"Even as..." Probably the two most amazing words Jesus ever applied to us. Jesus, speaking to the Father says, "Even as we are one..." "Even as you loved me..." He's talking about God's own inner life and intimacy. And then applies it to his followers?! That we are so loved! That we would be so united! Look, in these emails I usually attempt to eliminate any unnecessary exclamation points. But rarely have they been so necessary. Can we even fathom the depths of what Jesus is saying here? That we are loved just as the Father loves the Son. That we would be just as united as the Father and Son? The promise is too big. And many of us have been hurt or disillusioned in church relationships. So how do we get this promise into our lives? How do we begin to taste and experience this? Let's talk about "The Lord's Prayer: for Unity"

The symptoms: apathy, anxiety, indecision, addictive escapism, easily manipulated, growth-less drifting, dependency and burnout. It reads like a bad drug commercial. But it sounds sadly familiar. What’s the condition to which these symptoms point? Aimlessness. Purposelessness. Life without a direction. If any drug company could produce a pill to solve these symptoms, they could print their own money. Our souls clamor for purpose. We were made for it. Jesus emphasizes it. So why do we struggle so much with it? Let’s talk about “The Lord’s Prayer: for Mission” (John 17:13-21).

When Jesus begins to pray for his followers the night before his death, what is the first thing he asks the Father to give them? Holiness. For many of us that might seem abstract or distant. We hear ‘holy’ and often think ‘holier-than-thou’ or even ‘sanctimonious.’ Yet here Jesus connects our holiness to our joy. Why don’t we? Many Christians celebrate grace but struggle to see a reason to celebrate holiness. And here comes Jesus saying that our holiness directly correlates to our joy. What are we missing? Let’s talk about “The Lord’s Prayer: for Holiness”

John 17:6-19

Have you ever had the privilege to hear or witness something that you knew right away was special and significant? This Sunday we get to “eavesdrop” on an intimate, beautiful, and glorifying prayer between Christ the Son and God the Father. Why is this considered the greatest prayer? Why has the “hour” finally come now instead of earlier in His ministry? We will unpack those questions as our series continues in the Upper Room, as we look into John 17:1-7 “The Lord’s Prayer: for glory.” This passage records Jesus’ longest prayer, with glory being given both to God the Father and to Christ the Son, as we see Jesus praying for Himself, for His disciples, and for the world. Come join us this Sunday, as we bring glory and honor to Christ our King!

This Sunday we continue our series in the Upper Room. Jesus turns to console his disciples, but not without a strong dose of reality. Yes, there will be grief - real grief - but joy is his agenda. With two funerals tomorrow in the life of our church, that's a promise some of us are living through personally. So how do we experience that kind of hope when grief and heartache are dominating the horizon? Jesus knew what awaited his disciples in the next 48 hours, and that is precisely what he is addressing. Let's talk about the hope of being "Surprised by Joy"

John 16:16-33

This Sunday we continue our series on the Upper Room, and Jesus brings up the Holy Spirit yet again. Repetition in the ancient world was for emphasis, but why is he bringing up the Holy Spirit so much? As we've said throughout this series, he knows he is dying the next day and wants to equip his followers for life. But I imagine what surprised them most was his claim that they will be better off once he is gone. How can he say that? For the vast majority of Christians in history who never saw Jesus directly, this promise is incredibly important. How could life get better by Jesus' departure? How does the gift of the Holy Spirit improve our lives? Let's talk about why "We All Need Counseling" (John 16:7-16).

This Sunday we come to a very challenging word from Jesus. He basically says, "do not be surprised when the world hates you." The same God who 'so loved the world' wants his followers prepared for the opposite treatment - for persecution. But why? What is it about Jesus that elicits such a strong response? Should his followers expect better treatment? And what about when Christians are just being jerks? What should actually be regarded as persecution? Is Jesus cultivating a victim mentality? Or is voluntary suffering simply unthinkable in a society obsessed with being comfortable? Let's talk about "If the World Hates You" (John 15:18-25). 

This Sunday we return to our Upper Room series. Jesus says this wonderfully provocative thing: "I no longer call you servants, but instead I call you friends." And then he begins to clarify what he means by friendship, and it feels rather... demanding. I found myself thinking about this a lot during our vacation, especially as frequently as I hear people talk about their loneliness. Most of us aren't seeking more acquaintances; yet we do hunger for more substantive relationships. Why is that so challenging, particularly the deeper someone knows us? And what would it mean to be friends with God - especially in any practical sense? Let's talk about the privilege and challenge of abiding friendship: "No Greater Love" (John 15:9-17).

Martin Luther said, “We are beggars- that is true.” As beggars and sinners in need of mercy and care, we rejoice that we have a Savior in Jesus Christ, who is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. This week we’ll take a look at Luke 5 where Christ shows mercy towards a leper, as He displays His compassion and power through the healing of this man. We were all once spiritual lepers, marginalized and as outcasts, but now healed by Jesus Christ, and in touch with His presence and power. Join us this Sunday as we hear about our compassionate, capable, and captivating Lord who is Mighty to save! (Luke 5:12-16)

This Sunday we welcome our guest speaker, Ty Gregory, the Campus Minister for RUF (Reformed University Fellowship) at USC. He’ll preach the Word to us from Psalm 32. We hope to see you this Sunday and may we be encouraged by the poignant and earnest words of John Newton when he wrote, "My memory is nearly gone, but I remember two things, that I am a great sinner, and that Christ is a great Savior."