6/19/22 When the Journey is Too Great, God is Greater
6/12/22 Life in the Spirit
Life in the Spirit by Rev. L. John GableJune 12, 2022 Perhaps you are aware that the Church operates on a different calendar than does the rest of society. Rather than our following a calendar that goes from January 1 to December 31, the Church follows a...
6/5/22 Born of the Spirit
Born of the Spirit by Rev. L. John GableJune 5, 2022 One doesn’t have to be around us Presbyterians very long to discover that we like to be in control. We like to be in control of our lives and our environments and our emotions. We like to plan our work and work...
5/29/22 The Work We Do in the Meantime
The Work We Do in the Meantime by Rev. L. John GableMay 29, 2022 I wish I could say I was intentional in planning it this way, but I will confess that I was not. Last Sunday we finished our nearly six month study of John’s Gospel and next Sunday is Pentecost, the day...
5/22/22 What About Him?
What About Him? by Rev. L. John GableMay 22, 2022 Have you ever had the occasion of spending an evening with family or friends during which you sat around the table talking and telling stories, some new, others well-known and well-worn, only to find...
5/15/22 When Love Shows Up as Breakfast at the Beach
5/8/22 The First Evangelist
The First Evangelist by Rev. L. John GableMay 8, 2022 We are now three weeks out from the Easter day and we are not yet done with this story. I believe it was John Buchanan, former pastor of Chicago’s Fourth Presbyterian Church, who once said something to the effect,...
5/1/22 The Thomas Among Us
The Thomas Among Us by Rev. L. John GableMay 1, 2022 Talk about cognitive dissonance. The events surrounding the death and resurrection of our Lord must have had the disciples reeling, wondering “What had just happened?” John tells us, “On the evening of...
4/24/22 Can I Get a Witness?
4/17/22 Seeing and Believing (Easter Sunday)
Seeing and Believing by Rev. L. John GableApril 17, 2022 (Easter Sunday) For as many years as I can remember we have opened our Easter services as we did this morning with this reading from the 20th chapter of John’s Gospel. Regardless of the text to be...
4/15/22 Denial (Good Friday)
Denial by Rev. L. John GableApril 15, 2022 (Good Friday) There are many stories in Scripture in which we can identify with the characters involved, perhaps particularly so in the passage we’ve read this evening telling of Peter’s denial of Jesus. It is a...
4/10/22 Following Jesus Down and Up
Following Jesus Down and Up by Rev. L. John GableApril 10, 2022 (Palm Sunday) There was quite a party going on at the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus, and for good reason: Lazarus was there after having been recently raised from the dead, and Jesus and...
4/3/22 One Vine, Many Branches
3/27/22 The Prayer That Jesus Prays
The Prayer That Jesus Prays by Rev. L. John GableMarch 27, 2022 I would like for you to think for a moment about your own prayer life during the past few days or weeks, or as far back as you can recall. I’d like for you to think not so much about how...
3/20/22 We Wish to See Jesus
We Wish to See Jesus by Rev. L. John GableMarch 2, 2022 I trust you are familiar with the concept of six degrees of separation, the idea that any one of us could name any person, famous or not, anywhere in the world, and a connection could be made to them...
3/13/22 What Does It Take to Believe?
What Does it Take to Believe? by Rev. L. John GableMarch 13, 2022 Faith is an interesting and enigmatic part of our lives. It seems there are some who, regardless of what happens, will always believe; and others who, regardless of what happens, will...
3/6/22 Talking About Life and Death
Talking About Life and Death by Rev. L. John GableMarch 3, 2022 In January of 2020, just weeks before everything started to shut down from the pandemic, I called my then 95 year old mother one day to tell her that I had a free Friday coming up, my day off, and that I...
2/27/22 What Are You Going to Do with That Rock in Your Hand?
What are You Going to Do with that Rock in Your Hand? by Rev. L. John GableFebruary 27, 2022 What are you going to do with that rock you’ve got in your hand? That is the question you’ve likely been asking yourself ever since you walked in to this service, and it is...
2/20/22 Is This the Christ?
2/13/22 Who Do You Say That I AM Is?
Who Do You Say That I AM Is? by Rev. L. John GableFebruary 13, 2022 Through the years I have had many opportunities to visit with people about matters related to faith. I consider this to be a great privilege, both as a pastor and as a fellow follower of...
2/6/22 Are We Missing the Miracle?
1/30/22 Do You Want to Be Made Well?
Do You Want to Be Made Well? by Rev. L. John GableJanuary 30, 2022 (A first-person presentation of John 5:1-18) We’re walking. We’re walking. If you are just joining us I’d like to welcome you to the walking tour of great walled city of Jerusalem. My name is Simon...
1/23/22 The Problem of Talking Past One Another
The Problem of Talking Past One Another by Rev. L. John GableJanuary 23, 2022 Sometimes even seemingly simple conversations can be confusing. My first call to ministry was as an associate pastor in Mansfield, OH and one of my primary...
1/16/22 With a Glad and Broken Heart
With a Glad and Broken Heart by Rev. L. John GableJanuary 16, 2022 I want my heart to be gladdened by the things that gladden the heart of Jesus, and I want my heart to be broken by the things that break the heart of Jesus. We see both of these in our...
1/9/22 Come and See: The Cost of Discipleship
Come and See: The Cost of Discipleship by Rev. L. John GableJanuary 9, 2022 Every author, producer and storyteller has to make a decision as to how best to introduce the characters in the story they intend to tell, both the lead actors and the supporting...
1/2/22 The Ministry of John the Baptist
12/26/21 The Truest Thing in the World
The Truest Thing in the World by Rev. L. John GableDecember 26, 2021 When the Gospel writer Luke sat down to write his “good news” about Jesus he made it clear what his intention was: he wanted us to know the truth. Perhaps he knew that there were many...
12/24/21 Christmas Eve: Hearing, Seeing, Believing, Telling
Christmas Eve: Hearing, Seeing, Believing, Telling by Rev. L. John GableDecember 24, 2021 In the year 312 AD the Emperor Constantine had an encounter with the Risen Christ which radically changed his life and subsequently that of Roman Empire, and, it is...
12/19/21 The Living Tabernacle
The Living Tabernacle by Rev. L. John GableDecember 19, 2021 Virgil, the old farmer, was not a regular attender at the small, country church his wife attended. With Christmas approaching, however, she persuaded him to attend the Pastor’s Bible study with...
12/12/21 Reflections of Light in the Darkness
Reflections of LIght in the Darkness by Rev. L. John GableDecember 12, 2021 I don’t know if you are counting down the days or not, but if you are we are 13 days to Christmas; but those are not really the days I am counting. I am counting down the days...