Mill Creek Church

The death of Jesus showed us the love of God is not mere sentiment but robust action—action that revealed once and for all who he is. May we find ourselves in this place with God, looking directly at the suffering our sin caused Christ, accepting the great benefit we receive and yet the great evil that stains our hands. But because of Christ, and only Christ, we find ourselves welcomed home again.

Being real with our sinful disobedience can be overwhelming and even counter-intuitive. Why not just ignore or run from it? But it's in our truthful mourning that we can discover real joy. Through the example of King David, we discover that God's desire is always restoration and in that process we can discover joy.

The season of Lent is not just giving something up. It is also a season of intentional placement of Christ as the focus of our lives once again. Have we allowed something else to captivate our attention? Let us find ourselves focusing on Christ, letting all else fall to the wayside. For we who seek first the kingdom of God are promised to find everything in Christ.

Caring for foster children can be difficult, frustrating and even devastating. They often live on the fringes of our lives and maybe we would be more comfortable if they would just stay there. But the love of Jesus pushes us to do more, to be more. Join us for a special conversation around this important topic and the ways God is challenging the Creek to do more.

We remember the Lord’s mercy to two ends: first, that we might be aware of how it should shape our relationship with him, and second, that we might be aware of how it should shape our relationships with others. If we experience the grace of God and remain unchanged, we have missed the point entirely. As vessels of His forgiveness, that change should carryover into our personal relationships.

For believers, Lent can allow us to return to the state of heart and mind that we were in when we first approached Christ, aware of our need for him. The further we depart from this awareness, the less we are able to be who God has called us to be. Yes, God is merciful. So, let us make our hearts tender toward that mercy by handling it with gentle hands, rather than approaching God with demanding, closed fists.

The amazing story of God's love for broken people can be hard to comprehend but change our lives once we embrace it. God loves you and wants you to tell others about his love. What has God’s love compelled you to go out into the world and do?

The story of the criminals crucified with Jesus is unique in that it doesn’t line up with a lot of neat theological systems. Being rewarded with a promise of paradise doesn’t fit into any sort of procedure or process. He isn’t baptized; he doesn’t say the “sinner’s prayer”; he doesn’t publicly confess any creed. But for Jesus, his simple statement of reliance is sufficient.

We welcome Scott Sterk to this month's podcast as he shares a personal journey of loss, discouragement, the joy of adoption and all the ups and downs of trying to hold onto faith in God through it all. No matter how quiet God might be, doing life together can keep us encouraged and hopeful that God still cares.

It is possible to grow up in the church and attend every Sunday but never feel welcome or at home there. Or to be in the church and understand grace only from a business perspective, like the older brother, and not see and apply it like the father. Being lost isn’t about where you are or what you have done but about who you know: Do you know Jesus as your Lord and Savior?