D.A. Greiner's Blog

In the last three and a half months, I’ve been blessed to travel quite a bit.

The first week of December my workplace sent me to Las Vegas where I attended a large technology conference. While there, I definitely learned new skills and picked up valuable information, but I also saw many things that were not God-honoring.

Then I spent a little over two weeks at my employer’s offices in India. It was great to meet coworkers I typically only see and interact with via a computer screen, but once again, it was easy to find many things that were not God-honoring.

And finally, my family spent this last week vacationing in Key West, Florida. Although the allure of warm temperatures and salty surf certainly played a part, I was probably the main instigator of this trip as I always wanted to experience the drive from Miami. As expected, it was quite nice, but that same sense of being in the midst of many things that are not God-honoring stayed with me.

I knew the reputation of all three destinations ahead of time, and we know that’s something Jonah also felt when God commanded him to go to Nineveh. And like Jonah, it would be easy to dread these interactions and wish God’s wrath upon them.

But then I recall Romans 5:8: “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” And I realize that the same grace and mercy that God extended to Nineveh was offered to a sinner like me. So why would I think He wouldn’t also offer it to others–even in places that seem to be obvious targets for God’s wrath?

During this weekly communion celebration, let us not forget that God sacrificed His only Son for all–not just those of us who have already accepted Christ as our Lord and Savior, but also for those who may yet still benefit from God’s patience and heed His call to repentance.

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At the Last Supper, as Jesus reclined with his Disciples at the table…he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

Please join me in prayer…

Father God, thank you for Your seemingly infinite patience–for the saved and the lost!Help us to never forget that we are all in need of Your grace, mercy, love, and forgiveness.

I’d like to start our offering time with another audience participation question: Raise your hand if you want to be involved in the work of God’s Kingdom.

Great! But here’s something to consider–Jonah also wanted to be involved in the work of God’s Kingdom, as a prophet. Then God commanded Jonah to use his time and talent to call the city of Nineveh to repentance, and suddenly that eager willingness became a hasty about-face. We all know how well that turned out…

Each week, during the offering time, each of us is given the same special opportunity to act on God’s command to use some combination of our time, talent, or treasure for the advancement of His Kingdom and His Purposes.

If you feel led to contribute money, you can do so by dropping it in the small wooden box on the back wall of the sanctuary or by setting up an electronic transfer using instructions on the church’s website. If you’re feeling led to contribute your time and/or talent, see the minister or one of the ministry group leaders.

Don’t make the mistake Jonah made by running. Listen carefully for God’s personal call to you to contribute in some way to the work of His kingdom, and then step out in faith to affirmatively answer that call.

Please join me in prayer for the offering:

Father God, we are grateful for the time, talent, and treasure You have invested in us.Help us to learn the lesson of Jonah and to step-out in faith by giving.

Raise your hand if you’ve ever engaged in binge-watching?

If you don’t know, “binge watching” is the practice of watching multiple episodes of a television series in a single, continuous sitting.

My wife and I are low-end binge watchers–meaning we purposely limit ourselves to no more than two episodes per evening, and we typically take a break between the episodes to avoid being permanently fixed to the sofa.

We recently completed all 14 seasons of the Blue Bloods television series. If you haven’t seen it, we heartily suggest you try the first couple episodes, especially if you’re a fan of Tom Selleck and crime dramas.

One of the most endearing aspects of this show is the Sunday family dinner, which is featured in every episode. Three generations gather around the table after church and dig-in to a multi-course meal. Everyone contributes something to the feast, and responsibility for the main course rotates through the family members.

There are several striking aspects of these meal scenes. First, the family makes it a priority. No matter how busy or stressful life is at the moment, all of the family members are present. Second, they begin the meal with a prayer. This, plus expressions of thankfulness and memories of lost family members, lends a nostalgic air to the show. Finally, the group often works through an argument between the characters that would permanently split most families. In an age of only-my-opinion-counts attitudes, it’s genuinely refreshing to see people working out their differences.

All of this reminds me of what we can gather about the Last Supper from the Bible. We know it was a priority for all of the Gospel writers as they all mention it to varying degrees. And Jesus made sure everyone was present for this extra special Passover celebration–even Judas. Prayer was a featured part of the Last Supper. Jesus prayed not for only His Disciples but for all believers. Finally, Jesus laid to rest all bickering about who was greatest by washing the Disciples’ feet.

Communion time is a weekly priority where all are welcome. For a few precious moments, we prayerfully set aside the cares of this world and focus solely on the astonishing sacrifice Jesus made to create the path to everlasting salvation.

Let us pause and silently reflect on all that God offers to each of us as members of His family as we gather together around His table.

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At the Last Supper, as Jesus reclined with his Disciples…he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

Please join me in prayer…

Father God, we are so grateful for this weekly invitation to assemble together at Your table to celebrate and remember the sacrifice that made eternal salvation possible.Whatever our differences, whatever our cares and worries outside these walls, we know that this time together with You is truly special.Help us to always cherish this moment of contentment and peace and remembrance.

I once heard a comedian elucidate wildly different meanings of the word “dude”:

“It’s great to see you!” ⇒ “DUDE!!!”“What are you talking about?” ⇒ “Dude?”“You’re in big trouble.” ⇒ “Dude…”“Are you hiding in the closet with a knife?” ⇒ “Dude?”

Words can also convey meaning through names. Did you know that our God has many different names? Some scholars place the list at over 70 distinct references, and each one reveals a specific aspect of God’s character that helps us to know Him better. Some Old Testament examples and their meaning include:

ELOHIM ⇒ Creator, Preserver, Transcendent, Mighty and StrongEL SHADDAI ⇒ God Almighty or “God All Sufficient”ADONAI (plural) ⇒ Master or LordYAHWEH or JEHOVAH ⇒ “The Self-Existent One”JEHOVAH-JIREH ⇒ “The Lord will provide”JEHOVAH-ROPHE ⇒ “The Lord Who Heals“

But Jesus most often referred to God with the deeply intimate and personal name “Abba” (Aramaic for “Father”), which makes sense since God is His Father.

Communion is a great time to get intimate and personal with God. Jesus ushered in His Father’s new covenant during the Last Supper, and God’s plan of salvation hinges on what happened directly afterwards at the crucifixion and resurrection.

Ultimately, our God is too wonderful to be defined by human words. But getting to know Him is both a joy and privilege. Please take a moment to reflect on what God means to you.

=*=*=*=*=*=

At the Last Supper, as Jesus reclined with his Disciples at the table…he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way, after the supper Jesus took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

Please join me in prayer…

Father God, how good it is to know our Creator and Redeemer!Whether just getting started or many years in, we can always know You better.Let us always be receptive to the many ways You reveal Yourself to us.

In his short 2025 book The Greatest Sentence Ever Written, Walter Isaacson focuses on this centerpiece of the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Now that the new year is upon us, many people endeavor to write resolutions for themselves, and it’s not uncommon for “happiness” to be one of their main goals. Afterall, who doesn’t want to be happy with their relationships, their finances, or their level of fitness?

The essential question becomes: “What makes you happy?”

Psalm 1 verses 1-3 offers an answer, which starts and ends with two synonyms for “happiness”:

Blessed is the one

    who does not walk in step with the wicked

or stand in the way that sinners take

    or sit in the company of mockers,

but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,

    and who meditates on his law day and night.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,

    which yields its fruit in season

and whose leaf does not wither—

    whatever they do prospers.

Who wouldn’t want to prosper and be blessed?

So perhaps, in addition to all the other worthwhile pursuits life has to offer, we could each strive to improve our relationship with God by determining to read His Word and pray each day, and by deciding to faithfully give back a portion of the time, talent, and treasure He has entrusted to us.

Please join me in prayer…

Father God, we are grateful for You bringing us peacefully into the new year.Of all the improvements we could resolve to make in our lives, let us never overlook You as the source of every blessing in our lives……and therefore deserving of our praise and worship–in its many forms.

When I was about 5 or 6 years old, I wanted to get my mom a special gift for Christmas–something truly unexpected and valuable.

I didn’t have much money–what kindergartener does? But I was perceptive enough to know that nice gifts cost quite a bit of money–at least more than the dollar or so in change clanging around at the bottom of my old Pringles can! Still, I didn’t want to be limited by the price tag. Mom deserved the best!

I tried hard to help out around the house–you know like being Mom’s assistant chef in the kitchen (“Sorry about setting the stool down on your toe.”) and weeding her flower beds (“Which one of these is a weed?”). I guess those examples classify as “unexpected” gifts, but…

The refrigerator was already covered with plenty of my homemade artwork. But that was also expected, so it definitely wouldn’t do. Overall, I remember my “nice” mostly outweighed my “naughty” for the year, but that was expected, too. And besides it’s hard to giftwrap good behavior.

Finally, I hit upon the perfect idea–something unexpected and valuable. I got her a car! Not a Hot Wheels car–a real car! Well…not the car itself but the keys–her keys–to the car in the garage. I giftwrapped my mother’s car keys.

Boy, was she surprised–or maybe it was frantic and hysterical–before she understood my intent and her mood changed considerably!

In Matthew 16:21-23, we read the following:

From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead.

But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. “Heaven forbid, Lord,” he said. “This will never happen to you!”

Jesus turned to Peter and said, “Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God’s.”

So, it turns out that the greatest gift of all time–God sending His son to pay the ultimate price for our sins–was definitely unexpected and far more valuable than any of the Disciples originally thought.

Let’s celebrate this greatest gift as we join together in communion.

At the Last Supper, as Jesus reclined with his Disciples at the table…he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

Please join me in prayer…

Father God, we are grateful that You sent Your one and only son to die on the cross for our sins.As we rush from store to store or feverishly search on-line for the perfect gift to surprise all those special someones in our lives, let us never forget the most unexpected and valuable gift that was ever given.

In the opening verses of Luke 19, we read the following:

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”

Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

In a mere 10 verses, Zacchaeus underwent a massive change. As a chief tax collector, he probably wasn’t all that concerned with God, but suddenly he felt the urge to climb a tree to catch a glimpse of Jesus. It’s likely Zacchaeus didn’t associate with many poor people, let alone itinerant rabbis, but he welcomed Jesus into his home. Previously, Zacchaeus was out for dishonest gain, but one meeting with Jesus caused him to give 50% of everything he owned to the poor and pay back those he had cheated four times more than what he had taken from them!

As radical as this transformation was, it pales in comparison to the change Jesus instituted at the Last Supper. In one meal–the meal we celebrate during communion time each week–Jesus rewrote the Old Covenant God made with Moses on behalf of the Israelites back in Exodus! No more bloody sacrifices or hundreds of rules to follow. Christ fulfilled the law and ushered in the New Covenant with His own body and blood.

Please join me in celebrating and remembering this remarkable change.

[[the bread]]

At the Last Supper, as Jesus reclined with his Disciples at the table…he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

[[the juice]]

In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

[[prayer]]

Please join me in prayer…

Father God, we are grateful for the transformative power of Your forgiveness, grace, love and mercy!Although we are Your creations, we are imperfect.Thank you for moving us beyond the Old Covenant with Your chosen people by making a path for anyone to change by coming to You.

Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt led to serve God in some full-time capacity–not just occasionally volunteering but actually making God your life’s work.

My guess is that many believers, at various times in their life, experience a strong desire to make serving God their career. Or maybe it’s more like a sense of curiosity–could I actually pull-off working full time for God? But eventually the cares of this world and the sobering perception that our own abilities–although God given–don’t qualify as real ministry bring us back to reality.

For example, perhaps you’ve entertained ideas of shepherding your own flock. Your name is on the sign out by the road, and “Pastor” prefixes your name on the office door inside. Providing counsel, reaching out to the community, praying for the sick, visiting the elderly, and–of course–pulling together an impactful Sunday sermon all energize you in a way that day-to-day work in the real world never would. But someone must do that real world work.

Whether you’re a skilled musician or know only a few chords on the guitar and feel led to plan and lead a God-honoring worship service, maybe you feel ready to be a worship leader. But then that joyful noise is drowned out by noisy kids and the drone of endless meetings.

Or maybe you’re still a kid at heart and playing crazy games and organizing Sunday school lessons is what you feel led to do. Guess what? Youth is a critical ministry and key to developing a healthy and growing church, and that would feel so much more satisfying than pushing papers at your current job. “But they need me to push those papers at work,” you say.

Or instead, perhaps you harbor a dream of fulfilling the Great Commission in some remote part of the world as a missionary.

Maybe you’re fluent in a foreign language and could preach God’s Word in small villages to those who have never heard the Good News. Oh–but you don’t relish being the center of attention.

Do you have expertise in an essential life skill? Maybe you could show others how to grow food or raise animals–at scale, this could feed multiple families and sustain a working farm. But alas, you’re not a farmer.

Instead of agriculture, perhaps you’re especially good with your hands and feel confident solving electrical, mechanical, and plumbing problems. Or maybe something less technical but no less important, like mending clothes, healing the sick, or preparing nutritious meals. But too bad those skills really aren’t in your wheelhouse.

Physical labor is always needed, so digging a well, setting up a cistern, or repairing a house could be your contribution and greatly increase the health and well-being for a whole village! But…you’re not physically strong enough to do those things.

No one would argue that these are all great endeavors, but there are bills to pay, mouths to feed and realities to consider. And besides, “I don’t have the talent to do these things. Plus, there are already other people doing most of what was listed above, so I’m not really needed.”

Well, I have good news for you! Without going back to school, or learning a new trade, or taking time off from work, or making a huge life change, or travelling to a distant land–you can still serve in all of these amazing capacities for God’s kingdom–through your offering!

Your contributions–no matter the size–enable our humble church to help fund all of these worthwhile, God-honoring activities and so much more. They pay the church staff, buy food and medicine, enable missionary activities, impart life skills, and spread the Good News of Jesus Christ all around the world. And all of this is accomplished by your simple act of generosity while you continue to play your important role by earning a living.

Remember, Jesus fed over 5000 people with five loaves and two fish from a mere boy. Let us never forget that God can accomplish amazing things with even the smallest acts of generosity.

Please join me in prayer…

Father God, how good it is that You’ve endowed each of us with unique abilities and talents so that all of Your work around the world can be accomplished!Help us to never lose sight of this important fact as we consider how to play our part–no matter how small or large–for Your kingdom.

In a nod to Major League Baseball’s upcoming play-off season, I ask you to please indulge my attempt to employ a baseball analogy for today’s communion meditation.

One of the defining characteristics of any baseball team is the quality of its pitching staff. Teams with a full roster of healthy pitchers are typically well positioned to make deep post-season runs. But an important nuance is having the right mix of starting, relieving, and closing pitchers. Each of these contributes in unique ways to a successful team.

Obviously, starters begin the game. They possess the strength and stamina to throw for at least five or six innings and the ability to use many kinds of pitches depending on the batter or situation they are facing.

As their arms begin to tire, starters give way to relievers. Relief pitchers are every bit as skilled as starters, but their limited stamina only allows them to pitch for a few innings. Their job is to come in and hopefully finish out a win for the starter or salvage one from a poor start.

If the game is unusually important, such as the winner moving forward in a play-off situation, and the score is close, a team may bring in a special pitcher known as a closer. Typically, closers do not throw a large number of pitches, and their repertoire of pitches is quite small. Their job is simple: bring home the win by closing out any remaining batters for the opponent’s team.

Truly great closers are a very rare and special group–only nine have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in its 86-year history.

Applying this to church, think about all the familiar characters from the Old Testament, the “heroes of the faith” listed in Hebrews 11 plus many others. These men and women could be thought of as our starters. These pillars were there at the beginning, laying the foundation stones for God’s ultimate victory. They lived to be hundreds of years old and accomplished amazing feats in God’s name.

As the game of life continued, these starters eventually tired and gave way to their relief, which are all believers down through the present day–including each of us! We’re the ones who now bear the responsibility to carry the torch of faith. God the Father, our coach, sent the starters to the dugout for a well-earned rest, called us out of the bullpen, met us at the pitcher’s mound, handed us the ball, and gave us His instructions: the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20).

But this game is unusually important: It has eternal implications! So, God subbed in His closer: Jesus Christ. Sure He only has a small number of pitches in His repertoire (in John 15:17, Jesus says, “This is My command to you: Love one another.”), but that means He only needs to make one critical throw to win the game (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. [John 3:16]).

And as God’s one and only son, Jesus perfectly fits the closer pattern for being very rare and special: “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.” (Revelation 22:13). He got us into the playoffs by dying on the cross and will return to throw the winning pitch for the eternal championship.

So where does this leave us? Well…

Are you fulfilling your important role as a “relief believer”? A moment’s reflection could be all you need for confirmation, but a full-scale epiphany is better than continued denial.

Do you need to work on your strength and stamina? Perhaps committing to a daily regimen of prayer and Bible reading could firm-up those flabby spiritual muscles!

Is your repertoire of pitches embarrassingly small? Joining a Bible study could give you the same shot of confidence that a newly developed curve ball does to a pitcher.

Or maybe you’re a starter, in the sense that you haven’t yet accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior? That can be fixed today. Or perhaps you need to be the one to help start the faith journey for a friend, coworker, or family member. It’s never too late to begin laying that firm and eternal foundation–one pitch at a time!

* * * *

At the Last Supper, as Jesus reclined with his Disciples at the table…he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in     remembrance of me.”

In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

Please join me in prayer:

Father God, we are forever grateful for the great cloud of witnesses that began Your work.And we humbly accept the challenge of continuing from where they left-off,…as we wait in joyful hope for Jesus’ triumphant return and victory.

There’s an old saying that goes something like this: Some days you’re the statue, and some days you’re the bird. Raise your hand if you’re familiar with this saying or a similar sentiment.

My dad’s only brother is a good real-world example of this adage. By all accounts, Uncle Tom was a successful businessman in the brutally competitive commercial construction industry. After graduating with a civil engineering degree, he worked for several larger firms before deciding to strike out on his own. While the construction industry is infamously feast or famine, business was good enough over the years for he and Aunt Marcia to buy a nice house with a swimming pool in an upscale Detroit suburb, put their two sons, my cousins, through college, and they now enjoy a comfortable retirement. Not too bad at all!

Back in the 1980’s, our families often vacationed together in northern Michigan, and on those trips, we normally attended church at the Cross in the Woods Catholic Shrine of Indian River, Michigan, which features the second largest crucifix in the world. When the weather is nice, mass is held outside in a large clearing dominated by the shrine. Rustic wooden benches are arranged in theater-like fashion before the crucifix and smaller statues of various saints plus wood and stone depictions of Bible scenes dot the area. It’s quite picturesque!

One Sunday as we enjoyed worshiping amidst this beautiful scene, a small bird swooped down from overhead and–let’s just say–did something rather impolite on my poor uncle’s shoulder. His impromptu response softened the obvious unpleasantness into a humorous anecdote that we still tell during family get-togethers: “You may as well, everyone else does it!”

Some days you’re the statue, a shining example for all to see and enjoy. Statues are often set on pedestals to underscore their importance, and the elevation makes it easier for everyone to see them. They are proud, strong, and permanent remembrances of someone or something important and noteworthy. Many people looked up to my uncle for all kinds of good reasons.

But some days you’re the bird, darting here and there, making messes out of otherwise beautiful scenes. Sure, you’re made in God’s image and included as part of His creation’s splendor and wonder, soaring majestically across the sky, but then–YUCK!

Perhaps you feel like you’re trying hard to be a statue, but one or more birds seem insistent on targeting you. Take heart and do not despair! God recognizes your efforts and will not forget.

The good news is that rain eventually falls and washes statues clean. In fact, it is God who sends the rain, and He’s just as willing to wash away the mess and sin in our lives if we will ask for His forgiveness.

During today’s communion time, take a moment to reflect on your own life. If you’re currently feeling statuesque, how can you sustain it? And what can you do to prepare yourself for the inevitable moments when you will morph into the bird?

If you’re currently feeling like the bird, how do you make the necessary changes to move you closer to the statue? It’s likely that an apology added to regular prayer, Bible study, and worship will ground you properly and move you in the right direction.

Some days you’re the statue, and some days you’re the bird. May we always seek to be a true and accurate reflection of God’s one and only son, our one and only savior–Jesus Christ.

[[the bread]]

At the Last Supper, as Jesus reclined with his Disciples at the table…he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”

[[the juice]]

In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

[[prayer]]

Please join me in prayer…

Father God, we are so grateful that You are the God of second chances……even if we are currently down an unfaithful and unloving path……or trying our best to endure through a difficult time……You see us and give us the strength and encouragement and forgiveness we need.May Your grace and mercy and love never fail!