In preparation for the Lenten season, we will be looking at a few passages in the first part of John's gospel. During Lent, we will journey through the second half of John, where he gives us an intimate and detailed account of the last week of Jesus' life.
We know that life can throw lots of obstacles in our path. Some are mere distractions, and some are serious hurdles that can leave us injured, depleted, and weary. For the next few weeks, we will use the wisdom of scripture to give us insight and strength for the journey.
We know that life can throw lots of obstacles in our path. Some are mere distractions, and some are serious hurdles that can leave us injured, depleted, and weary. For the next few weeks, we will use the wisdom of scripture to give us insight and strength for the journey.
We know that life can throw lots of obstacles in our path. Some are mere distractions, and some are serious hurdles that can leave us injured, depleted, and weary. For the next few weeks, we will use the wisdom of scripture to give us insight and strength for the journey.
The parable of the Good Samaritan may be Jesus’ best-known, but we don’t hear it the way his first hearers did. Phil gave the setup to this story—let’s dive right in to hear Jesus’ words anew in this season of RESTART. Grace comes in surprising ways and from sources we’d never suspect.
As we "take a new grip with our tired hands" and "mark out a straight path" for the coming year, this passage in Luke helps us clarify our priorities and remember what our lives are to be about.
In our first sermon series of 2022, we'll examine a few key areas of our lives that have taken a beating over the last several months. A few stories from Scripture will help us thoughtfully consider how to make some mid-course corrections for the coming months.
Another Way (part 2)
On this, the day after Christmas, we will explore the most un-Christmassy portion of the Gospel birth stories.
On this Christmas Eve, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the True Light that gives light to everyone.
The 4th week of Advent gives us an opportunity to take a look at the deepest darkness before the "true light that gives light to everyone" comes into the world.
Last Sunday we learned that God created the darkness. This week Psalm 139 will help us understand why. Interviews with Aaron Boyd are featured in this message from both 1st and 2end service.
John gives a different Christmas story than the other Gospel authors. He ignites our imagination and helps us see the birth of Jesus in the light of creation. We'll use the first chapter of John to light our way this Christmas.
We'll wrap up this portion of our Follower series this week. We broke open anger last week, and we'll build on that by talking about our "enemies" and relational conflict. Let's resolve together to be the Salt and Light that Jesus describes by handling tough circumstances (and difficult people) according to His teachings.
We judge the severity of our anger on a sliding scale — from slightly irritated to a full-tilt rage. Jesus takes a different approach to one of the most "acceptable" sins in our culture.
Jesus frames the next section of teaching with two analogies that will help us thoughtfully live out our faith in a divided and harsh culture.
Last week we scratched the surface regarding the “righteousness and justice” of Matthew 5:6. Since Jesus instructs us to “hunger and thirst” for this, we will spend one more week trying to unpack what it all means.
Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with a curious list that has confounded and confused followers and seekers for generations. These statements that we commonly call "the Beatitudes" frame the entire sermon, so we'll spend a couple of weeks on these verses.
Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with a curious list that has confounded and confused followers and seekers for generations. These statements that we commonly call "the Beatitudes" frame the entire sermon, so we'll spend a couple of weeks on these verses.
Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with a curious list that has confounded and confused followers and seekers for generations. These statements that we commonly call "the Beatitudes" frame the entire sermon, so we'll spend a couple of weeks on these verses.
Before we begin our journey through the Sermon on the Mount, let's consider the encouragement and warning that Jesus gives at the end of his famous sermon.
An into to a new Castle Oaks series - "Follower", journeying through Jesus' sermon on the mount.
We have access to so much information and so much knowledge today, but information and knowledge alone don’t provide us perspective on life—how to make sense of it, or how to live it well. What do we need to understand in order to live life well? What perspective do we need to become the people God has created us to be? This Sunday, we will explore some wisdom about life from one of the Bible’s wisest authors. In a poem from King Solomon, we will find perspective and encouragement from the Lord ...
Jars of Clay 2 Corinthians 5 “And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.” 2 Cor. 5:18-19 NLT
“When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Now go out where it’s deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.’ ‘Master,’ Simon replied, ‘we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let down the nets again.’” Luke 5:4-5
"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." 2 Cor. 4:7
Dear Church Family and Friends, This Sunday, both services are all about hope. As the pandemic rages on, as the Taliban gains control of Afghanistan, and as Haiti recovers from a devastating earthquake, hope is in short supply. Almost every story in scripture speaks to our current circumstances, but none as pointedly as the story of Abraham’s family. This Sunday let’s gather, both virtually and in person, as we invite an ancient story to deepen our hope. And if you can’t attend one or both, the ...
Dear Church Family and Friends, This Sunday, both services are all about hope. As the pandemic rages on, as the Taliban gains control of Afghanistan, and as Haiti recovers from a devastating earthquake, hope is in short supply. Almost every story in scripture speaks to our current circumstances, but none as pointedly as the story of Abraham’s family. This Sunday let’s gather, both virtually and in person, as we invite an ancient story to deepen our hope. And if you can’t attend one or both, the ...
When we gather for worship this summer, we will focus on One Verse of Scripture each week. Our hope is that each verse will shape our thoughts and actions as we follow Jesus in our everyday lives. May these summer months be a season of recalibration, ordering our values, and bringing us all to a deeper surrender to God.
When we gather for worship this summer, we will focus on One Verse of Scripture each week. Our hope is that each verse will shape our thoughts and actions as we follow Jesus in our everyday lives. May these summer months be a season of recalibration, ordering our values, and bringing us all to a deeper surrender to God.
