We often treat doubt as damning, as if the presence of doubt spells doom for our faith. We envision following Jesus as a life of faith rooted in belief and culminating in understanding. But what if a life full of questions is the fruit of following an infinite God? And what if communion and commission still await those that find themselves wrestling with unbelief? Tonight we will continue our series “40 Days” looks at Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances with his encounter with “Doubting” Thomas. What can this interaction teach us about how God wants us to engage with doubt?

We often treat doubt as damning, as if the presence of doubt spells doom for our faith. We envision following Jesus as a life of faith rooted in belief and culminating in understanding. But what if a life full of questions is the fruit of following an infinite God? And what if communion and commission still await those that find themselves wrestling with unbelief? Tonight we will continue our series “40 Days” looks at Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances with his encounter with “Doubting” Thomas. What can this interaction teach us about how God wants us to engage with doubt?

Week Three is here…our 40 Days series and tonight we are looking at The 10. Its Sunday evening and Jesus suddenly appears to the remaining ten disciples (Thomas wasn’t there) and likely other followers who were both hiding in fear and at the same time wrestling with their belief in a risen Christ. Isn’t this true for us too? Even as we believe, we find ourselves wrestling with our fears and our doubts? Hey, Jesus’ isn’t offended by your doubts! We will see tonight as we read through this post-resurrection encounter detailed for us in both John 20 and Luke 24 that what Jesus said to them…He wants to say to you: Peace be with you, Look at My hands…My feet, and Receive the Holy Spirit. Just as Jesus showed up in people’s lives 2000 years ago, He shows up for you and for me. He’s waiting for you on your road, your life path ready to find you just as He has been finding people for centuries. He found them. He found me. Your story of being found is coming…

Jesus had 40 days He had set aside prior to His return to Heaven for all the encounters planned out from the foundations of the earth. These encounters would complete His earthly ministry before moving on to what He Himself self-describes in John 14 as leaving to prepare a place for us. Nothing about Jesus' life and ministry was haphazard. He wasn’t here just winging it each day, hoping things would work out! He had a plan and each of these 40 days encounters were part of that plan…not just for those He encountered but for us. He knew the Holy Spirit was going to include these in the text of Scripture. These are encounters are for you and me. And although there are volumes of lessons we can find in this Emmaus encounter, I believe the one that is central to all of them is: death and resurrection. In verses 25 and 26 we read that Jesus tells His two companions that the Messiah had to suffer and die before entering His glory…death and resurrection. We love resurrection. We love the prize. We love the result. We love the glory. But like Jesus we too must endure a death. The central theme to tonight’s message is this: There is a death that we must be willing to embrace for the life that He created us to live, and in this message we will explore specifically ways we have to die to self in exchange for the life He intends for us to live. Thanks for taking time to share in this series with us!

We are launching the series entitled 40 Days that will explore six post resurrection encounters people had with Jesus...it's gonna be good! Tonight will be Mary Magdalene. I was telling a visitor recently part of our church personality is having a teaching pulpit and teaching that brings a fresh look at passages that maybe you have read many times before...the Holy Spirit always has something new for us...Scripture is most certainly ancient but is never old! If you are in a season of change, wrestling with grief as you face the passing of one season heading into something new, like being an empty nester...then Mary Magdalene's story has something to say to you! We are also going to talk tonight about the legacy you want to leave...how will you be remembered...Magdalene isn't her last name! They didn't use sir names in their culture. What will be your "Magdalene?”

I love that Jesus’ last statement was not, “It is finished.” Seems like it should have been doesn’t it? That would have been the most theatrical approach, the most dramatic. But Jesus wasn’t writing a script for our entertainment. He was still teaching us, even at the end…or should we say, the in between? Tonight we are going to talk about a word that is used to translate part of Jesus’ final statement as read in the King James Bible. That word is: commend. We don’t really use this word in modern English language, forms of it yes, but not really this word in particular. We have been using the King James version throughout this series for several reasons, but tonight, it is a reminder that choosing the correct translation helps us find the best meaning. And the KJV gets this one, in my opinion, better than the rest. This message is about “culminating moments” and understanding “commend” points us in the right direction. I trust this last installment in this series will be just as impactful for you as the others have been…as we discover what it means to be “in between” and how to navigate those moments in life that represent life altering change.

In the Church we sure do love conversations about the end times. Well in Matthew 25 Jesus gives us his longest teaching about the end times, and within it he tells a parable to the 12 disciples about ten virgins, oil, and their lamps. If you grew up in the Church you’re likely familiar with oil speaking to the anointing of the Holy Spirit. But what do these lamps represent in the lives of these virgins awaiting the bridegroom? And what can it teach us about the importance of the internal life we have with God in the Spirit? Tonight Pastor Matt Hoole from Mechanicsville Christian Church helps us break down all of the above!

Jesus promises us in the Gospels that we will face troubles and uphill battles. That sounds pretty discouraging, and even unappealing. But let me put this idea to rest for you: whether or believe in Jesus or not, there will be uphill battles. But when we face these battles, if we are devoted to Jesus, we will be equipped to handle them. And one passage of scripture that does just that are the Songs of Ascent in Psalms. These are uphill songs for uphill battles, and tonight we dig into what they teach us to apply to our faith walk as we endure our own ascents.

It is finished. Even if we haven’t said those words exactly the same, we have surely felt the sentiment. Walking across a stage at graduation. Taking on a sizable home renovation project. Passing your driving test. Retirement. Changing that first dirty diaper…lol! I wonder if those at the cross when Jesus died heard Him say “It is finished” understood what He actually felt. I think they must have thought it was a sad and desperate expression of resignation. That He had failed. That after three years of miracles, three years of proving that He was truly the long awaited Messiah…here He was dying at the hands of unscrupulous people. He tried His best, but own, it’s finished. No! Certainly not! Well, yes, that is how I think they heard it but that is not what Jesus was saying! In this message we will talk about why I am convinced what Jesus was actually communicating a sentiment more along the lines of, “I did it!” He wasn’t giving up…He was getting ready for His next grand, miraculous, glorious act…conquering death! Thanks for listening!

If we were to point to a Simon from the Gospels we would no doubt immediately go to Simon Peter, the premier disciple. But in the story of Jesus’ death and resurrection there’s a second Simon that makes an appearance. Each of Matthew, Mark and Luke give us exactly one verse about this man who is compelled to help Jesus carry his cross on the way to crucifixion. We get very few details, but each writer points to the fact he was from Cyrene. He was a foreigner. And in a lot of ways this Good Cyrenian becomes Jesus’ Good Samaritan – an active bystander crossing cultural lines to help while others passed or stood by passively. And ultimately, in carrying the cross of Christ, Simon of Cyrene teaches us not just about being an active bystander (something necessary to loving our neighbor), but just what it looks like to pick up our cross and follow Christ.