As people who have chosen to follow Jesus and are inviting others to do the same, we must pay attention to the tides that are rolling in. They are deforming. In the language of spiritual formation, we must pay attention to our cultural captivities- the places where we are held captive more to the kingdom of the world than to the kingdom of God. Our cultural captivities keep us from full freedom. Or, using the language of the Bible, we must pay attention to our idols. Idols matter. Idols deceive. Idols linger. And as evidenced in the story of our lives, idols kill love. For January and February this year, we are going to talk about racism, nationalism, hyper-individualism, materialism and the kingdom of God. We want whole life alignment with God and His redemptive plan. And for that to happen, idols need to be named, resisted and replaced with white-hot worship of the Triune God.
"All Together Different" - Philippians
The book of Philippians captures the beautiful relationship between the Apostle Paul and the dearly loved church community in Philippi. Rather than bearing the marks of rebuke, challenge or drastic correction, this letter paints a picture of a community learning how to walk in the humble way of Jesus as a partner with Paul for the sake of God’s kingdom. This kind of life is counter-cultural in so many ways, but it serves as encouragement that it is possible to know joy, live humbly and live in community in a way that displays the redemption of heaven on earth. Participation in re-enacting the Jesus story is for everyone and stands as “all-together different.”
Easter 2020
The tomb is empty and Jesus is alive! Join us online as we sing and celebrate the good news of Jesus and His resurrection.
Palm Sunday 2020
"Catch the Wind" - Romans 8
“Romans 8 is a veritable feast of Pauline themes that carries the power of the gospel in every breath. If the church would hoist its sails and catch the wind of Romans 8, there’s no telling what might happen.” NT Wright
In the middle of his letter to the Romans, the Apostle Paul unpacks some of the greatest news that humanity has ever been told. Because of the work of Jesus, we have life in the Spirit with full privileges as beloved children of God. This changes our past, anchors our present and reorients our future around the fullness of the gospel and the Kingdom of God. With each passing line, we are invited deeper into the riches of true relational renewal so that we may live out the abundant life God has already secured. For us and the world, true opportunity awaits.
Advent 2019 - Prepare the Way
So much of the Christmas festivity is focused on the Baby and the birth, the celebration and the incarnation – and rightly so. This is the time of year where we stop to focus on God’s lavish gift of redemption and grace through the Word become flesh. But before there is Christmas, there is need for preparation. And before the coming of Messiah, John the Baptist came to prepare the way. Mark’s gospel begins with him. Mary’s pregnancy intersects with him. And as a scratchy, uncanny unorthodox character, John’s words prepared the people of God for the coming Kingdom of God and the dawning of a new age. This Advent season, we too enter a season of preparation. As we listen and learn from John the Baptizer, we are invited to confront the things we may not want to so that we are ready to receive our King.
(re)new
As summer turns to fall, young and old alike experience a season of fresh starts and new beginnings. It’s not as though everything is completely new, but there is a sense of renewal among us. In a technical sense, renewal holds several shades of nuance and meaning. On the one hand, it can describe the resuming of activity after interruption. Renewal signifies a restart. In other contexts, renewal extends the validity of terms to the present moment. A license, a subscription or a library book can be renewed with a sense of recommitment for the future. And yet, in a different sense, renewal can also be used to describe the renovation of something that is worn out or broken. Sometimes, due to wear and tear, there is need for repair. Restarts. Recommitments. Repairs. Often, renewal involves a little bit of all three. And fortunately, God is the master of renewal.
For the next few months, we are going to talk as a church community about who we are, where we are going and what it looks like to contend for that which matters most. We are a church that declares our pursuit of living everyday so that everyone experiences Jesus and His Kingdom come. And we are committed to see that happen by being and making disciples who are radically transformed by the gospel. For that to bloom in full, we are leaning into the God who is making “all things new.”
Psalms of Ascent
It has been said that music can "name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable." Which is why the book of Psalms has historically been such a treasure to the world and the people of God. With incredible poetic imagery, the Psalms express the reality of God and variegated depth of the human journey. While there are 150 total psalms which have been arranged into 5 different books, there are also several different sub-categories of songs in the greater album. Psalms 120-134 represent a collection of songs known as "Pilgrimage Songs" or the Psalms of Ascent. These 15 psalms, written by a variety of authors, represent the songs that Hebrew people traditionally sung as they made their way "up to Jerusalem" to celebrate the holy days in the holy city. Even though we don't currently make regular pilgrimages to the Middle East, we are called to the same journey of faith. We are made for movement toward God in maturity and discipleship. This road of faith is long. At times it is hard and involves unexpected twists and turns. But, as the people of God, we get to do it together with an ancient soundtrack. Their songs become our songs. Their roadmap becomes our road map. And in this musical collection, we find timely reminders for our lives and our shared spiritual journey.
Fruit & Fire - 1 Corinthians 12-14
As a church, we believe that at the center of the universe is a relationship. We believe in the Triune God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. One God in three Persons. And yet, when it comes to the trinity and our engagement of God in the practical parts of our lives and church, many people have a hard time knowing what to do with the Holy Spirit. Most people get the Father. Still others are fine with Jesus. But this Holy Spirit… what to do with Him? The further one moves into any Holy Spirit conversation, the more binary it becomes as people want to force you to pick between two camps. Are you… Pentecostal or Evangelical? Charismatic or Reformed? About the Word or the Spirit? Truth or experience? Do you seek the fruit of the Spirit or the gifts of the Spirit? As a church, we are seeking what Gordon Fee calls “life in the radical middle.” We desire both character and gifts, both Word and Spirit, both fruit and fire. Over the next six weeks, we will spend some time listen to the Apostle Paul’s conversation with the believers in Corinth to see how the Spirit forms our life as Christ’s body. The vision that God has for His church cannot be attained without a robust understanding and whole-hearted embrace of the Spirit.
Home - Luke 15
Deep in our souls there is a longing for home. It shows up in our books, our movies and our songs. Our “homesickness” shows up everywhere, but it seems that few know the way back. Home has become this theme, this larger-than-life magnet that powerfully draws the iron shavings of our soul. But, underneath it all, home is not about a building, an address or a room. Neither is it about the comforts of familiarity. Those things matter, but it’s deeper. All of us have an innate desire to get back to that place where we are safe, where we are known, and where we are loved. Simply put, we all long for God. In Luke 15, Jesus tells a triad of parables about lost things: a lost sheep, a lost coin, and a lost son. Known as the Parable of the Prodigal Son, this story is about a man who has two sons: one older and one younger. As we come to find out, both of them leave home. One son goes to a faraway land. One son leaves home by staying home. And both are invited to experience a Father who navigates the world of lost children. Both brothers are lost. Both brothers need help. Both brothers are at a distance. And both are invited home to experience the father’s heart, the father’s joy and the father’s love. God wants people “home”- including you and the ones you may think are too far away.
Hosea - God on Fire
For far too many, God is “the Big Man Upstairs;” a cold, detached, remote deity in the sky. As a result, our lifeless devotion often follows a similar trajectory. Cold. Detached. Uninterested. Lukewarm love satisfies no one. But, what if rather than being a distant, dispassionate Clockmaker, God is actually the most passionate Being in the universe. In the words of author Tim Chester, “People often talk about what they feel about God. Hosea tells us what God feels about us.” Through the words of the ancient Hebrew prophet Hosea, we get the full range of God’s heartbeat on display. Relying on images of marriage and family, God leverages the real life story of Hosea and his unfaithful spouse, Gomer, to reveal His jealousy, commitment, heartbreak, enthusiasm and compassionate pursuing love that gets the final word. After all, it's the revelation of His white hot consuming passion that stirs our passion in reply: our jealousy for God, our commitment to Him, our heartbreak over sin, our enthusiasm to serve, and our love for the lost. God’s heart sets our tepid hearts on fire. In this new year, let’s feast on the all-consuming passion of God for us and His world.
The Echo of Advent
In the story of the birth of Jesus, the main point is the incarnation. John tell us that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. Jesus, the eternal son of God- called the Word- moved into the neighborhood.
But when the Word sounds forth, when the Word comes to earth, He echoes off His people. Meaning, every single character in Luke’s gospel, when they catch a glimpse of God’s saving work in Jesus, all respond in poetry. They sing. They prophesy. They poetically can’t contain themselves. And it just come out… over and over and over again. First, with Mary. She sings what’s called “The Magnificat.” Then old man Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist. When his lips are finally re-opened, he sings his prophecy. Next the angels are singing, “Glory to God in the highest.” And then finally, the holy man Simeon in the temple. He blesses God verbally too. In our Bibles, all their echoes are marked with indented italics. Chapter 1 and Chapter 2. Mary, Zechariah, the angels, and Simeon. The Word becomes flesh, and they reply. And now, the Word becomes flesh and we reply. Borrowing the words of the carol, we “echo back our joyous strains.” So that in looking at these echoes, we discover more about the heart of Advent and the preparation work we get to do this season. This is the echo of Advent.
Everyday Doctrine & Everyday Devotion
Author AW Tozer captured it well when he said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us. … We tend by a secret law of the soul to move toward our mental image of God. This is true not only of the individual Christian, but of the company of Christians that composes the Church. Always the most revealing thing about the Church is her idea of God.” Theology is not just for dry, boring banter among stuffy scholars in ivory towers. Rather, every human being is a theologian with distinct beliefs about God that drive our everyday decisions of life. Regardless of religion or creed, everyone is a theologian and everyone worships. Everyone has doctrine that feeds personal devotion- and so does a local church.
At the beginning of each new year, we typically go back to the basics and re-center ourselves on the root of life and faith. This year, the elders are excited to commit the bulk of our 2018 preaching schedule to clarifying how what we believe shapes the way we live our everyday lives. We stand convinced that what has been handed down to us (2 Timothy 1:13-14) is worth preserving, prizing, and passing on to the next generation. This includes discussion on Scripture, the nature of God, the Gospel, Gender, Sexuality, the Church, and more. Our aim is to think more deeply so that we may worship more fully.
Advent 2017: Lamentations
Typically, the Christmas season is portrayed as a time of boundless celebration, wonder, and joy. There is a steady stream of parties, presents, and tables that overflow with the finest of food and seasonal drink. The lights are hung with precision. The presents are wrapped with sparkle and flair. And the desires of countless children are etched onto physical and digital wish lists. With so much singing and festivity, it is easy to overlook what lies beneath the thin veneer. Even during the Advent season, there is enormous brokenness and pain. Even at Christmas, our world hurts. More than another kitchen gadget or gift card, what we need most is a message that addresses our real stories and our real lives. Drawing from the Christmas carol God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, what we need are “tidings of comfort and joy.”
For the Advent season this year, we are turning to an unconventional source of wisdom: the Old Testament book of Lamentations. This short, five-chapter book tucked away in often unread places, is poetic lament. It is a creative yet devastating declaration of honesty about the destruction of Jerusalem during the Babylonian invasion of 586 BC. In its historic sense, it captures the essence of the Jewish condition before the coming of Jesus in a poem. They were a people of exile who were crying out in their pain for help. And their cries, like our own, are only fully answered by the coming of the baby born in Bethlehem. During this Advent season, we are looking to reclaim the lost art of lament that prepares us more deeply to see the comfort and joy of Jesus, the incarnated expression of God’s steadfast love. Honest, unbridled lament is a perfect backdrop to discover the true wonder of Christmas.
Matthew: The Power of the King
After almost a full year in the Gospel of Matthew, our journey through this narrative is coming to an end. And as the story reaches its pinnacle, Matthew intentionally slows down the story to cover the last week of Jesus' life. Out of all 28 chapters, 1/3 of the book is devoted to Jesus' final days that include His betrayal, arrest, death, and resurrection. Matthew wants us to know Jesus, not just as Good Teacher, not just as Miracle Worker, not just as Master Storyteller… but Matthew is devoted to introducing us to Jesus as crucified Messiah and sacrificial Savior.
Without this part- without the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus… all the rest of the story falls flat. All of it loses its punch. Matthew wants you to know that Jesus came to die, and that Jesus rose again on the 3rd day. Without the “last days” of Jesus, you have no Jesus at all. In this last week of His earthly ministry, we will see like never before, the power of the King.
Matthew: The Parables of the King
Author Klyne Snodgrass once noted, “Stories are inherently interesting. Discourse we tolerate; to story we attend. Story entertains, informs, involves, motivates, authenticates, and mirrors existence.” Therefore it should come as no surprise that when the Son of God came in human flesh to reveal God to humanity, He came sharing stories. He came telling tales. But not just any stories… So much of the ministry of Jesus is marked by His infamous use of parables.
Following an intentional collection of healing ministry stories, Matthew's gospel account moves on to include several chapters of Jesus' parables. With great diversity in length, formatting, characters, and imagery, Jesus uses the familiar to explain the unfamiliar ways of God. Weaving together different tales, these stories all share a common theme: insight into the Kingdom of God. Over the next few summer months, we will dive into these stories of Jesus with an ear to hear. Parables are Kingdom stories with the intent: to puzzle, provoke, and make plain a person’s response to Jesus.
Matthew: The People of the King
After delivering the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus comes down the mountain and engages a variety of people in Kingdom ministry. These 9 stories from Matthew 8 and 9 are intentionally compiled and arranged by Matthew in order to paint a picture of Jesus and the people He pursues. The "People of the King" reveal the purpose and personality of the King. Watch as Jesus touches, heals, and speaks His powerful word to those who desperately need His merciful grace. Matthew invites us all to discover a Jesus far greater than many presume. For in these people and their stories, we find the gospel in flesh and blood.
Matthew: The Preaching of the King
From the beginning, God has always desired to have a distinctive people among creation to properly reflect His rule and reign. His heart has relentlessly been for a “treasured possession,” a “kingdom of priests,” and a “holy nation” (Exodus 19:5-6, 1 Peter 2:9). Years ago, God’s great deliverer, Moses, led the people of Israel out of Egypt and up to a mountain where a covenant was established and God’s will for a Kingdom people was revealed. Unfortunately, due to human sin and brokenness, that community resulted in disobedience and a marred image of God. Many years later, God’s Greater Deliverer, Jesus, also went up a mountain to reveal a new covenant and a new Kingdom manifesto. Known as the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7 is the first of the five major narrative sections of Matthew’s gospel and consists of arguably the greatest single collection of the teachings of Jesus. Using powerful words and evocative images, Jesus describes what life looks like for those gathered by and around the King. As the new covenant people of God, the disciples of Jesus are called to be a community of contrast – reflecting a lifestyle and a Savior that is both markedly different and gloriously distinct from the rest of the world. This sermon, and more importantly, this kind of life, illuminates Jesus and His Kingdom Come for the church and, by His grace, for the world.
Reality Vision Series 2017
At the beginning of each year, we have historically used our Sundays in the month of January to re-focus, share vision, and ground ourselves in the Gospel for the coming year. In 2017, we plan to do the same. However, because there are some very specific things we want to discuss, celebrate, and explain in detail for the future, the elders have decided that it would be best to bring everyone together for one gathering each week in January. The elders are excited about the fresh things that the Spirit has been showing us and the new season that lies ahead. Please plan on joining us to worship, discuss, and celebrate the ways we get to experience Jesus and His Kingdom come in new ways for 2017.
Advent 2016: The Presentation of the King
Written by a tax collector turned follower of Jesus, the Gospel of Matthew stands as one of the earliest accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus. Those seeking to more fully understand Jesus and His ways throughout the centuries have found in Matthew a faithful guide.
Over the course of the next twelve months, we have committed to exploring the depth of Jesus and His Kingdom Come by spending “A Year with Jesus” in the following five episodes of Matthew’s Gospel: (1) The Presentation of the King, (2) The Preaching of the King – Sermon on the Mount, (3) The People of the King, (4) The Parables of the King, and (5) The Power of the King. Not only does this journey lie at the core of our church’s vision, but it provides a chance for both seekers and saints to reevaluate their assumptions of faith and encounter Christ firsthand. Join us as we walk with Jesus, listen to His teaching, and discover what it looks like for Jesus to rule over our lives and this world.
This Advent, we begin with the birth of the King.
Long before Jesus arrives on the scene with a message or in ministry, a baby is born. Swirling around this most miraculous birth are all sorts of questions that ring from Bethlehem and beyond. Who is this Child? Why is He here? Where does He come from? What story does He fulfill? In the first two chapters of this Gospel account, Matthew answers all these questions and more as he introduces us to Jesus and frames His birth as a continuation of Israel’s story. Come behold the birth of the King!