Text: Luke 9:7-9, 18-27 | Listen to Message The Death of Your Designer Jesus “Who is Jesus?” This is easily one of the most important questions you’ll ever consider at any point in your life. In Jesus’ day, people assumed they knew who he was. “He must be John the Baptist,” some thought, “because he’s talking about repentance, forgiveness, and good news – and he’s leading a populist movement outside of mainstream Judaism.” Others thought, “Certainly this is Elijah, who was taken up in the whirlwind, for he’s doing the same kinds of miracles that Elijah did.” Still others concluded that […]
Service Spotlight: Matt Nowka
Show me a thriving church, and I’ll show you a number of volunteers whose faithful service goes virtually unnoticed. Without these unsung heroes, much of the church’s ministry – and maybe the church itself – would fall flat. These servant-hearted individuals are not motivated by recognition; they’re driven by their love for God and others. These service spotlights are designed to affirm and encourage all of our volunteers – especially those who work behind the scenes – and to express gratitude for your selfless ministry. We see you, we honor you, and we thank God for you! This month’s service […]
A God Who Provides
Text: Luke 9:1-6, 10-17 | Listen to Message Your Hands, His Power Who would you serve – and how would you serve them – if you really believed Jesus would work through you, in real time, to give you everything you needed to help them (even in supernatural ways, if that’s what the situation required)? Let’s work our way back to this question. When Jesus first sent his disciples out on a Gospel mission of their own, this is what we read: “And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority…” – his power and authority. Then he […]
Hope, Interrupted
Text: Luke 8:40-56 | Listen to Message Weak Faith In A Strong God The story in this text of Scripture intertwines the lives of two very different people who had one thing in common: they each had a desperate medical condition that only Jesus could heal. First, there was a Jewish man named Jairus who was the ruler of the local synagogue. He was wealthy, respected, and well-connected. But he had a twelve year-old daughter who was suddenly dying. Second, we meet an unnamed older woman living in abject poverty as an outcast. She’s an untouchable because, for twelve years, her […]
The Bondage Breaker
Text: Luke 8:26-39 | Listen to Message No Longer Slaves The Gospels tell the story of a wild, demon-possessed man with superhuman strength, commonly referred to as “the maniac of Gadara.” Devils had overtaken his mind and body, and he was little more than a pawn in their ongoing hostility toward God. They drove him into the desert where he lived naked among the tombs, cutting himself with sharp rocks, shrieking at any who would pass his way. His name was simply “Legion” – for an army of devils had claimed his identity for themselves. On the surface, he was so […]
Lessons on Fear And Faith
Text: Luke 8:22-25 | Listen to Message The Value of Storms Storms are awesome, violent displays of the uncontrollable power of nature. Fierce winds, driving rains, golfball sized hail, funnel clouds, and torrents of water all have a way of making us feel small, helpless, and afraid. Maybe this is why storms are a common metaphor for the adversity, the trials, that we all face in life. Threats to our health, our finances, our relationships, our reputations, and our job security are every bit as real as any hurricane. And they’re every bit as terrifying. So why does a good God […]
Be Careful How You Hear
Text: Luke 8:4-21 | Listen to Message Hearing AND Doing It’s one thing to hear the Word of God and another to actually do it. That was Jesus’ message to the crowds that followed him. The enduring practice of faith through the midst of adversity and testing is a defining quality of all who belong to the family of Christ. Consider, from Jesus’ Parable of The Sower, how often you respond to God’s words with something other than faithful obedience: The Indifferent Response: Many hear Jesus’ words and never let them sink in. They regard them as worthless and trample them […]
The Scandal of Jesus
Text: Luke 7:36—8:3 | Listen to Message A Pharisee And A Prostitute God calls us to holy living. And it’s good to live holy lives. But holiness dissolves into graceless legalism when it’s pursued apart from Christ. See, the more self-righteous a person becomes, the more he thinks grace is unnecessary for himself and unavailable to others. Both of these erroneous presumptions are illustrated by Simon the Pharisee in Luke chapter 7. Simon invited Jesus to dinner in his home, which is a good start … but his demeanor remained cool and detached throughout. He was a good, religious guy, so […]
Remembering And Forgetting
Text: 1 Chronicles 16:11-12, 15; Philippians 3:13-14 Sing It Out Or Let It Go? Whether you’re the New Years Resolutions type or not, the end of one year and the start of another is an appropriate time for reflection. But not everything is worth remembering. In fact, that Bible teaches us that there are certain things we should actually choose to forget. So what’s what? Start by making a list of memories: What were the best and worst things that happened to you over the past year? What were the highs and lows? So you’re not hampered by recency bias, […]
A Christ-centered Christmas
Ways to Worship with Family & Friends Read the Bible’s Christmas Story aloud. Old Testament prophecies: Isaiah 9:2, 6-7; Micah 5:2-5a. New Testament fulfillments: Luke 1:26-35, 46-50; 2:1-20. Discuss. What’s the best Christmas gift you’ve ever received? What about that gift made it so special? What are some of the free gifts humanity received through the coming of Jesus Christ into our world? What are some ways a good Christmas gift points to the ultimate gift of salvation in Jesus? What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions? What about those traditions can help you enjoy Jesus as […]
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