In this week's sermon we look at Mark 2:23-3:6 . We see a convergence of meaning in what seems to be a simple act on the part of Jesus’ disciples: grabbing a grainy snack from a nearby field. That this happens on a Sabbath puts the Pharisees on high alert, but the exceptional precedent Jesus names as an equivalent special circumstance points to David and the beginning of his journey to kingship. Jesus claims the mantle of kingship, invokes the Son of Man from Daniel 7, and makes clear that one o...
Apr 29, 2024•30 min
In Mark 2:13-22 , the religious leaders of Jesus’ day had trouble with His fraternizing with “tax collectors and sinners,” people far from the acceptable life of rigid obedience fostered by the scribes. Instead of judging these outcasts, Jesus welcomes them and joins them at the table. Food is the center of lots of religious law at the time, and Jesus' dining with the riff raff is a huge affront to the religious. When Jesus spreads the table, though, everyone is welcome. The sinners are known fr...
Apr 26, 2024•34 min
As we continue our journey into the Gospel of Mark, we come upon the memorable story of a lame man lowered through the ceiling in order to be healed by Jesus. The doorway was too crowded to get through, and the man’s friends had faith that Jesus would heal their friend; and so they did what had to be done in order to get Him to Jesus. This story functions on so many levels when applied to our lives. We too face barriers to Jesus, whether put there by circumstance or actively erected by the enemy...
Apr 16, 2024•33 min
In our survey of the Gospel of Mark, we are still in Chapter 1, but Jesus has already had several opportunities in which to be identified as God's Son, the Holy One who heals diseases, teaches with authority, casts out demons... and spends time by Himself with the Father in order to refresh and reset His Spirit. Duey Unbehaun shares a lesson based on Mark 1:29-39 . To investigate this most important of stories further, go here ....
Apr 10, 2024•32 min
In his Gospel, Mark is careful to lead us to the deep meaning of Jesus’ first spoken words in Mark: "The time is fulfilled. The Kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news." If all time has been working towards Jesus’ arrival, Jesus’ mortal life has been working towards the climax of His story and ours: the climax of His resurrection from the dead. We are in danger of treating as commonplace the most extraordinary truth of our existence, but instead Jesus calls us to revisit t...
Apr 03, 2024•29 min
As we gather together on Palm Sunday, we skip ahead in our young study of the Gospel of Mark to his account of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Mark’s account in chapter 11 is spare in comparison to its parallels, but there is still a clear purpose in Jesus’ decisions and the reactions that flow from them. His courage, power, authority, humility, and love shine through it all. In the end, we are asked whether He is the king in our life - if He is the one holding the reins, because somethin...
Mar 25, 2024•34 min
The first words spoken by Jesus in the Gospel of Mark are “The time is fulfilled. The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news.” This is the theme verse of the entire gospel: all that has happened before now has been building to this moment. And how does the kingdom come near? The King brings it with Him. His first considered act upon launching his mission in Galilee is to call four fishermen to follow Him, indicating that HE would make them fishers of men. Their example of...
Mar 20, 2024•33 min
Mark's description of Jesus’ baptism is quick, cryptic, and powerful. The Spirit descends upon Jesus to empower the ministry He is at this instant embracing as the heavens are torn apart and the Father’s voice proclaims the most important affirming statement ever made. This statement of being beloved by the Creator, the One Who takes great pleasure in us His children, is as true for us today as it was for Jesus in the Jordan river that day. He is the pioneer going ahead of us, through baptism an...
Mar 11, 2024•39 min
We begin our journey through the Gospel of Mark by examining his (and his gospel's) role in the New Testament and Scripture as a whole. In just a few phrases, Mark conveys the importance of the coming One Whose sandals a camel-hair-wearing John the Baptist (see Elijah for fashion notes) Whose sandals John is not worthy to untie. And Who, BTW, has a universe-changing experience in the Holy Spirit up His sleeve. To investigate this most important of stories further, go here ....
Mar 06, 2024•37 min
An overview of the gospel is presented by a close friend of the apostle Peter. One particular insight involves one of Jesus' healings in which sight is restored through two ministrations by Jesus. The lesson of His staying with us through the healing process until we are healed and our sight is restored is an encouragement when things we hope and pray for do not come about immediately. To investigate this most important of stories further, go here ....
Feb 26, 2024•36 min
Today we finish our brief series looking more closely at the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives (and our role in His). At the end of Colossians, Paul describes a significant shift in our identity and circumstance: God has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son. We look today at some of the issues surrounding these two kingdoms, and how God has prepares us for battle against the dark side by putting His powerful Spirit within us, and throu...
Feb 19, 2024•42 min
As the Spirit empowers our walk with Christ, the Apostle Paul approaches our relationship with Jesus and His Spirit from several different angles. In the book of Colossians, Paul has a straightforward discussion of living with a focus on Jesus and our gratitude to him. In Romans, Paul examines the role the law has had in suggesting disobedience Paul would never have considered in what we’re calling a wet paint syndrome. If we focus on our weakness and past failures, it increases the chance of ou...
Feb 12, 2024•33 min
When the waters of judgment receded from the earth in the time of Noah, it was a dove that brought back the sign that the judgment was over. And so it is a dove that descends on Jesus at His baptism, a sign of the peace and peaceable kingdom that Jesus is bringing ( Isaiah 11 ). The dove rests and stays on Jesus as a sign of abiding presence. Then when the Spirit is poured out on Christ-followers in Acts 2 , flames of fire rest upon them much as the dove rested upon Jesus at His baptism. The pro...
Feb 05, 2024•33 min
There are at least three different historic and significant meals invoked by The Lord's Table, each of them bringing added meaning to our taking of communion together. To investigate this most important of stories further, go here .
Jan 29, 2024•8 min
We are seeking to learn more about the Holy Spirit and His role in our lives as individuals and as a church. We began at the very beginning last week, from the opening sentence of Genesis, and found the Spirit at work from then until now. As Christians we benefit from a drastically different experience of the Spirit than even the prophets of the Old Testament. Ezekiel prophecies that God will put a new, softer, undivided heart in us, and because of that Spirit, Paul writes that we can - are able...
Jan 29, 2024•33 min
The Spirit of God is present at creation, hovering over the waters in Genesis 1:2. Ages later, John in His Gospel tells us that Jesus is also present at creation, that all things are made through Him. And so the Trinity is together before time, the “family” of God united in this most important work. Then in Ephesians 1, the Apostle Paul says that God has chosen us since before creation. So that as the God Family creates, it is with us (with YOU) in mind. Then across the ages, the God Family work...
Jan 22, 2024•35 min
We turn our thoughts to the turn of the year today since we spent last Sunday with the magi and the layers of theme in their story. In the Book of Lamentations we are reminded that God’s mercies are new every morning, providing a fresh start with each rising of the sun; however, the seam of the calendar is a chance to be more intentional and aware of new beginnings. Paul talks often about putting off our old self and putting on a new person. John the Baptist kicks the gospels off with that messa...
Jan 15, 2024•37 min
The season of Christmas comes to an end in Matthew 2 with the arrival of the magi at the Bethlehem home of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. There are several themes of consequence in Matthew's account of matters concerning the magi, the stars, the king, Egypt, incarnation, exaltation, Pax Romana, the Prince of Peace, the way of the cross - not to mention gold, frankincense, or myrrh (we won't). See if there's something that sticks to your awareness and brings a nudge along with it... To investigate this...
Jan 08, 2024•34 min
Jesus' birth in a stable puts Him beside animals destined to be sacrificed. He is not simply "born to die," though, but to establish His kingdom, to set the captive free, preach good news to the poor, and to commission followers to continue in His steps* once His days of incarnation are finished. *That includes us! And on the outside chance you're seeing this bottom paragraph, we're sending a "shoutout" to our listeners in Germany to kick off the New Year. Drop us a note and tell us about your j...
Jan 02, 2024•39 min
We celebrate the birth of Christ with a traditional service of Lessons and Carols. Nine Scripture readings lead us from the beginning of humanity’s walk with (and exile from) God, through the prophets, and then the virgin birth, shepherds, and wise men. Each passage is paired with a carol or song that matches its theme, and at the end of the service, we share the light of Jesus with one another, symbolically passing his flame and good news to each other with candles. To investigate this most imp...
Dec 27, 2023•1 hr 11 min
As we reach the halfway point in our journey through Advent toward Jesus' birth, we pause to reflect on the Joy Christ brings with Him in His first coming, and the joy that is promised at His second coming. It is for this latter joy - "the joy set before Him" - that Jesus endures the cross. This eternal perspective is ours as well, and is the source of joy deep down in our hearts in spite of our immediate circumstances. Joy to the world, the Lord is come. Let earth receive her King. To investiga...
Dec 19, 2023•39 min
As we walk through the season of Advent, each week has a specific theme on which we focus. Last week's "Hope" introduction was bundled into the sermon podcast (in case you missed it!). Because this week's message is an in-character narrative sermon, here is the reflection on the theme from earlier in the service. He's brought us peace that passes understanding! To investigate this most important of stories further, go here ....
Dec 12, 2023•6 min
This narrative Christmas message reminds us of how very human all the humans are that take part in the amazing story of the Incarnation. We are just as human, if not moreso, and just as usable by God to bring about His powerful purposes. To investigate this most important of stories further, go here .
Dec 12, 2023•34 min
We enter into a time of anticipation and reflection as we look forward to the birth of Jesus AND at the same time to His return when He comes again. We are able to put our hope in the trustworthy God Who has been working toward the birth of His Son in a stable for thousands of years. To investigate this most important of stories further, go here .
Dec 04, 2023•36 min
How we prioritize our lives and how we spend them is a continual challenge as we seek to be used by God and to make the most out of the life He's given us. Jim Harwell brings this message on the Sunday following Thanksgiving, reminding us that Jesus tells us that whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Jesus' sake, will find it, and live the most meaningful life available this side of heaven. To investigate this most important of stories further, go here ....
Nov 28, 2023•38 min
As we prepare to gather with loved ones for Thanksgiving, we look at giving thanks and its role in scripture and in our lives. Mentioned over 150 times in one form or another, giving thanks to God for everything is the antidote for anxiety, and yields a life that is filled with peace and even joy in the face of even challenging circumstances. Jesus promises that we need not worry: He’s got His eyes on the sparrows, and we matter a whole lot more than them! And the word for thanksgiving in Greek?...
Nov 28, 2023•39 min
On International Orphan Sunday, Cynthia Mudd speaks on the life and heart of God for all His children, with with a special place in his heart for the marginalized and disregarded. "Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you (James 1:27, NLT). Cynthia is the founding president of The Haiti Education Alliance , dedicated to improving the lives of orphans and other impoverished in Haiti thr...
Nov 14, 2023•36 min
We are in a season of looking at the larger context of our life with God, starting at the very beginning. A striking moment in the early stories comes whey Yahveh curses the serpent, promising that the seed of Adam and the seed of the serpent will be enemies and “strike” or “bruise” one another. Later (2nd century) Christian writers assign this scene to Jesus’ triumph over evil in His resurrection. Instead, we look at the related theme of “seed” in the promise to Abraham, that the moving forward...
Nov 07, 2023•32 min
We are in a series of lessons focused on the large context of God’s relationships with humans, starting at the beginning of time in our direct contact with Him in the garden, walking side by side “in the cool of the day,” through all the consequences of our sin. God nurtures humanity as well as our redemption from the earliest chapters of the Bible, embarking on our rescue with the promise to make from this old man and wife an entire nation through whom all families on earth will be blessed. Spe...
Oct 30, 2023•31 min
Today we continue our survey of God’s “long game” in preparing humanity for His kingdom to come “on earth as it is in heaven.” Our original design is to be in direct contact with the Creator, to walk side by side with Him as in the Garden. In order to restore that level of relationship, both our sin AND our understanding of it (and God and us and…) must be dealt with. God has always had a plan, and patiently works it out over millennia, including now. Just as He revealed Himself to His people in...
Oct 24, 2023•30 min
