DATE: May 18, 2025

THEME: History is His-Story

SCRIPTURE: Genesis 1:27-28; Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 15:15-20

Our lives tell a story. Whose story will tell and what will be its theme? What is the legacy your life will leave behind for future generations? History is "His-Story" and God writes His-Story through us as our lives create history.

DATE: May 4, 2025

THEME: Revelation

SCRIPTURE: Revelation

John's Revelation of Jesus Christ is one of the most contested and confusing and often fear stirring book in all of Christian Scripture. However, it says that we are BLESSED if we read it and do the things found in it. So how do we read it with joy and not dread, cheer and not fear?

DATE: April 27, 2025

THEME: Be Ready for Jesus

SCRIPTURE: Jude & AD 70

Jude, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote a letter to the churches encouraging them to stay focused and ready for Jesus by making sure the pure gospel was being shared and taught, but to reject false teachers. Then around that time, AD70, comes the major turning point of the 1st century - second only to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ - the destruction of Israel. This fulfilled Jesus' prophetic words about the coming of the terrible day of the Lord because of their hard-heartedness. This also affirms and confirms Jesus's words to for us today; Be Ready for Jesus.

DATE: April 13, 2025

THEME: Be Faithful to the End

SCIRPTURE: 2 Peter & 2 Timothy

Paul & Peter write their last letters, both of them knowing their time on earth is coming to a close. They desire to instill great strength and courage into the church and the leadership in order to remain faithful to Jesus Christ and stand firm against false teachers and false teaching. These are very loving and pastoral letters written to pour out their love and affection to their readers from a place of suffering, but great hope while they are in prison. Then, both Paul and Peter are executed by the Romans; Paul by beheading (since he’s a Roman citizen, and cannot be tortured of crucified) and Peter by being crucified upside (since he did not believe himself to be worthy to suffer in the same way his Lord and Savior). And so, two of the pillars of the early church were killed, passing the baton of their faith to the next generation of believers they had taught in the faith.

DATE: April 6, 2025

THEME: Love Is Connection...for Life!

SCRIPTURE: 1, 2, 3, John

The commands of Jesus are simple and powerful...love one another. John is known as the "love one another" Apostle. He internalized, embodied, and imparted Jesus's command to love one another in everything he said, did, and taught. In the midst of great opposition, persecution, but also fruitful ministry and flourishing in the Church, John kept the main tenant and core message of the gospel the same; Love.

DATE: March 30, 2025

THEME: Eternal Vision

SCRIPTURE: 1 Peter

If you want to live a long life and see good days...Say and do what's right and true, seek peace and pursue it! Peter writes to the brothers and sisters who were scattered across the empire to give them a powerful and eternal vision in the midst of their temporal sufferings motivated by joy.

DATE: March 23, 2025

THEME: Hope in Christ

SCRIPTURE: Titus

Paul has left Rome and has spent a few years traveling around the Roman Empire, visiting and encouraging the Churches in every city; during which he leaves Titus on the island of Crete in the Mediterranean, and a great persecution has broken out in Rome against Christians. Paul writes a letter to his co-laborer Titus in which he encourages him to hope in Christ.

DATE: March 16, 2025

THEME: Live By Faith, Love By Christ

SCRIPTURE: Hebrews

Paul is released and begins his 4th Missionary Journey. During that same time, the Jewish believers in Rome are suffering and returning to their Jewish roots rather than staying faithful to gathering with the Church to worship Jesus. The unknown author of the Epistle of Hebrews writes to encourage the Jewish believers in Rome to live by faith (like their ancestors) and to love by the power and strength of Jesus.

DATE: March 9, 2025

THEME: Radically Tranquil Life

SCRIPTURE: 1 Timothy

Paul writes another letter from house arrest in Rome; this time to his beloved son in the faith, Timothy, whom he has left in Ephesus as the overseer and leader of the Church. Paul writes to him encouraging words, warning words, and instructions in how to lead the Church to live the radically tranquil life God has called His Church to live in this world.

DATE: March 2, 2025

THEME: Christ FILLS you, He doesn't REPLACE you.

SCRIPTURE: Philippians

Paul writes the letter to the Philippian Christians from house arrest in Rome. His message to the Philippians is powerful, grateful, and life-giving. God fills each saint with His presence and power, but He doesn't take away who He has created you to be.