Our prayer life is both a litmus test of our walk with God, and a way to deepen our affections and align our hearts with Jesus. If we long to become more like Jesus, then we should pray like Jesus. Meaning, it shouldn’t be done to gain more acclaim, but rather to grow us more into Christlikeness. And as we pray, it shapes our desires to look more like God’s desires. 

Scripture: Matthew 6:5–13

The world would say that you need approval of others more than you need God, but Jesus paints a better way. God desires to have relationship with all of you, the seen and unseen parts. When we take off our masks, and the fear of man is replaced with a holy fear of God, the voice of God becomes the voice that matters most, and we become more like Jesus

Scripture: Matthew 6:1–6; 16–18

The Preacher of Hebrews wants to assure this suffering church does not abandon the great salvation and hope they have in Jesus, because no one else brings us closer to God than Him. 

Scripture: Hebrews 3:1–6

Guest Preacher: Tymarcus Ragland

When we think about becoming more like Jesus, it’s easy to feel inadequate and lost in our shame, but our confidence lies in the hope we have in Jesus Christ. John 17 reminds us in a prayer that Jesus says about us, his followers. When we listen to the very voice of Jesus Christ, he reminds us of your identity, purpose and destiny.

Scripture: John 17

In Feeling Like Jesus, we explore the full range of Jesus’ emotions—joy, sorrow, compassion, anger, and awe—and what they reveal about God’s heart. Our emotions are not to be ignored or worshipped but engaged that we might draw closer to the Father. This message invites us to feel deeply, live truthfully, and become like Jesus

As Christians, we live in between the resurrection and return of Jesus. The kingdom is here already but not yet in full. The sermon on the mount teaches us to live with hope, confidence and resilient faith as already/not yet people. Scripture: Matthew 6:9-10

Followers of Jesus are meant to be a light in the darkness of the world, to be mirrors of Jesus to those around them and spread the gospel. We can do that through our prayer, our presence, and partnering with other believers.

Key Text: Matthew 5:13-16

The outpouring of knowing and loving of God is a turn to share the way of Jesus. The friends of the paralyzed man in Luke 5 show an example of the zeal we need to turn away from our sins and turn to Jesus. God’s design is to use Christ-seeking people, growing in their Christlikeness, to carry his message for the sake of the world. Scripture: Luke 5:17–32

Our culture is full of examples of communities—groups of like minded individuals trying to foster camaraderie and shared experience—and yet we are still lonely as a society. God is communal in nature, and since we are created in His image, we mirror His communal nature. However it’s not just shared-interest that we need but deep change through repentance, which happens best in the context of Christ-centered community. Scripture: 1 John 1:5–10

Better understanding of our source idols should lead us to surrendering the things we lean on more than God to God. Because the only thing that replaces our idolatry of our love of the world is a stronger love: the love for God. Jesus has the power to expel our idols from our hearts, through our confession and repentance. 

Scripture: 1 John 2:15; 5:21