Part 2:  Mastering or Mastered ByAre you mastering your money or being mastered by it? Maybe it’s time to flip the script. Just like an appetite that will not be permanently satisfied, having a me-first mentality about money will always be a temptation. But when we have an others-first approach with our money, we practice self-control and self-denial. When we do that, we can find ourselves living in sync with our heavenly Father, who wants us to not be mastered by our money.

Jesus Talks Money - Part 1:  It's Not The Meaning Of LifeIf you could ask Jesus anything about money, and know that he’d answer you, what would you ask him? That hypothetical question can lead us in all kinds of directions but Jesus answers some of our questions about money before we’ve even asked. You might be shocked to learn what he said about money and even more shocked at how relevant it still is 2000 years later. 

Better

Most of us want this year to be better. But “better” requires a bit of honest, awkward evaluation. So what are you holding onto that’s holding you back? If you’re holding onto something that’s making a monkey out of you, maybe it’s time to let go of the banana and run away!

Born - Part 5:  Born of MaryMary, a young woman from a nowhere town, receives extraordinary news that will shake the foundations of history. Her response reveals remarkable faith in the face of news that would upend her entire life. Her acceptance and surrender to God show us the power of saying “Yes” to God, even when we don’t fully understand his plans. Her story also encourages us to trust God’s promises and embrace our calling with courage and faith. God doesn’t require perfect understanding—but faith and willing obedience. When we respond like Mary did, saying yes to God’s purposes, we take part in his ongoing work of redemption through Jesus. 

Born - Part 4:  Born of WomenMatthew’s genealogy features an unlikely cast of characters. He includes multiple women—like Tamar, Rahab and Ruth—which was uncustomary for the day. His inclusion of them reveals something about the heart of God and the type of Savior Jesus is. It reveals God’s heart for the outsider, the oppressed and the forgotten and his heart to redeem them. This week, we’ll consider how these truths about his character should transform how we understand him and how we treat others.

Born - Part 3:  Born of DavidMatthew proclaims Jesus as the Messiah which means “the anointed one.” By referring to Jesus as the Messiah, Matthew is declaring his kingship. He also says Jesus was the “son of David.” This is a key reference for the Jewish people. The Son of David is the King promised to them in the Old Testament, whose arrival ushers in a new, long-awaited era. The son of David will deliver them from their enemies and reestablish them as a great nation.

Born - Part 2:  Born of JudahThe second ancestor of Jesus we’ll look at from his genealogy is Judah. You might think the Bible is filled with good, godly people. It isn’t. The heroes of our faith always have their fair share of dark secrets and shadowy pasts. Judah is no exception. He wasn’t just a little shady, he was a lot shady. So why in the world would God decide to include him in Jesus’ ancestry? 

Born - Part 1:  Born of Abraham

Matthew does not open his Gospel with action but with a carefully crafted genealogy. For his Jewish audience, this family tree is compelling evidence that Jesus was in fact the long-awaited Messiah. The list includes prominent figures like Abraham and David but it also features unlikely people like Rahab, Tamar, and Bathsheba. Each name tells a story of God’s faithfulness. Through this genealogy, Matthew demonstrates that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s promises to Abraham and David—the one through whom all nations will be blessed and the eternal king who will reign forever.

Give.Serve.Love. - Part 3:  Love

Maybe the most simple thing we’ve ever learned about God is also the most complex: God is love. It’s a hard truth for us to understand because we’re influenced by so many other views of him. How does it work exactly? And what do we do with that transforming love once we recognize it?

Give.Serve.Love. - Part 2:  ServeWhat if the secret to looking more like Jesus isn't found in what you receive, but in what you give? The spiritual practice of service transforms us from the inside out, starting right where we are. Sometimes our greatest gifts are the things that come so naturally we don't even think they're special. Are you ready to discover how God wants to use your unique gifts to serve others and shape you into Christ's image? Start practicing service at home today and watch how God works in you through serving others.