Cascade Presbyrerian Church

Video Blog: July 26, 2012

user@domain.com — 2012-07-26T15:04:35-07:00

Behold the Lamb

user@domain.com — 2012-04-25T13:45:32-07:00

“The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”

(John 1:29 ESV)

Often times as Christians in America we look at our salvation as “our” salvation, personal, individual, just us and Jesus. This Easter, might we look beyond the cultural influences of our day and age to be amazed at the breadth of Christ’s death. Jesus is the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world. Not just your sins. Not just my sins. Not just the sins of the Jews. Not just the sins of upper class white males. Not just the sins of the straight ‘A’ students who stay out of trouble at home. Jesus came to take away all of our sins. He came to take away the sins of the Middle School student born into a Christian home who can’t really remember when they first believed in Jesus because they always have just as much as he came to take away the sins of the High School student who is living on the streets and unable to return home where they are beaten and they refuse to believe in a good God because they don’t know anything good in this world. Not only that, he came to take away the sin that causes a parent to beat their child, for youth to be homeless, to make us think that there is nothing good.

Justin Bruce, Youth Ministries
Cascade Presbyterian Church

Christianity and the conveniences of today.

user@domain.com — 2012-03-01T10:19:50-08:00

In my last blog entry I introduced the topic of the church and how biblical Christianity asks us to make a sacrificial commitment which benefits us in the future rather than the present. I want to explore more specifically exactly what the differences are between the beneficial commitment Christianity asks and the conveniences that our day to day lives offer. The first part of our day to day lives I want to examine is technology. Each one of us uses technology everyday whether it be a computer, television, smart phone or MP3 player. Technology offers to us a more efficient use of time and the advantage of not having to labor as heavily keeping up with schedules, getting work done or entertaining ourselves. Technology gives us the ability to have control and power over our lives by offering us many options of how to efficiently use time (Mac or PC? Laptop or I-Pad?) and how to entertain ourselves (listening to MP3s, playing with apps or watching our favorite movie in surround sound on a 3D television). Technology keeps us comfortable by providing limitless opportunities for excitement by constantly upgrading itself and offering something new for us to feed our appetite for better products. Finally, technology allows us to have relationship with a minimum of cost. For example, instead of having to ask out the girl I’ve got a crush on I can simply send her a text. If I want companionship without the frustration of face to face communication I can send a message on my Facebook account.

Christianity, on the other hand, takes our options away proclaiming that Christ alone offers salvation. Christianity, in contrast to ever developing technology, is old and boring. The church is now over two thousand years old with the generally same beliefs in place that it held over two thousand years ago. There is no I-Bible 4 or I-Christ 4S. Finally, probably the biggest difference between Christianity and our technologically savvy world is Christianity teaches dependence upon a person greater than ourselves. Christ, and faith in him alone, is the way of deliverance. He chose to love me and to die for me when I did not want him. Therefore, my life is ultimately Christ’s, not mine. Our culture teaches that deliverance comes from my ability to independently chose what piece of technology will serve me best. Once that piece of technology fails to serve me then I simply chose a new piece of technology. If we’re honest with ourselves these differences seem to make the church look unattractive. Why should I be committed to her if commitment means less independence and fewer options? For this discussion, stay tuned next week.

Rev. Kyle Perret
Cascade Presbyterian Church

Love and Sacrifice

user@domain.com — 2012-02-09T11:08:00-08:00

There are few institutions that require us to love and sacrifice for other people. You go to school and the teacher teaches you, but her commitment to your education rightly ends with the bell that lets out school. You get something out of the relationship as well, an education. You go to work and no one is required to love any other employee. The bottom line is not sacrifice for one another but being a productive and efficient employee. You go to the doctor in order to get a check up, to find out if something is wrong with your body. The doctor is required by oath to treat you, but you better be ready to hand over some money for his examination. Lawyers are required by the state bar association to conduct the fight for truth and justice with integrity; however, they are well compensated for their work in the arena. The church is different. At church I am commanded to love the people who come without getting anything in return. My brothers and sisters in Christ continue to be my brothers and sisters in Christ even after church is over. The Bible commands me to love other Christians because we are all in the same boat, sinners forgiven by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. This biblical concept has never set well with God’s people; we are constantly comparing ourselves to others and judging others as unworthy of our time. Yet, there seems to be some particular obstacles to loving the church in 2012. What are these obstacles? Why do they make it so hard to love the church? What can we do to address these obstacles in our church? These are the questions I want to explore over the next few entries. Stay tuned for further updates...
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Kyle Perret
Cascade Presbyterian Church