Unfortunately, technical difficulties left us without the original audio from our Q&A following the service on 4/11/2021. Pastors Dave and Dan got together to re-record and to give a sense of what the two of them, along with Mark, discussed at the original meeting.

Please participate with us by adding your questions this Sunday at swiftpolling.com and using the event code: 24424 and/or joining us after the 10:00a service back in the youth room.

Easter is one of our biggest and most exciting celebrations of the year. For believers, we turn our minds back to the events of this weekend about 2000 years ago and reflect on the love Jesus lived through the cross. We think about how the grave could not hold Him, but that after He gave all for us, He rose from the grave. This is the good news. It is personal and has changed our lives – both now and forever. Instead of a ‘wishing’ hope, we now have a ‘confident’ hope. We find life here and now, but we know it is just a taste of the life that awaits us. Death has been transformed from the worst reality we ever face, to the very doorway of our deliverance from all that is fallen and broken in this world. And this hope is something we want to share. We’ll sing and celebrate this morning; but we’ll also look at a few verses that sum up the good news of Easter.

Being overweight brings all kinds of negative physical consequences and vulnerabilities. In addition to heart disease and diabetes risks, it brings increased risk for depression, sleep apnea, certain cancers, and even migraines. Carrying extra weight affects our body functions. Complaining really does the same thing emotionally and spiritually. We carry extra weight in our souls and then reap all the consequences of that added burden. Our story in Numbers begins another episode where Israel complains in spite of all of God’s goodness and provision for them. It wasn’t that they didn’t have anything to complain about. But when they focused on what they wished were different, there were consequences. This will be the first part in our exploration and study of these events, and we’ll see the effect it has on those who need to lead us. Plus, we’ll be reminded of the remedy for a complaining heart

Have you ever wondered why other people can give testimonies about seeing God’s work? You listen to how clearly God showed His hand in their situation or their life and you wonder what’s different for you. Maybe you’re just missing what God’s doing. Or maybe God just isn’t working in your life. Today we’re going to see how God used Moses to show His people His work. There are different strategies here for different people and situations. But in each one, we can learn how to teach ourselves to notice and hold onto God’s work in our lives.

We are supposed to love church so much that we invite others to come. While many feel a sense of duty or guilt, true believers understand the power of God to redeem and heal. We reflect God’s heart by inviting anyone who will listen to join us in this amazing work of God. We don’t feel like we’re losing anything to share this with others; the riches of God’s goodness never run out. Just like a candle doesn’t lose any light when it lights another candle. Moses demonstrates the heart we’re supposed to have for ‘outsiders’ in this passage. He invites others to join in so that they can be an essential part and so that they can experience the goodness of God’s blessing that was coming. Let’s follow Moses’ example and have a heart to invite others into God’s love!

Over the past year, being together has been more difficult and rare. Some of the social connecting that we took for granted was taken away. The introverts among us rejoiced. The cautious among us were grateful. And the extroverts counted the days until we could be together again. But we probably didn’t talk enough about the need to be together. God’s people are never called to choose isolation or disconnection. Out of necessity we experienced it in these recent months, and we are facing the fallout. Many of the callings for God’s Kingdom require an army… a connected loving family… a group of Jesus followers totally committed to working together. Israel’s journey from Mount Sinai is an Old Testament example of this timeless truth. We’ll see several areas where they had to come together so that God’s plan of promise could be realized for their nation.