Relationships are central to the Christian Faith. The two greatest commandments in all of scripture are rooted in relationship – love God, love others. Jesus said that all of the words and laws of the Bible could be reduced to our need to love God and others. Indeed,...
In Jesus’ story of two lost and wasteful sons there is a character is who far more wasteful and who willingly loses whatever is necessary – the Father. In response to the rejection and rebellion of his sons, the father answers with extravagant self-sacrificing love...
The Parable of the Prodigal Son centers around the younger of two sons who turns his back on his father and his family to pursue his own freedom and happiness. His journey of rebellion, self-destruction, awakening, return, and redemption represents the very heart of...
It’s easy to say that we love someone or a group of people and it’s good and right to communicate that love with our words. Putting that love into action, however, can be challenging at times. If we don’t demonstrate our love in our actions, our words about love...
Week 2: The Marginalized and Excluded This week, we learn that: Jesus overcame fear-based exclusion with love and compassion. What we assume about suffering determines our response to it. We have to see our prejudices and their consequences before we can overcome...
This week, we will complete our study on the Miracles of Jesus, looking at the story Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. Lazarus and his sisters, Martha and Mary, were dear friends of Jesus, and his response to their call for help and his interactions with them as...
This week we’ll begin our study by looking at Jesus very first miracle at the Wedding at Cana. We’ll look at what He did – a miracle of creation – and think about why He did it and what it meant to those he was serving. We’ll also discuss what that means for us as we...
Show Up and Give Love I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.John 16:33 ...and they all lived happily ever after. The End. We are all familiar with these words,...
The Doctrine of the Trinity – that God is One in Essence and Three in Person – is one of the most ancient and well established beliefs in Christianity. While it is perplexing, mysterious, and often confusing, it is far from irrelevant. God’s simultaneous unity and...
Lavish GiftsIf you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! Matthew 7:11 (ESV)It was my birthday this past week. It wasn't a milestone year for me or a...
An Unexpected GiftIt is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. John 6:63 (ESV)The week before Christmas, I came down with legit laryngitis. Not being able to utter a single syllable or a decibel...
The world is a big place. And the needs in our world are bigger than ever. When God works in the world He looks for people through whom He can pour His life and love. Our response to Jesus’ Great Commission finds us in different corners of the globe. But we didn’t...
We live in a world that tells us that if we get hit, we’ve got to hit back harder. That it’s okay to be disrespectful if we’ve been disrespected. That somehow the right response is to fight fire with fire, return insult for insult, and hurt those who have hurt us. And...
In the sermon on the mount, Jesus teaches us how to live a life that is characterized by love, hope and peace. But in order to live that kind of life, we have to identify and deal with the challenges in our lives. Sometimes that is difficult because, if we’re honest,...