It’s always hard to handle criticism and being misunderstood. It’s even harder when the person has false motives or is just outright wrong. This week Pastor John talks about the backwards way in which Jesus wants us to handle it.

What does it mean to be “persecuted?” All over the world people are confronted for their faith. For some it can even mean death. Jesus says it’s going to happen. So what do we do when it does?

According to Jesus, peacemakers (or shalom-makers) are blessed and called children of God in this kingdom coming from heaven. As God’s children we too have this peacemaking gene and are called to join God in the family business of making all things new. HOW? First, Biblical peacemakers trust God and God’s vision for the world; second they are honest about their own violence and sin; and third they dare to enter the messy and dark areas of our world expecting to meet Jesus there.

Have you ever tried to do right, but something causes you to do wrong? It’s a spiritual heart condition that only God can cure. He wants to give you a new heart so you can fully experience him.

Have you ever broken a rule and later hoped for mercy? God delights in covenant love, so he will again show compassion. He will trample over evil; He will toss our sins into the depths of the sea.

What if someone invited you to a really good steakhouse? Super expensive. Would you eat right before you went? Of course not. You would want to savor everything. This is how it is like with God’s righteousness. Why would we ruin our appetite for something as important as righteousness.

How do you get what you want? Our culture encourages us to demand our rights, to push for what we want. But God has a different perspective and a different way of having us move forward. This week we talk about what it looks like to be humble and why that is so important.

In our culture,? we do not like to mourn. We often try to escape mourning by binge watching shows, playing video games, blaming others and medicating ourselves. Yet the Bible encourages mourning. More importantly, Jesus encourages it. This week we talk about why.

Jesus was a great teacher. People came all over to hear Him preach. He challenged the status quo and confronted the power structures of the time. But He also challenges us today with teachings that seem opposite. This week we talk about what it means to be happy and hopeless at the same time. We told you it was “Upside Down.”

Have you ever been in the ocean and gotten hit by a wave? Then another? It’s scary. Sometimes life can feel like that. First a diagnosis, then a bill and then more bad news. Where is Jesus during these storms? Sometimes it feels like He is not present. It turns out He’s a lot closer than you think.