY REV RUEMU.

12/16/2025

THEME: God's Greatest Gift: The Provision of the Cross

Introduction: The Problem of Gifts

We live in a world of gifts—some extravagant, some practical, some forgotten in drawers. But there's one gift that stands above all others, so profound that it redefines the very meaning of giving. Not a gift wrapped in paper, but one wrapped in flesh. Not a gift presented on a special occasion, but one that makes every moment sacred.

Today, we consider God's greatest provision: the cross of Christ.

I. The Context of the Gift: Our Deepest Need

Before we appreciate the gift, we must understand our need:

· The Human Condition:
· The Divine Dilemma:

II. The Nature of the Gift: Costly Grace

The cross is no afterthought or plan B. It is the centerpiece of redemptive history:

· A Personal Gift:
· A Costly Gift:
· A Complete Gift:

III. What the Gift Provides

The cross is not merely a historical event but a present provision:

1. Reconciliation: How and any relevant Bible verses?
3. Forgiveness: How and any relevant Bible verses?
4. Victory: How and any relevant Bible verses?

IV. Our Response to the Gift

How do we receive such an extraordinary provision?

· Acceptance: How and any relevant Bible verses?
· Transformation: How and any relevant Bible verses?
· Proclamation: How and any relevant Bible verses?

V. Living in Light of the Gift

The cross isn't just something we look back to, but something we live from:

· Daily Dependence: How and any relevant bible verses?
· Sacrificial Love: How and any relevant Bible verses?
· Eternal Perspective: How and any relevant Bible verse?

Closing Prayer:

Heavenly Father, we stand in awe before the cross—that instrument of suffering that became the means of our salvation. Help us to never grow casual about this astonishing gift. May the reality of what it cost You fill us with gratitude, and may the reality of what it accomplished fill us with hope. Teach us to live as people of the cross, for Your glory. In Jesus' name, Amen.

"Our Greatest Need: The Reality of Sin and Separation"

12/10/2025

This blog is a follow-up to the sermon "Our Greatest Need: The Reality of Sin and Separation", preached by Rev Susan Salo on Sunday, December 7th, 2025.

READ Genesis 2:15-17, 3:1-13, 3:22-24
1. If someone tells us to do something, why then do we want to not do it? For instance, if our doctor tells us to cut down on cholesterol, why do we want to eat French fries?
2. How does sin appeal to our lower human nature, the “flesh”? What leads us to rebel against God’s authority over us? Why do we want our own way, even when we know the consequences are bad?

READ Matthew 18:1-9
3. Why is it a blessing that the Gospel writers portray the disciples in all their messiness? They are not “plaster saints.” Why is that a help to us?
4. Why did Jesus put a little child among them after they argued about who will be the greatest in the kingdom of God? Why does Jesus tell us to change and be like children?
5. Child rearing was much, much stricter then than nowadays. Obedience to parents was unquestioned. Was that part of what Jesus meant by becoming like children?
6. There is a myth in some people’s minds that once one becomes a Christian, we become obedient and stop sinning. But if we fall into sin, as even wonderful Christians do, we can then hide our sin both from God and ourselves, with drastic consequences. What are some of the steps to turning this around? READ I John 2:1-2

A sermon on the topic "The Forgiven Forgive: Extending Grace to Others." By Rev. Ruemu on Sunday, November 30th, 2025.

12/4/2025

Text: Matthew 18:21-35 (The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant)
Introduction: The Arithmetic of the Heart

Good morning. If I were to ask you, “What is the most difficult command in the Bible? It’s the simple, searingly difficult command to forgive.

The Apostle Peter, ever the pragmatist, wanted to quantify it. He came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Peter thought he was being generous. The rabbis of the day taught three times was sufficient. Peter more than doubled it and threw in one for good measure. HE WAS PRACTICING THE ARITHMETIC OF FORGIVENESS.

But Jesus responds with THE CALCULUS OF GRACE. “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.” Or, as some translations say, “seventy times seven.” Jesus isn’t giving us a new math problem to solve—490 and then you’re done.
He’s blowing the lid off any notion of keeping score.
HE’S SAYING, “YOUR FORGIVENESS SHOULD BE LIMITLESS, BECAUSE MINE IS.”

This is the core of our message today: Forgiveness is not a transaction we manage, but a grace we extend, because it is first a grace we have received.

The Staggering Debt Forgiven -This is THE VERTICAL REALITY: We have been forgiven a debt we could never pay.

The Call to Extend the Grace We Have Received-THE HORIZONTAL REALITY

So, how do we do this? How do we extend grace when it’s hard?
1. Remember Your Story. Discuss?
2. Forgiveness is a Choice. Discuss?
3. Trust God with the Justice. Which Bible verse(s)?
Let us pray.
OUR Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy Name,
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, Forever and ever.
Amen.

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