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Chris Altrock

Ticket for Two: The World’s Worst Problem (Jn 16:7-11) Chris Altrock – April 24, 2016

Ticket For Two Series Slide

The World’s Worst Problem

What is the most important problem facing the United States? I’d like you to take a few seconds to think about that question. Do you have an answer in mind? It doesn’t necessarily have to be “the most important” problem. It can just be “an important” problem facing the U. S. Do you have an answer in mind? Take a second and share your answer with someone near you…Read More »Ticket for Two: The World’s Worst Problem (Jn 16:7-11) Chris Altrock – April 24, 2016

Ticket for Two: Witness (Jn 15:26-27) Chris Altrock – April 17, 2016

Ticket For Two Series Slide

18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’ (Jn. 15:18-25 ESV)

What do you do when the world “hates” you? That is, what do you do when the culture around you disagrees with or is hostile toward your faith? That’s what Jesus takes up in this text. Remember, this is part of Jesus’ sermon on the Holy Spirit–the largest teaching on the Holy Spirit in the Bible. It’s found in John 14-16. And here Jesus takes up a difficult topic–what do you do when the culture could care less about what you care most about? What do you do when the world hates you?Read More »Ticket for Two: Witness (Jn 15:26-27) Chris Altrock – April 17, 2016

Ticket for Two: Present and Past (John 14:25-26; 16:12-15) Chris Altrock – April 10, 2016

Ticket For Two Series Slide

 

Music Past

We moved to Memphis twice. Some of you moved from somewhere else to Memphis once. We moved to Memphis twice. And not only did we move to Memphis twice. We moved to Memphis twice from the exact same city. Twice we moved to Memphis, TN from Las Cruces, NM. Once as a student to attend school at Harding School of Theology. Once as a preacher to begin working at Highland.

The first time we moved to Memphis Kendra’s parents helped us move. The second day after we arrived, with our tiny apartment at Harding School of Theology filled with boxes yet to be unpacked, Kendra’s mom said, “Come on, let’s go!” And we all went and spent the day at Graceland. Kendra’s mother is a huge Elvis fan. So we spent our second day in Memphis not unpacking boxes but touring the home of Elvis Presley. I think that’s why she volunteered to move us to Memphis! It was an excuse to get close to Graceland.Read More »Ticket for Two: Present and Past (John 14:25-26; 16:12-15) Chris Altrock – April 10, 2016

Crux: Lifting Jesus (Jn. 12:32-33) Chris Altrock – March 20, 2016

20160320 01- Crux Center Screen Still

Multiple Choice

Several weeks ago, my son Jacob and a fellow student Jessica, both of whom are eighth graders, participated in a history competition at the University of Memphis. Students from the Mid South were competing in three categories:

  1. Some were presenting papers on historical topics.
  2. Others constructed websites that featured historical figures.
  3. Jacob and Jessica competed in a category where students performed moments from history.

Specifically, Jacob and Jessica used puppets to tell the history of tobacco in America. As part of their timeline they performed a moment when Christopher Columbus arrived in America. They included this in their skit  because Columbus learned of tobacco from native Americans.

In their puppet show they spent a few seconds showing Christopher Columbus and party trying to convert the native Americans to Christianity. Jacob and Jessica were followed by a team of five girls who performed a play. Ironically, in their performance these five girls also showed Christopher Columbus and party trying to convert native Americans to Christianity. What made their skit particularly  interesting was that each of the five students wore a hijab, a scarf used by Muslim women to cover the head and the neck.  All of these students were from Muslim families. And here they were acting out Christopher Columbus and party trying to convert people to Christianity. Perhaps eighty years ago, Memphis, TN would have never seen such a thing. You might have assumed that all the junior high and high school  students  at a history competition would have been Christian. But here were five Muslim girls playing Christians trying to convert non-Christians to Christianity.Read More »Crux: Lifting Jesus (Jn. 12:32-33) Chris Altrock – March 20, 2016