January 23

Sunday November 3: Luke 10:38-42: “To Be or Not To Be”

Sunday November 3: Luke 10:38-42: “To Be or Not To Be”

I am a Pastor. I am a Father. I am a husband. We all have I am statements about who we are in this world. One of the easiest ones is to say I am what I do. I am my job, I am the activities that I participate in, and in Luke 10 Jesus helps to remind us that while work, serving, and caring for others are all important, none of those should define who we are.

Sunday October 20: Ezekiel 36:24-32:  “Transformation By The Spirit”

Sunday October 20: Ezekiel 36:24-32:  “Transformation By The Spirit”

In Ezekiel God makes a covenant with Israel. The Israelites had once again abandoned God and disgraced his name. In response, God promises to transform their (and our) hearts as we follow after him passionately. We see the phrase “I will” over and over again in this passage, reminding us that God is the one who does the work of transformation. Join us as we talk through what it looks like to surrender to that transformation.

Sunday October 13: Acts 9:36-43 “Everyday Saints”

Sunday October 13: Acts 9:36-43 “Everyday Saints”

In Acts 9 we meet a woman named Dorcas who seems to be living a relatively normal life. Then she passes, and the town begins to turn out in large numbers to remember the simple, everyday ways that this woman served and blessed her community. From a place of gratitude to God, we each are invited to serve and love others out of the overflow of our relationship with God.

Sunday September 29: Acts 8:26-40: “Where Transformation Starts”

Sunday September 29: Acts 8:26-40: “Where Transformation Starts”

The easiest person to blame when things are not how we want them is someone else, truly anyone else besides me. Being an alongsider means that we have a responsibility for our own faith, our own growth, our own relationship with God. That we will chose to pursue God, to ask questions, to dig into our faith.

Sunday September 22: 2 Chronicles 7:11-16 “Creating a Movement of Prayer”

Sunday September 22: 2 Chronicles 7:11-16 “Creating a Movement of Prayer”

We have all had mountain top days and experiences. Weddings, births of babies, promotions at work, big performances. On those days it can be easy to believe that the world is good, and that God is with you. But what about on days when life is not going as expected or challenges arise. God has a conversation with King Solomon that helps remind us that God’s faithfulness, God showing up for us, is unchanging, even if the circumstances of our lives are ever changing.

Sunday September 15:  John 1:35-42 “Create A Movement”

Sunday September 15:  John 1:35-42 “Create A Movement”

In our new series this fall, we are going to be talking specifically about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, and alongside what we are calling it. We see in the calling of the first disciples and in the ministry of John the Baptist, that part of that is inviting people to be part of a movement that points our lives and focus towards someone else (Jesus and serving those around us).

Sunday September 8: Mark 3:13-19 “Who Jesus Calls”

Sunday September 8: Mark 3:13-19 “Who Jesus Calls”

This week Sunday we’ll be looking at who Jesus calls as his disciples. Upon first reading this passage it’s easy for us to focus on the type of people Jesus calls to see if we measure up. However, it seems the invitation for us is to look at the person and character of the one who calls. Jesus is the one who calls and knowing him invites us to see ourselves from his perspective. 

Sunday September 1: Philippians 4:2-13 “God Bless You and Keep You”

Sunday September 1: Philippians 4:2-13 “God Bless You and Keep You”

Now it’s our turn.  Having heard several examples of faith embodied, having set a foundation of Christ’s example, now Paul closes with a blessing for us as we live our faith out in this world.  He blesses us on the good days and bad, when things are going well, and when they are challenging. Since God is the one who empowers us, we can have hope of how the Spirit can walk with us through whatever life sends our way.

Sunday August 25: Philippians 3 “Faith Embodied”

Sunday August 25: Philippians 3 “Faith Embodied”

Phil 3 continues with more examples, now moving to the author of the book himself, Paul. Paul shares about his own life, including his own struggles, as a reminder that even for him, the author, this is not just a list of things. This is what his life’s passion and work is all about.  Faith is not something that we consider or think about, it is something that we embody.

Sunday August 18:  Philippians 2:19-30 “Be Like Mike”

Sunday August 18: Philippians 2:19-30 “Be Like Mike”

Philippians is a personalized letter, to a specific church, and in these verses we get some of that feel. Paul names two known partners in ministry, Timothy and Epaphroditus. It could be easy to read past these verses, since, well, we don’t know either of these men like they did. But, this is more than a nod to partners in ministry. In light of the Christ hymn in verses 6-11, these are two examples of ways that the Christ centered life is lived out, and role models that the church is to look to.

Sunday August 11:  Philippians 2:6-11, “WWJD”

Sunday August 11: Philippians 2:6-11, “WWJD”

The poem in the middle of these verses is the epicenter of the book of Philippians. In a book focused on an embodied faith, verse 6-11 names in clear terms what that kind of life is to look like as modeled by Jesus. Humility, grace, patience, serving.

Sunday July 28:  Philippians 1:27-2:5, “In ALL Things”

Sunday July 28: Philippians 1:27-2:5, “In ALL Things”

Paul pivots to a sticky issue next: unity.  Paul desires to see the church in Philippi rally together to love and serve the community around them in the name of Jesus.  Paul reminds them that the source of that unity is found not in causes or topics, but in the love and grace that Jesus has extended to them, and they are not called to extend to others.

Sunday July 21:  Philippians 1:12-26 “We Get to Do This”

Sunday July 21: Philippians 1:12-26 “We Get to Do This”

In the second half of Philippians 1, Paul gives a brief update about his own life. He is in prison for sharing Jesus with non-Jewish people, and it is possible his punishment might be death. Yet he quickly pivots to another update: he is sharing Jesus with his guards, and those around him. Paul leans into this idea, that we get to follow Jesus. And that whatever life throws at us, we have the opportunity to live for Jesus.

Sunday July 7:  “Being with God” 2 Corinthians 3:12-18

Sunday July 7: “Being with God” 2 Corinthians 3:12-18

One of the unique things about how Jesus teaches his disciples to pray in what is commonly known as the Lord’s prayer is calling God our Father.  This title implies closeness, relationship, connection, and approachability. Like any relationship, part of growing closer together is time with one another.  In 2 Corinthians, we are reminded that because of Jesus’ death on the cross, we are invited to enjoy and take time to be with God, with no agenda, simply to enjoy each other’s presence, but again what does that mean or look like?