Pastoral Reflections

Dear RockSpring Church Family! I hope your days are going well. Aside from our Lenten devotion, something that sparkled my heart today and I wanted to share this with you. On Sundays, currently I preach through the Gospel of Mark expositional series and on Fridays, I go through 1 Corinthians. And, for my personal daily devotion, I've been reading the book of Judges seeking God's grace through it. Today , I came to Judges 15, which, as you well know, tells the story of Samson

Day 28: Judas Scripture Reading: Luke 22:47-53 There is something deeply unsettling about Judas Iscariot approaching Jesus with a kiss. A kiss is meant to express love, loyalty, and belonging. Yet here, it becomes the very instrument of betrayal. And that is what makes this passage so personal. Because betrayal does not always come from enemies at a distance—it often comes from those who are closest.Judas walked with Jesus. He heard His voice. He saw His miracles. He shared

Day 27: Sinners Scripture Reading: Mark 14:32–42 In the stillness of Gethsemane, we are invited into one of the most sacred and vulnerable moments in all of Scripture. In Gospel of Mark 14:32–42, Jesus does not stand as a distant, untouchable Savior. He trembles. He grieves. He prays. “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death.” This is not the language of strength as we often define it. This is the language of burden, a burden so heavy that it presses the Son of God to the gr

Day 26: Jesus and the Apostles Scripture Reading: Luke 22:14-23 It is striking that Jesus does not begin with sending. He begins with a meal. On the night before the cross, knowing all that would unfold, Jesus gathers His disciples around the table. He breaks bread. He pours the cup. He speaks of His body and His blood. This is not just a ritual moment; it is a deeply personal act of giving Himself to them. And yet, sitting at that same table is betrayal. Not outside the room

Day 25: “The Crowd” Scripture Reading: John 12:12–19 There is something both beautiful and deeply unsettling about the crowd. They are loud in their praise “Hosanna!” They are passionate in their celebration.They are eager, hopeful, and full of expectation. And yet… they do not truly understand Jesus. The crowd welcomes Him as King, but only the kind of king they want. A king who will restore their comfort, secure their future, and defeat their enemies. But Jesus does not co

From the Pastor to you: When I was serving as a pastor in Michigan, many of the members of my congregation were Irish, German, and of broader European descent. During that time, St. Patrick’s Day was widely celebrated. People wore green clothing, local school bands played in parades, and children in the neighborhood enjoyed green St. Patrick’s Day donuts as part of the festivities. Yet I also noticed that many people celebrated the day without really understanding its meaning

Day 24: “The Disciples Then and Now (Part Three)” Scripture Reading: John 6:52–69 There is something deeply unsettling about this passage. Jesus speaks words that are not only difficult but offensive, confusing, even shocking. And the result is sobering: many who once followed Him quietly walk away. What is striking is that Jesus does not soften His message to keep the crowd. He does not chase after those who leave. Instead, He turns to his disciples and says “Do you want to

Day 23: Disciples Then and Now (Part two) Scripture Reading: Luke 9:22–26 Today marks Day 23. You are half way through! Great work! On our passage today, Jesus reveals two difficult truths to His disciples. First, He tells them that the Son of Man must suffer, be rejected, and be killed before being raised on the third day. For the disciples, this must have been deeply confusing. They had begun to believe that Jesus was the Messiah, but their understanding of the Messiah wa

Day 22: Disciples Then and Now (Part One) Scripture Reading: Luke 6:20-23 In Luke 6:20–23, Jesus turns the values of the world upside down. In a society that celebrates success, comfort, and approval, Jesus speaks blessing over the poor, the hungry, the grieving, and those who are rejected because of Him. At first glance, this seems strange. How can hardship or rejection be called a blessing? But Jesus is speaking to disciples, those who have chosen to follow Him. The blessin