Palm Sunday means Psalm 118 – a prayer both on Jesus’ lips and in the people’s praise. We look at passion for God’s praise – in the streets, in the public square, and at the table after a meal. Along the way, we get a sense of what anger really is – a passion for what matters to you, a voice to be heard – and two key pictures of when it is rightly ordered (Jesus in the temple) and wrongly ordered (the leaders in response). We discover that this Psalm helps us see Jesus for who he is, give him the praise he deserves, and gain a passion for more people to enjoy him and praise him.
from hurt to healing: taking revenge to God
Psalm 137 stands out in the Bible as a white-hot cry of pain from a place of hurt.
Let’s discover one more way the psalms teach us to be honest about our hearts before God and others… instead of denial or resentment and revenge, bringing our hurts to God and finding attention and healing. Thank God that his word embraces our very real world, in all its hurt and hardship.
Psalm 126: Restoration
Week 2 brings us Katie Macturk as a guest preacher from Storyhill Church! Continuing our “To be Honest” series, we sit with Psalm 126 and heart’s gladness and sadness. Looking back at the restoration that God has accomplished in the past gives us the confidence to ask God to restore us once more. The same God who has restored us before can restore us again!
from fear to faith, wisdom, and help
First of the new series! We look at Psalm 27 and the core human emotion of fear. Over these five weeks, the Psalms will both show us our hearts and teach us to be honest with our hearts to God. They teach us to pray, as David Taylor says, “Not to escape your life but to be open and unafraid about it”. Psalms help us express our hearts to God, not praying what we “think” we are supposed to, but what’s real and what we really feel. Today in Psalm 27 we get a prayer for when we are feeling fear – and learn to feel it and face it and take it to God, discovering help, wisdom, and faith.
God is the one who over and over again in the Bible says these words: “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.” As Scotty Smith put it:
- the most frequently repeated command in the bible is “do not fear. Don’t be afraid.”
- and the most frequently repeated promise in the Bible: “I am with you”.
May you discover the gift of fear – telling the truth, discovering your need and gaining a heart of wisdom — becoming whole-hearted, depending in love on the God who loves you, who has sent his son to secure a place for you, and who gives you his Spirit. He will never abandon or forsake you.
portrait 6: Jesus on the new creation
Revelation 21-22 paints the most beautiful picture of God’s new creation – life in the new heavens and the new earth. We discover that it is a real place, packed full of God’s people, and filled with his presence. And that focuses and fuels our work as a church now: in this place, with these people, pointing to God’s presence and his call to salvation! Thanks for staying with us as we wrap up this series of portraits God paints to encourage his church in patience, endurance, and faithfulness in mission.
portrait 5: Jesus on “the end”
Revelation 19.2 starts with “for true and just are his judgments.” In these two chapters, we get the true word on Jesus’ return, his judgment, and his salvation. Come discover why these matters must matter to us and why they are safe in God’s hands. And hear the choice before you and the invitation to meet the judge …who is a friend.
portrait 4: Jesus on the conflict: why it’s so hard
Revelation 6-19 is the part of the book … “where the wild things are.” It’s the unrolling of the scroll: God’s plan to save and to judge. We look at chapter 6 plus selected scenes to discern what’s happening, what God does with his church, who the enemy is, where we live – and how we persevere. Note: this is a re-recorded “extended version” since our recording did not quite take when we were live on Sunday.
portrait 3: Jesus at the throne
We keep pressing on in this letter …to Portrait #3: Jesus at the throne! Revelation 4-5 are the key to interpreting this whole book. Here we zoom in on the throne room scene to see Jesus, the lamb who was slain, standing right there at the center. Join us in discovering how this vision redefines so much for us – our posture in worship, our grasp of power, and our ethics: how we live.
Revelation 4: Snow Day
On Friday I adapted a bit of Revelation 4 for this snow day weekend when we can’t gather. The vision Jesus gives John shows us what’s true – even when we don’t perceive it, and even when everything seems otherwise. I encourage you take a few minutes this weekend to watch it, read Revelation 4, and use the short mediation or discussion guide posted at our website. And much joy as the snow falls!
Portrait 2: Jesus and His Church
Week two of Revelation! We’re looking at the “portraits” revelation paints and this one (ch. 2-3) is what Jesus has to say to the Church – back in the first century, in our age, and really in any age. It’s a mix of blessing, critique, and challenge. Jesus has words for us that carry notes of warning and promises of comfort and victory. If our church is going to be his faithful witness, we will have to walk his road of loving him and loving others. That means embracing discomfort, patiently enduring, and taking the next faithful step, over time, to the finish line. What is Jesus saying to us? To you?