Posts by Bob Rhodes (Page 4)

Introduction Can you believe it? We’re entering the final stretch of our Advent Road Trip series. Over the past few weeks, we’ve packed our bags, asked “Are We There Yet?”, and navigated the roadblocks on our journey. We’re approaching our destination. This is about the time you keep your eyes peeled for your exit, signaling that you’ve nearly made it to the end. Those exit signs bring a sense of relief and excitement that rivals the initial excitement we feel…

Introduction Hello, travelers! Here we are at the third week of Advent, and our Road Trip series has hit a bit of a snag… but we’ll get to that in a moment. A few weeks ago we began our journey Packed and Ready to prepare for the arrival of Christ. And last week, we leaned into that all-too-familiar question, “Are We There Yet?” with John the Baptist as our guide, as he prepared the way for Christ. This week we…

Introduction It’s the second week of Advent, and as you might recall, last week we kicked off our Road Trip: Journeying to Christmas series. We started by packing up, making sure we’re ready for the journey ahead, just like those anticipating the arrival of the Son of Man. This week, we’re on the road and maybe already starting to get a little antsy about the drive. Have you ever noticed that when you set out on a road trip, after…

Introduction This week we begin a four-week journey of Advent called Road Trip. What is Advent? I’m glad you asked! Have you ever eagerly awaited something, counting down the days, preparing, and getting more excited as the time approaches? That’s the spirit of Advent! It’s the time leading up to Christmas where we eagerly wait and prepare our hearts for the celebration of Jesus’ birth. It’s about anticipating the joy, hope, and love that Jesus brings into our world. During…

We conclude our 3-week series on gratitude called Our Hymn of Grateful Praise exploring the essential nature of gratitude in our lives and in our faith. The text this week is familiar. The story of the feeding of the five thousand is in all four Gospels, though some of the details are different—including the number of people who share in the meal together! And in three of the Gospels, it is linked to the story of Jesus walking on water—also…

We continue our 3-week series on gratitude called Our Hymn of Grateful Praise exploring the essential nature of gratitude in our lives and in our faith. The opening verse this week is, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.” Consider someone in your life who acts this way. Perhaps it’s someone who is always happy or always celebrating or always filled with joy. This doesn’t mean, even as we approach Thanksgiving, that there isn’t room for grief…

This week we begin a new 3-week series on gratitude called Our Hymn of Grateful Praise. Through these few weeks, we will explore the essential nature of gratitude in our lives and in our faith. This first Sunday, we begin with a psalm of thanks (at least according to the heading in my Bible). I think expressing gratitude is essential for us, and sometimes I wonder if we have lost that practice. I’m sure I’ve spoken before about how terrible…

This week we begin a new 6-week series called Unity in Diversity: The Beauty of The United Methodist Church. Through these coming weeks, we will explore the rich history and theology that we share as United Methodists. This first Sunday, we kick off this series in the perfect way: by welcoming new members into the congregation of La Jolla United Methodist Church! Some new members are Confirmands who are professing their faith; some are transferring their membership from other congregations;…

This week and next, we will remain in the Revised Common Lectionary before moving into our next series. This Second Sunday after Pentecost includes texts that remind us that God’s presence and call can rarely be described as expected or ordinary. (Side note: this season is often called “ordinary time” because it is a long season counted by ordinal numbers, not because it is common or uneventful.) Abram isn’t young when God calls him to leave everything he knows. Matthew…

As we prepare for this Sunday, we look forward to the celebration of Pentecost! This week’s message will explore two New Testament texts. Through the imagery of fire and the act of breathing, we will consider the theme of inspiration and empowerment, stirring our hearts to make a positive impact on our communities and the world around us. In Acts 2, we witness the powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, where the disciples were filled…

As we prepare for the upcoming Sunday worship service, we eagerly anticipate the celebration of Ascension Sunday. This special occasion invites us to delve into the theme of “Anticipation” and explore its significance in our spiritual journey. Our focal point will be found opening verses of the book of Acts. In this text, we encounter the disciples in a moment of profound transition as Jesus ascends to heaven, promising the arrival of the Holy Spirit. Through this passage, we are…