This week, we conclude our 2024 Advent series. Over the past three weeks, we’ve explored the blues refrains, “Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen,” “How Long Must I Wait,” and “I Woke Up This Morning.” Living in the tension of God’s Kingdom "now and not yet," what have we learned to help us celebrate Christ’s birth with its struggles and promises of lasting peace? As the carolers sing, “The hopes and fears of all the years are met in Thee tonight,” we draw near to Emmanuel with all that we are.

Many blues songs often begin with the phrase, “I woke up this morning…”—a universal expression of life’s challenges and opportunities. This Sunday, we’ll explore the significance of mornings in scripture and in our lives, reflecting on how God’s mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Much of life finds us waiting. For someone or something. It's never particularly pleasant, yet not all waiting is created equal. Some is rather inconsequential: At this time of year we find ourselves irresistibly waiting for Christmas Day. However for some, waiting is almost unbearable. When the wait seems endless and the minutes, hours and days drag on. Perhaps what we need this Christmas is a new perspective on waiting. Listen as the Blues tells of the "Two Stories of Advent," and tune your heart to God's Advent calendar!

Experience Christmas through the honesty of The Blues with our Advent series, A Blues Christmas: Songs of Struggle, Promises of Peace. Just as the Blues express deep human struggle and the hope for something better, Jesus was born into a world longing for light. Together, let’s sing the songs of Emmanuel—from the cries of God’s people for rescue, to the angel's message to Mary, to the day Hope was born for us.

Week 1: Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen...

Christmas is a time for joy, but true joy never stands alone. Unlike the fleeting, commercial versions we often see, real joy shines through sorrow, like sunshine breaking through clouds. It’s the relief of a prisoner granted reprieve. True Christmas joy comes from the news that our sorrows are seen, our longing for peace will be fulfilled, and our brokenness will be healed—all because a child was born.

Unfortunately, we had a piece of gear go down and weren't able to record today's message. Sorry for the inconvenience!

This Sunday, we’ll explore the final fruit of the Spirit listed by Paul—one that seems to hold everything else together: Self-Control.

How often do we find ourselves wrestling with self-control? Whether it’s resisting that extra screen time, holding back on indulgences, or simply getting up in the morning with purpose, self-control touches nearly every part of our lives. You are not alone in this tension.

This is one area where the Theologians and the Psychologists agree; Self-Control is central to a healthy human life. Perhaps the key is in the phrase itself. Yes, "self." Come and taste, and see that the Lord is good and that neither despair nor white-knuckled desperation is the answer to gaining mastery of our impulsive lives.

As we approach the end of our journey exploring the Fruit of the Spirit, we meet the concept of Gentleness.

Do you detect a providential irony in the timing of this word’s appearance at the close of what has been a fiercely contested election, with the usual rhetoric and behavior that we could confidently describe as anything but “gentle?”

Might our association of this word with weakness be an issue when we consider this aspect of Fruitfulness? Is there something that we are missing? Probably!

Come and consider the truth of Jesus, who is both Lion and Lamb, and perhaps together we can break the broken patterns of our world and walk together along the new paths of Christ’s Kingdom.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against things like this.

What does it mean to nurture faithfulness as a fruit of the Spirit? Trust? Loyalty?  

In a world where commitment can waver, what does this look like in real time?  

 

Let’s look at how faithfulness shapes our character and strengthens our relationships with God and others.

The subtitle of our sermon series is “Taste and See That the Lord is Good.” For centuries, philosophers and theologians have debated what the word "good" really means. Today, this question is more relevant than ever, with a wide range of definitions and opinions. This Sunday, we’ll explore what it means to grow in spiritual fruitfulness that we can confidently call "good." We’ll consider how to live in a way that embodies true goodness in our world, empowered by Jesus’ power and grace.

When was the last time you experienced kindness? Take a moment to reflect. What made it stand out to you? Who showed it, and why do you think they did? How did it impact you?

Kindness is something we admire and strive to practice, but it can also be distorted by the world around us and the impulses within us. This week, we’ll explore how this Fruit of the Spirit challenges, transforms, and sends us out into the world in Jesus’ name.