Al Schuck, Community Life Pastor and Governing Board

David Johnson brings us to the Table today, the start of the third week of Lent. In the midst of this season, which can be challenging with its “fasting from” and “letting go,” the Table and the steadfast faithfulness of Jesus are where we come. “Do not let your hearts be troubled,” He told His disciples, even though He knew the cross lay before Him.

In these weeks of Lent, may God meet all of us with the truth and grace we need to stay with Jesus and open ourselves to His Spirit’s work in us.

Teaching Pastor: David Johnson, Lead Teaching Pastor | Lent 2018 | www.thedoor.org

David Johnson, has been struck by how dark the language is in this week’s passage. Dallas Willard, though, encourages us that whenever there’s a scripture about denying oneself, the underlying purpose is so that we can get to what it is that we desire even more. Sell everything you have, Jesus said; there’s treasure buried in that field. Carry your cross, come and die – to become more and more alive to God. This is so at odds with our culture, and with human nature!

Teaching Pastor: David Johnson, Lead Teaching Pastor | Lent 2018 | www.thedoor.org

We turn into the weeks of Lent to follow Jesus to the cross. Anne-Marie Finsaas takes us to Mark 1:9-15, where the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus at baptism, then compels Him to go out into the desert to be tempted by Satan.

Jesus’ time in the desert is a familiar story, and it's rather comforting because of Jesus’ strength in withstanding temptation. What is much less comfortable, though, is the Holy Spirit’s part in driving Jesus into the wilderness. What does that say about our valleys, deserts, wilderness, and suffering? And what do we do with that??

Teaching Pastor: Anne-Marie Finsaas, Pastor of Formational Life | Lent 2018 | www.thedoor.org

Epiphany comes to a close with the Transfiguration, when Jesus allowed Peter, James and John to see His unveiled glory. Though they'd been with Jesus for several years and had increasingly experienced His power and authority, they are now seeing Jesus fully revealed before them -- "the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."

David Johnson brings us into this story showing that, while it is the primary task of the evil one to blind our eyes and keep that veil over our hearts, it is the primary task of the Holy Spirit to reveal the Son of God to us.

Teaching Pastor: David Johnson, Lead Teaching Pastor | Epiphany | www.thedoor.org

David's message is part of Epiphany’s unfolding revelation of Jesus’ authority and power. Mark’s gospel shows Jesus casting out demons with a word, healing fever with a touch, healing a leper by his outstretched hand. He heals the paralyzed man by first forgiving his sins; he provides bread to feed 5000; and in his authority over creation, he calms the raging storm.

Jesus moves in the power and authority of God for the purposes of bringing shalom -- restoring wholeness to us.

Teaching Pastor: David Johnson, Lead Teaching Pastor | Epiphany | www.thedoor.org

When the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at His teaching, because He taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. (Mark 1:21-22)

Al Schuck asks, "To whom or what do you give authority to in your life?" Who or what has the power to define or describe you, or drive what you do and how you respond?

Teaching Pastor: Al Schuck, Community Life Pastor | Epiphany | www.thedoor.org

All we ever get is a glimpse of God. It’s real, whatever of God we see and know – but it’s just a glimpse. And when we say yes to God, we really have no idea what it will cost. It will affect our prejudices, our politics, our pocketbook. And there will always be more: more grace, more forgiveness, more mercy – and more cost.

Using the Lectionary scriptures for this second Sunday of Epiphany (Psalm 62:5-12; Mark 1:14-20), David Johnson will follow that thread of “more” as God unfolds more for us in this ongoing journey with Him.

Lord God Most High, here is my cramped and hoarding heart, greedy for more – but not always willing (or even frequently willing) to give more. I do believe, but oh, help my unbelief!!

Teaching Pastor: David Johnson, Lead Teaching Pastor | Epiphany | www.thedoor.org

When Jesus called His disciples to follow Him, He knew exactly what He was inviting them into.

When Jesus’ followers said yes, they were clueless about where they’d be going.

So are we, pretty much.

Tom Johnson will offer us a chance this Sunday to grasp a bit more of Jesus’ call to follow Him into lives and systems that are broken, into racial injustice and ethnic oppression, and to line up – alongside Jesus – with the marginalized and oppressed.

Coming out of the Advent and Christmas dawning of the Light of the World, we’re grateful for what the Light has illuminated in our lives; but we don’t know yet what hasn’t been illuminated within ourselves. To help us see what we don’t see, we need different voices and different ways of communicating. So Tom and a couple of his friends will come to our aid this Sunday, to help clear a bit of the way for us. Some of the work involves our being exposed to what we might not have been exposed to before; and some of the work is spiritual healing of eyes that have been blind.

Teaching Pastor: Tom Johnson, Missional Life Pastor | Epiphany | www.thedoor.org

We're leaving the season of Christmastide in the traditional Church calendar and entering Epiphany, a collection of "aha moments" where we see more and more of who Jesus really is. Epiphany starts Saturday, January 6, with the Wise Men's arrival; then over the following weeks moves on to Jesus' baptism; choosing His disciples, healings, miracles and deliverances and finally His Transfiguration.

This Sunday, we'll be at the Jordan River as Jesus is baptized by John and comes up out of the water to hear the Father's words of blessing: "You are My Beloved Son; in You I am well pleased" (Mark 1:4-11) David Johnson will prepare us for the Table acknowledging the need we all have to hear those words of profound and unconditional blessing.

Teaching Pastor: David Johnson, Lead Teaching Pastor | Epiphany | www.thedoor.org