All of our emotions tell us something about us and also the heart of God. Often we get angry at injustice in our lives and our society. Some of the anger is justified and some unwarranted. The Psalms encourage us to vent our anger but to bring it before God in song and prayer. Righteous anger shows us the heart of God who is filled with anger but also infinite patience. Our anger ultimately waits for this perfect righteousness that God alone will ultimately bring.

Christians often deny the dark side of their lives and pretend simply to be happy. But the Psalms teach us to be unashamed and unafraid of the sadness in our lives. When we can sing the blues and bring them to God we can find a tremendous release and ultimate consolation.

The introduction to the Psalms teach us about the importance of our inner lives. We are constantly being influenced by our culture, friends and family. Psalm 1 teaches us the ancient discipline of meditation on God's thoughts which leads to a transformed life. Psalm 2 teaches us that ultimately the Good News of the King can gives us the power to live out this righteous life.

The resurrection of Jesus from the grave signals a new world order. It means that the darkness of our lives and our world will one day give way to a bright light. It means all of our failures will one day give way to a final forgiveness. And ultimately that death will give way to life in a final resurrection. The hope of the resurrection is the present power to live a changed life.

The cross represents an epic clash of values. The world tells us to applaud the beautiful, strong, wealthy and successful. But at the cross the King of all things was humiliated, beaten, belittled and killed. It was in the mystery of the cross that Jesus redeems a broken humanity. Jesus calls his people to be transformed at the foot of this tree.

The trial before Jesus’ death represents a jarring picture of our darkest desires. Instead of God trying us, humanity stands to judge God in the incarnate Christ. It reveals our inner anger toward God, our dissatisfaction with our lives and our thirst for vengeance. But the stunning news is that Jesus allows himself to be judged and takes our shame upon himself. He is the true liberator who has come to carry our shame and release us from our guilt.

Rev. Andrew Park joins us this week to speak about anger.

Everybody is in need of a new start, a new forgiveness and an ultimate redemption. During Jesus’ last meal he shows His people that He is the ultimate Passover, the source of the ultimate Redemption.

What does it mean to really worship God? As Jesus enters into Jerusalem he clears the temple of those who made worship into a show and empty ritual. But before his death he honors a broken woman who demonstrates true and genuine worship.

What does it really mean to be a follower of Jesus? In our passage Jesus meets someone who seemingly has everything going for him: wealth, youth and a career. He wants to add Jesus to his growing lists of interests. But Jesus tells him that following him is about being about just one thing. Jesus shows us that when we have this one thing we can actually have everything.