Spark Cast

When John the Baptist announces the launch of his cousin Jesus’ ministry, he introduces Jesus as, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!” How does that work? In what way does Jesus being ‘God’s lamb’ translate into forgiveness of our sins? From the beginning, the Church has embraced the joys and pains that come from grappling with that question, the navigation of our “theories of atonement”, which often say more about our own sense of justice than God’s.

Often we consider what Jesus taught without considering who he was teaching and why he taught that way. This Sunday Pastor Mark will help us delve into the brilliance of HOW Jesus taught, which may speak to how we are to interact with those around us.

Prophetic speaking is frequently a telling of hard truths.

Rulers, thrones, and authorities. These are the governance structures that have guided humanity for thousands of years. To be "king," to this day means to be "in charge" to "reign" and to exude power. As with other titles, the gospel writers indicate that Jesus is coronated as king. However, yet again Jesus upends the definition of that term and provokes a radical view, power exemplified in service.

Abraham is called a friend of God. Jesus calls us friends. He even calls his enemies friends. So, what does being a "friend" of God mean, that Jesus is our "friend?"

In the earliest years of our lives, we learn that part of being human means possessing deep longings. One of the deepest longings anyone can ever know is this longing for healing. The story of Jesus healing a bleeding woman is a story of healing and a restoring of her dignity as a daughter of Israel.

Throughout the Gospels, the prophet Elijah is a constant in the background. Who was this prophet? Why did he hold such a prominent place in the memory and culture in first-century Israel? And why did people compare Jesus to him?

The depth of meaning behind the term "logos" used to describe Jesus is vast. Philosophers used this term to describe a host of ideas from "order" to "divine force." The Hebrews had a similar concept in their literature to describe "wisdom" and the creative activity of their God. In Jesus, these two ideas come together and uplifts both our senses and our soul.

The gospel writers draw direct parallels between Jesus and Moses. These allusions lead us to consider the character, life, and legacy of Moses as part of what we are to think of and believe about Jesus. So, when we think of Moses, what do we think of? What is the storyline do we tell? Ancient sources give us clues as to the meaning and lessons the first-century believers understood in this comparison.

At the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River the heavens open up and we hear declared, "This is my Son, whom I love, with whom I am well pleased."