Happy New Year!

We're starting off the new year with a new sermon series - a journey through the book of James. Specifically, a closer look at some of the timeless wisdom found in this powerful letter. 

What is wisdom? Where does it come from? Is it about having all of the right answers, or is it about living with a posture of dependence on God? Jordan explores this and more in this week's podcast episode. 

This week, Kayla explores how Joseph's quiet, costly decision to remain with Mary reveals the gentle, counter-conditional love at the heart of the Christmas story. 

Joy pops up at Christmas on cards and in songs, but what actually is joy? Through the lens of the shepherds in Luke 2, Abby offers a definition of joy, shares stories of joy from our congregation, and offers three observations about joy as well as an invitation to practice joy this Advent and Christmas.

How did Mary wait with peace for God's promises to be fulfilled in and through her story? It might just be because she knew how the story would end. On this second Sunday of Advent, we look at how both Mary and Jesus trusted the promises of God, and consider how we too might wait with peace. 

Hope

As followers of Jesus, we are invited to place our hope not in our circumstances, but in our savior. In this Family Sunday sermon, Abby tells the story of the ancient Israelites' hope for the awaited Messiah, offers three things to keep in mind when we think about hope, and shares a story about hope from her childhood.

In the book of Ruth, God weaves together the boldness of Ruth, the faithfulness of Naomi, and the above-and-beyond care of Boaz into a story of redemption that points to Jesus. This week, Jordan wraps up our time in the book of Ruth with a look at the big picture and some good news from Ruth 4 to bring with us into our week. 

God's love for us is a costly brand of love that we see reflected in the story of Ruth. In this sermon, Kayla helps us recognize this "hesed" love in surprising places, invites us to consider the puzzle pieces of scripture in light of the big picture, and shares a story from her own life of being taken under the wings of others' care.

Lead Us Not Into Testing

When God tests us, it is for our good, revealing where we are placing our trust and giving us an opportunity to experience God's faithfulness. In this sermon, Abby explores the difference between testing and temptation, shares about a wilderness experience in her life, and offers three pieces of good news for those being tested.

This week, we continue our journey through the Lord's Prayer with a closer look at Jesus' invitation to pray, "Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." 

Give Us This Day, Our Daily Bread

In a consumer society, we’re groomed to “grab it before it’s gone,” but in the Kingdom of God, we receive what God has for us as a gift. In this sermon, Abby unpacks three words from this line and shares a story about how God has been teaching her the difference between grabbing and receiving.

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Discussion Questions

1. To pray, "Give" us this day our daily bread" is to refuse to grab but rather, to receive with open hands what God has for us as a gift. When are you most tempted to grab, and how do you know you are in "grab" mode?

2. To pray, "Give us this day our daily bread" is to be willing to share, acknowledging that God meets your needs through his provision for others and that he meets others' needs through his provision for you. How has God answered a prayer of yours through another person? 

3. To pray, "Give us this day, our daily bread" is to ask God for what we need and trust him for it. What need(s) do you find it hard to trust him for? 

4. Jesus said, "People do not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Matthew 4:4) What is true about bread that is also true about God's word? 

Prayer Prompt

When we pray, "Give us this day, our daily bread," we are never praying for bread just for ourselves, but for others too. Take a moment to pray for what you need and for what others around you need, thanking God for meeting your needs and answering your prayer through others and inviting God to meet others' needs and answer their prayers through you.