Churchtoons, cartoons from Church

Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label faith. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

Fishers of Men


 Jesus promises to make His disciples 'Fishers of Men (Mark 1).'  We might be tempted to use this phrase as an excuse to treat our relationships as a sport or as a means to an end. Christ's relationships encourage a change of perspective. Asking Christ to save us should change our orientation from selfishness to honest concern and care for others. How have you changed your perspective to others.

Monday, January 8, 2024

The message given to Jesus for you


 God audibly spoke to those who witnessed the baptism of Jesus (Mark 1:11). The voice clearly stated that Jesus had a family relationship with the very creator of all existence. The good news of the gospel is that we get to join that family and share the in love God has for His children. How do you experience and share your family relationship with The God?

Tuesday, January 2, 2024

What time is it?


 Galatians 4:4 describes the birth of Christ as being in the Fullness of Time. The phrase not only reminds us that God works on His own timetable, but also that the time was transformative. being the 'fullness' of time points us to the changes that Christ's presence brought. We now understand that Jesus would preach a transformative message that changes us from the inside out. Have you experienced this transformation?

Sunday, November 26, 2023

Kings gonna King


 God makes it clear that Solomon's unrepentant idolatry led to the transfer of power from Solomon's family line to another. The transfer of power would also cause the nation to divide into two kingdoms weakening both. The promise to Israel was this was not forever, and that one day David's heir would govern a united Israel again. (1 Kings 11)What judgements do you look forward to ending?

Friday, October 13, 2023

Pastor Awesome almost loves children

On one occasion, the disciples attempted to stop people from bringing children to Jesus so that He could bless them. Jesus famously denounced those who stood in the way and declared that being like children was the way to enter the Kingdom of God (Mark 10). Our Lord Jesus was known for associating with those who were culturally and politically powerless, including children. Who do you associate with?

Thursday, July 20, 2023

King Awesome


 After years of political and spiritual turmoil, Israel's elders asked Samuel to give them a king, like the other nations. While a king could bring stability, God warned the people that a king would also bring problems like heavy taxes, wars, and forcing citizens into slavery. Many of us are willing to sacrifice God's love for stability. How do you choose stability over God's word, will, and Son? (1 Sam 8).

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

You want into THAT Church?


 The Church at Laodicea received some of the harshest criticism from the Lord Jesus Christ in Revelation 3. However, this self-absorbed, unspiritual group also received one of the greatest invitations. They were invited to let Jesus into their church and to gain from him the everlasting treasures of Heaven. Can you think of members of your community or of churches that you have 'written off?' Would Jesus write them off? 

Tuesday, March 21, 2023

When your religion requires a temple


 When Christ preached that the temple of God would be desecrated (and destroyed), the religious leaders were so angry the plotted to kill him (Mark 13-14). Their response makes us wonder if they were worshipping God or their ceremonies and artifacts. What would prevent you from worshipping God? 

Wednesday, March 1, 2023

How do you measure God's love?


 Most Christians eventually begin to wonder how much God loves them, and if they should perform certain acts to gain more of Gods' care and provision. In 1 Corinthians, we are reminded that God's ways won't make sense to us, and instead of comparing ourselves, we can accept the love God provides and let it motivate us to act out the gospel everyday. Can you think of times when you thought you needed to win God's love?

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

It's not what, but who is at the table


 Christians are known to scrutinize everyone's behavior in order to point out sin and wrong-doing. This kind of judgmental faith is more interested in appearing holy than in caring for those around us. Paul seems to be more interested in loving well than in abstaining from food used in idolatrous worship (I Corinthians 10). Ca you think of ways you can love others who may not fit into your ideology?

Tuesday, February 7, 2023

Baptism Ends with Resurrection


 Christ's baptism signified His death, burial, and resurrection (Lk 3). Understanding the order, that the pain of death had to come before the joy of resurrection, might bring us comfort in our darker experiences. When you are experiencing pain and discouragement, can you find hope for healing in knowing that God still loves, cares, and plans to pull you back to joy?

Wednesday, February 1, 2023

What it's really about


 Christians spend much of their time focused on how to please God, instead of understanding that God already loves them and wants them to feel the courage and safety of that great love. We are reminded of this theme in Zephaniah 3, where after hearing of all the judgements coming, the prophet encourages God's people by telling them what God desires for them (Zephaniah 3:14-20).

Sunday, December 25, 2022

Shepherds and Angels


 The story of Advent includes an encounter between one of the lowest social strata (shepherds) and a celestial host of angels. This unique meeting highlights the universal appeal of the gospel. Both shepherd and angel declare God's majesty and His good gift in the birth of Christ (Luke 2). May we all rejoice in God's gift and care for us.

Monday, December 19, 2022

The lowly are seen

 

Mary's song of praise (Luke 1:46-55) describes her low social standing and lack of political power, but recognizes God's care for her and those like her. When you feel invisible and vulnerable, you are in the perfect frame of mind to see God's might and His care for you. Who do you 'unsee' everyday? Are there people you could 'see' and give hope?

Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Who's Christlike?

 

Christians often look for 'big' things to please God. While we say that our awesome works for God's glory, they are often for out own betterment or to boost our pride. Micah 6 asks if we should provide a huge sacrifice to please God, but the response is do justly, love mercy, and to walk humbly with God. How do you demonstrate Jesus Christ's sacrifice and God's grace in everyday life?

Wednesday, November 2, 2022

Soul-Winning without a net


 Most Christians take the great commission (Matt 28), as a serious expectation to evangelize, or to "Preach the gospel" to everyone. However, the methods employed are often more like a sales pitch than a gospel witness. When you consider those who are living as disciples of Christ, did they come to Christ because of a sales pitch, or through personal observation of someone else living out Christ's good news?

Wednesday, October 26, 2022

Love or idolatry?


In our zeal to credit God with the good gifts we currently enjoy, we might be tempted to confuse our culture, country, or ideology with God's kingdom. This idolatry implies that other countries or citizens of other countries are inferior in God's sight. Jesus declared that His kingdom was not earthly and no earthly country is the Kingdom of God (John 18:36). May we learn to prefer His Kingdom over our world's kingdoms.

Wednesday, October 19, 2022

Looking for the gotchas


 The 10 commandments and the other laws given to Israel might seem like the best standard for knowing God's will and for obeying him (Ex 20). However, Christ's summation of the law (Mark 12) indicates that the intent of the law is more important than judging those who may seem to violate it. 

Tuesday, October 4, 2022

Joseph saves the world


Joseph was often treated unfairly and unkindly, but through all of his circumstances, he retained his faith in God. While we see that Joseph is rewarded for his faithfulness, we might miss that those around him also benefited. Because Joseph was in Egypt during the years prior to the famine, he was able to create a plan that ensured not only enough grain for Egypt, but also for those in surrounding areas (Gen 41:53-57)

Tuesday, September 27, 2022

Leaving home


Abraham leaving his country (Gen 12) may not seem sacrificial until we consider the prestige and power he had likely gained through his family's status and connections. While it appears that Abraham had wealth that he could carry with him, he would not have the immediate social standing, trust, or privilege he would have enjoyed if remained in his home country. Are you able to trust newcomers to your area or fellowship? 

Welcome


Each of the cartoons on this site is an expression of a sermon I heard in church. As a cartoonist, my method of understanding complex theological topics is to boil them down to simple images.

These images will never do justice to the sermons from which they are derived, but hopefully, they convey at least one aspect of those sermons to you, the reader.

I hope that you gain some benefit from the cartoons and will reuse them in ways that honor Christ.