God was going to deliver them, but instructed Isaiah to speak softly to the people, to first offer them comfort. Comfort is the process of recognizing another person’s pain. It is comforting to know there is someone who acknowledges your pain. God instructs Isaiah to tell the people, quietly, slowly, that God acknowledges their suffering. This was the first step towards bringing peace.

What does restoration mean for us today? Are we looking to be restored to a time from our past? Are we longing for a future we have never experienced. How are we restored and how should be begin this process of restoration? (inspired by Psalm 80)

This week we will gather around the table and express our thankfulness. Will you be thankful for this past year, or for the possibilities of the year ahead? How should we express our thankfulness?

“My momma always said, ‘Life was like a box of chocolates, you never know what you’re gonna get.’”

Most of you will recognize this quote from the movie Forrest Gump. Mrs. Gump was an intelligent woman. She used this example to explain to Forrest about the uncertainty of life, not because life was actually like a box of chocolates, but because the surprises found in a box of chocolates was something that Forrest Gump experienced and could understand.

This week’s scripture passage has Jesus teaching in Jerusalem, so he uses a structure those in the city have experienced and will understand. Money.

Have you ever been in a discussion that turned into an argument and grew into something worse? This week we are talking about the moment between arguing and something worse, the flashpoint. Why do they happen and how can we manage them?

We commonly recite the Ten Commandments, but were there more? Leviticus lists hundreds of laws, yet we usually only refer to ten of these laws as commandments. Should the list have included for more? Listen as we explore Leviticus 19 and Matthew 22:35-40

We live is a world where are are identified by the things we own. How can we handle ownership in a way that Christ would approve? Matthew 22:15-22

Robert Kennedy once said “There are those who look at things the way they are and ask why… I dream of things that never were and ask, why not?” There are many times in our lives when we have wonderful ideas, but cannot get these ideas off the ground because we are unable to justify the “why” to the satisfaction of others. How would things be different if instead of having to make a case for why, we instead ask why not?

Have you ever had that classroom experience where you knew the answer to the question that was asked, but you didn’t raise your hand, because you were afraid there was a chance you could be wrong? Or perhaps it was one of those brain storming type questions where they tell you there is no wrong answer, but your answer is so out of the box that you are afraid people will laugh if you say it? These experiences make it hard for us to believe in ourselves. These experiences cause us to struggle with what we know to be right. What does Jesus teach regarding this?

A common question asked by children is “Who goes to heaven?” There have been many movies made on this topic. “All Dogs Go to Heaven” comes to mind. Even the disciples had questions regarding how someone gets into heaven. What did Jesus have to say?