Rogness On Tap

Text: Mark 16:14-20 & 2 Timothy 4:5-18 The symbol for the Gospel of Mark is the Lion – the Lion is a symbol of power, pride, magnificence, nobility, and courage. The Lion also represents Jesus' resurrection and Christ as the King of heaven and earth.   One of the reasons given for the Lion serving as a symbol of Mark's Gospel is the manner in which the Gospel begins. The roar of a lion is not without notice, it is fierce, and it is decisive. There's no birth narrative or historical recounting of events of wise men and angels; instead, the Gospel quickly and immediately begins with the fulfillment of John the Baptist, who is the messenger,   “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight.’” This straightening of paths is the call and action of repentance within the heart of man, the need to be reconciled to the Father.   If you want to know the theme of Mark's Gospel, hear the words of John the Baptist and the wo

  Text: John 20:19-31 Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! It's the evening of the first day of the week in today's Gospel, it's the evening of the first Easter, and the disciples are now assembled behind closed doors, except for Thomas. The locked doors provide security from the world, protecting them from the Jews who remain hostile towards followers of Jesus. Outwardly, this group appears safe and at peace, but inwardly, it’s a different story. Their lives are in chaos, their souls are in deep distress. The death of Jesus sent the disciples into a tailspin; it rocked them, leaving them searching for peace in the world and peace in their lives. None of this was how things were supposed to go… You can sympathize with the disciples. You, too, have experienced moments like this, where externally, you look great – even strong, but internally, it’s a living hell.   The United States military is often seen as a measuring stick for culture or a mirror of to

Text: John 18-19 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. “What is man?” In the beginning, God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” (Genesis 1:26)   What is this image and likeness? As a child is an image of their parent – their appearance, receding hairlines, how they walk, the way they speak. But, the likeness and image of the Creator go deeper. Man, also known as Adam, receives God's character – God's law, His will written upon his heart.   Then, Genesis goes on to say, "The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it." (Genesis 2:15) The man carries out the will of God as a manager and steward of creation. His labors are not punishment, nor are they toilsome.   The question is often asked, what if Adam wouldn’t have sinned? Or, why didn’t God prevent Adam from being led into the Serpent's temptation? It is because God did not create a machine. In fact, as we confess in th