We have become accustomed to having news delivered quickly, succinctly and with dramatic impact. Mark's gospel does just that in presenting us with the most important news we could ever hear, the good news of Jesus Christ, in a hard-hitting, face-paced narrative that demands a response. Here we start the new year and enter a new decade by looking afresh at the person and work of Jesus, and the radical call to follow Him.  

Join Pastor Harvey for the second part of the Advent series from John, The Word Made Flesh. 

A criminal seeking to hide under the cover of darkness will respond differently to the beam of a flashlight than will a lost child hoping to be rescued. One will reject and run from the light in angry fear, the other will receive and run towards the light in relieved joy. Jesus came into this world, as the light of life, to reveal the glory and truth of God's to a world darkened by sin and death.

"When all is said and done." We often use these words to boil something down to it's clear, concise conclusion that seeks to capture the essence of the matter. It's the main "take away" that we have from a book, a movie, a conversation or a particular life circumstance we've been through. Having come to the end of the Preacher's quest in the book of Ecclesiastes, the author brings things down to one final concluding summary.

As we enter the holidays, our attention and focus turns to things like generosity, joy, peace and hope And yet, for many the season can be a sad reminder that life in this broken world does not always produce these things. The hope that Christmas brings is not an empty hope, and at the end of his message, the Preacher brings a ray of hope to the "hevel" of life.    

A little foolishness can do a lot of damage - follow the latest news cycle or spend some time on social media to see that demonstrated on a political, social and even a personal level. The difference between a wise person and a fool can be a matter of small proportion. But a little wisdom also goes a long way. So the Preacher warns against the danger of even a little folly, and urges us to use wisdom in practical everyday living. 

When it comes to understanding and explaining life under the sun, we're often left with more questions than answers. The more we seek to know, the more we realize we don't know. Wisdom has its limits. Yet wisdom is still key to both enduring and enjoying the life God has given to us.

As we begin to grasp the truth that life in this world is bent and broken in ways that we can neither control nor fix ourselves, the question then becomes how can we live wisely amidst the vanity of life under the sun. Join us as we continue our journey with the Preacher in Ecclesiastes as he holds forth wisdom to help us think straight in a crooked world.

Many people spend a great deal of time worrying about money. Whether rich or poor, the desire for and pursuit of wealth can literally consume us to the degree that we never rest or enjoy what we have. The Preacher saw clearly the dangers and vanity brought on by the love of money, wisdom that was echoed repeatedly by Jesus himself. He also recognized that delight can be found when we find contentment and joy in God as the giver of all good gifts including wealth and possessions.

We can approach God in worship with a worldly attitude, eager to say what we think and show what we've done, but not really prepared to hear and respond to what God himself has to say. In Ecclesiastes 5, the Preacher takes up the subject of church under the sun, and he shares wisdom on how we are to go to the house of God.  Here we consider what God's word has to say about wise worship: come with our hearts and lives prepared to meet the living God.