Mount of Olives Church

Easter The Christian faith stands or falls on the validity of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If Jesus was not truly raised from the dead, then everything He promised cannot be fulfilled and everything He proclaimed is a lie. Some like to say they only see Jesus as a great moral teacher. But if a great moral leader is all He was, and He had not risen from the dead, then He was a liar. And you cannot be a great moral teacher if you are a liar. There are many who have come up with theories to explain away the resurrection of Jesus. One is called the “Swoon Theory”, which claims that Jesus never really died on the cross but only passed out or “swooned”. This theory goes on to state that the cooling effects of the tomb revived Him, and He then appeared to His followers as one who conquered death. Yet, if you believe the “Swoon Theory”, you will have to believe some other things as well. You will have to believe that Jesus pushed a one-ton stone from the entrance of the tomb, He fought o...

The story is told of a 10-year-old boy who decided to study Judo, despite the fact he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident. The boy began lessons with an old Japanese Judo master. The boy was doing well, but he couldn't understand why, after three months of training, the master had taught him only one move. “Sensei,” (teacher) the boy finally said, “Shouldn't I be learning more moves?” “This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you'll ever need to know,” the Sensei replied. Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training. Several months later, the sensei took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy used his one move to win the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals. This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more...

It has been said, “The trouble comes when the New Year’s resolutions collide with the old year’s habits.” This is so true. Often, we want to grow and be transformed, but we end up back in the same place. The Apostle Paul in Romans 7 describes the situation very well. He says, “The good I want to do I don’t do and I end up doing the very thing that I don’t want to do.” This is our condition. Martin Luther described it as “being simultaneously saint and sinner”. This battle is always going on. So, what do we do? We just keep on doing what God has asked us to do. We keep growing in faithfulness and dedication to His values as found in the scriptures. And we do it with the full knowledge that in Christ there is forgiveness. The Apostle Paul, in writing to the church in Corinth in chapter six, talked about the immorality from which many of them came. But He reminded them as they leave those lifestyles, they are cleansed in Jesus. Here is how he put it: 1 Corinthians 6:11 ESV And such were s...

If you want to be distressed, look within. If you want to be defeated, look back. If you want to be distracted, look around. If you want to be dismayed, look ahead. If you want to be delivered, look to Christ. If you want to be delighted, look up! - R. B. Zuck One of the reasons we become filled with worry and anxiety is because we are looking in the wrong places for help and support. So, let’s stop looking to ourselves for strength. Living in the past doesn’t really get us there and no one can know the future. Instead, let us focus on the God who always keeps His promises and proves it in Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:9 ESV God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Pray with me: Heavenly Father, we are so easily distracted by many things. Help us to stay focused on You and Your promise to see us through the most difficult times. In Jesus’ name. Amen. Yours because of Him, Pastor John R. Steward Senior Pastor Mount of Olive...

A little over a month before he died, the famous atheist Jean-Paul Sartre; when trying to resist strong feelings of despair, would often say to himself, "I know I shall die in hope." Then in profound sadness, he would add, "But hope needs a foundation." He was right. Hope must have a foundation. Sartre, being an atheist, would have found it highly difficult to have a great deal of hope in this life or beyond. Sounds like a formula for great despair. But his statement is something we need to hear. We need to ask the important question: Upon what foundation am I building my life and eternity? Are you building your life on something that will survive the test of time? The real question is whether it is a lasting foundation. Is it durable for the rigors of life? The outcome of your life will be determined by the foundation upon which you are building. This was the point the Apostle Paul makes in writing to the church at Corinth. He too, is asking upon what foundation ar...

"People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily." — Zig Ziglar, Author Renewing our motivation on a regular basis is especially needed right now. If we do not, we will grow stagnant and sluggish. So, it becomes important to stop and reflect on what we are doing, and even ask why. It might even mean learning how to “reinvent yourself” by reading a book or taking a class. To stay motivated, it helps to be in a position where we can learn new things and not be satisfied with what we already know; as if we have come to the end of all there is to know. It is important to do these kinds of things to stay motivated. However, there is something even more basic we need – something so foundational that without it, all of the other efforts to stay motivated will never be truly satisfying. This is to know the purpose God has for me. We know through His Word, He wants us to have a relationship with Him through our Lord Jesus Ch...

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. It should be noted at the outset, the temptations we just read about do not come from God. For further study on this topic, read James 1:13-16. When you face temptations, they are not coming from God. What a cruel God He would be if this were the case. Nevertheless, temptations do come our way. Because of our broken condition, we are tempted to pursue materialism and power and make them the center of our lives. We might be tempted to give in to our anger and become difficult to live with. During these days, we might be tempted to give in to the addictions which damaged our lives in the past. What are the temptations with which you are dealing? Here, the Apostle Paul is saying this problem is part of the human condition. We are meant to...

Holy Communion reminds us God really gets engaged in the serious matters of life. In addition, He gets involved in the essential challenges of our broken condition. Since He is the Almighty God who is preeminent and needs nothing, it would be easy for Him to simply sit back and let us deal with our condition on our own. At least that is what we would be tempted to do. But thankfully, God is not like we are. He gets into the battle for His lost and broken world. He is even willing to come Himself and shed His own blood for you and me and actually experience death. Holy Communion has a way of uniting us with this battle. Through the Sacrament, we become one with Him in His redemptive work and ministry. 1 Corinthians 10:16 ESV The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? So, the next time you toy with the idea of being alone or even abandoned, allow Holy Communion to be the t...

One of the most important ways to prepare for Holy Communion is through confession and repentance. Here is how the Apostle Paul put it: I Corinthians 11:27-30 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. Eating of the bread and drinking of the cup in Holy Communion in an “unworthy manner” simply means to do so with an un-repentant heart. We need to do some self-examination using God’s Word. When we discover the areas of our lives where we are not living according to His will, repentance means not only are we sorry, but we will work to change those areas of our lives. In addition, we learn from this passage that Holy Communion is more than a symbol. If th...

This coming weekend, at our 5:00pm Saturday worship service in the Courtyard, we will be celebrating Holy Communion. We will be doing this in a safe manner as to protect everyone. If you are one who watches the service online, you will be able to participate as well. If you are watching online, you can be prepared by using wine/grape juice along with bread you might already have in your home. We want you to participate in the worship service either live on Saturday night, October 3, or online, Sunday, October 4. If you’re worshipping online, you’ll listen to the “Words of Institution” and then, along with the rest of the congregation, receive the elements of the bread and wine. Over the next couple of days, I want to teach the meaning and importance of Holy Communion through these devotionals. A Lutheran understanding of Holy Communion is different from a great many other churches. One of the reasons we have delayed in offering Holy Communion, prior to now, is because we wanted to be s...

Many years ago, in my previous congregation, Bethel Lutheran Church in Encino, California, the impressionist Fred Travalena; his wife, Lois; and their sons, became members of our church. Fred was an amazing and gifted artist. He not only did impressions of the leading celebrities of our time, but could sing and impersonate the likes of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennet, Johnny Mathis and others. You could close your eyes and not be able to tell the difference. In addition, he had impersonated every president from John F. Kennedy to George W. Bush; often in their presence on the same stage (just Google his name or go on YouTube, and you will see what I mean). Fred was an extremely generous man in so many ways. Helping to raise funds for our Lutheran elementary school, Fred did his Las Vegas show with full orchestra and other celebrities three times on a massive stage in the San Fernando Valley. He was always helping others and would regularly rescue stray cats and dogs. A couple of times, I ha...

In life, there is the tendency to grow hopeless when life is difficult. Because we can’t see the future, we may think the future is hopeless. However, just because we can’t see the future, it doesn’t mean it is hopeless at all. I have read there is a sign over the entrance to the U.S. Patent Office (where new things are the order of the day) in Washington, DC. The sign proclaims, "The Past is but Prologue." One day a tourist asked a cab driver what the sign meant. Said the cabbie: "It means, ’Brother, you ain’t seen nothing’ yet!’"  (Russell Brownworth "Part One - Tenth Hours" 1/19/2009) Always keep in mind that God knows the future. He is not finished and He always gets the last word. He has an amazing plan for your life and future. Trust Him.   I Corinthians 2:9 ESV But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him” Pray with me: Heavenly Father, many times we get stuc...

Helen Keller (June 27, 1880 – June 1,1968) was an American author, political activist, and lecturer. She was the first  deaf and blind  person to earn a  Bachelor of Arts  degree. She overcame tremendous challenges, and became not only world famous, but a tremendous inspiration for all. She understood what it meant to work hard while overcoming tremendous problems and challenges. We can find inspiration in her words. “No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit.”  ―Helen Keller 1 Corinthians 13:7  ESV Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.   Since we know the love of God in Jesus Christ, we can experience and give away a kind of love different from what the world knows or understands. The love of God, which we are to give away, is strong, hopeful and enduring. So, we don’t have to be pessimists in challenging situations....

Have you ever watched a sporting event on television already knowing the score and outcome of the game? Perhaps you have recorded the game to watch later in the day, and someone mentions the game and the final score to you. Or you are watching something else and the television station reports the final score. Even though you know the outcome, sometimes you watch any way. And if your team has won the game, you watch with a high degree of confidence. When your team gets in trouble and things are starting to look bad, and they might even lose, you know better because you already know the outcome. You know they have been victorious and no matter what happens, you know who the winner will be.  In many ways, this is exactly what the believer in Jesus Christ can experience. We know God became a man in Jesus Christ, died on a cross and was raised from the dead. In this act, He destroyed sin and death. And when we trust in Him as Savior and Lord, He will do this for us. In other words, we a...

By now, we have figured out we are not running a sprint, but rather we are running a marathon. The challenges we have been facing continue to be with us. Maybe the challenges come in a different form, but they are still there. As a result, we can grow tired and weary. This is why it is essential to know that God never grows weary. He never becomes exhausted. And as a result, we can keep going. Because of God’s faithfulness, we can learn to be marathon runners. It will require discipline, grit, tenacity, and especially trust. As we trust God’s faithfulness, we can take the next step. This is what the Apostle Paul discovered and why he wrote these words in I Corinthians 9:24-27. He speaks of winning the “prize”. The “prize” is not heaven or eternal life, because this can never be earned. Eternal life comes only through trusting in Jesus as Savior and Lord. Paul is speaking of the “prize” as such things as spiritual maturity. The “prize” can be the vital strength and endurance we are lear...

In theology, we say that God reveals Himself in two ways - through “General Revelation” and “Specific Revelation”.  God reveals Himself in general ways, primarily through creation. When you are in a place like Maui, Hawaii, and you watch the sun setting on the ocean, it is a powerful reminder of just how almighty God really is. This is why many people say they don’t need to go to church to worship God. They can worship Him in the forest on a camping trip. But do they really? Is this what they are really doing? The problem with “General Revelation” is sometimes it creates some serious questions. So, for example if there is a hurricane, and the mighty storm destroys the coast; does it mean God is angry and taking it out on us? This is why “Specific Revelation” is not only very important, but vital in our understanding the nature of God. In “Specific Revelation”, God became a man in Jesus, died on a cross and was raised again; so we might be forgiven, receive eternal life and be resto...

John Donne was an English poet and scholar born in 1572. He wrote this marvelous poem that is still relevant today:  "No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were: any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee." - John Donne We have been living through the past many decades, too often, as if we don’t need anyone in our lives – somehow, we are on our own, living our own private lives unaffected by others. However, this has never been true, and the Coronavirus has made it clearer as we now crave interaction with others. God’s formula for us is to be engaged in Christian community. Scripture calls it the Body of Christ the Church. Perhaps going forward, we can recommit to Christi...

1 Corinthians 15:12-20 NRSV Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say there is no resurrection of the dead?  If there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised;  and if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified of God that he raised Christ—whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.  For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised.  If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.  Then those also who have died in Christ have perished. If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. So how do we really know that Jesus is raised from the dead...

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.   1 Corinthians 15:58 RSV When I was a boy growing up in Tarzana, California, my mother went across the street to visit Mrs. Spangler. I went along because Mrs. Spangler had a dog in the front yard that I could play with. At the time, I had no idea how much I would learn from Mrs. Spangler’s dog. While my mother was inside visiting, I started to play with this dog. There was a rope lying on the ground, so I dangled it in front of the dog; then he grabbed it with his teeth and wouldn’t let go. I pulled and pulled but he would not let go. Finally, I started to pull sideways, left to right and right to left, but he still would not let go. Before I knew it, the dog was airborne and I was going around in circles, not knowing what to do next. I knew I couldn’t let go of the rope because then the poor dog would go f...