The FIVE Sermons

I Quit Complaining

Sat, 16 Jan 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Job 10:1 (NLT)
I am disgusted with my life. Let me complain freely. My bitter soul must complain.

Exodus 16:2-4 (NLT)
2 There, too, the whole community of Israel complained about Moses and Aaron.

3 “If only the Lord had killed us back in Egypt,” they moaned. “There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.”

4 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions.

Numbers 14:27–30 (NLT)
27 “How long must I put up with this wicked community and its complaints about me? Yes, I have heard the complaints the Israelites are making against me. 28 Now tell them this: ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very things I heard you say. 29 You will all drop dead in this wilderness! Because you complained against me, every one of you who is twenty years old or older and was included in the registration will die. 30 You will not enter and occupy the land I swore to give you. The only exceptions will be Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

Philippians 2:14–15 (NLT)
Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people.

1 Peter 3:15-16 (NLT)
Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. 16 But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.

I Quit Making Excuses

Sat, 09 Jan 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Luke 14:15–20 (NLT)
Hearing this, a man sitting at the table with Jesus exclaimed, “What a blessing it will be to attend a banquet in the Kingdom of God!”
16 Jesus replied with this story: “A man prepared a great feast and sent out many invitations. 17 When the banquet was ready, he sent his servant to tell the guests, ‘Come, the banquet is ready.’ 18 But they all began making excuses. One said, ‘I have just bought a field and must inspect it. Please excuse me.’ 19 Another said, ‘I have just bought five pairs of oxen, and I want to try them out. Please excuse me.’ 20 Another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

Exodus 4:10–11, 13 (NLT)
10 But Moses pleaded with the Lord, “O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.”
11 Then the Lord asked Moses, “Who makes a person’s mouth? Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the Lord?
13 But Moses again pleaded, “Lord, please! Send anyone else.”

reNEW

Sat, 02 Jan 2021 10:00:00 +0000

Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)
Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)
Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD ’s purpose that prevails

Psalm 136 (Selected Verses)
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.
to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.
who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.
who made the great lights—
His love endures forever.
the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.
the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.
with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
His love endures forever.
to him who divided the Red Sea[a] asunder
His love endures forever.
and brought Israel through the midst of it,
His love endures forever.
to him who led his people through the wilderness;
His love endures forever.
and gave their land as an inheritance,
His love endures forever.
He remembered us in our low estate
His love endures forever.
and freed us from our enemies.
His love endures forever.
Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever.

A Weary World Rejoices

Sat, 12 Dec 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Luke 1:26-38 (NLT)

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”

29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. 36 What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. 37 For the word of God will never fail.”

38 Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her.

The God Who Shows Up

Sat, 05 Dec 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Isaiah 64:1–9 (NLT)

1 Oh, that you would burst from the heavens and come down!
How the mountains would quake in your presence!
2 As fire causes wood to burn
and water to boil,
your coming would make the nations tremble.
Then your enemies would learn the reason for your fame!
3 When you came down long ago,
you did awesome deeds beyond our highest expectations.
And oh, how the mountains quaked!
4 For since the world began,
no ear has heard
and no eye has seen a God like you,
who works for those who wait for him!
5 You welcome those who gladly do good,
who follow godly ways.
But you have been very angry with us,
for we are not godly.
We are constant sinners;
how can people like us be saved?
6 We are all infected and impure with sin.
When we display our righteous deeds,
they are nothing but filthy rags.
Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall,
and our sins sweep us away like the wind.
7 Yet no one calls on your name
or pleads with you for mercy.
Therefore, you have turned away from us
and turned us over to our sins.

8 And yet, O Lord, you are our Father.
We are the clay, and you are the potter.
We all are formed by your hand.
9 Don’t be so angry with us, Lord.
Please don’t remember our sins forever.
Look at us, we pray,
and see that we are all your people.

The Light Shines in the Darkness

Sat, 28 Nov 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Isaiah 9:2–7 (NLT)

2 The people who walk in darkness
will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness,
a light will shine.
3 You will enlarge the nation of Israel,
and its people will rejoice.
They will rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest
and like warriors dividing the plunder.
4 For you will break the yoke of their slavery
and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders.
You will break the oppressor’s rod,
just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian.
5 The boots of the warrior
and the uniforms bloodstained by war
will all be burned.
They will be fuel for the fire.
6 For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
7 His government and its peace
will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
will make this happen!

Being the One Who Came Back

Sat, 21 Nov 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Luke 17: 11–19 (NLT)

11 As Jesus continued on toward Jerusalem, he reached the border between Galilee and Samaria. 12 As he entered a village there, ten men with leprosy stood at a distance, 13 crying out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

14 He looked at them and said, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed of their leprosy.

15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, came back to Jesus, shouting, “Praise God!” 16 He fell to the ground at Jesus’ feet, thanking him for what he had done. This man was a Samaritan.

17 Jesus asked, “Didn’t I heal ten men? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And Jesus said to the man, “Stand up and go. Your faith has healed you.”

Living Water

Sat, 14 Nov 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Ezekiel 47:1–12 (NIV)

The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. 2 He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side.

3 As the man went eastward with a measuring line in his hand, he measured off a thousand cubits and then led me through water that was ankle-deep. 4 He measured off another thousand cubits and led me through water that was knee-deep. He measured off another thousand and led me through water that was up to the waist. 5He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in—a river that no one could cross. 6 He asked me, “Son of man, do you see this?”

Then he led me back to the bank of the river. 7 When I arrived there, I saw a great number of trees on each side of the river. 8 He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah, where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. 9 Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live. 10 Fishermen will stand along the shore; from En Gedi to En Eglaim there will be places for spreading nets. The fish will be of many kinds—like the fish of the Mediterranean Sea. 11 But the swamps and marshes will not become fresh; they will be left for salt. 12 Fruit trees of all kinds will grow on both banks of the river. Their leaves will not wither, nor will their fruit fail. Every month they will bear fruit, because the water from the sanctuary flows to them. Their fruit will serve for food and their leaves for healing.”

Love Thy Neighbor: Week 3

Sat, 07 Nov 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Luke 10:25–37 (NLT)

25 One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: “Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?”

26 Jesus replied, “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?”

27 The man answered, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’”

28 “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!”

29 The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

30 Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

31 “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. 32 A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

33 “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.

37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”

Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

Love Thy Neighbor: Week 2

Sat, 31 Oct 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Luke 10:30–37 (NLT)

30 Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road.

31 “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. 32 A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side.

33 “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. 34 Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. 35 The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’

36 “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked.

37 The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.”

Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

Love Thy Neighbor: Week 1

Sat, 24 Oct 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Don’t Be a Jonah!

Sat, 17 Oct 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Jonah 4 (NLT)

This change of plans greatly upset Jonah, and he became very angry. 2 So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people. 3 Just kill me now, Lord! I’d rather be dead than alive if what I predicted will not happen.”

4 The Lord replied, “Is it right for you to be angry about this?”

5 Then Jonah went out to the east side of the city and made a shelter to sit under as he waited to see what would happen to the city. 6 And the Lord God arranged for a leafy plant to grow there, and soon it spread its broad leaves over Jonah’s head, shading him from the sun. This eased his discomfort, and Jonah was very grateful for the plant.

7 But God also arranged for a worm! The next morning at dawn the worm ate through the stem of the plant so that it withered away. 8 And as the sun grew hot, God arranged for a scorching east wind to blow on Jonah. The sun beat down on his head until he grew faint and wished to die. “Death is certainly better than living like this!” he exclaimed.

9 Then God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry because the plant died?”

“Yes,” Jonah retorted, “even angry enough to die!”

10 Then the Lord said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly. 11 But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”

The Best Response to the Worst Sermon in History

Sat, 10 Oct 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Jonah 3 (NLT)

Jonah Goes to Nineveh
Then the Lord spoke to Jonah a second time: 2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh, and deliver the message I have given you.”

3 This time Jonah obeyed the Lord’s command and went to Nineveh, a city so large that it took three days to see it all. 4On the day Jonah entered the city, he shouted to the crowds: “Forty days from now Nineveh will be destroyed!” 5 The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow.

6 When the king of Nineveh heard what Jonah was saying, he stepped down from his throne and took off his royal robes. He dressed himself in burlap and sat on a heap of ashes. 7 Then the king and his nobles sent this decree throughout the city:

“No one, not even the animals from your herds and flocks, may eat or drink anything at all. 8 People and animals alike must wear garments of mourning, and everyone must pray earnestly to God. They must turn from their evil ways and stop all their violence. 9 Who can tell? Perhaps even yet God will change his mind and hold back his fierce anger from destroying us.”

10 When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened.

Okay I’m Yours

Sat, 03 Oct 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Jonah 2 (NLT)
Jonah’s Prayer
Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from inside the fish. 2 He said,
“I cried out to the Lord in my great trouble,
and he answered me.
I called to you from the land of the dead,
and Lord, you heard me!
3 You threw me into the ocean depths,
and I sank down to the heart of the sea.
The mighty waters engulfed me;
I was buried beneath your wild and stormy waves.
4 Then I said, ‘O Lord, you have driven me from your presence.
Yet I will look once more toward your holy Temple.’
5 “I sank beneath the waves,
and the waters closed over me.
Seaweed wrapped itself around my head.
6 I sank down to the very roots of the mountains.
I was imprisoned in the earth,
whose gates lock shut forever.
But you, O Lord my God,
snatched me from the jaws of death!
7 As my life was slipping away,
I remembered the Lord.
And my earnest prayer went out to you
in your holy Temple.
8 Those who worship false gods
turn their backs on all God’s mercies.
9 But I will offer sacrifices to you with songs of praise,
and I will fulfill all my vows.
For my salvation comes from the Lord alone.”
10 Then the Lord ordered the fish to spit Jonah out onto the beach.

Running from God

Sat, 26 Sep 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Jonah 1 (NLT)
1 The Lord gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.”

3 But Jonah got up and went in the opposite direction to get away from the Lord. He went down to the port of Joppa, where he found a ship leaving for Tarshish. He bought a ticket and went on board, hoping to escape from the Lord by sailing to Tarshish.

4 But the Lord hurled a powerful wind over the sea, causing a violent storm that threatened to break the ship apart. 5 Fearing for their lives, the desperate sailors shouted to their gods for help and threw the cargo overboard to lighten the ship.

But all this time Jonah was sound asleep down in the hold. 6 So the captain went down after him. “How can you sleep at a time like this?” he shouted. “Get up and pray to your god! Maybe he will pay attention to us and spare our lives.”

7 Then the crew cast lots to see which of them had offended the gods and caused the terrible storm. When they did this, the lots identified Jonah as the culprit. 8 “Why has this awful storm come down on us?” they demanded. “Who are you? What is your line of work? What country are you from? What is your nationality?”

9 Jonah answered, “I am a Hebrew, and I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made the sea and the land.”

10 The sailors were terrified when they heard this, for he had already told them he was running away from the Lord. “Oh, why did you do it?” they groaned. 11 And since the storm was getting worse all the time, they asked him, “What should we do to you to stop this storm?”

12 “Throw me into the sea,” Jonah said, “and it will become calm again. I know that this terrible storm is all my fault.”

13 Instead, the sailors rowed even harder to get the ship to the land. But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn’t make it. 14 Then they cried out to the Lord, Jonah’s God. “O Lord,” they pleaded, “don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O Lord, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons.”

15 Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! 16 The sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him.

17 Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.

Happy People Have Faith

Sat, 19 Sep 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Romans 5:1-5 (NLT)
Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

Happy People Are Grateful

Sat, 12 Sep 2020 10:00:00 +0000

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NLT)
16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

Happy People Think Well

Sat, 05 Sep 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Romans 8:31–39 (NLT)
31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32 Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? 33 Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. 34 Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Happy People Connect

Sat, 29 Aug 2020 10:00:00 +0000

1 Corinthians 13:4–7; 14:1a (NLT)
4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
14 Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives—especially the ability to prophesy.

Patient, Kind and Good

Sat, 15 Aug 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)

22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Galatians 5:1, 13-14, 16, 22-23 (NLT)
1 “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.
13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.
14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Faithful, Gentle, Self-Controlled

Sat, 22 Aug 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Galatians 5:1, 13-14, 16, 22-23 (NLT)
1 “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.
13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.
14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
16 So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. 26 Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.

Loving, Joyful, and Peaceful

Sat, 08 Aug 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Disappointment vs. Discouragement

Sat, 01 Aug 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Psalm 42: 1–6 (NLT)
1 As the deer longs for streams of water,
so I long for you, O God.
2 I thirst for God, the living God.
When can I go and stand before him?
3 Day and night I have only tears for food,
while my enemies continually taunt me, saying,
“Where is this God of yours?”

4 My heart is breaking
as I remember how it used to be:
I walked among the crowds of worshipers,
leading a great procession to the house of God,
singing for joy and giving thanks
amid the sound of a great celebration!

5 Why am I discouraged?
Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God!
I will praise him again—
my Savior and 6 my God!

Now I am deeply discouraged,
but I will remember you—
even from distant Mount Hermon, the source of the Jordan,
from the land of Mount Mizar.

Joshua 1:9
This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Romans 12:15
Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.

Proverbs 12:25
Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.

Psalm 34:3
Come, let us tell of the Lord’s greatness; let us exalt his name together.

Hebrews 10:23–25
Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

Proverbs 11:25b
The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.

Danger of Discouragement

Sat, 25 Jul 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Nehemiah 4: 1–15 (NLT)

4 Sanballat was very angry when he learned that we were rebuilding the wall. He flew into a rage and mocked the Jews, 2 saying in front of his friends and the Samarian army officers, “What does this bunch of poor, feeble Jews think they’re doing? Do they think they can build the wall in a single day by just offering a few sacrifices? Do they actually think they can make something of stones from a rubbish heap—and charred ones at that?”

3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was standing beside him, remarked, “That stone wall would collapse if even a fox walked along the top of it!”

4 Then I prayed, “Hear us, our God, for we are being mocked. May their scoffing fall back on their own heads, and may they themselves become captives in a foreign land! 5 Do not ignore their guilt. Do not blot out their sins, for they have provoked you to anger here in front of the builders.”

6 At last the wall was completed to half its height around the entire city, for the people had worked with enthusiasm.

7 But when Sanballat and Tobiah and the Arabs, Ammonites, and Ashdodites heard that the work was going ahead and that the gaps in the wall of Jerusalem were being repaired, they were furious. 8 They all made plans to come and fight against Jerusalem and throw us into confusion. 9 But we prayed to our God and guarded the city day and night to protect ourselves.

10 Then the people of Judah began to complain, “The workers are getting tired, and there is so much rubble to be moved. We will never be able to build the wall by ourselves.”

11 Meanwhile, our enemies were saying, “Before they know what’s happening, we will swoop down on them and kill them and end their work.”

12 The Jews who lived near the enemy came and told us again and again, “They will come from all directions and attack us!” 13 So I placed armed guards behind the lowest parts of the wall in the exposed areas. I stationed the people to stand guard by families, armed with swords, spears, and bows.

14 Then as I looked over the situation, I called together the nobles and the rest of the people and said to them, “Don’t be afraid of the enemy! Remember the Lord, who is great and glorious, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes!”

15 When our enemies heard that we knew of their plans and that God had frustrated them, we all returned to our work on the wall.

After the Storm

Sat, 18 Jul 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Genesis 9:18–27 (NLT)

The sons of Noah who came out of the boat with their father were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. (Ham is the father of Canaan.) From these three sons of Noah came all the people who now populate the earth.

After the flood, Noah began to cultivate the ground, and he planted a vineyard. One day he drank some wine he had made, and he became drunk and lay naked inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw that his father was naked and went outside and told his brothers. Then Shem and Japheth took a robe, held it over their shoulders, and backed into the tent to cover their father. As they did this, they looked the other way so they would not see him naked.

When Noah woke up from his stupor, he learned what Ham, his youngest son, had done.
Then he cursed Canaan, the son of Ham:
“May Canaan be cursed! May he be the lowest of servants to his relatives.”

Then Noah said,
“May the Lord, the God of Shem, be blessed, and may Canaan be his servant!
May God expand the territory of Japheth! May Japheth share the prosperity of Shem, and may Canaan be his servant.”

The Perfect Storm

Sat, 11 Jul 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Acts 27:13–44 (NLT)

When a light wind began blowing from the south, the sailors thought they could make it. So they pulled up anchor and sailed close to the shore of Crete. But the weather changed abruptly, and a wind of typhoon strength (called a “northeaster”) burst across the island and blew us out to sea. The sailors couldn’t turn the ship into the wind, so they gave up and let it run before the gale.

We sailed along the sheltered side of a small island named Cauda,[a] where with great difficulty we hoisted aboard the lifeboat being towed behind us. Then the sailors bound ropes around the hull of the ship to strengthen it. They were afraid of being driven across to the sandbars of Syrtis off the African coast, so they lowered the sea anchor to slow the ship and were driven before the wind.

The next day, as gale-force winds continued to batter the ship, the crew began throwing the cargo overboard. The following day they even took some of the ship’s gear and threw it overboard. The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone.

No one had eaten for a long time. Finally, Paul called the crew together and said, “Men, you should have listened to me in the first place and not left Crete. You would have avoided all this damage and loss. But take courage! None of you will lose your lives, even though the ship will go down. For last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me, and he said, ‘Don’t be afraid, Paul, for you will surely stand trial before Caesar! What’s more, God in his goodness has granted safety to everyone sailing with you.’ So take courage! For I believe God. It will be just as he said. But we will be shipwrecked on an island.”

About midnight on the fourteenth night of the storm, as we were being driven across the Sea of Adria, the sailors sensed land was near. They dropped a weighted line and found that the water was 120 feet deep. But a little later they measured again and found it was only 90 feet deep. At this rate they were afraid we would soon be driven against the rocks along the shore, so they threw out four anchors from the back of the ship and prayed for daylight.

Then the sailors tried to abandon the ship; they lowered the lifeboat as though they were going to put out anchors from the front of the ship. But Paul said to the commanding officer and the soldiers, “You will all die unless the sailors stay aboard.” So the soldiers cut the ropes to the lifeboat and let it drift away.

Just as day was dawning, Paul urged everyone to eat. “You have been so worried that you haven’t touched food for two weeks,” he said. “Please eat something now for your own good. For not a hair of your heads will perish.” Then he took some bread, gave thanks to God before them all, and broke off a piece and ate it. Then everyone was encouraged and began to eat all 276 of us who were on board. After eating, the crew lightened the ship further by throwing the cargo of wheat overboard.

When morning dawned, they didn’t recognize the coastline, but they saw a bay with a beach and wondered if they could get to shore by running the ship aground. So they cut off the anchors and left them in the sea. Then they lowered the rudders, raised the foresail, and headed toward shore. But they hit a shoal and ran the ship aground too soon. The bow of the ship stuck fast, while the stern was repeatedly smashed by the force of the waves and began to break apart.

The soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners to make sure they didn’t swim ashore and escape. But the commanding officer wanted to spare Paul, so he didn’t let them carry out their plan. Then he ordered all who could swim to jump overboard first and make for land. The others held on to planks or debris from the broken ship. So everyone escaped safely to shore.

Storm Shelters

Sat, 04 Jul 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Isaiah 25:1-8, NLT

25 O Lord, I will honor and praise your name,
for you are my God.
You do such wonderful things!
You planned them long ago,
and now you have accomplished them.
2 You turn mighty cities into heaps of ruins.
Cities with strong walls are turned to rubble.
Beautiful palaces in distant lands disappear
and will never be rebuilt.
3 Therefore, strong nations will declare your glory;
ruthless nations will fear you.

4 But you are a tower of refuge to the poor, O Lord,
a tower of refuge to the needy in distress.
You are a refuge from the storm
and a shelter from the heat.
For the oppressive acts of ruthless people
are like a storm beating against a wall,
5 or like the relentless heat of the desert.
But you silence the roar of foreign nations.
As the shade of a cloud cools relentless heat,
so the boastful songs of ruthless people are stilled.

6 In Jerusalem,[a] the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
will spread a wonderful feast
for all the people of the world.
It will be a delicious banquet
with clear, well-aged wine and choice meat.
7 There he will remove the cloud of gloom,
the shadow of death that hangs over the earth.
8 He will swallow up death forever!
The Sovereign Lord will wipe away all tears.
He will remove forever all insults and mockery
against his land and people.
The Lord has spoken!

Storm Chaser

Sat, 27 Jun 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Mark 4:35-41 (NLT)
As evening came, Jesus said to his disciples, “Let’s cross to the other side of the lake.” So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.
Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, “Teacher, don’t you care that we’re going to drown?”
When Jesus woke up, he rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Silence! Be still!” Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then he asked them, “Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
The disciples were absolutely terrified. “Who is this man?” they asked each other. “Even the wind and waves obey him!”

The Eye of the Storm

Sat, 20 Jun 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Luke 6:46-49, NLT
Building on a Solid Foundation

46 “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say? 47 I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to me, listens to my teaching, and then follows it. 48 It is like a person building a house who digs deep and lays the foundation on solid rock. When the floodwaters rise and break against that house, it stands firm because it is well built. 49 But anyone who hears and doesn’t obey is like a person who builds a house right on the ground, without a foundation. When the floods sweep down against that house, it will collapse into a heap of ruins.”

Let's Get Started

Sat, 06 Jun 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Interview with Pastor Jamie

To Him Who Is Able

Sat, 30 May 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Romans 1:25, ESV

25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

Jude 1:24, ESV

24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,

Ephesians 3:20-21, ESV

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

We Choose Patience Everyday with Everyone

Sat, 23 May 2020 10:00:00 +0000

1 Thessalonians 5:12-24 (ESV)

Final Instructions and Benediction

12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.

23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

We Live with Expectation

Sat, 16 May 2020 10:00:00 +0000

1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 (ESV)

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

We Grieve with Hope

Sat, 09 May 2020 10:00:00 +0000

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (ESV)

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

On Friendship

Sat, 02 May 2020 10:00:00 +0000

In the beginning of 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul put up the guardrails. Paul told us what was out of bounds and off limits. Paul says because God’s will for our lives is our sanctification (being conformed into the likeness of Jesus through the help of God’s grace) we need to avoid all impurity, especially sexual immorality. First he told us what is out and now, in 4:9-12, he tell us what is within bounds and without limit. And much to our surprise, the first thing Paul expresses is friendship. The Greeks had numerous words for love, but he doesn’t take us to romance or marriage or anything of that nature. He doesn’t think of love in the way we so often do – at least not out of the gate. The first thing Paul says is within bounds and without limit is the cultivation of deep, meaningful, Spirit-filled friendships. In fact, Paul goes so far to say that when Christian friendships are what they should be, we will gain the respect of outsiders and be dependent on no one (4:12). This week we’ll the power of godly friendships and why they might be exactly what we need to navigate the complexity of life, especially life in the day of Covid-19.

On Purity, Pressure and Power

Sat, 25 Apr 2020 10:00:00 +0000

The church in Thessalonica is going through it – they’re experiencing pressure and pain and disappointment and isolation. Life isn’t easy and yet, they are convinced that God is good and that Jesus is over this. So how do you live when life doesn’t look or feel the way it should? Paul’s first word of encouragement to them then and us today is to live lives of purity amidst the pressure. Pain and pressure sometimes grant us unspoken permission to turn away from God and turn towards unhealthy patterns and practices. However, Paul urges us not to turn back to the things we once turned our back to and to instead, turn again and again to God who gives us everything we need to face everything that comes our way.

The God Who Is Over This

Sat, 18 Apr 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Psalm 96:1-13 (ESV)

1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
3 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
4 For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be feared above all gods.
5 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
6 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

7 Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!
8 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering, and come into his courts!
9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;[a]
tremble before him, all the earth.

10 Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!
Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved;
he will judge the peoples with equity.”

11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
12 let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
13 before the Lord, for he comes,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness,
and the peoples in his faithfulness.

What Difference Does the Resurrection Make?

Sat, 11 Apr 2020 10:00:00 +0000

John 20:1-18 , ESV

The Resurrection
20 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus'[a] head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.

What About Suffering?

Sat, 04 Apr 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Matthew 27:27-31, ESV
27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor’s headquarters,[a] and they gathered the whole battalion[b] before him. 28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, 29 and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” 30 And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.

What Brings True Joy?

Sat, 28 Mar 2020 10:00:00 +0000

John 13:1-8, 12-15, ESV
1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”

12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

In this season of “social distancing”, how can we model Jesus washing the feet of His disciples?
How have you experienced true joy through serving others?

Do You Want to Be Well?

Sat, 21 Mar 2020 10:00:00 +0000

John 5:1-15

In what ways have you ever felt in-valid? How has this process of social distancing and virus prepping caused you to struggle with feelings of being in-valid or to consider these feelings and fears in others?

Why do you think it’s important to own your part in the process towards healing and wholeness?

The man thought he needed the pool to be healed. He was wrong. What he needed was Jesus. What things have you put your trust in that have eventually proven themselves incapable of producing wholeness in you? How has the past week or two called into question things that promised ‘healing’ but have again been exposed as frauds?

How can we ‘see’ and respond to the needs of others during this unique, challenging time?

Does God accept me as I am?

Sat, 14 Mar 2020 10:00:00 +0000

John 8:1-11

A woman is caught in sin. Humiliated and disgraced she is dragged before Jesus. The crowd is shocked and silenced as a question is raised by her accusers: “The law says stone her to death. What do you say Jesus?” Their question is disingenuous. They don’t care about the law and they don’t care about this woman – all they care about is finding reason to condemn Jesus. This woman is simply a means towards that end. But Jesus, despite appearing backed into an inescapable theological corner, responds calmly, with authority and grace: “Let whoever has no sin throw the first stone.” The temple crowd waits with bated breath, wondering what will happen next. One by one their stones hit the ground, not because they’ve been thrown but because they’ve been dropped. As the stones hit the ground, the woman’s accusers depart one by one. It is a powerful moment only outdone by what Jesus says next: “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more” (John 8:10-11, ESV). This week we’ll unpack the incredibly amazing truth that the only one worthy of casting a stone chose not to.

Love God, Love People

Sat, 07 Mar 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Mark 12:28-34

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.”

Wave after wave of religious opposition had come Jesus’ way and like a powerful seawall, Jesus didn’t break – the opposition broke upon him. Eventually a more honest question is raised: What’s the most important commandment? Jesus’ response is powerful, telling and dynamic. His response simplified is, “The Lord is One. Love God. Love people.” While we might be tempted to glance at the simplicity of those words and rush onto what’s next, we must not miss the complexity within the simplicity. We must not miss the power, challenge and beauty contained within this command. This week we’ll unpack what it means to love God with everything we’ve got, consider how this affects our other relationships and pray through what it means to be a people all in on the God who is one for the sake of the world.

Who Do I Say Jesus Is?

Sat, 29 Feb 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Matthew 16:13-16

13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”
14 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.”
15 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?”
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

A New Commandment

Sat, 22 Feb 2020 10:00:00 +0000

When life is most confusing, Jesus calls us to be most like Him.

On the night before Jesus’ crucifixion and death, Jesus speaks a powerful word over the very people who will soon abandon and deny him: Love each other as I have loved you. In the midst of their turmoil and confusion, in the midst of their doubt and uncertainty, Jesus commands them to live a life of love, modeled not upon their own concepts of love, but upon the love Jesus had demonstrated in their own lives. He is the standard. His love, not our own, is the measure of how we are to love each other. And Jesus says when we love one another like this, like Him, something amazing will happen – the world will recognize us as His people. As we wrap up our Newness series, may we be willing to take Jesus at his word and love one another as Christ has loved us for the glory of God and the sake of the world.

New Armor

Sat, 15 Feb 2020 10:00:00 +0000

God has given us everything we need to face anything that comes our way.

After calling us to imitate God and walk in love with each other (Eph. 5:1), Ephesians 6 takes things up a notch. There’s a fight alright, but it isn’t with each other. We are not enemies. Instead, Paul urges us to recognize that our fight is spiritual in nature and spiritual battles require spiritual weapons. Maybe one of the reasons we feel burned out and overwhelmed is that we’re fighting the wrong battles with the wrong tools and wondering why life feels and looks as it does. May this weekend remind us that God really has equipped us with everything we need to face any and every challenge and in the end,to stand.

New You

Sat, 08 Feb 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus is the new ‘thing’ God promised so that we could become new creatures in Christ.

In 2 Corinthians 5:17 a startlingly beautiful promise is made: if anyone is in Christ they are a new creature. That’s as true for you as it is of anyone who puts their hope and faith in Jesus. God does for us what we could never do for ourselves; he makes us new. Sometimes we don’t feel new. Sometimes we don’t look new. Sometimes we don’t really live like we’ve been made new. But one of the best gifts we can give ourselves and give the world is to allow the power of God’s word to ring true in our hearts even when it doesn’t sound true in our ears or look true to our eyes. If anyone is in Christ – NEWNESS! And when the beautiful reality of this promise overwhelms our hearts, there will be no space left for our hearts to be overwhelmed by anything else.

New Thing

Sat, 01 Feb 2020 10:00:00 +0000

“Behold, I am doing a new thing… I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:19

New things can be great and all, but sometimes new things are awkward, difficult and even scary. Sometimes our fear of the unknown is even greater than our fear and frustration with the present, known issues and brokenness. Because of this, there are times we’ll actually settle for the status quo, as broken as it might be, rather than risk stepping out into unknown change. The problem with this way of living is that according to Isaiah 43, God is in the business of doing new things. God is in the business of bringing change, but if our fear of change gets the better of us we might miss out on the new thing God is doing. If you’re tired of missing out on what God is up to, take heart – He’s making a way through the wild and stirring up rivers in the desert. God is in the business of doing the impossible, so may our fear take a back seat to faith as we drink deeply from the River and walk confidently in the Way God has made for us.

Sabbath

Sat, 25 Jan 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Maybe the reason we feel overworked and burned out isn’t simply because we’re doing too much, but because we’re ignoring God’s built in rhythm for regular, weekly rest.

A study done recently reported that Americans are spending a little over 5 hours a day on their smart phones. You heard that right: 5 hours per day. What’s crazy is that the average American gets under 7 hours a sleep a day. Think about that – we spend almost as much time on our phones during the day, staring at a screen, as we do asleep at night. While this is just one shocking statistic, we could go on and on how about how our schedules keep getting busier and busier and our lives feel more and more hectic. At one point or another, we’ve all wished for “one more day” or even just “one more hour during the day” but if we’ve learned anything so far, it’s that that extra hour or extra day would get swallowed up with busyness before we know it. Something has got to give. And yet, while we keep scratching our heads wondering how to change the pace at which we live, God has already structured the week in such a way that every single one of us could instantly experience a change of pace if we simply chose to live according to God’s rhythm rather than the rhythm of our world. God calls this change of pace Sabbath. Today we’ll be exploring what Sabbath means, why it matters, and what it might mean to allow the weekly rhythm of God to replace the idolatrous rhythm we’ve given ourselves over to. If you’re looking for a change of pace, God’s gift of Sabbath might be the solution your soul is craving.

New Mercy

Sat, 18 Jan 2020 10:00:00 +0000

Life may be messy, but the good news is that the mercy of God is new every single day.

Life is messy. We know the good we want to do and often fail to do it. We know the evil we want to avoid and often give into it. Sometimes it feels like we’re caught up in a vicious cycle that we can’t break. But to anyone who has ever felt this hopeless frustration there’s good news: the mercy of God is new every single day. The mercy, love, goodness, and kindness of God can do what we cannot. God has the power to interrupt this cycle every day because every day, His mercy is ready to face any and every one of our struggles. We don’t have to give up hope because we have a God who gave Himself up for us, and that changes everything.

Be Changed vs. Make Changes

Sat, 11 Jan 2020 10:00:00 +0000

While making changes is good, Jesus didn’t die and rise so we can make behavioral modifications. He conquered death so we could be changed from the inside out in ways far beyond we can accomplish in our own power.

In John 3, a secretive meeting between Jesus and a religious leader named Nicodemus is held. While Nicodemus seems to want to ease into the conversation, Jesus cuts straight to the heart of why they’re there, alone, at night: “If you want to be a part of God’s kingdom, you must be born again.” Rather than a list of dos and don’ts or a breakdown of acceptable and unacceptable behaviors, Jesus sets before him what seems impossible – be born again. But what’s impossible for us is absolutely possible for God and that’s the point. The newness we crave, this true newness we long for, can’t be achieved through effort alone – it is a gift of God. While many of us know this, we tend to live as if this isn’t the case, as if we just try harder, work longer, and put in more effort, then we’ll achieve what God only can give. So this week, as we kick off our Newness series, we simply want to remind ourselves that the newness we crave most can never be produced by human effort or ingenuity but is a gracious gift of God available to all through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Truths of My Life

Sat, 04 Jan 2020 10:00:00 +0000

2 Timothy 3:16–17
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. (nlt)

Philippians 3:20–21
Our citizenship is in heaven…the Lord Jesus Christ…will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.

Matthew 13:43
The righteous will shine like the sun in their Father’s Kingdom. Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand! (nlt)

Luke 6:27–28
I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. (nlt)

Hope Recruits

Sat, 28 Dec 2019 10:00:00 +0000

Hope is contagious. It welcomes others in Christ into joy and freedom.

Isaiah 11 offers a beautiful but confusing picture of the hope we have in Christ. The first part of the chapter offers a picture of restoration and peace. The second half however is a bit less desirable. It speaks of violence and plundering and I’m doing so raises a question. How can the text speak of peace and hope and healing and simultaneously speak of violence and plundering? Maybe we need to hear the words once more and this time, listen to them through the life and ministry of the Christ child. As 2019 comes to close, let’s remember who who we are in Christ and who he has called to be for the glory of God and the sake of the world.

Hope Rescues

Tue, 24 Dec 2019 10:00:00 +0000

Luke 1:26-38

Hope Rejoices

Sat, 21 Dec 2019 10:00:00 +0000

Even in our grief there is hope and where there is hope, there is cause for joy.

Everywhere you look in the Christmas story, you see people rejoicing. Elizabeth, Zechariah, Mary, shepherds and even an unborn John the Baptist get in on the celebrations. Why not right? Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lord’s is on the way! And yet, as happy and joyful as the Christmas season can be, for many of us, rejoicing is the last thing we feel like doing. Maybe we lost a loved one this year. Maybe work or family has been tough. Maybe there have been health issues you or a loved one has faced or maybe you look at the state of our world and your heart just can’t get there – to joy. For some of us joy just feels impossible, maybe even wrong. But what if there’s more? What if there’s a joy that runs deeper than our worst days and more richly than even our best? What if this joy could be yours in abundance? Join us this morning as we unpack this gift of joy God offers us in Christ and may this joy lift you up and thrill your heart like never before.

Hope is Resilient

Sat, 14 Dec 2019 10:00:00 +0000

Jesus came as a king, priest, prophet, and temple for real people and real life.

The genealogy at the beginning of Matthew is like an escape room. When you first look at it, it seems kind of underwhelming…but then you start looking under things and inside of things and behind things and all of the sudden, you find secrets and codes that unlock more secrets and codes…and you realize that there’s meaning and intention everywhere. That’s what we get in Matthew’s genealogy of Jesus. The way Matthew has structured it and the names he has included in it offer a preamble to Jesus’ coming as the true king, priest, prophet, and temple. In this Jesus, we find a hope strong enough to bear the brunt of reality…a hope wide enough to embrace the totality of human brokenness and beauty…a hope resilient enough to survive the real world…and a hope that’s come for you and for me. This is the kind of hope Christmas is all about.

Hope Reconciles

Sat, 07 Dec 2019 10:00:00 +0000

The hope of God has the power to heal and reconcile broken relationships.

In Isaiah 11, the prophet begins by painting a powerful picture of what the Coming One of God will one day be like. The Spirit of the Lord will rest upon Him. Truth and justice will flow from Him. He will not judge unfairly, but instead He will strike down the wicked with nothing more than the words of His mouth. It is a powerful picture – and it is precisely what we see in Jesus. But this powerful picture is just the first part of Isaiah’s dream. His vision of the Messiah coming begs a question: what will be the fruit of His ministry? In response, Isaiah paints yet another picture. The wolf will lie with the lamb, the lion will eat grass and a child will play with the cobra and be unharmed. Not only will the Messiah judge and rule with truth, justice and power, the fruit of the His coming will cause enemies to become friends, and predators and prey to become family. In other words, healing, peace and reconciliation will flow to and through all our relationships. The Christmas season can be a beautiful time, but it can also be a reminder of the painful brokenness that exists in many of our relationships. But this reminder need not be the end of our stories – Jesus Christ came so that we might experience the joy of reconciliation with God, each other, ourselves and all of creation.

Hope Restores

Sat, 30 Nov 2019 10:00:00 +0000

Luke 2:26-38

Filled

Sat, 23 Nov 2019 10:00:00 +0000

God’s heart is to fill His church, but to do that, we need to be emptied of our glory and expectations; it’s then that we’ll begin becoming all He dreams us to be.

As we come into this story, Solomon and the team have just finished building the temple. It’s stunning, incredible, beautiful…but it’s missing something. Missing everything. It still needs to be filled. And as we get to the climax of this story, we see a God faithful to fill it with His presence. He’s actually, so faithful that He totally messes up expectations and plans and egos and ambitions of everyone at the scene. But it’s here that we see the people of God in their sweet spot: emptied of themselves, and abundantly full of of the fullness of God, to overflow into the world.

Be the Church

Sat, 16 Nov 2019 10:00:00 +0000

When the Church lives into what it is truly meant to be, healing comes and the forces of darkness are put on the defensive.

In Matthew 16, the disciples are wrestling with who Jesus truly is and what that means for them. When Peter’s proclamation meets realization about Jesus being the son of God, Jesus commends his understanding, and then charges Peter and the disciples with a mission. When the people of God discover who Jesus really is and who they are meant to be, they are sent on mission to be the Church, which means the forces of hell and darkness are put on the defensive in a losing battle. The Church is meant to be a body that recognizes its own brokenness, and with hearts and minds centered on Jesus, is qualified to walk alongside the world in its brokenness, knowing that the restoring nature of God is in their hearts and on their side. This is what the Church is meant to be.

Become the Church

Sat, 09 Nov 2019 10:00:00 +0000

Becoming the Church means becoming a team, a body, and a family.

Throwing a bunch of athletes on a field doesn’t make them a team any more than throwing a bunch of Christians in a room makes them a church. Coming to church is a beautiful and necessary first step, but until we learn what it means to become the Church to one another, we’ll never be able to be the Church we’re supposed to be to a hurting and broken world. Today, we’ll explore the ways that becoming the Church looks like becoming a team, a body, and a family. It is our hope that you’ll leave convicted, encouraged, and empowered to love one another in such a radical way that the world sees Jesus.

Come to Church

Sat, 02 Nov 2019 10:00:00 +0000

What if something as simple as coming to church could unlock faith, hope and love in ways we’ve yet to experience?

In Hebrews 10, the author paints a beautiful picture of just how thorough and far reaching the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is. What year after year of sacrifice could not accomplish, Jesus did once and for all. Through Christ, we are forgiven and free. But what now? Now that we’re forgiven and free, is it really necessary to keep meeting together? If Jesus paid it all, why keep gathering for this thing we call for church? Here the author of Hebrews makes a compelling point: the death and resurrection does in fact change everything, but it doesn’t change if we meet – it changes how we meet together. Through Jesus, coming to church is not a boring, rote ritual but a catalytic habit where faith, hope and love can be grown and matured in powerful and consistent ways.