"Go Tell it on the Mountain" is a Christmas carol enjoyed by millions around the world. Last week, we learned the origins and message of Hark! The Herald Angels Sing. In contrast to its grand, sweeping theology, "Go Tell it on the Mountain" is remarkably moving in its simplicity. Written in the middle of the 19th century by an unknown slave familiar with suffering, this carol captures the passionate longing for a better future, the restlessness of God to grant that future, and the restlessness of believers to share that future with others.

There is nothing quite as unique as Christmas carols. Many of them are a hundred years old or older and yet they continue to be recorded and sung every year. We hear them on the radio, in department stores, and in many holiday movies. Even non-Christians can’t help but love and sing them, yet how often do people stop and consider what these songs mean? Most carols are full of rich Biblical and theological language and imagery. In Part 1 of this series, we will look at the well known and loved carol, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” to learn what this song communicates about the message of Christmas and our response to that message.

In the final week of our series "Can I Ask That," we will ask perhaps the most important question. Is Jesus the Only Way? There are almost 10,000 religions in the world. What makes us think Christianity is better? Why do we think Christianity is right and the others are wrong?

In the third week of our series "Can I Ask That," we will ask a question which causes a struggle for many people in our culture. We could put it another way--"Why should God, or why should Christians, judge who I love or who I am intimate with?" This question and the assumptions lying underneath it will launch us into one of the most important conversations we can have in our search for true fulfillment.

We began our series last week looking at evidence for the existence of God. In the second part of our series, we will examine a question many have used as evidence against the existence of God. If an all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving God exists, then why is there so much suffering and evil in the world? It’s a question that none of us can escape. From the latest news feed to the pages of history, humanity is a story riddled with suffering. Does that mean God does not exist? What is a Christian's response to this question?

In the first week of our new series Can I Ask That? we will begin with the most important question--How Can We Know God Exists? Is faith in God’s existence a result of wish fulfillment, as many atheists suggest, or does the universe hold clues pointing to God’s reality--discernible to anyone who looks for them?

Romans 8:32-39

Pastor Mike Faler

Christians know we should live for God’s glory, not our own. But did you know that God will share His glory with us? I am not sure what all that means, but I am quite certain it is a good thing. Paul felt the same way and urged us to see all of our suffering through the lens of what we will become.

Most of us have a hard time asking others for help. Maybe it’s because we prefer to do things on our own or maybe it’s because we are afraid of rejection. However, the reality is that we all need help at different times in our lives and there’s no doubt the same is true in our spiritual lives. Thankfully, as Christians we have Someone who is present and ready to help. In fact, when Jesus described this Person to His disciples, He called him "the Helper." In Romans 8, the Apostle Paul lays out several different ways that the Holy Spirit helps us as believers.

Life with God is more than words. It is power in action. The promise of the Bible is that when God is present in our lives, when we live under His leadership, we will experience His power. The Person of God that makes His power active in our lives is the Holy Spirit.