WONDERS NEVER CEASE: Easter Sunday The Gospel of Mark tells us that as Jesus hung on the cross, a deep darkness fell over the city of Jerusalem. In many ways, as we reflect on events around the world and in areas of our own lives, we may feel as though the darkness will not lift.  In his life and ministry, Jesus proclaimed that the Kingdom of God was near. In his death and resurrection, he proved that his power to reclaim and restore was stronger than the power of death and darkness. We can’t wait to celebrate this profound truth with you, this Easter Weekend.

WONDERS NEVER CEASE: Hurry Up and Wait Almost half a century before the time of Jesus, the “father of modern medicine” Hippocrates developed a standard of medical ethics known as the Hippocratic Oath. The heart of the oath, which is still taken by many medical students today, establishes that the chief responsibility of the doctor is to provide timely and compassionate care. This week we are going to dive into a passage that shows Jesus stopping to have a conversation with a stranger while on his way to heal a young girl on her deathbed, which would have been a clear violation of timely and compassionate care. There can be times in our lives when it seems as though God does not hear our prayers. Like the father of the young girl in Mark 5, it can be hard to accept when it seems like God answers other people’s needs but not our own. How do we respond when it seems like God is not answering our prayers for healing?

WONDERS NEVER CEASE: The Process of Healing One of the unique features of Mark’s Gospel account is how fast-paced it is. In fact, one of the most common words he uses is the word “immediately.” But there is one instance in Jesus’ miracles where “immediately” is not used. This week we are going to look at the story of one man’s process of healing and how we deal with prayers that seem to go unanswered, at least in the moment.

WONDERS NEVER CEASE: A New Chapter This Sunday we are continuing our series on the supernatural stories of Jesus by looking at how Jesus heals a paralyzed man, but not before he offers him what we all need—forgiveness.

WONDERS NEVER CEASE: Miraculous Provision This week we are continuing our series “Wonders Never Cease” by looking at the miraculous feeding of the five thousand in the Gospel of Mark where we see that God uses the ordinary parts of who we are to do extraordinary things.

WONDERS NEVER CEASE: Healing the Sick Since meeting Mike and Sally Breen last May, God has used them to inspire both Roxanne and I to pursue a deeper and more integrated life of faith. Specifically, we have been challenged by the way they live as if God is always up to extraordinary things. (Spoiler alert: He is!) That’s why I’m so stoked for our church family to hear from Mike as we continue our series “Wonders Never Cease.” As you hear his stories of the miraculous in everyday life, I hope you’ll be as challenged and inspired as we have been.

WONDERS NEVER CEASE: Naturally Supernatural For many followers of Jesus, the supernatural is unfamiliar territory. But what’s even more amazing about the things we see Jesus do in Scripture, is that he promises the same power is available to each of us. I am excited to start a new message series called Wonder’s Never Cease: Stories of the Miraculous in the Gospel of Mark. In this series, we will explore how we can experience the supernatural power of God in our everyday lives just as Jesus promised we would.

RIVER DEEP: Healing and Restoration On Christmas morning a little over a month ago, Kathryn’s dad Bob collapsed due to heart failure. For the 45 minutes that he did not have a heart beat, Bob was clinically dead. His doctors gave him less than 1% chance of recovery. . . Yesterday, Kathryn brought her dad home. This is not a typical story. In fact, the doctors and nurses that worked with Kathryn’s dad, many with decades of experience, began calling Bob the hospital’s “Christmas Miracle.” For Kathryn and her family, along with the many people in the Flood family that were praying for Bob’s recovery, this miracle was a powerful reminder that the God we see in Scripture is still alive and active today. I’m excited to share part of this amazing story with you as we conclude our series “River Deep” with a real life story of God’s power to bring us back from the dead.

RIVER DEEP: Death to Life In 1905, while building a system of irrigation canals, the California Development Company inadvertently created the Salton Sea by diverting the Colorado River from its usual path into the California desert. For two years millions of gallons of fresh water flowed into the Salton Basin, one of the lowest places in the entire United States, and the new lake became a popular vacation destination. But after the breach was corrected, without a fresh water source, the Salton Sea slowly became toxic and unsuitable for life. The creation of the Salton Sea illustrates two fundamental truths about water — it will always flow toward the lowest point but without continued flow of fresh water, it can not support life. Like water, the Spirit of God flows into our lives like a river, filling even the deepest parts of our lives. But unlike still water, the Spirit of God brings new life and healing. This week we are continuing our new year series “River Deep,” as we explore the healing power of God’s Spirit, not only in our lives, but in our world.

RIVER DEEP: Community as Family In Jewish tradition, the average person wouldn’t dare approach the presence of God. Even the high priest only entered the most sacred part of the Temple once a year to atone for the sins of the nation. Jesus came to give all of us personal access to the most powerful being in the entire universe. But not only that, the Apostle Peter would later describe the church as a family of priests that reflect and represent God to the whole world. I hope you join us tomorrow as we imagine what it would look like to be a community that is connected and empowered by God.