In this week's sermon, our focus is on the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth. This is an incredible interactions. The young, unmarried girl who has miraculously conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. And the old, barren woman who has miraculously conceived with her husband by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

These two are relatives, and Mary goes from Nazareth on a 4 day journey to the hill country outside of Jerusalem. Upon Mary's arrival, the baby inside Elizabeth leaps for joy! 

This third week of Advent is the week for joy is so it is fitting to follow John's reaction as we engage with Jesus. 

In Luke, chapter 2, when Jesus' birth is announced by angels to the shepherds, the angels declare: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!"

But when the angel Gabriel announces Jesus birth to Mary, the announcement looks different: "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you."

Peace and shadow. Light and darkness. Both are true in the life of the Christian. And both would be true in the life of Mary. Yet, she surrenders to the working of God in her life anyhow.

What gave her the strength and wisdom to do this? How can we find the same courage to act as Mary did? In this sermon, Pastor Kevin considers the "shadowed" life of the Christian - and the light which gives us hope and peace.

For this first Sunday in Advent, we turn our attention to Luke chapter 1. Luke chapter 1 is often overlooked as we jump straight into the Christmas narrative in Luke chapter 2. But, that's often how it goes with Christmas, isn't it? We rush right ahead. As soon as the Halloween decorations are down at Walmart, the Christmas ones are up. We're too quick to jump ahead to fulfillment, when there's something spiritually edifying in waiting in the foretelling. 

In this sermon, we are introduced to Zechariah and Elizabeth, the parents of the one we will come to know as John the Baptist. 

In Revelation - the apostle John gives us a glimpse of what's coming - at the end of all things. Yes, there is an ending. Not just to the Scriptural Narrative, but to the world as we know it. And then, something new. As Semisonic once penned: "Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."

But we're not thrust into an endless cycle of rebirth and recreation. We're not subjected to the same pain, suffering, and struggle that we're so accustomed to living in, in this life. You might say we don't long so much for "life after death"...but "love after death."

And that's what awaits all who fall asleep in Christ. But what does this "love" and "life" look like? What difference does it make to me now? How do I know I'll experience it? Listen as Pastor Kevin unpacks the glimpse of John, given to us in Revelation 21.

In the Scriptural narrative, Jesus death and resurrection is the climax of the story. It's everything that everyone had been waiting and hoping for. But...there's still more to the recorded story of history after the climax. This sermon focuses on the words of the Scriptures that take place after the ascension of Jesus into heaven. The New Testament is filled with the people of God living into the reality that in Christ, that (we) are a new creation. The old has gone, the new has come. 

This is still our reality to this day. 

Everything in the story has been pointing to this movement. It's all about Jesus. Every page of the Old Testament has been gearing up for His arrival. Jesus is the one who fulfills everything that every person in the Old Testament was incapable of doing. 

In this sermon, Pastor Aaron walks through the Bible to demonstrate that Jesus is the perfect prophet, priest, and king. 

David is one of the most central figures - not only in the Bible - but in history. His biography is longer than any other from ancient history. Statues of David can be found from Venice, Italy to Washington D.C. More stories from his life are recounted in Scripture than that of Abraham or Moses. In the New Testament - one of David's Psalms (110) - is quoted more than any other passage from the Old Testament.

Why is David so important? And what is the connection between David and Jesus?

In this sermon, Pastor Kevin explores 2 Samuel 7 - to demonstrate how the promises made to David are fulfilled ultimately in Jesus of Nazareth.

Moses is one of the most well known characters in the Bible. Multiple episodes from his life feature prominently in children's Bibles and Sunday School lessons. His story is covered in the books of Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. But, the events of his life end up becoming themes that carry on throughout the Old and New Testaments, and even meet us today. 

In this sermon, Pastor Aaron reminds us that Moses was an ordinary man, like all of us, but God is the one who worked His promises through Moses. 

In Genesis 12, God comes down. No, this is not the "incarnation." This is not the virgin birth of Jesus. But it sets a certain pattern (which Jesus will ultimately fulfill!) - of God partnering with humanity to achieve His goals.

God meets with a man named Abram, calling him from his homeland, and thrusting him into a quest for the salvation of all mankind. Sound epic? It is. And it's also the way God continues to work.

God, still today, "partners" with humanity for the sake of the world - to fulfill the promise made to Abram - that His people would be "a blessing to all the families on the earth." And he accomplishes this - through His people.

Looking for inspiration for how God is working in your life? Listen as Pastor Kevin unpacks this week's "Movement of Scripture."

The 2nd major movement with the Scripture is the fall into sin. 

In our first sermon, we established that God is the creator of all things. We discussed that what we believe about our beginnings affects our every day reality. 

In this 2nd movement of Scripture, we looked at the origins of where sin and all its horrible effects come from. Because, what we believe about the origins of sin also affects our every day reality. 

So, where does it all come from? Take a listen to this sermon as we open up the Bible to Genesis chapter 3.