Emmaus Road Church | Fort Collins, Colorado

Sermon Scripture: Colossians 1:15-20 (NIV)

One of the most important questions for humanity to consider is "What is God like?”

Throughout history, humanity has believed in a pantheon of gods and goddesses and they had a particular way of relating to each of these gods. An altar was set up on a high place, and sacrifices were made to that god. The trouble with this system was that you never knew where you stood with the gods.

While ugly on the surface, the cross is the clearest revelation of God's character. The God revealed in Christ does not bear a weapon in his hands, but nails. He is not surrounded by an entourage of minions, but between thieves. God has reconciled the world himself. You don't have to question where you stand with God, for love has been poured out and put on display

Sermon Scripture: Mark 8:27-35 (NRSV)

So often, in spite of our best intentions, we misunderstand what it means to be a true disciple of Christ.

We hear the word discipleship and we start rushing down one path only to find that Jesus is slowly leading us in another direction. Jesus reminds us, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”

May you chase after God’s Kingdom, actively working and subverting evil, while consistently respecting all life, defending the weak, and healing what is broken in creation.

Sermon Scripture: Luke 23:33-34, NIV

The cross is the center of the Christian faith, and the symbol of Christian churches around the world. But what does it mean? An event as significant as God in flesh dying on a cross and being raised from the dead cannot have just one meaning.

Your Sin Forgiven!

What does this mean for each of us?

Our sin does not keep you from God. Divine posture toward humanity is one of love and embrace. Your sins are forgiven! The work is done. Forgiveness has been offered, all we have to do is respond!

Our response is to accept God's forgiveness and enter into life with God through confession and repentance.

Sermon Scripture: Luke 9:18-36, Deuteronomy 18:14-22 NLT

On this Transfiguration Sunday, we investigate the prophet Moses and how his life points us to the Gospel of Jesus.

Sermon Scripture: Exodus 17:1-7, NLT

Israel left Egypt a free people, headed toward a land to call their own. However, between the bonds of slavery and the land flowing with milk and honey was a desert.

This is how life works, isn't it. Between the freedom and the flourishing is a time of floundering. In many ways, the journey of Israel reflects our own journey.

Sermon Scripture: Exodus 5:1-9, 12:1-7; 13, 15:1-18, (NLT)

The Exodus event is the dominant picture of what salvation looks like in the Old Testament. The Exodus event also informs and shapes how salvation is understood by the authors of the New Testament.

The exodus event provides the framework to understand salvation. We see that the false gods are powerless to save. The true God is revealed to us in the Lamb who takes our sin upon himself and responds with forgiveness, breaking the power of sin and rescuing us from death. 

Sermon Scripture: Exodus 3:1-8a; 13-14, NLT

Moses has a conversation with an angel of the Lord within the flame and learns that God has seen the suffering of the Hebrew people in Egypt and wants Moses to partner with God to set the people free.

The burning bush is an anticipation of the incarnation. Christ took up residence in the bush and flooded it with divine presence. Then, Christ took up residence in humanity, enter the depths of hell in his death, entered to the highest heaven in his ascension, thereby filling all of creation with his presence!

Sermon Scripture: Genesis 37:5-8, 37:18-20, 41:41-44, 50:14-21 (NLT)

The whole contour of Joseph's story bears the mark of Jesus. This story is a gospel shaped story. Jesus, like Joseph, was the beloved son of a Father, scorned by his own people, and cast into the pit of hell.

But even in the depths, he was not forgotten. He was raised and exalted to the right hand of God where he now rules with power and authority for the benefit and flourishing (shall we say, salvation) of others. This gospel story shows us that a Jesus-shaped life is one where success, blessing, privilege, power, etc. are not ends in themselves, but to be used for the good of those around us. 

This story shows us there is no future without forgiveness.

Sermon Scripture: Genesis 28:10-19, NLT

Jacob is the patriarch of the Old Testament that is renamed Israel, so it would be difficult to overstate his importance. But, whatever moral credibility Jacob earned later in life, it is certain that he did not begin his life as a person you would want to emulate.

Throughout his early life, Jacob was a sly guy. He was the type of person who looked to exploit relationships. He would get close enough to see how he could leverage the relationship to get something out of you. He used people for personal gain. His brother, Esau, was certainly victim of this more than once.

Where Jacob once saw people as objects to be exploited and used to his advantage, he now saw the face of God in others. Jesus is Jacob's ladder that reconciles heaven and earth. 

May Jesus bring clarity and transformation to our hearts just as he did for Jacob.

Sermon Scripture: Genesis 22:1-14 (NLT)

There are realities that push and pull in this passage. They are the testing of God and the provision of God. A command is given that is in contradiction to a promise that had previously been given (Isaac was the embodiment of God's promise to Abraham for decedents).

There is tension between this promise of life and this word of death. To our modern, sophisticated minds the idea of God testing us seems primitive. Whether God actively does the testing or not is uncertain. What is certain is that we are given numerous opportunities each day to walk in the way of Jesus or not.