Hope is a hard word. It is dangerous and disappointing all at the same time. So often, we find ourselves hoping for something different but settling for more of the same. But Christmas reminds us that we have a living hope. God is with us. And this hope allows us to endure.

As we jump into Luke 20 we see some combative Pharisees. As Jesus has finally arrived in Jerusalem, the preverbal countdown has begun to his crucifixion, and in this passage, we see his authority questioned.

The temple was meant to be a place of worship and prayer. In Jesus day, many had turned visiting the temple into something like walking through the souvenir stands at an amusement park. In this moment we see Jesus angry with those who are making it hard for others to worship, and turning their relationship with God into a consumer religion.

There are moments in all of our lives that we look back on and wish we had handled differently, said nothing, said something, or wished we could do it over again. Jesus weeps as He looks at Jerusalem and wishes people had paid attention. As we unpack this passage, we will pay attention to the opportunity before us.

Jesus enters Jerusalem and is greeted as a King. Only a short time later, He will be crucified as a criminal. His triumphal entry reminds us to pay attention to our fickle hearts and to be unhindered in our praise.

Money is something we all deal with and reveals a lot about what we value. Jesus tells a story that reminds us to lean into what we have been entrusted with and to use all we have for the glory of God and the good of others. He has given us good gifts to enjoy and use, not hoard and hide.

So often, we allow small obstacles to become our excuse for not pursuing Jesus. Changing our vantage point can change our perspective and our lives. In this passage, we learn the importance of climbing the tree, and we see Jesus' love for the lost on full display.

There are certain things in our lives that we can grow blind to. It is amazing how accustomed we can become to our wrong actions, excusing them or even denying them. In this passage, we see a man acknowledging his deep need for Jesus, and what we see is God’s mercy on display.

Is the Bible just a book, or is it more? Many question its relevance today and whether it can be trusted. As we walk with Jesus and continue toward Jerusalem, He tells His disciples along the way that He will die in Jerusalem, but death will not be the end. So, what does this conversation have to do with whether or not the Bible can be trusted? We will look at how not only Jesus foretold His death and resurrection, but Scripture spoke of this long before Jesus came to save us.

Jesus made it clear that He came to serve, not to be served. Each of us has been uniquely gifted by God, and as we follow Him, we are called to use those gifts for the glory of God and the good of others. How do we become a church that is known for giving ourselves away?