Pathways Church | Messages

How many of us are searching for peace this Christmas? We spend our lives chasing things to find happiness and peace, but only one thing will ever bring the lasting joy and peace we desperately seek: a relationship with God through His son, Jesus.

When most people think about Mary, they often have images of a pious, humble girl who trusted God. But do we consider Mary & Joseph and what they went through as the human parents of Jesus? The Bible declares the birth of Jesus as "Good News," but Mary probably doesn’t think that way. She’s probably scared, trying to make sense of it all…

Let's be honest. Most of us are over-scheduled, stressed, and anxious. The idea of true peace is elusive. If you scour the internet looking for peace, you will find some "helpful tips" that aren't necessarily wrong or bad, but they are certainly lacking in depth and effectiveness. So what does true peace look like, and perhaps more importantly, where do we find it?

A recurring theme within Christmas music is the search and longing for peace. Many of these songs are written in times of pain, anguish, war, and loss. In a fallen war-torn world, the honest question becomes, "Can we truly have peace?"

This week, as we close "No Series November" and celebrate Thanksgiving, we take time for personal reflection and challenge ourselves to realign our thinking to that of gratitude.

Gratitude is contagious, yet sadly, it has become rare to encounter truly grateful people. But gratitude is a choice, so what happens when we choose not to be thankful?

Why is it that no matter who we are or what our role is, we are constantly trying to find ways to be something "more"? This is not a struggle new to humanity. People are often surprised to learn that one of the wisest men to ever live wrote how meaningless life is, and those famous words are found in the Bible, of all places.

Have you ever stopped to people-watch? One thing you'll likely notice is that very few people seem happy, smiles are rare. Looks of frustration and an overall depression appear prominent. Could we have become so jaded that nothing impresses, satisfies, or moves us? This week, we look at the topic of gratitude.

This week, the teaching team has a candid conversation about the last few weeks and what we have personally learned. We discuss where we go from here, and how to make an impact in a divided nation.

Panel: Pastor Keith Thornton, Pastor Mike Newsom, Pastor Matt Samler & Pastor Tommy Bellamy

Certain subjects are too divisive, so we avoid discussing them because we live in a divided world. In Matthew, we find a moment in which two opposing groups unite together for a shared purpose, to trap Jesus.