April 21, 2019 - Easter Sunday

Everybody loves Easter! Spring flowers bloom. Kids hunt for Easter eggs. We might dress up a little. But how did the first witnesses of Jesus react to his resurrection? Startled. Frightened. Joyful. Doubtful. Curious. Amazed. Worshiping. Nothing will so positively disrupt your life like an encounter with the resurrected One.

April 7, 2019

“. . . the holy catholic church, the communion of saints.” –from the Apostles’ Creed

{Matthew 16:13-19}

Jesus’s aim was not just to teach, heal, and then go home to heaven. He came to do more than die for our sins and rise from the dead. He came to create a new community, one that would shine his light. His disciples would witness to the world by loving one another, spreading his good news, and caring for all in need. Jesus said, “I will build my church.”

March 31, 2019

“I Believe in the Holy Spirit.” –from the Apostles’ Creed

{Ephesians 5:15-20}

God’s Word tells us of our Father-Creator. It teaches us about our Lord Jesus. Still, it’s a book. It’s not enough. We need to experience God. We need the prevailing presence of the Holy Spirit. We need the continual filling of the Spirit to do within us what we cannot do by our own power.

March 24, 2019

“He descended to the dead. The third day He rose again from the dead. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From there he shall come to judge the living and the dead.” –from the Apostles’ Creed

Many historians have concluded that if Jesus had not been bodily raised from the dead, there would be no Christianity. Without the empty tomb and his resurrection appearances, the influence of Jesus would not have survived. This resurrected Jesus now reigns with the Father, awaiting the appointed day of his return. On that day everyone will bow before him. Judgment – separating good from evil – will rest in his hands.

March 17, 2019

“. . . who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate; was crucified, died and was buried.” –from the Apostles’ Creed

{Luke 1:1-3}

The Bible contains four gospels, biographies of Jesus written for his followers and the curious. Two gospels report that Jesus’s life began with a miracle in the womb of a girl named Mary. All four tell us he became a teacher and a wonder-worker. All four gospels record that he was rejected by his own people and suffered a terrible death. And we are told that his death was an act of love by which we can be saved from our sins. This is history – his story.

March 10, 2019

“I believe in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord.” –from the Apostles’ Creed

Historians cite ancient sources beyond the Bible, confirming that Jesus of Nazareth was a real person who lived in the early first century AD. But who was he? Or who is he? Much of world history revolves around these questions. Still today his followers claim he has changed their lives. Could he be “the image of the invisible God”?

March 3, 2019

“I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.” –from the Apostles’ Creed {Psalm 19:1-6}

How do you decide if God is real? Theists and atheists stack up the evidence and arrive at conflicting conclusions. So we must search for truth with an open mind. We examine the scriptures. We learn from science. We weigh our personal experiences. And we listen to Jesus, who taught us to pray to “Our Father.”

The Bible Project Video link - vimeo.com/215686688

February 24, 2019

In ancient times, whenever the traveling judge came into your village, that was a good thing. It meant you could take your grievances to court. Wrongs could be made right. Injustices could get straightened out. The Day of the Lord is when the Judge shows up and renders a verdict, and that’s a good thing. Salvation requires judgment. But for those who oppose God’s ways, it will be a terrible day.

The Bible Project Video link - vimeo.com/211765113

February 17, 2019

How long can the average person live without breathing? Minutes. Breathing sends oxygen into your bloodstream, taking it to your brain and body. No respiration = expiration. The Holy Spirit is the breath of God in us, making us spiritually alive. After his resurrection, Jesus appeared to his disciples and “breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’” John 20:22.

February 10, 2019

God loves to partner with people. He makes a covenant with one family to bless all families. He makes a covenant with one nation to bless all nations. They carry that covenant forward, but they also fail him. Repeatedly. It’s time for phase two of God’s plan. In walks Jesus, bringing a new covenant for all people.