Live in Expectation

By Res Spears Message delivered December 30, 2018 at Liberty Spring Christian Church We have been talking for the past month of Sundays about Advent, the season of waiting. And all of that waiting culminated with Christmas, which, of course, marks the birth of our Savior. To review for a moment, Advent pictures the long age during which Israel awaited the fulfillment of God’s promise for a redeemer. You might recall that the four outer candles here represent the four centuries of God’s silence between the prophet Malachi and the birth of Jesus. God had been revealing Himself to His … Continue reading Live in Expectation

Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men

By Res Spears Message delivered December 24, 2018 at Liberty Spring Christian Church 1 Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. 2 This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. 4 Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, 5 in … Continue reading Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men

Special Gifts for a Special Child

By Res Spears Message delivered December 23, 2018 at Liberty Spring Christian Church Scientists tell us that the sense of smell may be the sense with the most direct connection to memories. Perhaps there is some smell that brings back a rush of memories of your childhood. Cookies baking in the oven. Playdough. Vicks Vapo-Rub perhaps. For me, it’s the smell of a campfire. We used to go camping a lot when I was growing up, and the smell of a campfire brings back memories of those good times, and it always reminds me of my father. I bring this … Continue reading Special Gifts for a Special Child

Be Informed

By Res Spears Message delivered December 16, 2018 at Liberty Spring Christian Church Many of you know that I had a career as a journalist before entering the ministry. I’ll pause here for everyone to say, “Boooo.” I spent most of the past 33 years in the newspaper business, and I was editor of the Suffolk News-Herald for eight years before leaving to focus my attention and energies on seminary and ministry. I loved that job. In fact, I always figured I would work at that desk right up to my last day – hopefully hanging on until after our … Continue reading Be Informed

Wake up and watch out!

By Res Spears Message delivered December 2, 2018 at Liberty Spring Christian Church One of the benefits of being an only child is that I never had to compete with brothers or sisters for attention or for seconds at the dinner table or for anything, really. Some people would say that the atmosphere tends to create spoiled children who grow up to be spoiled adults. Whatever. They’re just jealous. Anyway, since I never had to worry about brothers and sisters beating me to the presents on Christmas morning, I was never in a huge hurry to open them. I wasn’t … Continue reading Wake up and watch out!

A Meal and a Sacrifice

By Res Spears Message delivered November 25, 2018 at Liberty Spring Christian Church I trust you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and pushed yourselves away from your tables with slightly more difficulty than usual. Our family was blessed to celebrate for the first time with the family of one of our sons-in-law, and we made some great memories. Our daughter, Desiree, loves to put together silly games that get the family laughing and competing for dollar store prizes. You’d be surprised at how competitive some people who shall remain nameless can be for a green sponge with an alien head … Continue reading A Meal and a Sacrifice

Thanks and Giving

By Res Spears Message delivered November 18, 2018 at Liberty Spring Christian Church Yesterday, a small group from this church spent a few hours in the parking lot of a church in downtown Suffolk, handing out grocery bags with sweet potatoes in them. It was cold and, for a while at least, uncomfortable, and I think it’s very unlikely that we’ll ever have a visit from a single one of those who were in line for the free food distribution. But we weren’t there as a marketing or church-growth exercise. In fact, I had considered looking for a banner with … Continue reading Thanks and Giving

Called to serve

By Res Spears Message delivered November 11, 2018 at Liberty Spring Christian Church A King called ‘Servant’ Have you ever struggled with the feeling that people just weren’t paying attention? You’ve been talking and talking, and what you’ve been saying is really important, but it just doesn’t seem to be getting through. It’s almost as if you’re talking to the wall. Of course you know what that’s like. Most of you have been parents or grandparents with young children in your homes. And many of you have had husbands, so I’m not telling you about some strange concept here. You’ve … Continue reading Called to serve

Don’t be corrupted

By Res Spears Message delivered November 4, 2018 at Liberty Spring Christian Church Some of you know that Annette and I celebrated our anniversary yesterday. Seventeen years. It seems like so much longer. OK, so that’s my favorite joke. Annette has been hearing it for 17 years, and I think she’d be the first to tell you that it never gets old. Right, honey? Well, the truth is that our time together has probably seemed a lot longer for her than it has for me. I’m the one who got the great deal in this arrangement. She got the factory … Continue reading Don’t be corrupted

Be ready for the feast

By Res Spears Message delivered October 28, 2018 at Liberty Spring Christian Church During our last communion service together, we talked about some of the things that happen over shared meals, and we talked about the significance of shared meals to the building of community. Today, we’re going to continue in that vein as we explore a parable that Jesus told when He was a guest for a meal at the home of a Pharisee. Turn with me to Luke, Chapter 14, and — as you’ve probably grown accustomed to by now — while you’re doing so, I want to … Continue reading Be ready for the feast