Springfield Vermont Church of Christ

04/11/2026

God Holds the Future
By Evan Juliuson


Our imaginations can run wild when it comes to what the future holds. We worry about it; dread it; plan for it. We can become obsessed with it. People flock to horoscopes and fortune tellers to determine how many children they might have, or what position they will achieve. Movies taunt us with disastrous storylines about the future of earth and the human race. Scientific researchers warn us what might happen.

Christians are not exempt from speculations about the future. Books and programs flood the market with predictions of what the future holds. They are filled with “new prophecies” or interpretations of prophecies written in the Bible.

God wants us to have faith in him even when we don’t know what the future holds. If we knew all the details, we wouldn’t need to trust him. God wants us to put our trust in him every day—even on the days we are tempted to worry about the future. We do not have to go through the present or the future alone.

It is an ongoing journey of faith to trust the One who will never leave us or forsake us. And when we see others worrying and fretting about their future, we can share the hope of Jesus Christ with them. Though we still may be tempted to worry about our future, the things that once seemed important simply fade away in the glory of God’s presence. We are free to live fully today for his sake, knowing where our future lies.

In the meantime, he gives us a taste of the future here on earth. What once threatened to pull us down in worry and anxiety suddenly seems less important as we are reminded to whom we belong, who is with us, and for whom we are living.

There may be all kinds of predictions and fearful news about the future, but we who belong to the Lord can be at rest, for we know who holds the future. No matter what today looks like, God is with us. He holds our past, our present and our future. In fact, he holds us.

Eva Juliuson

04/03/2026

God Holds the Future in His hands
By Robert Dodson

When Christians were being severely persecuted for their faith, Jesus gave them a message of comfort and hope.

"And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, 'Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?' And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it. So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. But one of the elders said to me, 'Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals'" (Revelation 5:1-5).

The One sitting on the throne is God. The right hand speaks of strength. The scroll written on both sides represents all that is to happen in the future. God holds the future in His strong hand.

The seals kept the scroll hidden so no one could see into the future. The Lion who prevailed to open the scroll is Jesus Christ. He can make known what the future holds. Through His death for our sins and the power of His resurrection He has overcome Satan, sin, and death so that the faithful have assurance of a victorious future.

Knowing who holds the future in His hands, and its glorious outcome, we have no need to fear. We may be at peace and rest no matter what may come our way because we have hope of eternal life.

Such faith will courageously live for God. It will show and tell others that there is a powerful, loving Savior who is the only way for us all to be delivered from this world of sin and death.

03/26/2026

Guarantees Your Future

“Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.” 1 Peter 1:3-4 (NLT)

It’s easy to look around the world and not see any reason for hope. But God’s Word is clear: You have real reasons to hope. The first chapter of 1 Peter gives five of those reasons. I’ve described two of them the last few days:

God chose you before you chose him.

God always treats you with grace and mercy.

The third reason is this:

God has secured your future. No matter what happens for the rest of your life, if you have a relationship with Jesus Christ, God guarantees your future. You will never be able to lose your salvation.

The Bible says, “Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay” (1 Peter 1:3-4 NLT).

An inheritance is what you’re given because you belong to a family. Usually, it’s given to you at someone’s death. It’s like a birthright.

Peter gives five words and phrases to describe your inheritance in heaven:

Priceless: Its value is so great that you can’t even measure it.

Kept: You need a reservation to get into heaven, and you can only make that reservation through Jesus. Once you put in your reservation, it can never be canceled.

Pure: It isn’t fake. It’s the real deal.

Undefiled: It can’t be corrupted.

Beyond the reach of change and decay: It won’t wither, die, or lose its value.

God has already written the final chapter of your life. You’ve got a reservation that you cannot lose! You can believe that, trust that, and put your hope in it.

03/26/2026

God Guarantees Your Future

“Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.” 1 Peter 1:3-4 (NLT)

It’s easy to look around the world and not see any reason for hope. But God’s Word is clear: You have real reasons to hope. The first chapter of 1 Peter gives five of those reasons. I’ve described two of them the last few days:

God chose you before you chose him.

God always treats you with grace and mercy.

The third reason is this:

God has secured your future. No matter what happens for the rest of your life, if you have a relationship with Jesus Christ, God guarantees your future. You will never be able to lose your salvation.

The Bible says, “Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay” (1 Peter 1:3-4 NLT).

An inheritance is what you’re given because you belong to a family. Usually, it’s given to you at someone’s death. It’s like a birthright.

Peter gives five words and phrases to describe your inheritance in heaven:

Priceless: Its value is so great that you can’t even measure it.

Kept: You need a reservation to get into heaven, and you can only make that reservation through Jesus. Once you put in your reservation, it can never be canceled.

Pure: It isn’t fake. It’s the real deal.

Undefiled: It can’t be corrupted.

Beyond the reach of change and decay: It won’t wither, die, or lose its value.

God has already written the final chapter of your life. You’ve got a reservation that you cannot lose! You can believe that, trust that, and put your hope in it.

03/20/2026

God is bigger than you. That’s what says. Genesis 1:1 tells us. “God created the heavens and the earth”. The most important thing you may need to know in this life is that God created the heavens and the earth. God is bigger than you, which means, God Is Bigger Than Your Problems. Psalm 121 begins like this, verse 1: “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?” Have you ever asked that question before? Have you ever been in a situation where you needed help, and you asked — whether subconsciously or maybe out loud — you’re in a situation and you ask: where in the world am I going to get the help I need? You’ve been there before. We’ve all been there before. The psalmist has been there — he is there in Psalm 121.

And notice what he’s doing. At first, he’s looking to the hills. That’s where he’s looking for help. Psalm 121 starts by him saying: I lift up my eyes to the hills; does my help come from the hills? That’s what the psalmist is asking. That’s a legitimate question for the psalmist. Israel was surrounded by all these other nations who worshiped all these other gods, and oftentimes this worship took place up on the hilltops. The hills were the places where shrines would be set up, and sacrifices would be made. It’s was up on the hills where people would go to look for help from Baal or Asherah or Molech, these other gods. That was up on the hills. And the psalmist is asking here if his help is going to come from those same hills.

He’s thinking: When everybody around me needs help, they look to these hills. Everybody around me goes to these hills for help. Are these hills going to help me too? That’s his question. Then in Psalm 121, verse 2, he answers his own question. He says: “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” My help doesn’t come from the hills, it comes from the One who made the hills. That’s what the psalmist is saying. Because God made the heavens and the earth, I know God is bigger than me, and I know God is bigger than my problems. Whatever it is you’re going through right now, whatever burdens you carry, whatever the hardship or the trial or the suffering, God is bigger and you can look to him.

12/27/2025

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12/26/2025

Jesus’ Return Gives Us Hope for Today

By Jake Smyth

Hope can seem elusive—like a firefly slipping past a child’s outstretched hand. Sometimes, it seems unreachable, too dim, quickly extinguished. A loved one walks away from the faith. A culture turns hostile. An election turns out poorly. A cherished dream escapes our grasp. Some setbacks are minor and temporary; others threaten to knock us down for good.

But our hope as Christians isn’t rooted in the culture, our efforts, or even our loved ones. It’s not crushed by disappointments or destroyed by suffering. Christ’s return is not a side thought in the Christian story; it’s the triumphant ending. Yet it’s not only the ending but also a vital anchor that gives us hope for the future—and not only for the future but for today. Here are three ways Jesus’ return gives us hope now

No matter how dark the world looks, we have confidence that the Light of the world will ultimately conquer the darkness. Victory will have its triumph. Good will conquer evil. Jesus will make all things new, and we will see him as he is.

Because we know Jesus will bring ultimate justice, we experience sadness but not despair when evil gets a momentary upper hand. Because we know Jesus will wipe away our tears, we know suffering isn’t permanent. As the apostle Paul says, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary
troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:16–17, NIV).

Whatever challenges we face, God’s grace is more encompassing. Whatever obstacles obscure our view, we know we will see clearly one day. We can walk in joy, hope, and obedience today, resting in the victory Jesus already won at the cross and will finish on his throne. Our enduring hope is rooted in our trust that Jesus will return to judge the world, accomplish our resurrection, establish his reign, and restore all things as he promised.

12/19/2025

Peace on Earth
“Reflections on Luke 2:13–14”
By Lloyd Kim



What does the message of Christmas have to do with the war we see all around us? What does Christmas have to do with the war that wages in our own hearts?
Luke 2:13–14 describes a peeling back of heaven giving us a glimpse of the spiritual realm. We see an army of angels praising God and announcing peace on earth, goodwill toward men. It is this scene that helps us recognize the judgment we deserve, our peace with God, and our peace with others.

The peace that is being announced is first about how sinful people can have peace with a holy God. How then can sinful people have peace with a holy God? It is through the Savior, who is Christ the Lord. As the angel says, this is good news “for all the people” (Luke 2:10). Jesus came into the world to pay for our sins through His death on the cross and to rise again from the dead guaranteeing our new life in Him. In a remarkable twist, peace is not achieved through the destruction of the world. But through the sacrifice of the Messiah king, who loves us.

This life changing gospel also enables us to have peace with others. But maybe you are asking, “Why then is there so much conflict? Even in the church?” Good question. I don’t know. But I do know that one day all our conflicts will be no more, when Jesus comes again in power and glory. And until that time, God is choosing to use us to declare the good news of His kingdom and to demonstrate its power in this world until He comes again.

While there is still sin and brokenness in this world, the gospel has power to break down walls of hostility. The gospel has power to reconcile sinners one to another. Do we believe this? Yes we do. We know it is true, because the gospel has changed our lives and brought peace between us and God. He calls us now to be His agents of peace in a world full of conflict and war.
So can I encourage us all to receive the peace that God has for us in His Son. And then to ask how we might be agents of peace toward those in our family, among our colleagues, our neighbors, and the world. Merry Christmas!

12/14/2025

12/12/2025

Profound Love in John 3:16
By Aaron Joseph hall

John 3:16 stands as one of the most quoted and cherished verses in the Christian faith. There are many who can recite it but have zero understanding of what the verse means—but it’s more than just a great Bible verse to memorize and recite.

The verse states, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." This brief yet profound statement encapsulates the core message of Christianity: the boundless love of God, the sacrificial gift of His Son, and the promise of eternal life to believers.

God's love is portrayed as unconditional and all-encompassing, extending to the entire world. The sacrificial nature of this love is evident in the giving of His "one and only Son," a reference to Jesus Christ's impending crucifixion. This ultimate act of sacrifice underscores the gravity of God's love and the lengths to which He is willing to go to redeem humanity.

The sacrificial nature of God's love is epitomized in the gift of His 'one and only Son.' The willingness to sacrifice Jesus Christ for the salvation of humanity highlights the depth and value of this love. It is a love that goes beyond mere words and is demonstrated through profound action. The crucifixion of Jesus is the ultimate testament to the lengths to which God will go to express His love for us. This act of sacrifice underscores the immense worth that God places on each individual.

It is a love that sees beyond our flaws and failures, recognizing our inherent value and potential. The sacrifice of Jesus serves as a powerful reminder of the lengths to which God will go to offer redemption and eternal life to all who believe.

In essence, the love described in John 3:16 is both a challenge and an invitation. It compels us to re-evaluate our own understanding of love and to strive for a higher standard of selflessness and inclusivity. At the same time, it invites us to embrace the transformative power of God's love, allowing it to shape our lives and guide our actions.

12/05/2025

Matthew’s Genealogy: Inclusion of Women
By Adam Klein

The Jewish community was promised a Messiah from the family of Israel. The story of the birth of this child was not a myth but a narrative of the historical person of Jesus, the Christ. God had a plan for Jesus to be long-awaited Jewish Messiah. This was the message of the writer of Matthew’s genealogy. Matthew wants to make the point that the paternal line of Jesus goes back to Abraham and David. The paternal genealogy of Jesus is a significant feature of the Nativity story. It reveals the reality of Jesus as the son of Abraham, the heir of David, and therefore the king of Israel, and the universe.

Matthew is writing for a Jewish audience. Jesus was born into a Jewish society that had a strong patriarchal nature. Surprisingly he included women in his genealogy. There are five women included in the lineage of Jesus, including Mary, the mother of Jesus. Women are often unnamed in the Scriptures; however, Mathew names three of them: Tamar, Rahab, and Ruth. The mother of Solomon, Bathsheba, is not named.

Why were these particular women included in the 42 generations of Matthew’s lineage from Abraham to Jesus. One thing is notable about four of these women. They were non-Jewish. Mary was the only Jewish one of these noteworthy women. Tamar and Rahab were from the Canaanite community, Ruth was a Moab, and Bathsheba was likely a Hittite. Mostly they are considered Gentiles.

Did Matthew want his readers to know that Jesus came to save all people, not just the Jews? I would hope this was in the mind and heart of Matthew for the inclusive future of the Christian community. It is amazing to ponder how God used the these five women to highlight the genealogy of Jesus. Their reputations, gender, or ethnicity had no bearing on their place in the family of Jesus and the Kingdom of God.

11/30/2025

The True Meaning of Christmas
By John Miller

Jesus Christ was born in a tiny place called Bethlehem a little over two thousand and twenty years ago. His very birth divides all history. Christmas represents the manifestation of God’s love for us. Christmas celebrates the Savior and the sacrifice that He made so that mankind could have restored fellowship with God.
The heart of Christmas is beautifully described in the gospel of John.

John rightly wrote, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." (John 3:16, 17). It has been called the gospel, in a nutshell, a summary of Scripture, and a blueprint for salvation. Luther called John 3:16 “The Gospel in Miniature.” The true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of this incredible act of love. Christmas is a Celebration of God’s Love for us:

The first thing we notice in the gospel of John 3:16 is the great scope of God’s love. “God so loved the world.” God doesn’t just love one set of people. He does not just love one particular nation or race. The scope of God’s love covers the whole world – every nation, tribe, language, and Community. God – in his great love -- sent the Son to save sinners. Jesus, the Son of God displayed God’s great love by dying for sinners. The Bible doesn’t say God has love; it says God is love. Love is his nature and God’s love extends to all people everywhere in the world. So, Christmas is for all people.

Secondly, John 3:16 teaches us the depth of God’s love. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son.” Jesus is not only God’s only Son, but he is uniquely God’s Son in a way that no other person can ever be. He is God the Son. He is of the same essence as God the Father. He is God’s one and only Son. Jesus is not just a special person, He is God, who became man.

The real Christmas story is the story of God's becoming a human being in the Person of Jesus Christ. Why did God do such a thing? Because He loves us! Why was Christmas necessary? Because we needed a Savior! Why does God love us so much? Because He is love itself (1 John 4:8).