Today’s question: very current and very divisive. What is Israel? That question is as old as the Bible and as current as this past week’s news. Politics demands we have an answer on this. Religion demands we have an answer on this. Much of the church today that believes in replacement theology, that the church has replaced Israel. God is done with them. From religion to politics, Israel is a hot topic. Why does everyone have an opinion on Israel?

Before the foundations of the world, God had a plan -- and that plan was you. This week, Pastor Jordan West walked us through Ephesians 1:3-14 and the profound truth that salvation was planned by the Father, accomplished by the Son, proclaimed by us, and secured by the Holy Spirit. You cannot earn it. You cannot lose it. And you did nothing to deserve it -- which means the glory belongs entirely to God. Whether you are wrestling with questions about God's sovereignty, your own free will, or simply wondering if you are truly saved, this message is for you. Salvation is not about your works. It is about Christ's.

Marriage is more than a contract between two people — it is a covenant designed by God himself to reflect the love between Christ and the church. When a husband and wife commit to one another, they are painting a living picture of the gospel for the world to see.

Drawing from Ephesians 5:21-33 and Genesis 2:18-24, we are challenged us to see marriage through God's eyes — a sacred union where two become one, where we help and strengthen each other, and where we work together to point others to Jesus Christ.

Whether you are married, single, widowed, or walking through the pain of a broken relationship, there is a word for you: God's grace is greater than our failures, and nothing can separate us from his love.

What happens the moment we take our last breath? It is one of the most pressing questions any of us will ever face, and yet it is one we often push to the edges of our thinking. In this message drawn from 1 Corinthians 15, we are invited to look directly at death and the resurrection without flinching. The passage walks us through the core of the gospel itself, that Christ died, was buried, and rose again, and it forces us to reckon with what that means not just as a historical fact but as the anchor of our entire existence.

This powerful message takes us deep into the nature of sin and salvation through Romans 5 and 6, revealing truths that transform how we understand our identity in Christ. We discover that sin is far more than just breaking rules—it's fundamentally about doing things our own way instead of aligning with God's will.

What is a human? Just another animal? Is our existence random? Science has been answering this: we came from nothing and return to nothing. We’re just another living organism in a random creation. Does that view matter? Understanding what a human is more than a philosophical discussion. It shapes laws, views of life, and how we treat each other. We are continuing today out What Is? series with the question, what is humanity. Let’s start with hearing God on this.

Last week I made the comment that the only thing we are here to do, alive to do, is a be a witness for the Gospel. Today we continue our What Is? series by looking at what is the Great Commission and before we do, let’s look at the Great Commandment. Can we obey the great commandment without obeying the great commission? Can we love God, love our neighbor without the great commission? Why would that be a part of loving God and our neighbor?

The message today is not about a particular form of government. The follower of Christ follows Him under whatever government they find themselves. Throughout history, most Christians have not only had no say, they didn’t even think about having a say in the government that they followed Christ under. We continue our 'What is series' today with what is government? A lot of ways to approach this: biblical responsibility of government and leaders, patriotism, which I do believe the Bible would support, wrong views we tend to have about government. Does the Bible support a certain kind of government. The relationship between church and state. But I am not talking about any of that. Is government from God and why? Let’s read Romans 13:1-7.

Graduation. Marriage. Parenthood. A new job. A hard diagnosis. An unexpected loss. Retirement. Every one of those moments turns our hearts toward the future and makes us ask what comes next. Now the answer may look different in different seasons. What comes next after high school is not the same as what comes next in retirement. But I believe there is an answer to that question that fits every season, every transition, and every circumstance of life. Turn with me to Hebrews 12:1–3.

In case you don’t know me, I’m Mike Osborne, and I’ve had the privilege of serving here at The Heights as Executive Pastor. Or at least I will for the next 16 days. At the end of this month, I’ll be retiring after 23 years in this role and nearly 47 years in full-time ministry. So today, I’m not standing at an ending as much as I am standing at a crossroads in a long journey.

If you’ve ever walked a long trail, you know that the farther you go, the more clearly you can see where the path has led. That’s how I feel as I look back over these nearly 47 years of ministry. It has been a long and gracious journey—filled with mountain peaks and valleys, hard climbs and quiet resting places, seasons of joy and seasons of sorrow.