Jesus said he came to give us life to the full.' Yet so many people feel a gap between this and what they experience in their everyday lives. In this story from the life of Elijah we see one way to close the gap and experience the power of God in our lives.

Between the wilderness and the mountaintop experiences of life is often a long and ordinary

road. Not much seems to be happening but in this part of Elijahs story, we see something

different: with every yes we give to God, we are led closer to what he has in mind for us.

How do ordinary people experience Gods extraordinary power? This question will guide our new teaching series on the life of the ancient prophet Elijah, with the goal of embracing our humanity and becoming the kind of people who experience the power of God.

Elijah, though a human just like us, was a vessel of extraordinary power. As we begin this new series, we consider a consistent pattern that emerges when God does great works: He takes people into the wilderness.

The parable of the narrow and wide gate is a familiar one to many who call themselves believers. There is an invitation to step through one gate or the other and the result has eternal consequences. What could it, would it, should it look like in our lives if we bent our hearts more towards heaven and surrendered all for Jesus. The bottom line is you matter to God, and He will pursue you relentlessly.

The story of Jesus is about the human need for a homecoming. In one of Jesus most well-

known parables about a father and two lost sons, we get a window into the homecoming we

need and get to enjoy because of the death and resurrection of Jesus.

In this, we get a picture of the life changing hope of Easter: no matter how far we are from

him, God the Father will always welcome us home.

In one of Jesus most well-known parables about a father and two sons, the focus has

tended to be on the lost younger brother and his return home. Yet when Jesus tells this

story, he reveals a shocking truth: older brothers can be just as lost as younger brothers.

In one of Jesus most well-known parables about a father and two sons, we get a window into the homecoming we need and get to enjoy because of Jesus. In this first message, we look at the younger son's return home and the Father's welcome.

Losing the game of comparison today means fear, shame, and insecurity. But winning the game of comparison? That looks like self-righteousness, one of the enemy's most sinister devices. Jesus' parable teaches us how to combat self-righteousness and experience the life of his kingdom.

Jesus wants us to live a life of heaven here on earth. But what does that look like? And how do we see this kind of life come alive in us in greater ways? Jesus answer: it has to do with treasure, light, money, and your heart.