Grace in Community

Text: Matthew 16:13-20

This sermon is a kind of part II of last week's, when we discovered that our questions, doubts, and wanderings can be a good thing, leading to deeper faith. Today we ask the question: in the midst of those questions and wanderings, is there anything that anchors us? Through a vulnerable telling of part of his own story, Pastor Matt proclaims that we do have a firm foundation - not because of anything we do to make it so, but because of what Jesus has done for us. 

Texts: Matthew 15:21-28, Isaiah 56:1-8, Rom 11:1-2a, 29-32

Series: Under Construction

What if the questions and doubts you've been afraid to voice are actually the very heartbeat of faith? Pastor Matt unpacks a striking encounter where a bold Canaanite woman challenges Jesus himself—and her audacity is celebrated as *great faith*. Like Jacob wrestling with God through the night, we're invited into a raw, tenacious relationship with God that holds nothing back. You don't need perfect belief to belong—you need honest engagement. If you've ever felt too questioning for church, this message is for you. 

Texts: Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52; Romans 8:37-39

Series: Under Construction

Just like our campus is in need of ongoing revitalization, so are our hearts. Sometimes God’s work in our lives comes after an unwelcome disruption, like the work in the corner of our Sanctuary earlier this year. Other times it comes as we proactively evaluate what needs to change, like the repaving of our parking lot. Whether you've walked with Christ for decades or are just beginning, none of us have fully arrived; we are all learning, growing, and being shaped by love. No matter what, God is faithful to work transformation in us by the power of the Holy Spirit! Trust the process of love. 

Texts: Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43; Rom 8:12-25

Series: Jesus the Great Disruptor

Why are there mosquitos - and so many other bad things - in the world? Together with Romans 8, Jesus' parable of the wheat and weeds helps frame this question in the larger cosmic history of the world. God's project is to disrupt the darkness and free all creation from bondage and suffering, and we have a vital role to play in that story! Listen to find your part. 

Texts: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23; Isaiah 55:10-13

Series: Jesus the Great Disruptor

What if the hardest seasons of your life are actually preparing the ground for something extraordinary? Pastor Matt explores Jesus' parable of the sower with a fresh, disruptive lens—revealing that we're not just one type of soil, but complex ecosystems shaped by life's inevitable disruptions. Like desert ground that only yields growth after being disturbed, our struggles can become the very thing that opens us to God's word. Through community, worship, and unforced rhythms of grace, transformation takes root. Don't miss this message—it might reframe everything you thought you knew about how God grows you.

Texts: Matthew 10:31-42, Jeremiah 20:7-12

Series: Jesus the Great Disruptor

We usually (and rightfully) place a strong emphasis on God’s grace and acceptance. But sometimes this can cause us to miss just how disruptive God’s word is. Jeremiah feels a deep disruption within him that forces him to speak. Jesus warns that his words will bring stark division. Hearing this might only add to the feeling of intimidation we have when thinking about our calling to share our faith! But what if our feelings of inadequacy is precisely the point? When we stop relying on ourselves, Christ works through us most powerfully. In a world of many paths leading to sickness and death, maybe disruption is exactly the grace we need. 

Text: Matthew 10:24-31

What are you passing down? Here on Father's Day, lay member Keith Borgschatz preaches a special message proclaiming that faith isn't just something we believe; it's something we live. Keith reminds us that fatherhood, and discipleship itself, isn't about being in charge—it's about showing up, serving, and staying rooted in something bigger than ourselves. The seeds planted in community don't always bloom on our timetable, but God remains faithful across generations. So whatever season you're in—parent, grandparent, mentor, or friend—pass down what matters most: the love of the God who sees every sparrow and counts every hair on our heads.

Texts: Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26; Hosea 5:15-6:6; Psalm 50:7-15

Series: Jump in the River!

Jesus was often criticized for eating with tax collectors and sinners—the religiously nonobservant. In response, he routinely criticized self-righteousness. Hosea reminds us that steadfast love and mercy, rather than rote ritual, are to be the heart of our faith. We are challenged to see God’s presence among those on the margins of society, like Matthew the tax collector and the bleeding woman. As we gather each Lord’s day we receive forgiveness and healing for self-righteous hearts, and we are sent to show God’s mercy to the world.

Texts: Matthew 28:16-20, Genesis 1:26-31, Psalm 8, Ezekiel 47:1-12

Series: Jump in the River!

What if the secret to life isn't solving God's mysteries, but being swept up into them? Here on Trinity Sunday, Pastor Matt reveals that the Trinity isn't a theological puzzle to solve, but the early church's lived experience of God drawing us into divine community. From creation's overflowing love to Jesus pursuing wayward humanity to the Spirit's constant comfort, each Person of the Triune God invites us into God's eternal dance. Like Ezekiel's life-giving river transforming the Dead Sea, we're called to be the flow God's grace into a world desperate for life. Don't miss this transformative vision of your divine calling—listen now and join the dance!

Text: John 7:37-39

Series: Jump in the River!

On this special Sunday two of our youth were baptized, and four affirmed the promises God made to them in baptism, saying “Yes! I want to continue learning and growing as a disciple of Jesus.” When we affirm our place in God's family in baptism, we become part of the living waters of God’s grace flowing to the world. Surprisingly, this happens not because we have it all figured out, but precisely because we recognize we don’t. “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me,” Jesus says. Recognizing our own thirst, and sharing with others where we have found water, is exactly our mission.