Pastor Andy deHoog

Because of the power of indwelling sin, we cannot free ourselves by either trying harder or giving up.

Only Jesus Christ can deliver us from the power of the sin we cannot defeat ourselves.

Pastor Andy deHoog

The mirror of God's law reveals my true condition so that I will find my true hope in Jesus.

Pastoral Interin Jesse Larsen

Before Christ, we were enslaved to a written code that we could never measure up to.  But Jesus, in His eternal love, bore our sins that we may be set free.  

"Being set free from the law does not mean freedom from love and justice; it means freedom to now belong to the one who is love – the one who produces love in us from the inside out – like fruit on a vine, not tinsel on a tree." - John Piper

Christ frees us from the power and punishment of the law so that we may now belong to Him.

Mark Naylor

God Wants to Party- the Parable of the Prodigal Son

God overwhelms us with the generosity of his embrace as he makes all things right - we are forgiven, we are loved, we are restored. God invites us to his party.

Pastoral Interin Jesse Larson

No matter who you are or what you believe, we as humans all serve someone or something.  In our desire to find freedom, we often think that we will find it when we live however we want.  This is not the case, as the book of Romans shows us what true freedom looks like, only given through Jesus Christ.

True freedom is found in the free gift of Jesus Christ that releases us from the bondage of sin, so that in turn we may live for righteousness.

Pastor Andy deHoog

Alive and Free

The gospel reverses our fundamental reality –– identity and position –– so that we can live truly alive and free.

Pastoral Interin Jesse Larsen

In the consumeristic culture that we live in today, we often look to the things God can give us instead of seeking His very presence.  As Moses completes the work of the tabernacle, we see how the presence of God as their guide was the reward for their obedience, which they viewed as the greatest gift of all.

The result of obedience to God's command is a life marked by God's glory and presence going with us.

Pastor Andy deHoog

Rather than resting in Christ's finished work, we continually drift toward trusting our own unfinished work for acceptance, approval, and assurance.

Our salvation rests not on our finished work for God, but on Christ's finished work for us.

Moses saw and blessed –– something like getting a gold star on your chart. But because of sin, it’s impossible to earn a gold star every time nor could we ever earn enough gold stars to make us perfect as God in heaven is perfect.

But there is One who, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” –– 2 Corinthians 5:21. 

Turn to Jesus today!

Pastor Andy deHoog

In a lengthy passage like this, it can be easy to get lost in the details and ask, what does this have to do with me?

The purpose of the tabernacle fulfilled in Christ, the beauty of the

tabernacle displayed in Christ, and the work of the tabernacle accomplished in Christ.

Pastor Andy deHoog

Much like the people of Israel, we can be described as “stiff-necked” (Exodus 34:9); stubborn, rebellious, etc. It’s easy to criticize from afar and think, ‘Those people were the

worst!’ but the truth is that we are all ‘those people’.

Exodus 35 is a picture of a people transformed by God’s great mercy. Head, heart, and hands are all involved as all the people come together, united in purpose, to contribute to and construct the place of worship.

Because of God’s great mercy (not getting what I do deserve) and grace (getting what I do not deserve), I can be transformed by the power of the gospel, and that transformation must permeate every part of me, head, heart, and hands.

More than second chances, I need transformation!