Mark Reeves \\ We tend to think of our lives as our own. We have our dreams, our desires, our goals and ambitions. Even for those of us who profess Christ as savior, realizing that our life’s story matters only as it is intertwined with Christ’s story can prove to be a long and difficult journey. The Apostle Paul understood this. It took a confrontation with Jesus that left him temporarily blind and thirteen years of re-thinking his life-story while he made tents for a living. But in the end he understood his role in Christ’s story.

John Baumgartner \\ Paul wrote this letter to the Colossians in order to combat the false teachings that were threatening the fledgling church there. Some were trying to add manmade regulations and teachings to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul emphasized that though these added teachings seemed wise, they were powerless to free the Colossians from their sin. The only hope for holiness and joy in life comes from understanding more and more who we are in Christ. We will only grow in holiness if we abandon our program of self-help and set our minds on beholding and loving Jesus as He comes to us in the Gospel.

Caleb Drahosh // In this passage Paul prays for strength for the Ephesians to comprehend the vastness and to know intimately the love of Christ. When God's people journey into seeking to know God in this way, the natural outworking is worship. Or we could say, theology leads to doxology. God has done some amazing things in the first five years of BCC. Would we dare to pray that God would give us the strength, determination, and resolve to comprehend the vastness of Christ’s love and know Christ’s love intimately so that we might worship Him more fully?

Caleb Drahosh \\ In this text we're introduced to John the Baptist. He was not the light but—like a road sign—points us to the light. We tend to think of the road sign as the destination and stop short of that which God is pointing us toward. Even so, God graciously and continuously shows Himself to us through Scripture and through His good gifts and brings us to our destination which is the redemption revealed to us in Jesus.

Caleb Drahosh \\ Jesus Christ—God's sovereign self-expression—is the agency behind creation. Nothing that exists does so outside of God's Word bringing it into existence; nothing exists that doesn't have Jesus Christ as its source. All life was created through Jesus and Jesus is the only way to have eternal life.

Caleb Drahosh \\ Through opening his account of the life of Jesus by writing "in the beginning," John takes us back to the very first words of Scripture. The One John writes about was there "in the beginning"; Jesus was present at creation. But Jesus wasn't just present. John calls Jesus "the Word" which is God's powerful, unstoppable, self-expression which exists in eternity, in community, and in unity. The Word is God’s sovereign self-expression. The Word is Jesus Christ.

Caleb Drahosh \\ When the Pharisees and scribes grumbled about Jesus' interactions with tax collectors and sinners, Jesus told them two parables. A shepherd, when one of his 100 sheep went astray, he sought it out and rejoiced over its restoration. A woman, when one of her 10 coins was lost, sought it out and rejoiced when it was found. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who tracks down all of His who wander; He never loses any of them. Jesus rejoices over the restoration of those of His who were lost. And in Jesus, the one who wanders and the one who is lost is given worth, meaning, and purpose.

Caleb Drahosh \\ Jesus tells this simple parable to encourage His disciples when difficulty, suffering, calamity, and all kinds of hardship come their way. The present reality of these signs indicate that Jesus' return is near, just like budding leaves on the fig tree indicate summer is near. Jesus' word is trustworthy and sure because He forged the way, enduring great suffering on our account. He is God and the Word of our God will stand forever.

Caleb Drahosh \\ This parable consists of a man taking a journey, getting mugged, a priest and a Levite––two religious juggernauts––passing by him, and a Samaritan––and outcast––coming finally to his aid. Prior to Christ, we were like the man beaten and left for dead. In fact, we were worse off––we were dead. But Jesus, the Holy One of Israel––who would be treated like an outsider––came to us and––according to God's mercy––bound up our wounds and offered us healing through His work on the cross. It is out of this demonstration of mercy that we are able to love our neighbor by reflecting God's mercy shown to us in Christ.

John Baumgartner \\ In this parable, Jesus uses the familiar picture of a wedding to warn us to be ready for His return. Like the bridegroom in this parable, Jesus will return at an unexpected time. We must be ready for His return now or we will be left out of His kingdom just like the foolish virgins. And how can we be ready for Him? Only by totally trusting in what He has done to save us.