A glimpse at Sunday services
and messages in 2023
December 31, 2023
Do You Fear the New Year?
On the surface, 2024 sounds like a nice even number, ripe with promise and plans for joy. It’s a leap year! It’s an Olympic year! It’s an election year—yikes!
In the Bible, the Lord or one of His messengers says “fear not” more than 360 times to a terrified man, woman, or group of shepherds. That “fear not” is also for you and me in 2024.
Sunday at COGS, we will hear a true story from one of His own and our own, who gives a stunning account of salvation in the darkest places of isolation and the Lord’s provision after the freedom in Christ is realized. Our God still reigns even and especially in dark places of desperation.
Have you had an interruption recently, and are you wondering where God is? Come and listen to a God who does new things!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
December 24, 2023
“Unspeakable Joy”—Our Christmas Eve Call to Worship Song
Unspeakable joy is also the authentic reaction to incarnation, which is:
Christmas—the birth of God—Jesus, our Immanuel—God with us!
Schedule for Christmas Eve Services
10:10 a.m.: Children’s pageant, with full adult message
10:10 p.m.: Candlelight communion
The messages and music will celebrate what we see, hear and experience in amazing grace in ordinary spaces and places.
Come and see! Come and worship! Gather and savor and celebrate!
Light has broken into the darkness, and His name is Jesus.
Merry Christmas,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s fireside chat on Christmas Eve as he explores the narrative of Jesus’s birth in Luke 2.
December 17, 2023
Where Is the King?
This is not a normal question in contemporary western culture. For first-century Palestine and many seasons since, however, this was a loaded inquiry.
The second chapter of the Gospel of Matthew records the journey of wise ones in search of a king to whom they had been led by a celestial sign—a star ... You know the story! The rest of the story involves Israel’s rather turbulent journey with mostly poor monarchs.
The questions for this Sunday at Good Shepherd are in fact: Where is the King, what did the wise ones know, and why did they go?
It’s looking like another stormy Sunday, but there will be joy in the house of the Lord!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning talk, which he recorded from his laundry room in deference to a house full of family.
December 10, 2023
What Did Joseph Know and Why Did He Go?
This week we consider the journey of Joseph, and what he knew, and why he obeyed the message of the angel and went with Mary to Bethlehem and beyond.
Joseph would have known the words of Isaiah the prophet regarding the child of a virgin and His identity as “Immanuel” (from the Hebrew, “God is with us”). He had a choice to make about whether or not to pursue the path before him.
“God is with us” in human form may feel familiar if you grew up in church culture, but for the ancient world this was radical and almost unthinkable.
This is how Eugene Peterson—author, pastor and Bible translator—renders this reality in his translation.
The Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.
John 1:14 (The Message)
What do we know of this, and why should it matter in how we go? Come and worship and consider Christ with us this Sunday!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s garden talk from his … garden! … on this mild and peaceful December morning.
December 3, 2023
What Did Mary Know? Why Did She Go?
December is upon us, following a nice bonus week after Thanksgiving, right? But pause.
Before you take the deep dive into December distractions, slow down and shake the stained glass off your Christmas story and walk in Mary’s shoes.
Yes, that Mary, mother of Jesus. I know there are many Marys in the mix. Mary said “yes” to God’s interruption, which is why you are reading these words.
Mary, the ”favored one” (see Luke 1:26-38), had not just one interruption to her young life, but regular moments, which would cause many to melt down. What did she know and why did she go along with the plan from on high?
Come and see and sit and listen to God’s Word and her journey on Sunday at Good Shepherd!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s talk from his laundry room on this dark December morning, as he explores the symbolism of Christmas.
November 26, 2023
Hope Comes in Surprising Packages
This Sunday at Good Shepherd, we take a first glimpse at the Christmas season, and most notably, the incarnation of Messiah, Son of God and Savior of the world.
We will look specifically at how Matthew’s Gospel to his Jewish readers lays out the lineage of Jesus rightly to tie him to a factual history that goes back 42 generations.
Before you dismiss this as a tedious academic lecture, consider this phrase—the five “mothers” of Jesus listed in the account. Each one is there for a reason, and their stories are worth waiting for.
Let us gather and consider how to encourage one another this Sunday!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s chat on this chilly November morning, as he reflects on the nature of the hope that comes with Christmas.
November 19, 2023
The Bread of Life
On Sunday, the congregation will hear the inspirational teaching of brother Bo Brooks. Bo’s foundational scripture will be the Gospel account of Jesus as He enters Jerusalem through the Sheep Gate and finds there a paralyzed man on a mat, and tells him to walk. The man was wounded inside and out and desperate for a savior and a healer … as we all are!
In summary, we who have received the good news of Gospel rescue are simply beggars seated at the table of the king, who has the joy of telling other beggars where to find bread.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
November 12, 2023
A Considerable Challenge in an Inconsiderate World
Today I invite you to linger and consider a profound concept in God’s Word and in our call to know Him. Complex Christian concepts don’t have to be all Greek to you, but a little bit of Greek helps.
Today’s lesson is on the word “ginosko,” which is often translated to “consider,” or:
To learn to know;
To come to know;
To get knowledge of; or,
To be known.
The series of messages this fall has centered around: “Whom do we know?” Can we know a spirit God who walked this earth in the flesh 2,000 years ago? The resounding answer is “yes”—but this takes intentionality.
The authors of Hebrews and Philippians say:
Consider Jesus who endured ... (Hebrews 12:3).
Consider others better than yourself … (Philippians 2:3).
Consider how you may love and spur each other on … (Hebrews 10:24).
We must consider Him and how He loves and lives in us in order to be considerate and face the considerable challenges of this inconsiderate world.
Come and see and … consider.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s fireside chat, which has moved to his living room on this chilly and rainy November morning.
November 5, 2023
Profit or Loss? How Do You Evaluate?
Good Shepherd family—just today I sent out an email in which the people and partners in ministry beyond the walls of COGS are listed as recipients of financial overflow from your generous giving. The invitation in the email is both to participate in prayer, and to decide which of these, if any, are worthy of additional investment.
As November is upon us, we typically enter yearend mode, which often brings an evaluation of what has been to our profit or loss over that last ten months.
In the Scripture reading for Sunday, Paul the messenger tells his church friends in Philippi his new way of establishing worth in his life. In Philippians 3:7 he says: “Whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.”
This is a huge pivot in Paul’s life, which warrants our full attention. Back to the opening question: How do you—how do we evaluate worth in our lives? What is worthy of our worship?
Come and join the conversation tomorrow. Fall back gently this weekend!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s fireside chat as he explores Paul’s pivotal thoughts in Philippians.
October 29, 2023
What’s Your Place in the Harvest?
There is an abundance of agricultural teaching points in scripture with Jesus’s parables or stories. These make a point, referred to as “common ground” among his listeners.
One such passage is found in the Gospel of Matthew:
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
Matthew 9:35-38 (NIV)
What do you read about Jesus’s motives for healing? What more do you deduce about the human condition? For followers of Jesus are we just spectators?
Let’s celebrate a church harvest festival this Sunday with COGS family, and talk turkey about the harvest, even as thanksgiving is around the corner.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: The message of God goes everywhere. Witness Jay’s weekly garden talk, recorded early this morning from his den. Listen to it here.
October 22, 2023
F3 Covers F3
Here in Washington (and elsewhere around the nation), most of you have probably seen the F3 stickers on cars and trucks about town. You can view an image by clicking here.
In case you don’t know, F3 Nation is a movement of men training together for faithfulness in Christ. The three “Fs” are:
Fitness
Fellowship
Faith
Participants gather two-three times a week early in the morning for physical and spiritual workouts, which build community, camaraderie and character in the Lord.
Those F3 factors also combat a flip side of the F3 universe:
Fear
Failure
Famine
In our “Whom do we know?” and “Where do we go?” series, we will get to know Dr. Luke and go down a path of truth to overcome worry and fear in Jesus’s timeless teaching in Luke 12:22-34.
There is a perfect verse for Church of the Good Shepherd. See for yourself and see you Sunday!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s garden talk as he dives into Luke chapter 12.
October 15, 2023
Kingdom Comes and Jesus Calls
Featured scripture readings: Mark 1:14-20, 35-39
In these days of global and national unrest, come this Sunday to ancient promises that are not broken. Kingdoms and nations come and go, but the Word of the Lord does stand the test of time.
Let’s gather at COGS on Sunday for a kingdom primer. We pray every week for “Kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven.” As a pastor, I have done a woeful job unpacking that big part of the Lord’s Prayer. The Gospel of Mark leads with kingdom declarations and personal invitations.
Come and see and hear and rest in the good news of the King.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s garden talk from his porch on this chilly October morning.
October 8, 2023
It All Begins in the Desert
Have you experienced wilderness in a flood zone? This question seems like nonsense. Yet here in hurricane alley, where tropical systems can blow through in a matter of hours, don’t we often find ourselves parched and thirsty for a wellspring of renewed life?
As fall comes upon us with a startling chill, this weekend at Good Shepherd we continue to ask the two prolonged questions: “Why do we go?”, and “Whom do we know?”
Is coming to COGS or a family of worshippers offering you rest in your wilderness? Are you getting to know the one whom John the Baptizer spoke of from his desert home?
Some homework coming into Sunday October 8: Read the first chapter and 13 verses of the Gospel of Mark and see all that comes out of and goes on in the desert. A reality emerged from a dry and weary land, which has created an oasis for all who dare to respond to the call of the Good Shepherd.
Come and listen on Sunday.
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s talk from his kitchen table on this brisk fall morning, when the season has changed.
October 1, 2023
Persistence-in-Preaching Sunday
In worship two weeks ago at Good Shepherd, just as I began to share a message on persistence and perseverance, the pesky accuser and interrupter decided that precious COGS worship attender Barbara Brown should have a fainting spell. (She is fully recovered and thankful for all that morning who attended to her care.)
At that moment a preacher’s mind swirls with what-to-do questions.
Do we stop worship altogether and send folks home?
Do we pretend nothing happened and operate since “the show must go on?”
Do we stop and pray and assess her condition, and then continue to speak and sing and come to the table?
We chose option number 3, and God was glorified and the church edified and Barbara was revived!
Several of you appreciated the message, and others said they couldn’t get past the moment of her health concern, so my plan for this week is to be persistent with the message of persistence.
Surely you can join me in understanding the nature of a do-over or a golfer’s mulligan? It’s very much worth the double-down.
See you on Sunday.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s garden talk on his return from a family wedding in Atlanta.
September 24, 2023
Jesus Still Calms the Storms
As I write this in preparation for Sunday, September 24, a surprise storm named Ophelia is brewing off the southeast coast. By the time you read this the storm may have been a lamb or maybe a lion.
As an aspiring amateur meteorologist (aka Jay Cantore), I know that we can only be so good at predicting the weather, let alone the storms of life.
Also, as I write I am an hour removed from speaking with COGS sister and saint Jan Hamblin, whose very public journey with cancer has been for her and husband Mark a season to radiate the peace of Christ in the eye of the storm. As I saw Jan yesterday morning, I wasn’t at all certain I would see her again with life and breath in this world. But God had another plan!
This Sunday we celebrate what is true.
To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles [most of us] the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Colossians 1:27 (NIV)
One verse with lots of power: God has chosen. God has rich mysteries to make known. Christ is the hope of glory.
Trying to make sense of storms? Come and listen.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
September 17, 2023
Surrender, Obedience and Persistence
Those are three weighty words, which warrant thoughtful consideration in our journey of faith. In this back-to-the-basics series called “Why do we go?” and “Whom do we know?”, we have concluded that belief without follow-through is hollow.
Practicing the presence of God through persistent perseverance brings peace, joy and rest to weary life travelers. But beginning new habits and disciplines is hard, especially on our own.
This is why Hebrews 10:24-25 calls followers of Jesus to not abandon the habit of gathering together to encounter and spur one another on.
This and every Sunday, let’s walk in that talk.
See you soon!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s garden talk on this fall-like morning as he delves into persistence.
September 10, 2023
We Are the Children of God
After river baptisms last week, you are invited back to the worship house to meet with our Maker.
As a child, the phrase “wait ‘til your father gets home” was the dreaded prelude to punishment for mischief. As children of our heavenly Father, we need and are given a rewiring of what to anticipate when the Father is in the house.
This Sunday, we look at the potent words of the Son as recorded in the Gospel of John chapter 14:15-27 as he instructs his beloved pupils (disciples) on what to anticipate after his departure.
All this is under the umbrella of: “Why do we go?” and “Whom do we know?”
Back to the basics will bring blessing!
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s garden talk on this lovely morning with hints of fall in the air.
September 3, 2023
Gather at Griffins Beach for Worship
Labor Day weekend greetings, COGS family of God!
This week—September 3—we worship at the river. No worship at our Market Street location.
Our gracious Lord so often provides beauty and glory in the aftermath of storms of adversity. Such was certainly the case this week in the aftermath of the storm that blew through our area. For months, we have been hoping for a window of opportunity to gather at the river for worship, and this Sunday is the day!
We also have a handful of followers of Jesus ready for baptism. Please come to Griffins Beach this Sunday, September 3 for a celebration and a message on surrender and obedience and persistence in our faith. The service culminates in baptism and an ongoing life of Christian discipleship and joy.
Click for directions to Griffins Beach down River Road on the right. Watch for the Good Shepherd signs.
Our target time to begin is 10:10 a.m. We will have chairs on site, but feel free to supplement with your own lawn chairs. Grace and worship, along with cool temps in the 70s, await.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s garden talk on this prematurely brisk September morning as he prepares for worship and baptism on the river.
August 27, 2023
Back to School for Jesus Followers
Good summer morning friends and family of the Good Shepherd!
Newsflash: Next Sunday, September 3, on Labor Day weekend we plan to meet at the river, ideally at Griffins Beach, weather permitting. Several COGS faithful have made the decision to be baptized, and we anticipate a powerful Sunday of God at work!
It’s back-to-school week for many, and we will pray for teachers and students in worship today.
It’s also back to school in our understanding of why do we go and whom do we know in the invitation to follow Jesus faithfully.
See many of you very soon!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s talk as he opens with Psalm 37 on this morning in late August, a month potentially filled with burdens and threats.
August 20, 2023
Why Do We Go? Whom Do We Know?
Starting Sunday, August 20, these questions will guide a biblical consideration of how we share the journey and know Jesus in the broader community of Christ followers. We will also consider how these questions touch our core values at Church of the Good Shepherd.
I am back in town after a marvelous personal family adventure. I am so thankful for this worshipping community, and the amazing messengers who brought home the Romans 8 promises of a good, good God.
See you all on Sunday!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s talk as he bids you good morning from the coolness of the garden on his return from a family adventure. He begins with King David’s lament in Psalm 40.
August 13, 2023
God’s Love Is Boundless
What separates us from God’s love and knowing Jesus Christ personally? You might think it’s 2,000 years of history. Or is it your past? Or maybe whatever you’re doing in the present? Is it the demons you wrestle with every day? Or maybe the fear of giving up control? What’s your excuse?
Because the truth is, sometimes the things we do make us feel like we’re far away from God’s love. But He never stops loving us. There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God and knowing Jesus Christ. And if we know Jesus, then why aren’t we telling everyone about him?
Why should our efforts to love and make disciples be any different from those 2,000 years ago—the people that knew Jesus personally and needed to tell everyone they knew about him? Because we can know Jesus personally! Jesus? I know him! And with Jesus Christ in our hearts, we are more than conquerors in this life!
Blessings,
Leah Clark
August 6, 2023
Receiving, Repeating, and Regifting the Truth
Paul told the church in Rome that nothing could separate them from the love of God—not even death. But what does that truth actually mean for you and me?
If we want to walk in the peace and the power of the Holy Spirit, simply agreeing with the truth found in Scripture will not get us there. If we want the truth to make a difference in our actual, day-to-day lives, we have the responsibility to truly receive the truth, to repeat the truth, and to “regift” the truth.
We’ll talk about how that looks this Sunday—with some great stories and, yeah, maybe even some chocolate chip banana bread thrown in for good measure!
Blessings,
Caroline Collie
July 30, 2023
The More We Know, the More We Will Go
Today, we as believers, as the body of Christ, as heirs to the heavenly throne, are living out Paul’s words to the Romans thousands of years ago.
Paul would declare that knowing who we are in Christ would drastically increase our confidence in Him, and in turn prove that He works for the good of all who love Him. We have purpose. We have a role in kingdom-building. We have an identity in Him that should lead others to the cross.
Paul was speaking to believers at that time in Rome, and also to believers today at COGS. He was telling them and he was telling us that knowing our identity increases our confidence while exponentially increasing our faith. The question is: Do you know?
Blessings,
Leanne Lee
July 23, 2023
Road Trip for Jesus Followers
Midsummer greetings, COGS faithful!
It’s mid-July and for many of us a season of travel. For weeks, our journey in the Word has been down the Romans road of Chapter 8, and the final three epic installments are around the bend.
For this Sunday, I have planned a standalone message for life’s journey, loosely called “Rules for the Road”. The goal is to refresh ourselves with basic principles, mostly from the Proverbs, for faithful followers of Jesus in our shared journey.
Here’s the condensed list: Five Rules for the Road.
Don’t travel alone.
Don’t pick up strangers.
Choose the destination and borrow a reliable map.
Pay attention to the signs.
Don’t carry unnecessary baggage.
I can’t wait to gather for worship!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s garden talk, which relates to journey, on this beautiful Sunday morning.
July 16, 2023
Where It’s Okay Not to Be Okay
In Ecclesiastes, that wise king Solomon wrote:
I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind.
Ecclesiastes 1:14 (NKJV)
As any of us who are aging (all of us) will attest, the vain pursuit of looking good and people-pleasing is a wearying journey that leads to nowhere satisfying. And yet, don’t we—even at church—make every effort to look good, talk well, and posture up as pictures of progress and positivity?
Our passage for this week from the book of Romans is:
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.”
Romans 8:26 (NIV)
Here, weakness is better translated as infirmity—in the singular. Paul reminds the body of Christ that there is one singular infirmity, and that the Spirit gets it, groans with us over it, and gives us a gift of grace before the Father and in our walk in the world.
What is this infirmity?
In 2 Corinthians 12:7, Paul talks about “ a thorn in my flesh”, and God’s purpose and plan with him—and with us.
Come to COGS on Sunday. Don’t check your weakness at the door, but come to the great physician who has help and wholeness for his adopted sons and daughters.
Eager to gather…
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s talk from his garden on a lovely Sunday morning as he continues the exploration of Romans 8.
July 9, 2023
Living With Biblical Hope?
Author C. S. Lewis writes in Mere Christianity:
Hope is one of the Theological virtues. This means that a continual looking forward to the eternal world is not (as some modern people think) a form of escapism or wishful thinking, but one of the things a Christian is meant to do. It does not mean that we are to leave the present world as it is. If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were just those who thought most of the next.
In the famous chapter 13 passage of 1 Corinthians on love, the concluding verse mentions faith, hope and love as the greatest of Christian virtues. We seem to hear much about faith and much about love, but less so about hope.
Our Romans 8 text for this, Sunday July 9, reads:
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
Romans 8:22-25 (NIV)
What is this hope? How can we hope with confidence for what we have never seen? Does the promise of hope in eternity bring you any peace or comfort?
Let’s explore God’s kind and real promises together as we gather on Sunday!
Blessings on your weekend,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s talk from his laundry room, which the Lord has blessed with air conditioning on this sultry July morning. Today he asks, are you living in a place of hope or nope?
July 2, 2023
A Week of Spiritual and National Independence
Grace and peace to you all this holiday week!
This morning at Good Shepherd, we continue our journey through Romans chapter 8 with verses 18 through 21. In it we consider this juxtaposition of suffering and glory. Inevitably we wonder why it takes so long to heal, why it takes so long to reconcile, and why it takes so long to come out of our personal valleys. These are legitimate questions!
Today we will see how even the creation around us longs not just for a new earth, heaven, and Eden, but also for the sons and daughters of the living God to be a reflection of the healing and wholeness that God alone makes available.
On this side of eternity, there is no easy answer to the question of—why suffering? By the power of God’s transforming word, however, and the presence of his sacrificed son, we find victory in the valleys. Come this morning into God’s word with eager expectation of truth, hope, and a lifeline out of whatever valley you may find yourself. You may be surprised by joy!
I hope to see many of you in the next couple of hours, but if not, grace and peace to you. During this holiday week, we are thankful for the freedoms in our nation, which we are called to exercise for the greater good of all!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s garden talk from his screened porch as he speaks about the nature of independence—spiritual and national.
June 25, 2023
If Children, Then Heirs—A Deeper Dive in Romans 8:17
Last week we took a look at how, in ancient times, the reality of “adoption” was a different and more involved enterprise than a childless couple’s bringing an infant into their home.
In ancient culture, an adoption was to declare name, rights and privileges, including inheritance, for the adoptee. In the ceremony marking the moment, the child received a new name, a new robe, and a verbal blessing of praise and inclusion from the father or head of household.
As children of God, we are declared the astounding co-heirs with Christ, and the word from the Father to us is also: “This is my child whom I love and with whom I am well pleased—listen to her/him.” As a child of God who has believed and received the gift of the first-born son, Jesus, we are heirs … to glory … and to suffering.
This mixed bag of generational blessing is well worth our pondering and my preaching.
Father’s Day continues this Sunday at Good Shepherd.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s table talk as he leans into the thorough healing of God.
June 18, 2023
Day of Our Father
Happy Father’s Day weekend, flock of the good shepherd!
Sunday’s text for the day is Romans 8:15-17. It is layered with a promise of delivery from fear, access to our heavenly father—whom Jesus calls “Abba”—and a gift of inheritance alongside our Lord.
My fleshly side would love for the reading to end there, but it goes on to say that we also share sufferings in Christ in order that we may share in his glory. This is a deep-water truth for a glorious summer day. Ultimately it reveals the character and plan of our God to build his family in the oasis as well as in the desert.
Come and bask in the love of our Lord, and sing his praise in the morning!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s message on this beautiful Father’s Day Sunday, as he shares the word and the love of the Father eagerly.
June 11, 2023
Flourishing in the Family of Faith
This week we move close to the halfway point in our “8 is Enough” reflection on the treasure chest of Romans chapter 8.
The apostle Paul wrote this letter to the Church at Rome as a universal presentation of the dual reality of the ruin of humanity and the rescue of divinity. In it he emphasizes again and again the contrast of life in the flesh and life in the Spirit.
The Spirit comes from the Father and the Son and is thus a relational being by nature. The flesh is prone to wander and lust after things of this world and to isolate.
When Romans 8:14 states, “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God”, we followers of Christ are not simply invited to the family table, but also are commanded to the family reunion.
Does this make you happy? Cautious? Both? Let’s focus on flourishing or failing as family this week—in the house of the Father!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s message recorded from his back porch on this lovely morning in June, as he prepares to dive further into Romans 8.
June 4, 2023
Longing to Belong
This week, Romans 8 rolls on with rich blessings in the message at Good Shepherd. When we started this series in early May, the catchy title that came to me was “8 Is Enough”.
Romans 8 is enough to communicate the essential truths of the self-destructive ruin of humanity, and the amazing grace of rescue of the God who seeks, saves and sets his children’s feet on solid ground.
This week in Romans 8:7-11, we visit the concept of belonging to God. Don’t we all long to belong from an early age? Is not the longing to belong what works for good with circles of care, or for evil with circles of carnage? On Sunday I will say more on these contrasts.
Know that in truth, belonging to only one is enough.
As Proverbs reminds us, in Jesus there is a friend who walks closer than a brother. Walk to worship and find encouragement!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s message on this cool June morning in the garden, as he encounters more wisdom in Romans 8 and discovers that 8 (weeks) may not be enough after all.
May 21, 2023
Tending the Mind
Good morning, Good Shepherd faithful family far and near! I missed you all last week on Mother’s Day, but you locals were treated to an amazing morning message from Bo Brooks, and another rich and resounding morning of praise with the Good Shepherd worship leaders. (I promise to send out a recording of Bo’s message later this week.)
Today at COGS, we dive back into Romans 8 with verses 5-8, which contain a series of contrasts. I will have some fun with the “there-are-two-kinds-of-people” stereotypes, and allow God’s word to tend the gardens of our hearts and minds. Listen to the morning message I just recorded, below, for a preview.
I would also like to mention a new small group opportunity for those of you (and friends) who struggle with chronic pain. This group will be led by the amazing and wise Brittany Barta beginning this Thursday evening, May 25, at Church of the Good Shepherd. See the attached flyer.
I hope to see many of you at COGS in a bit!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s garden talk on this dreary May morning, as he explores the contrasts of Romans 8:5-8—life in the flesh versus life in the spirit.
May 14, 2023
8 Is Enough
We continue on Sunday to dive deep into the richness of truth in Romans chapter 8, and on this Mother’s Day, we consider Romans 8:14 on being a child of God.
Ponder these verses:
For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.
Romans 8:14 (NIV)
So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, …
Galatians 3:26 (NIV)
When we accept the fact that we are children of God, and we have faith in Jesus, we enter a new reality as sons and daughters of the living God. Because God is king, and we have faith in the king, we become princes and princesses of that eternal king as we walk in that way.
As such, shouldn’t we expect gifts worthy of children of the king? How do those gifts look? How should we behave if we are royal children?
Lots of questions and honest answers. Come and gather! Do we do that well?
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
May 7, 2023
Living With Freedom in Christ—Instructions Required!
This week at COGS, we continue to wade into the deep waters of Romans 8. Last week we celebrated no condemnation now for those united with Christ, as stated emphatically in verse 1.
When Jesus died, was resurrected and ascended, He did not leave us alone, bound by a law of performance to follow Him. He sent his spirit to set us soaring over the minefields of the law.
Romans 8:2-4 speaks of a law of the spirit, which brings freedom from a law we—and no one else—can keep.
Why does this legalese matter? For the weary exile in this broken world, understanding and embracing the freedom that Jesus won for us is the difference between better and bitter, joy and sorrow, plenty and want, health and sickness.
Yes, this is the invitation of the bridegroom to abundant life.
Come to worship for some marriage counsel!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s garden talk on this glorious spring morning as he continues to wade into the deep waters of Romans 8.
April 30, 2023
No Condemnation Now
What a promise that is, right? What a world it would be without any condemnation of any kind. But that’s not what hits us daily from our screens and the screams around us.
This Sunday at Good Shepherd, we move down the mountains to the compelling school of the Romans, and particularly, Chapter 8. In fact, after asking you to digest chapters at a time in Isaiah, we will now generally linger in a single verse universe every week for the next two months.
Please trust me—it’s worth the savoring. This week, we begin with:
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus …
Romans 8:1 (NIV)
Come and see!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message as he transitions to Paul’s letter to the Romans after a 17-week exploration of Isaiah.
April 23, 2023
Same Mountain—Different Moments—A Tale of Two Trails
Please join with me in this collective reflection: You share a moment with family or a group of friends, and your read on the experience varies as widely as humanly possible. For some it is blessing, while for others it is a curse.
Surely this has been your experience as well as mine?
In keeping with our Mountains of Isaiah theme of late, let’s call these moments a mountain hike, where for one traveler it’s Mount Misery, and for the other it’s Mount Majesty. In other words, for one it’s a cup that’s overflowing, and for the other it’s a bitter cup of sorrow that is eating away at the inside.
Isaiah 65 addresses this dilemma and the Lord’s role in trials and triumphs. Verses 11-12 have this truth with consequences:
But because the rest of you have forsaken the Lord
and have forgotten his Temple,
and because you have prepared feasts to honor the god of Fate
and have offered mixed wine to the god of Destiny,
now I will ‘destine’ you for the sword.
All of you will bow down before the executioner.
For when I called, you did not answer.
When I spoke, you did not listen.
You deliberately sinned—before my very eyes—
and chose to do what you know I despise.
Isaiah 65:11-12 (NLT)
Remember, we will consider content, context and character in our understanding of scripture. And know that the final promise of the passage is:
… In those days no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain.
I, the Lord, have spoken!
Isaiah 65:25 (NLT)
Don’t we long for such a destination? This Sunday at COGS, let’s make that trek together and explore the principles of the path to get there.
Can’t wait for Sunday!
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s fireside chat on this crisp April morning as he discusses the spiritual choices that we as believers face in life.
April 16, 2023
Salvation Is Tax-free
Good Shepherd Family and Friends,
Here are a few thoughts before 10:10 a.m. worship this morning. If you are on the go or homebound, please listen to the garden talk.
We have arrived at tax week—taxing time—but it doesn’t have to be that way. See Psalm 37 for some anti-fret vaccine!
Have we already packed away the power and the trappings of Easter? The eggs, the baskets, the accessories, the power and the promise? This morning, we have some unfinished business with Isaiah 61, as well as an amazing series of promises in Isaiah 62 that are consistent with resurrection power.
We have the power in the empty tomb and our risen savior, Jesus, to choose:
A crown of beauty instead of ashes;
Oil of gladness instead of mourning; and,
A garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
We also have ample evidence that the Lord has delighted in us to the point that we go from desolate and despairing to sought out and restored.
Want to know more? Come and listen and lean in—you will get something new!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
April 9, 2023
The Joy, Resurrection and Hope of Easter
Followers of Jesus: On this day He is risen—He is risen indeed!
This morning I recorded the garden talk from my back porch, which was 46 degrees at 6:45 a.m., but was nevertheless filled with joy and warmth! I invite you to listen to the message.
If you are coming to Easter services at Good Shepherd today, remember:
Breakfast/egg hunt at 9:15 a.m. (indoors), with plenty of food.
Bring flowers to place on the cross at 10:10 a.m. worship.
Also this morning at Good Shepherd, we will share a new song for Easter called “There Is a King” from Elevation Worship. If you wish to be prepared, you can watch it on YouTube.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
April 2, 2023
Who Is the Suffering Servant?
On an annual basis, followers of Jesus take a station along the route of the Passion Parade—from Palm Sunday, to Good Friday, and to the empty tomb.
Assuming we take His sacrifice seriously, we give thanks and worship to the king who took the place and penalty of the sin of the world. But—are we simply and solemnly to take in the parade of passion and pain from the sidelines?
Recently my eyes were opened to an expanded reality of the call and cost of discipleship.
On Palm Sunday at Good Shepherd, we will sing hosannas and make way for the king, and we will unpack Isaiah 53 and the full nature of suffering servants.
Our God wastes no pain for kingdom gain. Hard work, but a fuller understanding will bring you a better understanding of John 10:10—the abundant life.
Come and see!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message on this Palm Sunday as he continues the journey into the mountains of Isaiah.
March 26, 2023
What Can We Separate?
When God feels far away, how often do we think about what is separating us?
When our prayers seem unanswered, it’s easier to say that God isn’t listening than it is to assess our lives and take a long, hard look at what is separating us from God.
Whether it’s our own inability to listen for God’s voice, our hesitance to focus on gratitude for what we already have, or our insatiable need for control in life, what we do matters in our relationship with God.
If we truly trust the author of our stories, then why do we keep trying to take the pen?
Read Isaiah 59 as we prepare to take stock of some deep realities this Sunday.
Blessings,
Leah Clark
Update: Listen to Leah’s exploration of Isaiah 59, and what it says about the iniquities that separate us from God.
March 19, 2023
The Song of the Sisters
Tired of the “hike” through Isaiah? It’s long—66 chapters—and it’s steep—some of the peaks are shrouded and infested with enemies. But every so often we come to a lookout vista of beauty at which we should pause and ponder.
Welcome to the mountain of Isaiah 54 as recorded in verse 10:
… Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
Isaiah 54:10 (NIV)
The trick to this invitation is that we don’t get to that summit by helicopter, paved road or ski lift. This is a narrow path of singing through the pain, and overcoming fear and shame. This is also a path to which Isaiah, our guide, by the Spirit has specifically identified women as the travelers.
This week, some of you readers may have been around guest speaker and teacher Marty Solomon. If so, you will remember his assertion that the prophecy of Isaiah is both very much of Jesus, and very much for Jesus people (called “disciples”) to be the servants of—and witnesses to—the nations about God’s compassion, especially on trails of tears.
It’s deep and high, and so is the Father’s love for us!
Strap on your shoes fitted with the gospel of peace, and train yourself more for abundant life in the care of all whom the Lord loves.
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s fireside chat on this chilly morning as he examines the question of “how long?” repeated in Psalm 13.
March 12, 2023
Isaiah 55
Really, enough said. Come and listen … Seek and find … See how Eugene Peterson—pastor, scholar and ever-wise translator—brings this truth into our target language in “The Message” Bible.
Take time to linger over these truths and bring your insights to COGS tomorrow!
Buy Without Money
“Hey there! All who are thirsty,
come to the water!
Are you penniless?
Come anyway—buy and eat!
Come, buy your drinks, buy wine and milk.
Buy without money—everything’s free!
Why do you spend your money on junk food,
your hard-earned cash on cotton candy?
Listen to me, listen well: Eat only the best,
fill yourself with only the finest.
Pay attention, come close now,
listen carefully to my life-giving, life-nourishing words.
I’m making a lasting covenant commitment with you,
the same that I made with David: sure, solid, enduring love.
I set him up as a witness to the nations,
made him a prince and leader of the nations,
And now I’m doing it to you:
You’ll summon nations you’ve never heard of,
and nations who’ve never heard of you
will come running to you.
Because of me, your God,
because The Holy of Israel has honored you.”
Seek God while he’s here to be found,
pray to him while he’s close at hand.
Let the wicked abandon their way of life
and the evil their way of thinking.
Let them come back to God, who is merciful,
come back to our God, who is lavish with forgiveness.
“I don’t think the way you think.
The way you work isn’t the way I work.”
God’s Decree.
“For as the sky soars high above earth,
so the way I work surpasses the way you work,
and the way I think is beyond the way you think.
Just as rain and snow descend from the skies
and don’t go back until they’ve watered the earth,
doing their work of making things grow and blossom,
producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry,
so will the words that come out of my mouth
not come back empty-handed.
They’ll do the work I sent them to do,
they’ll complete the assignment I gave them.
“So you’ll go out in joy,
you’ll be led into a whole and complete life.
The mountains and hills will lead the parade,
bursting with song.
All the trees of the forest will join the procession,
exuberant with applause.
No more thistles, but giant sequoias,
no more thornbushes, but stately pines—
Monuments to me, to God,
living and lasting evidence of God.”
Isaiah 55:1-13 (The Message)
Such a powerful truth!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message as he springs forward into the mountains of Isaiah on this first day of Daylight Savings Time.
March 5, 2023
The Road of Great Price
Growing up as a native to NC, my father in Charlotte was fond of drilling down on the merits of the “old north state”.
One of his favorite factoids was that NC was known as the “good roads” state, and under the watch of Governor Bob Scott, we were blessed with more paved secondary roads than any state in the U.S. (at that time).
As children, we would make our way up old U.S. 70 from Old Fort to Black Mountain, and marvel at the chiseled granite and raised highways that made the journey by Volkswagon Beetle or van possible.
In our journey as a faithful family through the mountains of Isaiah, we have read of the Lord’s making a way through the mountains in Isaiah 42, and this week in Isaiah 49 comes this promise:
They will feed beside the roads
and find pasture on every barren hill.
They will neither hunger nor thirst,
nor will the desert heat or the sun beat down on them.
He who has compassion on them will guide them
and lead them beside springs of water.
I will turn all my mountains into roads,
and my highways will be raised up.
Isaiah 49:9-11 (NIV)
Come back to the mountains and hear more of how the Lord provides in deserts and on mountains, and even as we are singing every week “When the Mountains in My Way”.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s morning message on this brisk morning in early March as he continues the climb up the mountains of Isaiah.
February 26, 2023
Faith That’s More Than ‘Fire Insurance’
Sunday at Good Shepherd, we go back to go forward. We return to Isaiah 43, which was the focus of the message on New Year’s Day. In the first few verses, the Lord makes a number of powerful promises. One of these is rescue from the flames.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
Isaiah 43:2 (NIV)
Sometimes our shortsighted understanding of faith in God leads us to the belief that it gives primarily protection for our afterlife. In reality, our faith fuels obedience and abundance in this life.
What is obedience? Eugene Peterson argues that Psalm 132 shows it is “a lively, adventurous response of faith that is rooted in historical fact and reaches into a promised hope”.
This Sunday, February 26, we begin an annual pilgrimage to the cross and the empty tomb and the person of Jesus, who leads us in triumphal procession to promised hope. This is a journey and an ascent into the highlands of a grace-filled life. Gather with your COGS church community Sunday and make this journey your own.
A special treat for this season will be a new song that we will share called “Highlands (Song of Ascent)” from Hillsong United. I encourage you to watch and familiarize yourself with this anthem of grace on YouTube!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s fireside chat on this cold February morning as he dives back into the prophecy of Isaiah.
February 19, 2023
Meandering Through Mountain Mist
Have you ever been lost on a mountain road or on a hike? We lived on a mountain for five years. On many misty evenings in the winter, we would find ourselves limping along Crown Point Road in our minivan looking for any sign of familiarity, but often to no avail with a load of loud little lads on board.
In our mountains of Isaiah series, we have come to chapter 42, which offers the promise of provision for just such a pointless path.
From Eugene Peterson’s translation, there is hope and promise:
But I’ll take the hand of those who don’t know the way,
who can’t see where they’re going.
I’ll be a personal guide to them,
directing them through unknown country.
I’ll be right there to show them what roads to take,
make sure they don’t fall into the ditch.
These are the things I’ll be doing for them—
sticking with them, not leaving them for a minute.
Isaiah 42:16 (Message)
At Good Shepherd, I am fond of saying, “This is a place where it’s okay not to be okay.”
The Body of Christ is also a refuge for the lost to find direction, and hands to guide, even and especially in unfamiliar territory.
Need a hand? Need a map? Need a father’s lap? Come and see this Sunday, February 19!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s laundry room chat on this chilly winter morning as he revisits the mountains of Isaiah.
February 12, 2023
Treasure in Surprising Places
Let’s go on a treasure hunt this Sunday. You have the map as do I, so our steps to the spot will be clear. Even better, we have two among us who will share the map to their treasure. And, the source of the riches is shockingly limitless.
The prophet Isaiah wrote:
He will be the sure foundation for your times,
a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge;
the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.
Isaiah 33:6 (NIV)
The message of the Word is always one of hope and future and treasure, whether on the mountains of Isaiah or in our own lonely valleys. The consistent greeting of the Almighty is—do not fear, but revere!
Gather this Sunday at COGS and share in the bounty.
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s chat on this rainy winter morning as he continues the series on Isaiah.
February 5, 2023
The Mountain Offers Comfort
Wake up and thaw out, frozen flock! Isn’t it remarkable how a wet and cold week can feel like a month? Do you need some comfort and encouragement?
Tomorrow at COGS, we come to the powerful mountain of Isaiah 40. And the Lord offers abundant comfort for His people there from verses 1-31. Some of the comfort is accompanied by a 2 x 4 whack of truth as to who is the Lord and what we need saving from.
As part of the prep for the morning and the message, here is a new song we will introduce before prayer tomorrow—we do take requests. You can preview “We Will Feast in the House of Zion” on YouTube.
Also, a favorite Isaiah 40 movie clip—from “Chariots of Fire”, no less—also on YouTube.
Watch both and come back to the mountain tomorrow. The shroud has lifted and there is sunshine and room to soar on wings as eagles!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
January 29, 2023
Mountains of Isaiah—Rattlesnake Rock
It begins at the beginning, right there in Genesis 3, where the serpent slithers in. But the snake infestation does not end there. In Isaiah alone, we read about cobras, asps, and ultimately Leviathan, the great gliding serpent.
My first date with Jeanne was to see “Raiders of the Lost Ark” with Indiana Jones. In a pivotal scene he is thrown into the well of souls and says the infamous line: “Snakes, I hate snakes!”
How about you and the slithering kind? And why were snakes part of creation? And in the Garden of Eden no less?
Isaiah 27 and 11 give us a bit of perspective on the purpose and the plan. This will be the rare Sunday that Good Shepherd is a snake handling church!
Come and gather this Sunday, January 29.
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s chat from the fire in his kitchen on this chill January morning, as he shares some insights on Isaiah 11 and 27.
January 22, 2023
God’s Hand Is on the Mountains of Isaiah
There is an unnamed mountain referenced in Isaiah 25 and 26. On Sunday the 15th, I named it “the mountain of promise”, because the Lord promised at least five things:
A rich feast will be prepared for all people.
There will be a destruction of a shroud that enfolds all people.
Death will be defeated or swallowed up.
Tears will be wiped from all faces.
Disgrace and shame will be removed from all the earth.
Are you ready to climb this mountain? Did you note that all of the promises are preceded by will be? Sign me up, right? But there’s more …
At the mountain of promise, there are also the hands and feet of the Lord bringing justice to more than just us.
Isaiah 25:10 says, “The hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain”.
Let’s explore what comes next on Sunday, for in the Lord’s plan of promise there is discipline before delight. There is some stomping out before the saving up.
Grace does not come cheap, nor does the mountaintop view. Come to know Jesus and share in His Journey!
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s fireside chat on this wet and cold January morning, as he invites you to join him on a hike up the mountains of Isaiah.
January 15, 2023
Mountain and Valley
In the Montreat cove of peaks and knobs, there is an understated ridge known as Rainbow Mountain. It sounds like something mythical, where unicorns live and gumdrops grow on trees, but, alas, it is another in a subtle series of highland resting places.
I reference Rainbow Mountain more for symbolism, for as you know a rainbow was God’s promise to Noah and family that there would never again be a flood as a means of judgment upon the earth. The rainbow was a sign of grace after a horrendous tragedy.
Sunday, January 15 is part of the national Martin Luther King holiday weekend. MLK preached his last sermon, “I Have Been to the Mountain”, on April 3, 1968 in Memphis, which was the night before his assassination and two weeks before Easter.
The mountain of the Lord is a place of promise and hope in the aftermath of the madness and melee of the valley below.
Isaiah 25 promises another mountain of hope:
On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare
a feast of rich food for all peoples,
a banquet of aged wine—
the best of meats and the finest of wines.
On this mountain he will destroy
the shroud that enfolds all peoples,
the sheet that covers all nations;
he will swallow up death forever.
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears
from all faces;
he will remove his people’s disgrace
from all the earth.
The Lord has spoken.
In that day they will say,
“Surely this is our God;
we trusted in him, and he saved us.
This is the Lord, we trusted in him;
let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”
Isaiah 25:6-9 (NIV)
Come with me to this mountain of promise out of the valleys of despair!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s fireside chat on this brisk January morning about the climb into the mountains of Isaiah.
January 8, 2023
Meet Me on the Mountain
So many of you know that the Martin cars typically go west when we leave our home in Beaufort County. We so enjoy the beach, but we have heart and history in the haven of Montreat, NC. We gathered there again this New Year, and upon coming back I reached the conclusion that I don’t want to leave the mountains.
So, mountains meet the message in a launch of a new series called “The Mountains of Isaiah”, which I will begin this Sunday, January 8. This topic is not at all a stretch given the text of the prophet. For example, chapter 2 says:
Many peoples will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the temple of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths.”
Isaiah 2:3 (NIV)
And from chapter 52:
How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”
Isaiah 52:7 (NIV)
This first week will be an overview or a lookout mountain—trust me, the views are exquisite! Let’s see what the Lord has done!
Blessings,
Pastor Jay
Update: Listen to Jay’s first garden talk of 2023 on this January morning as he dives into Isaiah 2.
January 1, 2023
Resolutions
Decisions. Conclusions. Verdicts. Determinations. Mandates. Decrees.
Sounds pretty final and absolute, doesn’t it? If you want your life to look different, you have to make a change, right? So why do we make resolutions? To start fresh in a new year?
What happens when we don’t stick to those resolutions? Are we failures? Do we give ourselves grace and a second chance? Or, do we just go back to our familiar ways of doing things?
What if we focused, instead, on making changes to improve our relationship with God? Sure, we go to church every week. Morning devotions over coffee. Bible studies with our small groups. But the same old, same old just doesn’t feel fresh anymore. How can we make a change?
This New Year’s Day, let’s look at Isaiah 43 and see how God is making a new thing! God doesn’t want us to live in the past (our past does not define us), so let’s explore together how to look to the future and approach this new year with an attitude of gratitude and acceptance of change.
See you on Sunday.
Leah Moore
