Just Sitting Here Thinking J. Vance Eastridge

Brief lesson on the promise of the coming savior in the 1st century A.D. Jesus' contemporaries under foreign oppression concentrated on the abundance of material blessing, not the spiritual awakening. Judea under Roman occupation envisioned the Messiah primarily as a military ruler.
Some, including Zealots, were intent on taking prophecy into their own hands, and believed they could force God's actions. Humankind can do nothing to facilitate the prophecy, which will occur in God's own time.
The teachings of the prophets concluded:-the kingdom would come with God's initiative-the kingdom would be brought by the Messiah-there would be great material blessings-there would be great political and military strength-there would be a great spiritual awakening-it will be an eschatological transition: the beginning of end of time.
Jesus concentrated on the spiritual, never material or political or military; always about kingdom of God, never of this world. He would not conform to contemporary assumptions about the Messiah's role.
We are living in the time between the coming of the Christ and the final coming of the kingdom of God to Earth. Our task is to accept the gift of God's love and show God's love, inviting others into the kingdom.
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Sermon for a pastoral dedication on the call to ministry and feeling God's voice. The need for conviction to remain steadfast in your conscience, while keeping an open mind and submitting to trust in God.
Being informed, be able to be trusted, but not intellectualizing, meeting the needs of people with complex lives and sometimes heavy hearts.
Accepting, appreciating and loving them for who they are, without judgment. The challenge of making people feel closer to God, and how the material sacrifices cannot compare to the spiritual rewards.
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To celebrate Easter, we revisit this introspective monologue on the apostle Simon Peter from 2003. As always, no notes - just an extemporized yet structured meditation based on heavy research.
Also available in VIDEO at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjwG-eUhOOw&t=1329s

Lesson on the fundamental importance of grace and faith. Faith is our response to God. It must be a two-way relationship in order to deepen our connection and reveal God's presence in our lives.
Abraham is the father of our concept of faith, the first to make a covenant with God. God's call to Abraham to leave his homeland and create a new path. The conundrum of his call to sacrifice Isaac.
The legitimacy of both Isaac and Ishmael as sons of Abraham and fathers of great nations, each having covenants with God. Christ's reconciliation of all nations through the covenant of grace.
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Lesson on Paul and the church at Corinth, and reconciling with God in our lives. Paul's journey to live with the values he preached, his need to gain the peoples' trust, and the need for all of us to lead by example.
In Christ, there is a new life. But it comes differently, at different times for different people. Why not everyone who becomes a Christian feels a "conversion experience."John Wesley's example of a Christian wanting to feel a difference and preaching faith all the while searching for assurance, until finally finding it at Aldersgate.
We will always lead imperfect lives but try to do the right thing for others in the name of Christ, with the the obligation to strive to be better as we accept the gift of grace.
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"Who do you say that I am?" Lesson on Jesus' great question to the apostles and Peter's answer, "You are the Messiah, Son of the living God." (Matthew 16:16)
The true meaning of being the Messiah and fulfilling the prophecy. The difficulty for the apostles to accept the ultimate sacrifice, and their dedication to a life of discipleship. Finding our own calling and hearing what God is asking each of us. The blessings that come with living in Jesus' example.
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