Mountain Park Video Podcast: Recent Episodes
Mountain Park Community Church
Mountain Park Community Church is located in the town of Ahwatukee in Phoenix, Arizona. We are a safe place. We want children, students and adults to realize that church can be fun. Mountain Park is also a dangerous place to stay. Most of us don't like change but we need it in some area of our lives. You will be challenged, you will be moved... and by the grace of God, we'll all be transformed.
The story of your life is part of the grand story of humanity. If you can read or hear these words then your story is not over yet. Part of your story remains Unwritten. This week we're talking about a New Chapter. In the next season of your life...
We are continuing our journey through the story of the Church. Today, we're looking at how the Scientific Revolution dramatically impacted our experience with God. Now that we could explain and understand things, it removed some of the mystery of God...
What's "New" about a man who flees the struggling city of Rome and becomes a hermit? What's inspiring about a man who established multiple communities of monks while Rome was being overrun by barbarians? Some say these monasteries saved western...
In the grand story of humanity, we now shift to the story of "The Church" – the 2000 years between the New Testament story and our current story. Throughout that time, there have been many "new" things that have greatly impacted humanity. As part of...
The New Testament has multiple phrases to attempt to explain that God wants to do Something New in us through Jesus. It's a "New Day" because we can experience "New Life" through a "New Covenant" that allow us to become a "New Creation." Perhaps these...
We all have a desire to feel like we belong somewhere. It's why peer pressure is so powerful and why racial discrimination is so painful. The New Testament refers to the church as the "body of Christ." The body has many unique and wonderful parts...
Coming out of Easter we are now moving in the grand story to the section we call "The Revolution." This is the second half of the New Testament. It's the story of Jesus' followers and the revolution of love that they spread throughout many neighboring...
As we enter Holy Week, we're going to look at a phrase that Jesus used when he met with his disciples one final time before his crucifixion. He said the cup represents the "New Covenant." This is a reference to a profound prophecy in the Old Testament...
Jesus has always had a growing interest in the church. From the very beginning, his hope, plan and expectation is that the church would grow. That will not happen at Mountain Park without you. If this is your church home, have you considered playing a...
We naturally gravitate toward energizing people in our lives. It's easy to invest in those relationships. But how are we supposed to respond to the people who have hurt us, the people who annoy us, or the people who bore us? In the Sermon on the...
The Kingdom of God is not something you can add to your life, it's something you build your life around.
As we celebrate baptisms this Sunday, we're talking about a New Name. We are all born with a name and throughout our lives, we take on different labels that define who we are. Some are true; some are not. Some are positive; some are not. There are...
We typically ask one another, "How are you doing?" which elicits a perfunctory "fine" response. A much deeper question is "How is your heart?" The condition of your heart has nothing to do with the circumstances around you. God promises to give us a...
In our final message under the topic of Exodus (which represents the first half of the Old Testament), we find a very different and somewhat disturbing thought about pursuing Something New: "there's nothing new under the sun." How could that possibly...
Multiple times in the Bible, people are called to "sing a new song." Old songs are great. They connect us with people, memories and places from our past. From a spiritual perspective, people who have been followers of Christ for a long time typically...
Through Abraham, God established a New Nation. Eventually, that nation was led by King David who decided to build a beautiful New Temple for God. Unfortunately, God didn't ask him to do that. It was a nice gesture, but God didn't need a home. This...
After God created a New Start for humanity through the story of Noah and the ark, he started a New Nation with a man named Abraham. The big difference between pre and post flood is that humans no longer had to figure life out on their own. God started...
This week we're looking at one of the most known stories in all of scripture: the story of Noah and the ark. God is deeply grieved by the sin of his creation, so he decides to wipe out all living creatures and have a new start with Noah and his...
This message is an introduction to our theme this year. Are you ready to try Something New? Perhaps patterns you've been working with have not proven to be effective. Perhaps everything is going fine but you're just coasting and looking for something...
This week's verse means very little outside of its context. But when it represents the story from which it is found, it is a profound reminder. Our salvation cannot be earned, but there is an expectation in terms of how we respond to our salvation...
This week, we are wrapping up the Unwritten part of our journey through 40 Foundational passages of scripture. The Unwritten section is about our decisions and our stories right now in 2016. This week's verses are about how we interact with one...
As we continue looking at the Unwritten stories of our lives, our focus this morning is on marriage. This week's Foundational verse is incredibly profound. Men and women are different. We have different needs and different ways of addressing those...
As we continue looking at the Unwritten stories of our lives, our focus this morning is on marriage. This week's Foundational verse is incredibly profound. Men and women are different. We have different needs and different ways of addressing those...
This section of the overall story is about you and the "Unwritten" story of your life. Today we're talking about you at work. Some people find work to be meaningless and their goal in life is to retire and never have to "work" again. Others find their...
We now enter the Unwritten part of the story. The story of God is not just something we read about in the Bible and do our best to learn. The story is ongoing and you and I are part of it. The next five Foundational verses address our current...
Another important issue that was addressed through the Protestant Reformation was access to God. We do not need to go through a "priest" because, through Christ, we now have direct access to God. This is referred to as the "priesthood of all...
Most would agree that over the past 2,000 years, the most significant part of the church story was the Protestant Reformation. It was a challenge to the Church that people are not justified before God by their actions but by God's grace alone. One of...
The Spanish Inquisition was a horrific and embarrassing part of church history. In the 15th century, there was an increasing number of Jewish people and Muslims who were entering the country of Spain. As a result, the church told them they could only...
Tens of thousands of Christians have been killed because of their faith. What would give someone the strength to be a martyr? How could a person ask God to forgive his or her murderer while the vile act was taking place? The answer is simple but...
The Eternal God has become human and dwelt among us. Jesus is divine and Jesus is human. But how? There was a big controversy in the early church and it continues to rage today. Who is this Jesus? Is he part God and part human? How can one person be...
The week, we are looking at the last verse in the "Revolution" part of the overall story. It is found in the book of Hebrews, near the beginning of a chapter known as the "Faith Chapter." The author says, "without faith it is impossible to please...
It's one thing to debate the actual meaning of scripture. Different passages can be interpreted very differently and send us down a wide range of paths. But there's an important question that must be asked before we pursue the true meaning: do these...
These verses are part of our foundational journey because it is essential for us to understand that we are at war. Regardless of what's happening in the Middle East or with ISIS, until Jesus returns, we will continue to be at war. It's not peacetime...
This week's verse is terrific encouragement regarding temptation, but it is surrounded by some aggressive challenges. Challenge #1 (verse 12) is "Don't get cocky!" Don't think that you're immune to the power of temptation. Challenge #2 (verse 14) is...
There's a significant transition in the book of Romans between chapters 11 and 12. It's a transition from belief to behavior, from doctrine to duty. Once we understand the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ (chapters 1-11), every believer wants to...
Are you living in the shadow of your dreams? Or have you given up on them altogether because the obstacles are just too great? In this message from the story of Joshua, we look at the unconventional way God works to guide Joshua and the people through...
Love is the supreme value of the Christian faith. Jesus not only commands us to love, but also identifies love as the key characteristic of his disciples (John 13:34-35). The Apostle Paul devotes a whole chapter to describe love in 1 Corinthians 13...
Philippians 2:5-11 has been identified as a beloved ancient Christian hymn. It is one of the strongest and most beautiful descriptions of the person and deity of Jesus Christ. However, it is more than a great theology lesson. Paul is calling us to...
Romans 8:28 is another fan favorite. It is a comforting verse for many who are experiencing the storms of life. The key, however, is to embrace this verse before the storm rather than during the storm because the verse can actually distance people...
Many guys like old cars. Many guys like old, powerful cars. The roar of the engine and getting thrust deep into your seat are desirable experiences. Often times in life we feel underpowered; we feel as if we're running on a 4-cyl engine that needs a...
Many refer to Matthew 28:18-20 as the "Great Commission." In this message, we're looking at what makes it so great. These are Jesus' last words in the book of Matthew; they were his marching orders for his remaining disciples and they are his marching...
In this week's foundational passage, Jesus offers rest. If we don't see a need for rest in our lives, then these words of Jesus may seem irrelevant. If, however, we see ourselves as "weary and burdened" and in great need of rest, then these verses are...
The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, 6 and 7 is generally viewed as the hallmark of the teachings of Jesus. He brings that sermon to a close with a provocative statement that we consider today. Jesus talks about two gates that bring an individual to...
This week's Foundational scripture is Jesus' example of how we should pray. He provides us with some powerful phrases that we can pray to the Father. We are certainly not limited to these words, but they are a great foundation. There's a sense in...
John 10:10 is a favorite Bible verse for many – but I'm not sure it means what we think it means. It is a verse of opposites, comparing the thief to the Shepherd and death to life. A thief takes. He doesn't have your best interest in mind; he wants...
John 3:16 is one of the most known and beloved verses of all time. It is a summary of the gospel story. It identifies God's motivation (God so loved the world), the action taken (gave his one and only Son), our required response (whoever believes) and...
We now enter the third section, entitled "Messiah," which represents the stories of Jesus found in the four gospels. The first foundational verse in this section is Jesus' offensive declaration that he is the Messiah that the Jews had been waiting...
A list of foundational scriptures would be incomplete if it did not include something about how we handle money. Malachi 3:10 is the one verse identified on this topic as part of the list of 40 because it clearly addresses the positive results of...
Micah 6:8 is a bold and beautiful challenge to those who have power over others. We need to act justly. We cannot solve all the problems of the world, but each person needs to identify at least one injustice in the world and do something about it. We...
There is a common belief in our society that everything is the result of a series of random or coincidental events. While some might verbally disagree with this idea, this is actually how we live. We live our lives as if all the things that happen are...
At Easter last Sunday, we transitioned from "The Exodus" to "The Exile" in our journey through the story of God. We're still in Isaiah, looking at another verse from this amazing prophet. God reminds us that his thoughts and ways are higher than ours...
This Easter we're continuing our Foundation journey by looking at an amazingly prophetic verse in Isaiah 53. The prophet declares, "by his wounds we are healed." Our relationship with God was broken and someone (God) had to initiate reconciliation. It...
The stress and tension we experience in life is typically connected to the decisions we need to make. Should I buy this or not? Should I do this or not? This week's Foundational verse is a gem because it is a filter for all of our decisions. The most...
We now return to our Foundation journey where we are looking at 40 key passages of scripture that help us understand God's story. The book of Psalms starts with a pathway to experiencing happiness. The person we want to become is significantly shaped...
Paul says a remarkable thing in the final verse of this section in Ephesians 3 that we have been looking at. He says that there are two things that glorify God: Christ and the church – the Groom and the bride. The actions, decisions and activities of...
This week we are considering OUR full potential as a church. In Ephesians 3:20, Paul addresses God as the one "who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine." There is an assumption that we are to "ask" for things and "imagine" what...
It's official… we're moving! In this series, we will explore the details of the move, the design of the building and the plan for how we're going to get there. February 28 will be "Commitment Sunday" where we hope to have commitments for $2.7M over...
Despite technological advances that are supposed to do work for us, our lists of "things to do" has gotten longer and longer. We work hard all day and into the night. We are busy and we are stretched thin. Then comes the day when one more tiny thing...
Deuteronomy 6:4-5 is part of a collection of scriptures in the Old Testament known as the "Shema." Most Jewish people would refer to these verses as the "foundation" of Jewish faith. These verses acknowledge clearly the identity of the one, true God...
The verse for this week is much less known than others on our list of 40, but it is critical in terms of understanding the overall story. First of all, it is the central moment in a story that is referred to more than any other in the Old Testament –...
There is really only one way to begin our Foundation journey. Genesis 1:1 sets the tone for all of scripture. These foundational words are ridiculed by some and cherished by others. These words are very well known and difficult to be ignored. God's...
Elf is the rather humorous story of a human baby who grew up thinking he was an elf. He discovered the truth and went on an adventure to find his human father who lives in New York City. Buddy the elf's story connects with a very real journey in all...
The job of parents is to prepare their kids for the future. But what future are we preparing them for? Scripture provides glimpses of The End of the story. It's not wise for us to ignore these verses because they are in the Bible for a reason. Some of...
Every story must come to an end – even the one great Story that encompasses all other stories. Every generation has been fascinated with the "end times" and the hints that scripture provides in terms of when, where and how the story will end. The...
Ziplining is an amazing and unforgettable experience, until the line breaks. We don't want to talk about it, but it could happen. Sometimes in our most intimate relationships, the line snaps. We trusted them and now we are left hurt and devastatingly...
We are designed to do life together in community with others. We are designed to need one another and trust one another. The reality of trusting one another, however, is that we don't have control over people trusting us – we only have control over us...
Last week we asked, "Do you trust yourself?" and next week we're going to look at trusting others. There is an important step in between those two, however. As we learn to trust what's inside us (see last week), we need to develop a reputation that we...
We've been talking about trust all year. It's the foundation of our relationships with God and with others. When trust is high, so is our connection. But what about trusting ourselves? What might that look like? Cultural wisdom implores us to trust...
"Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy...
We're continuing to look at how trust has shown up in the story of "The Church" – the 2000 years between the Bible story and our current story. Today we're looking at an incredible man of faith who played a key role in the development of the United...
Throughout church history, men and women have made brave decisions to leave lives of comfort and travel to the ends of the earth to tell people about Jesus. Many of them left with no intention of ever returning. This level of trust in their God and in...
There are many who say the Bible is just a bunch of old stories, myths and legends like any other ancient writing. Some view it as one of the great works of religious literature, similar to the Koran or Book of Mormon, compiled over time and helpful...
There's debate as to what it means to call someone a "cretan." One definition is that a cretan is someone who cannot be trusted and it comes from Paul's letter to Titus in the New Testament. Titus is offering spiritual guidance to the people on the...
Today we're looking at the incredible reality that God actually trusts US! This year we've been talking about trusting God and trusting others, but the revolutionaries in the New Testament made it clear that God entrusted them to play out a...
Barnabas made a risky decision to vouch for young Saul. It proved to be a good one, though, as Saul (who became Paul) went on to write letters that would shape Christian thought for thousands of years. His letter to the Romans packs a wallop. In...
Saul (who was later renamed Paul) was confronted by Jesus on the road to Damascus and completely turned his life around. The Jewish leaders were furious and viewed Paul as a traitor. The Christians were afraid of him and were rightfully concerned that...
After Jesus was resurrected and ascended into heaven, his young, wide-eyed apprentices were left to continue the Revolution of Love that Jesus started. Their first act was to replace Judas who had betrayed Jesus and hanged himself. Their primary...
One of the most crippling forces to attack human beings is this thing called worry. Most of us are well acquainted with it. Some of us worry recreationally. A few of us are experts at it. Nothing robs life like worry! That brings us to the most...
We all have gotten to a place in our jobs or relationships, where remaining faithful and hopeful seems pointless because nothing is changing and no one is responding to everything we are trying to do. But even when no one else does, Jesus sees your...
Jesus told his disciples to go make more disciples. But what exactly does it mean to be a disciple? The word "apprentice" is probably the best parallel today and as apprentices of Jesus we are to pattern our lives after him, becoming more and more...
Does the mission of the church center on getting as many people to heaven above or getting heaven into as many people on earth below? For centuries, this either/or premise has divided the church. Missio-Dei is a Latin phrase emphasizing that the God...
Gratitude is the proper response to the goodness and grace of God. Essentially and fundamentally, all sin is ingratitude. Universally the most common word in Christian worship for the body and blood of Jesus is Eucharisto (I give thanks). As often as...
Mercy is the loving kindness of God extended to people in their time of need. The church gathers on the first day of the week to sing songs of praise, proclaim the word of God and intercede on behalf of needy people. "Lord have mercy," is an ancient...
Reconciliation is a biblical construct having to do with a change in relationship or attitude moving from hostility to peace. The scriptures exhort the people of God to live in right relationship with God and others. In fact the church has been given...
Church is a word used to translate the biblical concept "ekklesia." The New Testament reminds us that the church is more than simply a sociological gathering of people. The church consists of those who put their faith in the person and work of Christ...
Redemption is one of the New Testament metaphors used to describe how Christ's work on the cross breaks the power of canceled sin. The story from Genesis to Revelation is the story of God's unrelenting love in bringing people back into right...
Sometimes we feel like we're "in the dark." Everyone else seems to understand what's going on but we don't. This darkness can be very frightening and sometimes we long to be "enlightened." Other times, however, we get used to the dark and we don't...
In Luke 17, the disciples are challenged in a way that goes beyond their comfort zone. These guys are often knuckleheads and it would not have been surprising if they said to Jesus, "That's ridiculous!" But they model a much better response by saying...
In Luke 16, Jesus tells an odd story about a boss chastising one of his managers. The manager then goes out and reduces the debt people have with the boss... and he is celebrated for it! The general idea is that the manager finally became shrewd in...
At Mountain Park we are very fine with Hallmark setting aside a Sunday to celebrate moms! The reality, however, is that many of our moms are quite stressed out. There's so much to get done, but there are many constraints such as time and budget. What...
When we were kids, most of us believed that everything was possible. We could fly off the rooftop if we had the right suit and proper weather conditions. As we got older, we shifted to being realistic – and often times, doubtful. In Mark 9, a...
"What are you afraid of?" This can be an extremely motivating question. We all experience fear; we get nervous when things aren't going well; we have reservations about something new or different. But what's the worst that could happen? Ultimately...
We are now entering the part of the story we refer to as "The Messiah." It is the story of Jesus that is found in the four gospels. As we continue to look at the overall theme of TRUST, we want to learn from a remarkable encounter Jesus has with a...
The book of Esther is one of the most enjoyed and easily-read stories in all of scripture. The people of God are in exile in Persia. King Xerxes takes a liking to a young Jewish girl and chooses her to be his queen. In a dramatic twist involving her...
The story of Daniel in the lion's den is one of the most loved and well known in the entire Bible. Daniel defies King Darius's decree that the people should pray only to the king for 30 days. Daniel continues to pray to God as he has always done...
Lent has been part of the Christian calendar for centuries. Essentially, it is the forty days prior to Easter, representing the forty days Jesus was tempted in the desert. The Christian tradition is to abstain from something during that period as an...
We're now entering the second half of the Old Testament story which centers around an event called "The Exile." During this period, most of the kings of Israel did not trust God – but one shining light was a king named Hezekiah. Through his story we...
We now move to the last part of the section entitled "The Exodus." King David passed the leadership of Israel to his son, Solomon. They were very different kings. David's 40 years were filled mostly with battles and conquests while Solomon's 40 years...
Often times taking a risk makes us feel uncomfortable. We like our comfort zone and it is hard to break out of it. Yet, serving others requires us to risk everything. To serve others we must break out of our routine, agenda and comfort zone to love...
The Exodus story we looked at a few weeks ago is referred to and remembered many times throughout scripture. One example is Psalm 136 where the poet uses the story to help us celebrate the fact that God's "love endures forever." We are wise to...
The story of the developing nation of Israel shifts from Abraham to Isaac to Jacob. The story of Jacob's son, Joseph, is an incredible one with a repeated pattern of people letting him down. His father, his brothers, Potiphar and the cupbearer all let...
We have a tendency to say "I trust you" with our words, but often the way we live says something different. However, trust is lived by what we give. This can be terrifying! What if God asks for the one thing that is the most precious to us? Early in...
I fall into a trap every year where I get this idea in my head that my house, my family, my presents, my Christmas cards, all need to be Christmas perfect! Unfortunately, everything just seems to fall apart. But I know that I am not the only one that...
Many of us are drawn to "origin" stories. How did Bruce Wayne become Batman? How did Dietrich Bonheoffer become a spy against the Third Reich? Christmas, in a sense, is the origin story of the most influential person who has ever walked the planet...
Today we wrap up our journey across the world looking at Locations that have been part of God's overall story. We close with a location that is actually not a piece of dirt, but one that happens to be the most precious of them all... the human heart...
There are few locations that are significant to "The End" because this part of the story has not yet happened. The Book of Revelation provides us most of our information regarding The End. The apostle John was inspired to write the book while he was...
We've been looking at the top three locations where most of us spend our time. The third location is the "Park" which represents our leisure hours outside of sleep and work. A deeply meaningful phrase parents can use with their children is "I love to...
By "work" we refer to the thing with which you regularly fill your day. Which one of the following categories best describes you in terms of "work"? Entrepreneurs Creatives Blue collar workers Stay-at-home parents ...
The "Unwritten" part of the story is our role – our decisions, our faith, our opportunities. In the next three weeks we are going to look at the top three locations where we spend most of our time. The first is the bedroom. Experts say that adults...
As we wrap up our two weeks of "I Will Fix the Church," we're going to look once again at the location on the northeast corner of Pecos and 24th St. Last week we looked at the history of this spot and how Mountain Park was able to call it home. This...
We are now looking at locations that are part of the Unwritten story – places where God is using you and me, right now, to unfold his plan. The property on the northeast corner of Pecos Rd & 24th St was an incredible find. It's a reminder that we...
At each Launch Sunday we look at one of the "5 Big Questions" and this Sunday we looked at "Do I Know the Story?"
In 1947, a young Bedouin shepherd was looking for his sheep in the Qumran Caves on the northwest shore of the Dead Sea. He discovered some clay jars, which turned out to be the most significant archeological find of the 20th century. It wasn't the...
Guest teacher, Jim Lyon, who pastored for over 20 years and now serves as the General Director of the Church of God, Anderson, looks at Mark 4:35-5:2 and shares insights from the story of Jesus and the disciples crossing the see of Galilee in a storm...
As we move through the story of "The Church," we now jump to the 18th century as the message of Jesus finally heads East. From a small town in England, William Carey births a global missions organization and in his first speech he says, "Expect great...
The overall story of God now extends beyond the words we find in scripture. The early followers of Christ needed to figure out what it meant to be "The Church." They were horrifically persecuted by the Roman Empire but that all dramatically changed...
We like ordinary. We protect it and we want a tweet or a newsflash if something is going to upset our ordinary. But sometimes it takes a break from the ordinary in order to experience something extraordinary. The flood last week catapulted our church...
How to Get to Where You're Going Even If You Don't Know Where You're GoingYou never know where the road of life is going to take you. Acts 16 is a story about the unexpected outcomes of God-ordained change - all the bad and the good, and how we can...
Sex was everywhere. Sex was considered to be purely physical and was encouraged between two consenting adults. It was purely an animalistic act that happened in a singular moment, disconnected from the rest of life. Open marriages were not unheard of...
I want to say yes to everything: Fish AND chicken tacos! Iced tea AND coffee! Technology often makes us feel like we can say yes to everything and often leaves us struggling to find boundaries for ourselves and our kids. Fortunately Jesus showed us a...
As believers, we are often "conned" into thinking that spiritual maturity is all about what we do or don't do. In fact, the phrase "conned" comes from the idea of putting our confidence in the wrong thing. But true Christian maturity isn't knowing all...
Our culture is a by-product of the things that influence us. There's not a moment that goes by that our senses don't take in information that will influence our behavior or actions. In the New Testament story where Jesus is having a meal...
When we come to faith in Christ, His spirit is alive with in us. That same spirit is in all believers and together we form the body of Christ. Paul outlines in 1 Corinthians how we are to live as one body.
We all know that "nobody's perfect," but sometimes we allow that truth to give us permission to keep making mistakes. Paul (formerly known as Saul) went to Damascus to stop the Revolution that those silly followers of Christ were leading. Saul was...
The transition from "The Messiah" to "The Revolution" essentially happens in an incredible event known as Pentecost that is found in the second chapter of the book of Acts. Jesus promised the gift of the Holy Spirit who fell upon his followers in a...
When we consider events, such as the devastation of war, we may feel overwhelmed, helpless, and anger. When we look at things from an earthly perspective it is natural and understandable to be scared, depressed, and defeated. When we choose to look at...
Bethany is about two miles from Jerusalem, located on the south-east side of the Mount of Olives. This was a special place for Jesus. It's where he stayed when he visited Jerusalem. The 12th chapter of John offers a glimpse into a special meal held in...
The majority of Jesus' teachings and miracles took place on or near the beautiful Sea of Galilee in the northern part of modern-day Israel. One time, Jesus and his disciples were crossing the lake when a raging storm threatened to sink their boat...
There's a hill on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee that is called the Mount of Beatitudes because many believe it was from this location that Jesus offered his famous "Sermon on the Mount." The word "beatitude" is from the Latin word for...
Jesus grew up in Nazareth but chose Capernaum as home base for his ministry around the Sea of Galilee. The small population of this seaside town was blessed with the proximity and presence of Jesus. They heard from him, spoke with him and were healed...
Cana was the location of the most famous wedding that has ever taken place. It's famous because Jesus was on the guest list. There was a crisis when they ran out of wine at the feast. Knowing what Jesus was capable of, Mary, his mother, told the...
Before Jesus began his public ministry he spent forty days fasting in the desert. Why? Was he modeling something for us or was he accomplishing something for us? This was a nasty experience for Jesus. It is not good for a man to be alone – yet he was...
Have you ever wondered what it would have been like to live in the same town as Jesus? The same town where the angel Gabriel announce to Mary that she would conceive a child by the Holy Spirit and give birth to God's son? That town is Nazareth...
When we ask if something is "the real deal," we typically mean we want to see what's going on behind the veneer. We might say, "is he the real deal?" or, "is she the real deal?" wanting to know if the image they...
Every ancient writing (except one) describes the mighty city of Babylon with awe and reverence because of its beauty and strength. Every ancient writing… except the Bible. In the New Testament, Babylon is a symbol of every kind of evil. So… was...
The Northern Kingdom was lost to the Assyrians in 722 B.C. About 150 years later (586 B.C.), the Southern Kingdom (also known as "Judah") was seiged by the Babylonians. There was stark contrast between Josiah, who was the king of Judah prior to the...
Some incredible moments took place in Israel's history at a town called Bethel. The name "Israel" actually originated from this spot. After Solomon died, the kingdom divided into Israel in the north and Judah in the south. Though Bethel was just a few...
This week's location is Nineveh. It was a large, powerful and wealthy city on the eastern bank of the Tigris River – and it was the capital of the mighty Assyrian Empire. Jonah, the prophet, was called by God to bring repentance to this ancient city...
Mount Carmel is a coastal mountain range in northern Israel, stretching from the Mediterranean Sea to the southeast. When a civil war broke out in Israel, the area surrounding Mount Carmel became part of the Northern Kingdom, which maintained the name...
The Temple Mount is an extraordinary piece of dirt. Just before he died, David purchased the land for 600 shekels of gold. His son, Solomon, ended up building the mighty Temple on the site. The Temple was destroyed and rebuilt. The land was captured...
After Saul was killed in battle, David became the king of Israel. The first city David chose to conquer was Jebus. It was a formidable city built on the side of a mountain. Its high vantage point and steep walls gave it a significant advantage. David...
We are bombarded with thousands of words every day. Some words are healthy and truthful; some words are unhealthy and deceitful. The difficult part is steering clear of unhealthy words that don't seem unhealthy. Our journey through the "Exodus" story...
The leadership over the Israelites shifts from Moses to Joshua – and their location shifts from the east side of the Jordan River to the west side. It is here that they encounter the mighty Jericho. Jericho was their first city in the conquest of the...
Other than God, the main character and hero in the "Exodus" story is Moses. He challenges Pharaoh, takes the Israelites across the Red Sea, and leads them for forty years in the desert. Moses finally climbs to the top of Mount Nebo and gets to see...
Our story now moves to Goshen. Joseph finds remarkable success in Egypt after his brothers sell him as a slave. The brothers end up crawling back to Joseph in need of food and forgiveness. Joseph offers both – as well as an invitation for them to move...
Mount Moriah is about 15 miles west of the Dead Sea in modern-day Israel. It is the location where Abraham built an altar with the expectation of sacrificing his beloved son, Isaac. The dramatic story is resolved at the last moment when an angel stops...
The first location we find in our journey this year is the Garden of Eden. God provided a beautiful and lush setting in which to introduce man and woman. It was in the Garden of Eden that humanity plummeted from perfect communion with God to...
When we think back over the events of the past year or map out our goals for a new year, it is only natural that we start first with the physical, tangible things. But don't stop there... Make this year count.
Almost everyone loves babies. Those with older children are quick to remind new parents, "They grow up too fast!" But if 20 years go by and your child is still crawling in diapers and in need of you every moment of the day, it would be cause for some...
We do a year-end Top Ten list for two reasons: 1) to remember moments throughout the year and 2) to reflect on things that did not go well. It's great to celebrate the good stuff but we learn more from the things that did not go well. Hopefully, this...
Our overall theme for 2013 has been a "Pursuit of Holiness." So we thought it would be fitting, on Christmas Eve, to compare that pursuit with the idea of Santa finding out if we're naughty or nice. Jesus was born in a manger, not to pat the nice on...
The angles said to the shepherds, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy…" We are often confronted with those two options: fear or joy. We are afraid to be honest, afraid to be vulnerable, afraid to let people in… and we miss out on...
The word "peace" shows up in a lot of our Christmas cards and decorations. Christmas is all about "peace on earth, good will toward men." If Christmas celebrates the "coming" (advent) of peace, then what's wrong with us? Why are we still at war? Why...
What are you hoping for this Christmas? Do you believe that what you're hoping for is possible? Hope does not know something will happen – that's simply knowledge. Hope believes something is still a possibility. We become hope-less when we believe...
In the book of Matthew, beginning in Chapter 24, Jesus answers a question from the disciples, "...what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?" Over the next 2 chapters Jesus tells of the signs and describes what the end times will...
In a sermon known as the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24-25), Jesus now talks about whether or not we are making the most of what God has given us. God is not concerned about how we do in comparison with others; he is interested in what we do with what...
In the first half of Matthew 24, Jesus addresses how things will look at the end of the story. This morning we're looking at the second half of the chapter where Jesus addresses the "when will this happen?" question. Amazingly, Jesus does not even...
Sometimes the Pursuit of Holiness is exhausting. Sometimes we need a break from the pursuit – a time to pause and enjoy the benefits of holiness. The psalmist writes, "taste and see that the Lord is good." We're at the end of our "Six Weeks of...
Jesus tells the story about a rich man and Lazarus that is unique if not a little bit disturbing. We see a glimpse of the rich man in agony in "hell" (see, I told you it was disturbing) and he clearly has regret for the way he lived his life. Glimpses...
We are on a quest of "six weeks of holiness" where we are identifying one specific goal in our lives and sticking with it for six weeks. Today we're talking about stepping back from the moral edge. For any area in which we are pursuing holiness, there...
The table was at the heart of Jesus' redeeming, restoring mission in the world. He ate regularly with those who were on the outside looking in. According to the religious leaders of his day, Jesus' choice of dinner companions was a real problem...
Often we know exactly what the right thing to do is. When we look at paths A and B, we sometimes have clarity that path A is the one we're supposed to take. So why is it so hard? Why is path B so attractive and why do we so often choose it? Many times...
Once a line has been drawn in the sand, the territory of failure has been set. This is why we squirm when asked to be clear and measurable with our lines-- failure becomes possible. If we trip over the line, by accident or intention, the resulting...
We're now entering the "Unwritten" part of our journey. We have a blank page before us and we get to determine if and how we will pursue holiness. For the next six weeks, we invite you to be noticeably different in one of the following areas...
Ok, this title is admittedly terrible. But I couldn't resist. During our journey through 2000 years of The Church, we've been talking about different kinds of "goods." Mountain Park is part of a movement called The Church of God and the quirky title...
This week we're not just talking good… we're talking American good! In the 18th century, the Holiness Movement journeyed beyond Europe and crossed the Atlantic Ocean. The first and second "Great Awakenings" stirred up a tremendous passion for Christ...
John and Charles Wesley were the 18th century version of the "Sons of Thunder." These brothers were crazy! They launched and led a movement that is currently over 80 million strong. John was the mastermind, Charles the songwriter. John believed that...
The Church stepped into the light and out of the Dark Ages through an enormously significant movement known as the Reformation. Many important theological discoveries (or reminders) surfaced during this time. But on the heels of the Reformation, a...
As we continue to look at the Pursuit of Holiness through 2000 years of "The Church", the "middle" or "dark" ages offered some of the worst eras of Christian history. Both the 12th century Crusades and the 15th century Inquisitions reveal Christians...
The Pursuit of Holiness continued for followers of Christ long after the characters of the New Testament perished. "The Church" represents the past 2000 years. We cannot fully understand who we are without reflecting on how we got here. In the 4th...
As followers of Christ, we're invited to include God in our plans for our lives... or are we? Does God call us to include him in our lives or does he call us to include our lives in his plans. We'll explore one of the parables Jesus tells on...
Each of our lives is a distinct song worth singing. Songs are powerful. A good life lived in tune with God's will and plan for us, is a song well sang or music well played. I will present challenges to singing the Lord's song in a...
We are divinely created and when we actively pursue our faith we align ourselves with the perfect will of God. When that happens no matter what we face we are equipped and need not fear. We are then living in the Truth and in the Light and can no...
Life is a series of moments and we are living them out one after another. So what are we doing with these moments? Living the life of a Christian is a humbled walk... it's knowing where you've come from and its knowing where you need to go!...
If you're interested in Pursuing Holiness… wouldn't it be nice if you had a device that could measure how you're doing? We could just insert our thumb into a little hole and either be encouraged because we're doing well or be motivated if we're a...
Confidence and humility often seem mutually exclusive. You've got to be one or the other. The Pursuit of Holiness is obviously about being humble. Jesus humbled himself in an astounding way by dying on the cross as a criminal. As we follow him we are...
Irregardless of our faith backgrounds, most of us are aware of and comfortable with the idea of a conscience. We have an inner voice that helps us understand what is right. In Ephesians 4, Paul talks about our need to be sensitive to this inner voice...
A "holiness issue" is an area of your life where you want to struggle no longer. Most holiness issues are fueled by our desires. When a desire is ignited, it becomes a powerful thing. Either it is rooted in our sinful nature and leads us to foolish...
During his time on earth, Jesus set the groundwork for a Revolution. One of the key leaders was a follower of Christ named Paul who wrote many letters to help us understand our Pursuit of Holiness. We are all born into a "sphere" of sin from which we...
Peter, who once denied Jesus in a small crowd, now proclaims His divinity to thousands. Paul, who once killed Christians, now leads them. Men, who once ran away for fear of death, now rejoice in the severity of their beatings. The change is...
Sometimes mercy seems optional. If we choose to be merciful, that's bonus. That's extra. But if we pass on being merciful, that's not a big deal, right? It's really just neutral. It's as if we weren't involved in the first place… right? Besides...
Jesus changed the world more than any other figure in the history of humanity. For those who believe that he is the Messiah, his greatest impact is theological… we are no longer separated from God. The curtain between God and humanity has been torn...
Jesus talks about prayer more than any other subject. No... that's not right. He talks about the Kingdom of God more than any other subject. No... that's not right either. He talks about money more than any other subject. Yeah, that's right. But Jesus...
Jesus wants us to be noticeably different regarding success. At the surface, there is an obvious worldly definition of success that is all about fortune, fame and helicopters with retractable landing gear. The world still has altruistic layers of...
Jesus invites us to be noticeably different regarding fear. Most of our fears can be boiled down to self-protection. We don't want the boogieman to kill us! We don't want to get hurt emotionally or physically. But Jesus tells us not to be afraid of...
When Jesus teaches about forgiveness, he often talks about money. In story after story, sin is equated with debt. If we incur a debt, we understand that in order to pay it back we need to work. For our work we earn money, and with our money we pay our...
In the Old Testament, God provided laws, rules and commandments to guide us in our pursuit of holiness. When Jesus entered the scene as the long-awaited Messiah, however, he took the pursuit to a new level. Our outside observance of these laws does...
"You Only Live Once" (YOLO) is typically used as inspiration to "go for it" – to make the most out of this one life we have to live. At Easter, however, we celebrate the historical reality that Jesus of Nazareth broke through this human limitation. He...
Nehemiah respectfully asks the king of Persia if he can return to Jerusalem and rebuild the wall around the city. After great effort, participation, resistance and eventual success, he declares that it is time to celebrate. Leading up to his famous...
If the exile models the teenage years of rebellion, Daniel and his friends defy the description. Instead, they commit to the difficult task of remaining noticeably different even after being "kicked out of God's house." How? By being together. There...
Jeremiah was a prophet who did his best to warn the Southern Kingdom (Judah) to change their ways or they would be exiled. God invited him to visit the potter's house and offer the Israelites the image of God as the Potter and us as the clay. The clay...
In "The Exodus" we saw that, in many ways, God had to deal with the Israelites as "children." As the Pursuit of Holiness matures through the Bible story, it seems that God begins to treat them more like "teenagers" in "The Exile" section of the story...
A popular theme for heroes in movies and stories is perseverance. They get to a very low place where it would be understandable to give up… and they rise to victory. Solomon was the wisest person to have ever lived and, thousands of years ago, he...
God had to start somewhere with the Israelites – so he provided them with laws and commands regarding how to do life well. The Pursuit of Holiness, for them and for us, is a commitment to live our lives the way God intended. So what happens when we...
It's typically the cool, rebellious, living-on-the-edge people who say, "It's easier to get forgiveness than permission" – before they do something stupid. As fun as that philosophy is, it doesn't work well in terms of our Pursuit of Holiness. Saul...
We all need incentives. Most children do not respond enthusiastically to the declaration that brussel sprouts should be eaten because they are good for you. If, however, chocolate cake was brought into the picture, there becomes a very clear reason to...
The Pursuit of Holiness must be intentional. It doesn't just happen automatically. After God establishes foundational rules for the Israelites in the book of Leviticus, he makes it clear to parents that it is their job to pass the ways of God onto...
In the first part of the Bible, God chooses to establish a new nation called Israel. His eventual plan was to bless the whole world through that nation so he wanted the people of Israel to be set apart – to be "holy." God had to start somewhere with...
The Pursuit of Holiness is a commitment to be noticeably different. When we embrace the Whole Shebang and understand that we have a role in God's overall story, we are changed forever. As we launch Whole Shebang III, the initial question is "What does...
It's a Mountain Park tradition... Pastor Allan's Top Ten Mistakes for 2012.
Everyone makes mistakes... including pastors. In continuing the tradition we bring to you, once again, Allan's message on his Top 10 Mistakes from 2012...
The morning sermon takes the form of a parable. While the story of the Dinner Party is inventive the characters developed are real people whose life experiences have been captured in the plot. The Story of the Dinner Party is inspired by the teaching...
Jesus was an unexpected King. Followers of God expected the Messiah to come in majesty, authority and power – not as a peasant baby born in a barn. Perhaps God chose to appear in human form in an unexpected way because he wanted to stand out – because...
With the fourth candle of advent we're celebrating the coming of joy. There are two experiences of joy that are connected with a joyful moment. The big one is the joy of the actual event. It's the one we remember – it's the one were people take...
The third candle of advent represents love. Love is an enormous concept. It's the core of what all humanity longs for – yet it is nebulous and indefinable. At Christmas we celebrate the "advent" (coming) of love because Jesus models what it means to...
"Peace on earth" is a common Christmas theme in American culture. On the Advent wreath, the second candle represents "peace" – but is it the same kind of peace you experience at the spa with the soft music and the gurgling water? Peace is not covering...
The modern idea of 'hope' is "to wish for or to expect, without certainty of the fulfillment". But the word 'hope' as it is used in scripture means to have, "a strong and confident expectation". Our hope is in the Risen King...
When we started the "2012 AD" journey in January, hundreds signed the "One of the Twelve" boards in the auditorium, indicating that they wanted to draw closer to Jesus this year. According to John's gospel, the last thing Jesus did before he was...
Last Sunday we were reminded that followers of Christ are to be intentional about sharing the "gospel" with the people we naturally do life with. This week we expand that mission to intentionally impact those we do not naturally come in contact with...
This morning we're talking about being intentional about relationships and connections you already have. Many people don't want to damage those relationships by bringing up issues of faith (we're not supposed to talk about politics and religion...
We have been created to glorify God. When somebody says, "glorify his name," what does that mean? Are we supposed to say his name louder? If this is a central part of the mission assigned to those who are followers of Christ, it would be wise for us...
We are together with Jesus for a reason. We are to "make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19) and we are to love God and love others (Matthew 22:37-40). But these are the generic, overarching purposes of the Church in general. Mountain Park...
We are together, in relationship with others, for a reason. In human relationships, most agree that the ultimate goal is for that relationship to have a mission or purpose – otherwise it just drifts. We work hard on a relationship not just to keep it...
The Israelites thought they were goners—pinned between a fierce army of Egyptians and the vast Red Sea. Riots were breaking out and mutiny was mounting against their leader, Moses. And yet his response was, "The Lord will fight for you; you need only...
The messages of this world are loud and nearly ubiquitous. No matter how hard we try, these messages effect all of us. They dictate to us how we should look, act, even feel. Over time the steady barrage of noise can even shape our identity. The...
In dating relationships, many have the "Define The Relationship" talk because they want to know the status… "Are we in a committed relationship or not?" We often talk about assurance in terms of our salvation – but what about our end of the...
Last week we discovered that scripture clearly defines our relationship with Jesus as "He is Lord." That confession is the transition from being interested in Jesus to surrendering our lives to him. But Jesus complicates the issue when he says, "I no...
Dating relationships sometimes come to the "Define The Relationship" talk (aka DTR). At least one person needs to be sure he or she knows the status of the relationship. In our "2012 AD" journey we are now shifting to the time after Jesus died on the...
We've been saying that apathy is thinking "I don't care" about our relationships with God and with others. In order to reverse apathy, then, we simply need to think "I DO care" about these things. It can be very revealing to ask ourselves what we...
Sometimes when life is safe and predictable it's a wonderful and welcomed thing. But it's possible to stay there too long and allow safe and predictable to become boring and apathetic. Jesus was not impressed with spiritual people who thought they had...
It's hard to be apathetic when you're on a team. People are counting on you and your decision to no longer care would affect more than just you. That's why the very common problem of loneliness and isolation is such a big deal. It makes it easy to...
If we keep Jesus distant it's easy to avoid him. Our language, our experience and our theology all may be keeping Jesus at a distance. And it may be driven by a noble and honoring desire to be reverent and to "keep our distance" out of respect. But...
Even our most vibrant and life-giving relationships can slip into apathy. We then decide if we're ok with that or if we want to restore vibrancy. A key element of this restoration is hope. When we do not believe this is possible, a relationship is...
Long-term relationships have to endure periods of apathy – times when the relationship isn't particularly exciting. We can either let those times redefine the relationship or we can pull ourselves out of them. It's the same thing in a long-term...
We are completely broken people who desperately need hope! In fact, it is said that humans are capable of withstanding great amounts of pain and suffering as long as they have hope. But true, real hope is not simply a thought that something might get...
God will always come through. It's easy to say but isn't always easy to behold. When things work out the way we had hoped we sometimes say a prayer thanking God for coming through. Other times we blame when he didn't come through the...
There's a big difference between exercise and training. Exercise is generic and it's not heading toward anything. Therefore, it's easy to stop or take a break. But training has a specific, intentional goal. The lyrics of "The Same...
This message will focus on song Absolutely by Starfield. We will be diving into the subject of what it means to be Absolutely in love with Jesus? We are all on a spiritual journey and need to respond both mind and with our hearts to the message of Jesus.
As we dig into the song "The Stand," we take a look at the question it asks - what can I say - what can I do? God has so richly given to us through His life and death - what is our response? What is the essence of our worship?
In Matthew 14 we find the disciples being forced by Jesus to cross a lake. They didn't want to go, but He compelled them to. As it turns out, they got caught in a bad storm. Can you relate? Ever thought you were doing the right thing only to find...
Hopefully, relational conflicts will resolve through healthy conversation and mutual respect. But sometimes conflicts are eventually ignored. If they are ignored long enough they become part of the system. Similarly with Jesus, it is actually a good...
It's not wise to "agree to disagree" with Jesus when you are in conflict with him because he is never wrong. But what if we genuinely seek understanding yet Jesus seems unclear about an area where we need clarity? What if our personal experience and...
Sometimes we manage conflict by "agreeing to disagree." As we continue to look at what it means to have conflict with Jesus, this option is really not a strong one. You see... Jesus is never wrong. So either we have misunderstood him or we are the...
Sometimes we understand what Jesus is saying in scripture – or what he's saying to us now – but the conflict arises when we think he is being unfair. It's not "fair" when Jesus blesses those who do not deserve it. It's not "fair" when Jesus offers...
In human relationships there is often conflict simply because we don't understand one another. She acts on what she thought he said; he's frustrated because she didn't take the time to understand him. If a relationship with Christ is real, then there...
What better day to talk about conflict than… Mother's Day! (ahem…) Even the most loving mother will have conflict with her child. Where there is a relationship, there will be conflict. This year we're talking about having an actual relationship with...
Jesus preformed many miracles that bent the laws of the nature, which spoke to the depth of his authority and control over this world. But when the twelve saw him calm the winds and the waves during a storm that terrified even the experienced seamen...
One of the most common supernatural acts of wonder that Jesus performed was casting out demons. There is a great deal of language from the New Testament that has made it into the vernacular of the modern Christian church. But, unless you're into...
Raising Lazarus from the dead is one of the most famous miracles of Jesus. We know it was famous when it happened because it was the miracle to end all miracles. It stirred up so much controversy that it was the last miracle Jesus performed. It's...
We are all fully aware when we are in need of physical healing. We know when the healing is needed – and we know when it arrives. But spiritual healing is a little more tricky to identify. In the story of Jesus healing the paralytic, he first forgives...
Every once in awhile there are moments in life that change everything. The disciples loved Jesus, respected him and were committed to him. But the stories leading up to Easter Sunday reveal they weren't quite ready to lay down their lives for him...
For the twelve disciples, the week before Jesus died was an emotional roller coaster. They were elated with their arrival into Jerusalem; they were thankful for the intimacy they experienced with Jesus that week; and they were puzzled by Jesus...
Human relationships develop both naturally and intentionally. Sometimes we become close with someone and we don't even know how we got there. Other times we know exactly what we did to develop the relationship. It's the same thing in our relationship...
It's wonderful to imagine being one of the twelve – to imagine sitting with, listening to and watching Jesus. But what do we do when we have a real question? When we need a specific answer in a complex situation? Sometimes Jesus is simple. He is God...
The truth is a powerful thing. The Bible spends a great deal of time saying just that. Jesus, Himself, came into this world "full of grace and truth." Yet, it seems that the truth is a difficult thing to confront. We often hide from the...
When Jesus is around you don't have to worry about things getting boring. At the wedding in Cana, his mother told the servants to listen to Jesus and do whatever he says. She must have known what he was capable of. They did… the water turned into wine...
There is little debate as to whether or not Jesus was powerful. Even if you set aside the miraculous and supernatural, he was the most influential person who has ever lived. But how do you feel about him being playful? Most paintings of him are...
In our "2012 AD" journey, we are imagining we are one of the twelve – entering into a real relationship with Jesus. This second section (Discover) is comparable to the process of dating. We're basically sitting down with Jesus and saying, "Tell me...
It's decision time. Will you commit to being "one of the twelve" this year? An authentic and healthy relationship with someone involves both "pleasure" and "duty". We enjoy pleasure so the relationship is not robotic or strictly practical. We embrace...
John the Baptist knew that it was his role to "prepare the way for the Lord" and he did his job with great passion. But then he was surprised to find himself in prison – and even more surprised that this powerful Christ was not setting him free. So he...
Last week we considered what it would have been like to be one of the twelve disciples that Jesus invited to follow him. They were all Jewish. They had access to the stories of the struggles of their people. They had access to the scriptures that...
Spiritual growth is often referred to as "discipleship". We grow as we are "discipled" by Jesus – which means we follow him. We will begin "The Year of Our Lord" by encountering Jesus from the perspective of his disciples. What would it be like if we...
In Matthew 13 Jesus tells a story about a farmer who planted wheat only to see it infected by an enemy planting weeds. Interestingly, the weeds looked so much like the wheat that it was difficult to tell them apart until it was too late. Obviously...
This weekend we celebrate "Opening Day" of our new HomeTeam Corner in the lobby. In this message we'll identify why we're so excited about this new strategy for family ministry here at Mountain Park and in our community. Why "Home"? Why "Team"? How...
This week's cast member was called "Herod the Great" for a reason. He will always be remembered for the buildings, monuments and temples he built as King of Judea – but he was also "great"ly disturbed. We like great. We hope for a great and...
We hear the Christmas story from year to year and it would appear that the shepherds don't get much fanfare. Everyone's all about Mary and Joseph. When we look a bit closer at their stories and their lives, we might find they have a more...
Most of us think of Mary as a meek woman of great humility. That persona is merited by the account of Jesus' birth in Luke 1. Whereas Zachariah responds to the angel with doubt, Mary believes. Zachariah sought confirmation; Mary sought...
The final character in our Whole Shebang journey is "The Bride." The bride is not a person, a city or a concept. She is a group of people willfully connected to Christ as the groom. She is the church. She is us. The picture John paints in Revelation...
Some characters in Revelation can be hard to identify with great certainty. However, there is no mistaking who The White Rider represents. In Revelation 19 we get a picture of Jesus like the world had never seen before. Many believed Jesus to be only...
Readers of the book of Revelation would be wise to study the book with humility. Many brilliant scholars have landed in different places regarding the meaning and interpretation of symbols and characters in Revelation. We must be extra careful in...
We now shift to the seventh and final section of the Whole Shebang journey. The book of Revelation gives us some colorful yet meaningful images of what "The End" of the story is going to look like. The main character in chapter 12 is the dragon –...
Most of us can relate to Neo from the Matrix – we don't like the idea that we're not in control of our lives. We have the privilege of choosing to be part of God's overall narrative. We are writing our unwritten story. What power! What an opportunity!...
Most of our favorite characters in stories are not perfect. It is their flaws that make them real. As we develop our characters and strive for our quest in our Unwritten stories, it's important to remember we're real – that it's ok to have flaws...
The best stories and movies leave us with a sense of inspiration and awe because of the obstacles the main character has overcome. The greater the challenges conquered, the better the story. However, in our own life we often hope for few obstacles and...
A character is no more or less than what he or she wants. As we live out our unwritten story – our role in the Whole Shebang – we need to know where we're headed. We need to know what our Character Quest is. In a story, the Character Arc is the...
As we live out our "Unwritten" portion of God's story, it's important to remember that we're heading somewhere. There is a goal – there is an end game. Noah was given a unique quest to build a 500-foot boat. He was ridiculed by those around him and...
When writers develop fictional characters, they often use a "character chart" to help write backstory for the people they're creating. Backstory is more than just a history. It describes a person's character traits, personality, habits and greatest...
The "Unwritten" part of the Whole Shebang is our story. The grand story of God is still being written – and we get to be part of it. In the next seven weeks we will shift from looking at a character in the story – to looking at our character. The...
All who were old enough in 2001 will never forget where they were on that unforgettable morning of September 11th. We still remember the heroes of that day for their willingness to risk their lives to help strangers. This stirs our hearts because it...
C. S. Lewis was a professor at both Oxford and Cambridge – and he was a brilliant scholar of Medieval Literature. He sounds like he'd be a blast at a party, doesn't he? But he is most known for a series of children's books entitled "The Chronicles of...
We're now taking a giant leap from the 6th to the 19th century. We're skipping over the Dark Ages (500-1500) because there were few characters to celebrate during that period. The Protestant Reformation of the 16th century provided us with numerous...
Being a "Christian" involves more than making a decision to follow Christ. It's referred to as a relationship because it is ongoing. If you see yourself as a "follower of Christ" and you are making no efforts to develop that relationship... that's a...
St. Patrick is not a leprechaun. There's no evidence that he wore green, drank beer or was a particularly lucky person. He was a part of God's story – a significant part to the people of Ireland. He was taken from his homeland in Britain and became a...
"The Church" is a look back at the 2,000 years since Christ walked the earth – 2,000 years of thought, debate and characters that have dramatically molded our experience with God today. One of the earliest and most influential of these characters is a...
Proverbs is a very practical book about wisdom in the OT and focuses on two areas: integrity and people (relationships). We need to be intentional about seeking wisdom. It just doesn't happen naturally. When God grills up some wisdom, its often...
There are many voices in our lives trying to give insight on how to save ourselves from our own personal hells on earth. Our parents, teachers, bosses, church, TV, Oprah: so many different voices telling us how to find heaven on earth. Yes, we believe...
When God calls us into His service, the correct and biblical response from His people is faith and surrender.
We have heard the phrase "Give 'Til It Hurts" so many times that when we are asked to serve others, our first thought is "What is it going to cost me?" Today, we will look through the eyes of our foot-washing, Cross-embracing...
"You are called to freedom" - but what does Paul mean my that? We have many different definitions for freedom, but the kind we find in Christ differs quite a bit from our preconceptions. Jesus bought our freedom at the highest cost for a...
The apostle Paul loved young Timothy and seemed to trust him more than anyone else. Evidence suggests that this was because Timothy was a man of integrity. To have integrity means to be integrated. It means that every part of your life fits together...
As we celebrate Father's Day, it seems appropriate to look at the character of the apostle Peter… because he was a man's man! He was the only one brave enough to step out of the boat and walk on water. In his passion to protect Jesus, he cut the ear...
We don't know much about James. We know he was a brother of Jesus and that he wrote a very terse and impactful book in the New Testament that is titled by his name. His style of writing is consistent with his command for us to be "quick to listen and...
We now move into the section entitled "The Revolution." This comes from the story and letters found in the second half of the New Testament. After Jesus died, rose and ascended into heaven, his young, terrified followers had to decide what to do next...
No key on a piano is the "wrong" key. But when played outside of the "obedient" how, when, and where, it becomes a bunch of noise. When we are asked to be obedient, the question that nags under the surface is: how much is this going to cost? The night...
Jesus was the greatest teacher ever... and he had a lot to say about money. He certainly challenges and inspires us toward generosity. But have you ever wondered if he, himself, was generous? He was poor and had no money to give away! The apostle...
Jesus knew all along what his plan was. He was a man with a mission. He tried to explain it to those closest to him – but they failed to understand. Every teaching, every healing, every miracle was inching him closer to his ultimate purpose in life...
Our celebration of Mother's Day is a focus on a more feminine character trait of Jesus – namely, compassion. The story of Jesus feeding the 5000 demonstrates that we show compassion for others by remembering to "catch and release". We "catch" those to...
Through his three years of ministry, as recorded in the gospels, Jesus modeled for us the perfection of "character." In this section of "The Whole Shebang," instead of looking at five different characters, we are going to look at five powerful...
When's the last time you cheered? Roared? Celebrated big time? Sports can do that for us - so can powerful movies. That desire to celebrate has been put in us by our Creator. Easter Sunday is the celebration of the greatest event in the history...
Periodically this year we will look at the lyrics of one of the songs on our worship CD entitled "Track Record Vol. 2." Our hope is to learn the songs and develop a "track record" with these great worship songs. The song...
It is easier to walk through life pretending that terrible things happening around us do not affect us: Earthquake in Japan, millions living in extreme poverty, 75% of our community coming from broken homes, students and adults who live in devastating...
Daniel is our last major prophet addressing the exile of God's people out of Jerusalem. Daniel served under three different kings while he was in exile in Babylonia. With all three he had to tell them very disturbing news. He had the choice to either...
The tone of Ezekiel changes from chapter 24 to 25. In the first 24 chapters he joins Jeremiah in warning the Israelites that if they don't change they will get kicked out of Jerusalem. Then in the second half of the book he offers words of...
Jeremiah is referred to as the "weeping prophet." Unfortunately for him, nobody likes a whiner! He's a hall-of-famer though, because he stuck with it. In the end, he still celebrated God's mercy and his faithfulness.
A key writer and prophet during the story of "The Exile" is Isaiah. The character trait he highlights for us is servant hood. As we love others, one of the most impactful questions we can ask is "What can I do to help?"
A major character after King Solomon died time was a prophet named Elijah. His story models for us that some days we can be spiritually and emotionally as high as a kite and others we can be a low as as you can go.
Marshall Hall, wrote the song "You Are Here With Me" which captures an incredibly consistent theme throughout the Whole Shebang. God does not promise our happiness but he does promise his presence. Our job is to acknowledge it.
Solomon's greatest character strength was his desire for wisdom. Growth happens when we identify an area where we lack wisdom, and we do something about it.
Jonathan and David are known to have had one of the few, unique friendships that lasted a lifetime. Jonathan's story teaches us not to throw loyalty out with the bath water.
Sometimes we are counseled to "take the high road" when we are faced with a difficult situation. The high road is often the more difficult one. It is a greater challenge in the short term but a greater victory in the long term.
We see through Moses' life that he swung from "I'm the man, step aside" to "I'm worthless." Humility is neither of these two things. It's a healthy balance between them. It's understanding each of us has...
One of the most incredible things we learn about God through Jacob is that the ones God picks to do great things are most often the ones who need the most help.
Isaac was not a villain – but he was not a person of incredible character either. One area of weakness for him was his love of venison – of game meat. This sensual desire clouded his judgment because it was an unhealthy and unwise priority for him.
The clear character strength for Abraham was his faith. It's the ability to trust in something beyond ourselves.
While we can't be thankful for all things and for all situations, let's us take intentional steps have a heart of thankfulness no matter what our situation.
Christmas is meant to be fun. Not only is it fun but it provides a break from the busyness of the rest of the year. It provides a natural time to reflect on life and the previous 12 months.
Many Americans are drawn to church on Christmas and Easter - those are the two most culturally-embraced times. But Christmas is the time we take months to prepare for. Christmas dominates our finances, our schedule, our music and our time. In short...
Every good story has a good back story. There is majesty in the Christmas story... but there is also a degree of scandal.
In Revelation 21, John paints a beautiful picture for us of a "new heaven and a new earth." It is an image of hope that we will one day be free of pain and death.
Elements of "The End" remain a mystery. But we know there will be a final judgment. And we know that God is waiting for all the nations of the world to be reached.
If Jesus "conquered death on the cross" – as most Christians claim – then why are we still dying? Why is there still war, famine, pain, suffering?
John's fantastic revelation begins with specific addresses to the seven churches that letter was intended for. What does this say about what is important to Christ? What is he looking for in the churches of which he is the head?
God wants to do something meaningful and purposeful with the remaining episodes of your life. But it's not gonna be easy. As we fight FOR our spouses… our kids… our character.
It's all about the Kingdom. In what way are you using the gifts and strengths God has given you to advance the Kingdom?
God is infinitely creative and he does not need to recreate miracles or stories. So you do not have to be limited by the wounds of your previous episodes. God wants to do a new thing through you.
The Whole Shebang is not a finished story we are to sit back and absorb. It is not just a study of the biblical story or of church history. It is an invitation into the story. Your role is vital - but much of it remains... unwritten.
We cannot live out the unwritten story God has for us unless we know how we got here – unless we reflect on our previous episodes. We are all wounded by our past. If these wounds don't heal, they will continue to sabotage our story.
Before we make any major decisions regarding our unwritten story, we need to know where we're headed. It's important to know what we're aiming for with the remainder of our days.
This is your life… are you who you wanna be? Are you willing to pause in the busy-ness of life and reflect on whether or not you're heading in the right direction?
Perhaps you have had that feeling that there has got to be more than this. Or, maybe you have yet to experience that type of transformation. Would you want to know what it's like?... What it is like to want it all?
Jesus Christ is the head of the church. When we stand before Jesus we are wise to remember who is ultimately in charge.
The story you believe you're living in determines how you live your life. There are many other systems of beliefs in our world. They are simply different stories. And we all have to the right to decide which story we believe is true.
Yes, life is very hard... but there's always something to enjoy along the journey, right!? We only get one life, only one set of days... let's make the most of them!
Ever taken a good, long look in the mirror after you've attempted to correct something basic in your child's behavior? If you look long and honestly enough, you'll probably find you haven't fully grasped the simple things either.
Immigration is a hot topic these days, but have you ever looked at it from a spiritual perspective? Philippians 3:20 says, "Our citizenship is in heaven." That makes us immigrants here on earth.
Things to learn along the journey brings us to a reality check when it comes to living in the tension of how God has designed us and the world we live in. We will explore how we could be intentional in living lives that make a difference.
Just because you can't explain something, it doesn't mean it's not real. Paul was surrounded by unexplainable miracles and supernatural encounters. Paul implores us to "put on the full armor of God" because there's more going on in this world than...
Revolutionaries are foolish and weak. Those two words are not very inspiring or motivating – not to us or the people Paul was inviting to join The Revolution. But the wisdom and strength of the world was not cutting it.
James (the brother of Jesus) writes the first New Testament book – aggressively challenging believers that "faith without works is dead." We cannot earn our salvation – but a person of genuine faith cannot help but join The Revolution by doing something.
Philip, Paul and Peter (the three P's) discovered that the revolution was expanding. Philip learned to be prepared to share the news of Jesus at all times. Paul was passionate about tearing down dividing walls.
After the story of "The Messiah" in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – the rest of the New Testament centers around the book of Acts. The disciples were powerfully moved to not just think and pray about spiritual things – but to Do Something!
Baptisms are a symbol of the change that happens when we decide to follow Christ. At Mountain Park, Baptisms Sundays are very special and hold an opportunity to celebrate with those who are being baptized.
Moms, do you ever feel like the words that come out of your mouth, as a mom, come out and vanish into thin air? In the same way that moms can feel they are invisible, we often forget the impact the Holy Spirit has on our lives.
Jesus fulfilled prophecies, taught boldly and connected deeply. He was undeniably remarkable. But the true climax of the Whole Shebang is his death and resurrection. As we reflect on and discover our "God Story" (our unique relationship with God), we...
Through the person of Jesus Christ, God became very personal. He chose to become "with" us and connected deeply with the twelve disciples. He modeled for us that this is done through the limited commodity of... time. In order to connect deeply with...
In one sense, Jesus' time on earth was tragically short. Only three years!? But he provided an incredible legacy through the words he spoke during those short three years. He had a few things to say before he marched up the Via Dolorosa – and we are...
The success, health or appreciation of anything in life has much to do with expectations. As we encounter Jesus, it's important to know what we can expect from a relationship with him – and what we cannot.
crux [kruhks] n. 1. the basic, central or pivotal point, 2. cross The cross of Jesus Christ is the pivotal point in the story of human existence. All of history led up to the execution of this perfectly innocent rabbi – and the world has been...
Hope can last for awhile – but what about restoration? What about things getting fixed? God offers restoration – but it often doesn't look the way we expect.
Listen to find out if your church builds walls or bridges and what's our role of the church in the process of healing and restoration?
Through scripture, conscience, and community, God warns and warns us toward making good and wise decisions in life. The overall message God is giving to those in exile is: there is hope!
It seems that God did not want to kick his people out of their land (ie, send them into "exile"). He gave His people many opportunities to change their ways. In our lives, will we take his warnings seriously – or just take our chances?
The kingdom of Israel was divided internally into the North (Israel) and South (Judah). In our lives today, we are wise to remember our relationships are our allies not our enemies.
So how does a follower of God know how to "do life"? Scripture is not a rulebook that has all the answers. The question is not a generic "What's the right thing to do?" The question – that both enhances and flows out of relationship – is "What is the...
Either we want the "Earthly Power" of prestige and wealth – or the "Spiritual Power" of strength and courage. As we seek our place in the Whole Shebang, we have much to learn from the story of King David and his balance of power, strength, and courage.
The idea of a "relationship" with God is a beautiful and unique thing. Make no mistake... we are in desperate need for a Deliverer, a Redeemer... a Savior.
Family Sunday's are dedicated to recognizing the importance of the home family unit as well as the broader church family.
God established the Jewish nation through which he would reveal himself. What God wants to convey through the Exodus story is that we can trust him.
God formed a new nation – the descendants of a man named Abraham and made a covenant with them. In the New Testament God incorporates all nations into a new covenant for all peoples.
God is the creator and designer or the Whole Shebang. He made everything "good" but it quickly went down hill. Fortunately, God had a redemptive plan from the very beginning.
There are three main characters in The Whole Shebang: God, Satan and us. Job paints a great picture of the dynamics of these relationships.
Is gentleness is all about being nice? Nope. Often we confuse gentleness for niceness and carry over that misconception to how we picture Jesus. We see him in a soft portrait with flowing hair, a child sitting in his lap and a lamb right next to...
Typically when pastors talk about money it's always about giving to the church. But that's not the point of this talk. The point is starting off a new year and looking at the Bible and what type of instruction it can offer for us as we begin...