Groundwork: Biblical Foundations for Life

Protestant Christians around the world believe that we receive salvation by grace alone through faith, as the apostle Paul taught. And yet, we also come across the words of James: “Faith without works is dead.” This seeming contradiction has led believers of every generation to wonder, “Do the things we do impact how God sees us? Do our works contribute to our righteousness?” Together, let’s examine the book of James as a whole to understand his teachings on grace and works in context. We’ll compare what we learn from James to what Paul teaches about the relationship between God’s grace and our works, and then consider what it means for our daily lives. 

If we are saved by grace, what is the purpose of our works? If God does it all, do our works matter? We all long for purpose, but in our daily lives as Christ’s disciples, we can find it challenging to understand the relationship between grace and works. Our thoughts and expectations might quickly slide into legalism on one hand or laziness on the other. The apostle Paul clarified the relationship between grace and works in his letters to early Christians. By studying his writing, we can gain a deeper understanding of how God’s grace and our works cooperate to help us grow in Christlikeness. 

We may experience some tension when trying to discern the relationship between God’s grace and our works as it relates to our salvation. This is understandable if we limit our study to the writings of Paul and James in the New Testament. However, by revisiting God’s original covenants with Abraham in Genesis and the new covenant Jesus establishes in Matthew, we gain understanding of how God works, his gift of grace, and what he expects from us as his people. 

Twelve days after Christmas every year, churches around the world mark the day of Epiphany, remembering the appearance of the star to the Magi. The light of the star led the Magi to Jesus; this event signifies the extension of God’s family to include Gentiles, which had a profound effect on the future of God’s people. Thankfully, the Bible tells us what to expect when we encounter the transformational light of Christ and how that light affects our discipleship. 

Together, let’s explore the moment the prophet Isaiah’s anticipation of light becomes the reality of the Light of the World among us. We’ll explore the profound meaning of Christ’s light shining in our world by examining Bible passages that describe his birth, life, and the hope he brings, and what this means for how we live as children of light. 

Light changes everything. A lamp illuminates the room, giving clarity to our surroundings. Dawn brings daylight that transforms the landscape and banishes the uncertainties of night. What happens when the Light of the World arrives? The Bible shows us how Jesus Christ illuminates our lives and the world.

Jesus Christ is the ultimate light of the world. During Advent, we celebrate his birth and look forward to his second coming. Let’s discuss what it means to prepare our souls for the hope and illumination that Jesus brings, and learn what it means to live in the light of Christ with expectation.

Advent is a season of waiting. We’re waiting for the Light of the World. The Bible uses the imagery of light from Genesis to Revelation. Exploring the Bible’s theme of light from the beginning, through the prophets, in the gospels, and in the prophecies of Revelation gives us a fuller understanding of what we’re waiting for as we begin to prepare our hearts for the arrival of Jesus at his birth at Christmas. 

Discover what Jesus taught us about the heart and mind of an ideal disciple. Join us as we examine the remaining beatitudes of Jesus in Matthew 5:7-12 with our guest, Danny Daley. Together, we’ll explore what Jesus taught us when he described the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and the persecuted as blessed. Then we’ll discuss how understanding and cultivating the dispositions Jesus described in the Beatitudes in our lives of discipleship gives the world a glimpse of God’s kingdom here on earth. 

The Beatitudes have provided generations of Christians comfort, guidance, and strength for their faith. Join Groundwork as we study the first four of Jesus’ Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-6 to gain a deeper understanding of what it means to be poor in spirit, to mourn, to be meek, and to hunger and thirst for righteousness. We’ll also discuss why Jesus promises the kingdom of heaven and blesses those who possess these dispositions, and why he invites us to cultivate them in our own lives of discipleship.