B4 Church Weekly Teaching: Recent Episodes
B4 Church
We were made for communion with God and one another. But in an age of curated connections and crowded loneliness, we have forgotten how to be with one another. As a result, many people live relationally shallow lives — not because they want to, but because of the incessant demands on their time. We are busy. Beyond busy, with work, school, family, and kids. Sometimes it’s simply easier to keep things light in our relationships. However, this message will show that when we realize God is not far off, and neither are other people, the communion we share with them brings hope to our souls.Find series resources here.
Soul health begins with coming “home” to our original design, as God made us to connect with Him and one another. Adam and Eve are in the garden, a place named “delight.” They share healthy connections, in good company with God and with one another. He designed them for Himself, but also for one another. They are at home in their skin and the world. This is perhaps the best definition of soul health —remembering “home” and returning there. In this message, Pastor Bo explains why this is so important and what we can do about it.Find series resources here.
In his letter to the Ephesians, the Apostle Paul writes about the administration of a beautiful mystery. This mystery was kept hidden in God for ages, but has finally been revealed to all, Jew and Gentile alike. The mystery? It is the enriching grace of God offered to us in Jesus Christ. Paul is saying to Jews — and especially to Gentiles, “You’re rich in the good things of God!” You’re unbelievably wealthy. Throughout this standalone message, Pastor Bo helps us see that this is also a message for us, for today. Even better, she helps us understand how to apply its truths to our lives.
Naomi’s willingness to turn from her tragic losses and return to Bethlehem — “The House of Bread” — led to more fulfillment than she could have imagined. Her turnaround produced a great reversal: provision, hope, redemption, and a future for herself and Ruth. As Psalm 126 teaches us, we sometimes sow in tears so we might reap in joy. God is at work in this story to bring about a hopeful end. And Pastor Bo helps us see how His faithfulness is also for us!
This part of Ruth's story would jump off the page to ancient readers. Ruth is no longer a victim. She demonstrates bold faith and a willingness to risk rejection when she follows Naomi’s advice and asks Boaz to marry her. Ruth is willing to step out of the social norms of her day: a foreigner and a woman would never be so bold. But something has changed. Through the first two chapters, Ruth identifies herself as a Moabitess, a foreigner. But when Boaz asks who she was during a pivotal moment in chapter three, Ruth replies, “Ruth, the servant of Boaz.” Not only is she attempting a bold, fresh start, but she now wears a new identity. Pastor Steve Mickel unpacks compelling lessons for us from this turn in her story.
Sometimes, God's blessing begins with a trickle. We see this in today’s message from Ruth, chapter two. As God reveals His hand in this story, desperation gives way to humility and nobility. We also meet a new and impressive character, Boaz, who reflects God’s loving concern for Ruth and Naomi. And quite suddenly, a trickle becomes a flood. Throughout chapter one, these women’s lives only seem to worsen. But after they return to Bethlehem, the House of Bread, they see tangible, generous evidence of God’s provision and blessing as bitterness transforms into beauty.
Our story finds Naomi and her daughters at a low point, at a moment of desperation and decision. The writer foreshadows better times, so we know, “Bread is coming!” But they don’t know that yet. These women are caught within the mysterious tension of God’s will. They don’t understand how God is working. But they must decide if they trust Him enough to go on. One woman follows reasonable, practical advice and returns to her people. Two decide to proceed into an uncertain future. Why the split? That's the question we wrestle with in this message.
Ruth is a book, like Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, and Daniel. It’s a story stuffed full of tragedy, turmoil, heartache, and God’s redemption. It’s been given to us as a gift, helping us conform to Jesus' way and character. While the book is spiritually formative in many ways, it emphasizes a theme that we see play out repeatedly in its story — and throughout God’s Word — the concept of a redemptive reversal. In our first message of the series, Pastor Bo dives deep into this idea.
Anchors are found drawn on the walls of the Christian catacombs and chiseled into the tombstones of 1st and 2nd-century believers. They were symbols of hope for those first Christians who were persecuted for their faith. In Jesus, they had an anchor, firm and secure, and heaven was their ultimate home. When Christianity became the state’s religion after 300 AD and the empire went from tormenting the church to sponsoring it, the anchor all but disappeared from the iconography of Christianity. In this Easter message, Pastor Bo shows why the anchor is still such a powerful symbol of hope in the Resurrected Christ.
In one of the most intimate moments with His disciples, Jesus redefines greatness. As He shares the Last Supper, a dispute breaks out—who among them is the greatest? Instead of rebuking them harshly, Jesus responds with a radical picture of servanthood: He takes on the role of a servant and washes their feet. This moment, paired with His teaching, shows that greatness in the Kingdom of God is not about status, power, or position—it’s about humility, service, and love. Jesus’ model turns the world’s values upside-down: the greatest among you must become the servant of all.
In this passage, we find Jesus at a dinner party in Bethany, just days before His crucifixion. As He sits with His disciples, a woman arrives and performs an extravagant act of worship by pouring an expensive jar of perfume on Jesus' head. This deeply symbolic act foreshadows His burial, and despite the disciples' criticism of her actions, Jesus defends her, recognizing the beauty of her sacrifice. Through this story, we learn about the nature of true worship, the cost of following Jesus, and how acts of love and devotion to Christ can have far-reaching impact.
Matthew 19 is a chapter that is relevant for us in every way. Divorce, marriage, children and money. Matthew compacts them all in one small section. It is also a chapter about priorities and in every example we see that Jesus prizes human relationships more than any other thing. What we find in Matthew 19 is proof that we are uncommonly loved by an infinitely powerful God. A God who could choose to lavish His love and attention on anything, chooses us. And today we’ll read about a man who comes to Jesus with an interesting question which is essentially: How much do I need to do in order to secure a spot in heaven?
We develop words and images and ideologies around the things that are intrinsically embedded into our belief system and, without examination, those things become an invisible structure that holds us in and can also keep us out of a better story that is more true and more life-giving. Essentially, our language contains the heart of our theology. Jesus is God-in-flesh, but also a rabbi - a teacher. And as the pages of Matthew unfold, we see Jesus begin to unwind the language we have known as the only truth. If we are holding deep misconceptions about God and his character - we’ve gotten him wrong. Jesus comes to set the record straight. He came to reveal His father. He’s telling and showing the people of Matthew’s day, and us, how He REALLY is.
We, as followers of Jesus, believe that the greatest story ever told is the true story of our loving creator God redeeming all things in and through his Son, Jesus. This is the story we have in the Scriptures. We meditate on it, and hopefully, have our imaginations and our lives shaped by it. Whether you have been around the church for just a week, or for a long time, you know that the church is imperfect. Though the Church is founded on the greatest story ever told and we are invited to continue the story of God’s redemptive work in the world by following Jesus.
There is the Jesus we know and welcome into our lives. The risen Jesus. There is also the historical Jesus - the Jesus who lived in first-century Palestine. An actual flesh and blood Jesus who walked real streets and talked with real people. It’s the historical Jesus who lived a real life and died a real and agonizing death, whose physical body rose from the grave to give us new life. The risen, divine Jesus is known through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Jesus who lived in first-century Palestine is knowable through the evidence that has survived - The Gospels. In them we discover that the calling of us all depends not on the merits of our own righteousness, but on God’s sheer generosity.
This is a mission-critical moment in the life of the Church in America... a crossroads moment. American Christianity isin danger of losing the Christ in our Christianity... We’ve allowed other things to distract us to the point where we arelosing our North Star. How we embody the life and love of Jesus in this cultural moment matters.
Nehemiah led a miraculous restoration of the wall of Jerusalem. The city was finally safe to live in healing, hope,freedom and flourishing. They were to return to the life of a vibrant city of God. Gatekeepers, musicians and Leviteswere assigned - three appointments that guard the physical, emotional and spiritual health of the city. The condition ofour own body, soul and spirit can go unexamined and undetected and therefore, unserved. He knows: If we leave thenew city unattended, it will fall again into disrepair. Nehemiah and Ezra call the people to examine the promises ofGod to respond with joy.
Every faith community is called to build and cultivate. And B4 is no exception. We’re called to build a place of hope, healing, freedom, and flourishing. It’s a big job that will invite opposition in many forms, like for example, disunity and distractions. Much as Nehemiah did, we will face varied opposition as the enemy of our work seeks to destroy it — and us. So, how will we lean into a healthy, growing, building project as a faith-filled community? As this message demonstrates, Nehemiah has some wisdom for us.
The story of God is all about creating, restoring, and redeeming. The book of Nehemiah reflects this by painting a beautiful portrait of God’s work in our world through wise and prayerful people who restore brokenness, renew purpose, and revive hope. As we enter Nehemiah’s story, we see enemies who do not want the Jewish people to succeed in their work to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls. As a result, Nehemiah and God’s people must defend themselves while building. This has much to teach us in our polarized world where many feel like they’re trying to build something good in the presence of “enemies.”
Nehemiah is a short book but it’s a big story. It centers on rebuilding after a huge crisis. It has a lot to teach us about how to face the ruins in our lives and start rebuilding. We often use the life and times of Nehemiah to teach leadership principles, but this series is focused on the principles of restoration after destruction. We’ll look at how a community works together to do the impossible. There will be highs and lows. We’ll meet good guys and bad guys, and navigate surprising plot twists and cliffhangers.
We share a fallen world where hearts, vows, and bodies break. Where evil surrounds and pursues us. From the moment our feet hit terra firma, we are searching for the Eden we all left behind. As a result, trauma marks our stories. It is embedded in our souls and our bodies. When our vision of Eden shatters, we are left with soul debris, and what we do with it determines so much of what happens in our lives.
As this message shows, the best first step in healing from the trauma we experience — the shattering of Eden — are prayers of lament. The full expression of our grief and pain begins the healing and strengthens hope.
Most of us know that the world isn't what it should be. All it could be. So, what do we do about that? Some people go all in, devoting their lives to causes like the rights of a marginalized group or environmental issues.
However, Christians can marshall a different response, namely intercessory prayer. It's a fancy phrase that means praying for the needs of others. It's not a passive reaction insulating them from responsibility. On the contrary, it leans into the belief that an actively listening God, revealed ultimately in Jesus Christ, invites His people to petition Him on behalf of others.
Everything starts with relationships: especially prayer. Prayer is a life lived out in front of God — with Him. It’s organic, beautiful, and woven into our days as water flows through sand. At least it can be when we aim to rejoice in Him. To love him. To share a relationship with Him. But, it's also an exchange. Your weariness for his rest. Your burden for His strength. Your worries for His hope. That’s what happens in the place of prayer.
Throughout life’s distracting demands, God listens to our hearts and cares deeply about us. Between work deadlines, homework, social dynamics, soccer games, and life’s “overwhelm,” it’s easy to feel unheard. Drowned out. But God is always nearby, longing to hear your heart and care for you. Prayer isn’t about perfection, performance, or productivity — it’s about connecting with the God who loves you. Who is revealed by Jesus, and is with you by His Spirit. He cares for you and helps carry your burdens. He made you and knows you intimately. He invites you to know Him.
Our final service of the 2024 year is a fully online experience. Pastor Bo offers a message of hope springing from Jeremiah 1, and shows how God calls us all to a great adventure.
May this candlelight service offer you the Peace of Christ. May the Prince of Peace, Jesus, visit your heart and home this Christmas. May you sense Him near and dear, greater than fear, greater than confusion, greater than our worried hearts. And may you, being filled with His ever-increasing peace, be an agent of peace in your world.
Pastor Alex shares his farewell message with us before assuming his new role as Lead Pastor of Willamette Christian Church.
Pastor Alex shares his farewell message with us before assuming his new role as Lead Pastor of Willamette Christian Church.
You were dead, but God made you alive. That simple, shocking truth is the hub on which this week’s passage turns. The “you” is plural. It includes all who read that original letter. It also has something to say about our lives.We are dead apart from God, our Creator. We possess a relatively brief physical life, but it ends. From the moment we reach full adult maturity, we inevitably march to a certain grave. However, Colossians teaches that both Jesus’ triumph on the Cross and his Resurrection mean the grave does not have the final say. Christ does, and he makes us alive.
You were dead, but God made you alive. That simple, shocking truth is the hub on which this week’s passage turns. The “you” is plural. It includes all who read that original letter. It also has something to say about our lives.We are dead apart from God, our Creator. We possess a relatively brief physical life, but it ends. From the moment we reach full adult maturity, we inevitably march to a certain grave. However, Colossians teaches that both Jesus’ triumph on the Cross and his Resurrection mean the grave does not have the final say. Christ does, and he makes us alive.
Throughout the main text for this message, Paul weaves three ideas together: his joy at what he’s suffering for the sake of his readers, the revelation of God’s mystery — Christ in them, and his earnest contending for their maturity as followers of Jesus.Those three concepts still resonate today. Jesus' followers suffer for the Gospel’s sake, much or little. We are given the Holy Spirit, Christ in us, and the Spirit encourages us to pursue all God has for us to mature and establish our faith.
Throughout the main text for this message, Paul weaves three ideas together: his joy at what he’s suffering for the sake of his readers, the revelation of God’s mystery — Christ in them, and his earnest contending for their maturity as followers of Jesus.Those three concepts still resonate today. Jesus' followers suffer for the Gospel’s sake, much or little. We are given the Holy Spirit, Christ in us, and the Spirit encourages us to pursue all God has for us to mature and establish our faith.
Jesus offers forgiveness and reconciliation, addressing our condemnation — self-styled and otherwise. While doing so, He's stepped into the soulish space where we all feel unworthy, unholy, and unloved to help us experience an internal peace that is blameless, holy, and without accusation. However, the text for this message includes a condition: “...if you continue in your faith.” What does that mean, and how do we do so? During the third installment of our series, Pastor Bo helps us appropriate the work of Jesus as she tackles this vexing question.
Jesus offers forgiveness and reconciliation, addressing our condemnation — self-styled and otherwise. While doing so, He's stepped into the soulish space where we all feel unworthy, unholy, and unloved to help us experience an internal peace that is blameless, holy, and without accusation. However, the text for this message includes a condition: “...if you continue in your faith.” What does that mean, and how do we do so? During the third installment of our series, Pastor Bo helps us appropriate the work of Jesus as she tackles this vexing question.
Since its beginning, the Church has used creeds, dense and memorable statements of belief, to communicate and propagate its basic beliefs. This short section of Colossians fits the criteria for a confessional creed. Paul wants to underscore Christ’s supremacy, that He is first in all things. He was before all Creation. All things are made by Him and for Him. He is the head of His body, the Church, and He is preeminent in everything.As Pastor David teaches, when we truly believe this, when its truth penetrates our hearts, we are transformed.
Since its beginning, the Church has used creeds, dense and memorable statements of belief, to communicate and propagate its basic beliefs. This short section of Colossians fits the criteria for a confessional creed. Paul wants to underscore Christ’s supremacy, that He is first in all things. He was before all Creation. All things are made by Him and for Him. He is the head of His body, the Church, and He is preeminent in everything.As Pastor David teaches, when we truly believe this, when its truth penetrates our hearts, we are transformed.
Early in chapter one of his letter to the Colossians, the Apostle Paul writes about a deep, wide, and glorious rescue. It is full of God’s love, the work of the Holy Spirit, and all the beauty of the Gospel. This rescue promises the new reality of a new human community delivered from darkness into the Kingdom of God’s Son. And it's all about Jesus.But how does that work itself out in our everyday lives? Pastor Bo tackles the depth and relevance of this rich section from Colossians, inviting us to delight in the God who rescues his beloved.
Early in chapter one of his letter to the Colossians, the Apostle Paul writes about a deep, wide, and glorious rescue. It is full of God’s love, the work of the Holy Spirit, and all the beauty of the Gospel. This rescue promises the new reality of a new human community delivered from darkness into the Kingdom of God’s Son. And it's all about Jesus.But how does that work itself out in our everyday lives? Pastor Bo tackles the depth and relevance of this rich section from Colossians, inviting us to delight in the God who rescues his beloved.
How do you remain hopeful when you’re wrestling with suffering, your’s or someone else's? It’s an age-old question that’s especially important for Christians who claim that God loves us and has the power to intervene in the lives of those who suffer.In this message, Pastor and District Supervisor Steve Mickel digs into suffering through a biblical and a deeply personal examination. His conclusion? Suffering leaves its marks on us but it can also invite us into intimacy with God in ways that few other human experiences rival. It can even foster hope.
How do you remain hopeful when you’re wrestling with suffering, your’s or someone else's? It’s an age-old question that’s especially important for Christians who claim that God loves us and has the power to intervene in the lives of those who suffer.In this message, Pastor and District Supervisor Steve Mickel digs into suffering through a biblical and a deeply personal examination. His conclusion? Suffering leaves its marks on us but it can also invite us into intimacy with God in ways that few other human experiences rival. It can even foster hope.
God begins talking about a legacy in Genesis 3 when he promises to address the problem of sin. He continues that conversation with the Patriarchs — Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He furthers his commitment to a beautiful legacy through the nation of Israel.And all of those threads draw together in Jesus and his followers. Christ is the object and fulfillment of God’s legacy. But what about ours?. What about a legacy that we help build that sits within God’s but is distinctly our own? In this message, Pastor Bo looks at three key components of one’s legacy: love, pain, and shame.
God begins talking about a legacy in Genesis 3 when he promises to address the problem of sin. He continues that conversation with the Patriarchs — Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He furthers his commitment to a beautiful legacy through the nation of Israel.And all of those threads draw together in Jesus and his followers. Christ is the object and fulfillment of God’s legacy. But what about ours?. What about a legacy that we help build that sits within God’s but is distinctly our own? In this message, Pastor Bo looks at three key components of one’s legacy: love, pain, and shame.
Winter finally found us! We are cancelling all Sunday services this weekend in order to prioritize safety. Hunker down, stay warm and enjoy this unexpected pause.We love you and we’ll see you next week!
Winter finally found us! We are cancelling all Sunday services this weekend in order to prioritize safety. Hunker down, stay warm and enjoy this unexpected pause.We love you and we’ll see you next week!
We are all on a journey, but are we all on a pilgrimage? In his letter to the Colossians, the Apostle Paul greets them by saying they are in Christ and of Colossse. As Pastor Bo states in this message, "They are of Christ, where love is the fuel of all action, but in Colosse where life is a zero sum game and only the strong survive." We can all relate to what Pastor Bo shares later: we are "...of Christ - within reach of His goodness and truth but in our own towns, cities, and countries - where hatred and heartache roam our streets. We live in the intersection of God’s delight and the world’s despair."And so, we are on a pilgrimage to bring the peace with God in Christ that defines us to a world that needs Jesus. How we do that is the meat of this message.
We are all on a journey, but are we all on a pilgrimage? In his letter to the Colossians, the Apostle Paul greets them by saying they are in Christ and of Colossse. As Pastor Bo states in this message, "They are of Christ, where love is the fuel of all action, but in Colosse where life is a zero sum game and only the strong survive." We can all relate to what Pastor Bo shares later: we are "...of Christ - within reach of His goodness and truth but in our own towns, cities, and countries - where hatred and heartache roam our streets. We live in the intersection of God’s delight and the world’s despair."And so, we are on a pilgrimage to bring the peace with God in Christ that defines us to a world that needs Jesus. How we do that is the meat of this message.
Join us for our online only New Years Eve Day service. This service will allow you to gather with family, friends, or on your own and watch from anywhere. Tune in for acoustic worship and 3 mini messages from Pastors Bo Stern-Brady, Steve Mitchell, and Israel Talamantes. We are praying that you experience Jesus fresh and new as we step into 2024. See you next week, January 7th, as we return to in-person services!
Join us for our online only New Years Eve Day service. This service will allow you to gather with family, friends, or on your own and watch from anywhere. Tune in for acoustic worship and 3 mini messages from Pastors Bo Stern-Brady, Steve Mitchell, and Israel Talamantes. We are praying that you experience Jesus fresh and new as we step into 2024. See you next week, January 7th, as we return to in-person services!
God created us to dwell with him. He sent his Son, Jesus the Messiah, to recreate the conditions under which God and his people can dwell together in peace. Jesus said that when we remain in him (John 15) as a branch remains in its vine, the life and vitality of God integrates our being and doing. That life is often referred to as “light,” and it is a theme Isaiah uses in 58:8-11 to illustrate how religion that is alive with the power of God’s presence (being) expresses as Kingdom goodness in the lives of all it touches (doing). Even better, Isaiah alludes to this “religion” restoring the Garden life humans shared with God in the beginning when our being and doing are properly integrated.
God created us to dwell with him. He sent his Son, Jesus the Messiah, to recreate the conditions under which God and his people can dwell together in peace. Jesus said that when we remain in him (John 15) as a branch remains in its vine, the life and vitality of God integrates our being and doing. That life is often referred to as “light,” and it is a theme Isaiah uses in 58:8-11 to illustrate how religion that is alive with the power of God’s presence (being) expresses as Kingdom goodness in the lives of all it touches (doing). Even better, Isaiah alludes to this “religion” restoring the Garden life humans shared with God in the beginning when our being and doing are properly integrated.
When we are rightly related to God, his power and presence will work in us, through us, and ultimately for the good of those around us. Isaiah puts it this way: “You will be called…Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.” The prophet is telling us that when we respond to God as he desires, our homes and communities benefit. They flourish.In this message, Pastor Alex helps us see that as we walk with God, He works through us to create “home” for others. He also helps us see how our “me” response works with a “we” response, where we use the riches of God’s blessing to help others just as Jesus did.
When we are rightly related to God, his power and presence will work in us, through us, and ultimately for the good of those around us. Isaiah puts it this way: “You will be called…Restorer of Streets with Dwellings.” The prophet is telling us that when we respond to God as he desires, our homes and communities benefit. They flourish.In this message, Pastor Alex helps us see that as we walk with God, He works through us to create “home” for others. He also helps us see how our “me” response works with a “we” response, where we use the riches of God’s blessing to help others just as Jesus did.
In contrast to manipulative religious practice designed to earn the practitioner what they desire, God offers us what he desires from his prescribed spiritual disciplines, saying, “This is the fasting I have chosen…” His declaration is meant to be corrective. He is setting the Israelites' current hollow practices in opposition to what he wants.A mutually loving relationship between Jesus and his followers, that's at the heart of God's desire, manifests within communities as Kingdom righteousness, where oppressive injustice yields to God’s work of making all things good again so that his people may dwell in freedom.
In contrast to manipulative religious practice designed to earn the practitioner what they desire, God offers us what he desires from his prescribed spiritual disciplines, saying, “This is the fasting I have chosen…” His declaration is meant to be corrective. He is setting the Israelites' current hollow practices in opposition to what he wants.A mutually loving relationship between Jesus and his followers, that's at the heart of God's desire, manifests within communities as Kingdom righteousness, where oppressive injustice yields to God’s work of making all things good again so that his people may dwell in freedom.
Religious practice that is empty of genuine, heartfelt devotion to God always goes wrong. The prophet Isaiah confronts God’s people, who delight in the practices of fasting and sabbath yet are frustrated that God seems distant and unresponsive. They assume that their outward observance is a lever that will move God on their behalf. It’s a pagan assumption that had crept into their community, tarnishing their devotion and leading to the exploitation of the poor. Through the prophet, God seeks to correct their misguided attempts to leverage him and prepares to share with them what actually moves his heart — his delight in his people.
Religious practice that is empty of genuine, heartfelt devotion to God always goes wrong. The prophet Isaiah confronts God’s people, who delight in the practices of fasting and sabbath yet are frustrated that God seems distant and unresponsive. They assume that their outward observance is a lever that will move God on their behalf. It’s a pagan assumption that had crept into their community, tarnishing their devotion and leading to the exploitation of the poor. Through the prophet, God seeks to correct their misguided attempts to leverage him and prepares to share with them what actually moves his heart — his delight in his people.
“God is always on mission and his mission is always to create something beautiful, fix something sin has broken, and ultimately to redeem us for himself for eternity.” — Pastor BoEven better, God invites us, all of us, to join us in his mission. We get to play a part in the grand story of God’s redemptive work. He did not create his Mission for his Church. Instead, he created a Church for his Mission, the Missio Dei. Everything we, the Church, do that resists evil and promotes human flourishing in the name of Jesus is part of that mission. Proclaiming Jesus' death and Resurrection until he returns is part of that mission. These are at the heart of our For the City Initiative.Learn more here: b4church.org/forthecity
“God is always on mission and his mission is always to create something beautiful, fix something sin has broken, and ultimately to redeem us for himself for eternity.” — Pastor BoEven better, God invites us, all of us, to join us in his mission. We get to play a part in the grand story of God’s redemptive work. He did not create his Mission for his Church. Instead, he created a Church for his Mission, the Missio Dei. Everything we, the Church, do that resists evil and promotes human flourishing in the name of Jesus is part of that mission. Proclaiming Jesus' death and Resurrection until he returns is part of that mission. These are at the heart of our For the City Initiative.Learn more here: b4church.org/forthecity
The term Imago Dei means “image of God.” It indicates a profound truth. You are created in God’s image, not just as part of a nameless mass of humanity, but uniquely — as a person with your story, your talents, and your beauty. The apostle Paul describes you as specially created, literally a “masterpiece” of […]
Did it ever occur to you that you might be a miracle? You, as part of a brand new expression of humanity, with God’s Spirit in you and with you. A new family of God with Jesus as the first born of that family. However, that family is also a Kingdom with God’s King, Jesus, as its sovereign.All of this is actually possible because Jesus came to make it so. This is the focus of Pastor Alex’s message as he unfolds what might be the greatest miracle of all.Do you have a miracle story? We'd love to hear it! Share it with us at b4church.org/miracles
People who need Jesus often fall into two camps: those who are hurting, broken, and feel like they don’t belong in religious spaces — and those whose brokenness is masked by hypocritical religion. In John’s story of a miraculous healing, we see both: a disabled man unable to fully participate in Sabbath worship and religious […]
tk Do you have a miracle story? We’d love to hear it! Share it with us at b4church.org/miracles
When Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead after four days in the grave, it causes an immediate stir. The story of this miracle sweeps through the common people throughout Judea. It rattles the religious rulers, who fear Jesus’ rising popularity, power, and revolutionary challenges to their comfortable status quo. This miracle also foreshadows Jesus’ own […]
Jesus had a reputation as a miracle worker. It’s why people sought him out in their most desperate moments. In today’s message, Pastor Jamie looks at two people whose lives overlap by twelve years. Their circumstances are different, but equally desperate. And their only hope lay with Jesus. Neither could say if he would do […]
We begin hearing before we are born, as early as 12 weeks gestation. At six to seven months prenatal, we can hear and recognize sounds outside our mother’s body like music and voices. At birth, we hear as well as an adult. Hearing is also one of the few senses that persist as we are […]
By way of a remarkably circuitous route, Jesus travels through Gentile regions that border Israel, and in doing so, he communicates that God is for all people. As he enters the region of the Decapolis, the friends of a disabled man who cannot hear or speak bring him to Jesus. Sighing with compassion, Jesus heals […]
Do you have a miracle story? We’d love to hear it! Share it with us at b4church.org/miracles
This world teaches us we have to fight for ourselves. Nobody will do it for us. However, the Bible presents us with a God who not only loves us, but is willing to be intimately involved in our lives. He is motivated by our prayers. He is moved to act on our behalf, even to […]
Sometimes it is easier to stay stuck than to move into the life that Jesus offers. In this message, Pastor Bo looks at two miraculous healings where decades of crippling disability have bound individuals to a life without vision or hope. She teases lessons from the text for us that address the question, “What miraculous […]
So many things promise us satisfaction: career, sex, money, and worldy power. However, our hearts remain restless in spite of momentary and fleeting feelings of contentment. As Jim Carrey once said: “I wish everyone could get rich and famous and everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that’s not the answer.” His quote […]
Jesus tells his friends and neighbors in Nazareth that the prophet Isaiah wrote about him in 61:1-2, referring to his authority to free “the captives.” In this first installment from our Miracles series, Pastor Bo digs into how this is still the heart of God for his people, to free them from bondage, whether addictions, […]
In this topical message, we look at three different modes of being: our “before” seasons, beyond our horizon future imaginings, and those in between transition periods that can frustrate us. Each of these times make important contributions to who we are, but they all offer very different opportunities for interaction with God. Pastor Bo looks […]
Jesus hangs on a Roman Cross between two criminals. At his feet is his mother, Mary. Luke offers us a dialog between the two men executed with the Lord, one conversation in particular with Jesus. The fourth Gospel also includes a poignant moment with Jesus’ mother. Why these details? How might they help us see Jesus’ sacrifice anew? The Lord clearly taught that there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for another. The Gospel writers want us to see the textures of God’s love in these encounters, so how might they enrich our knowledge of the savior and his atoning work on our behalf?If you'd like to learn more about the Bible and how to engage it for yourself, we'd recommend The Paradigm. It's a great Bible Project podcast featuring guests discussing the core ideas that shape the way biblical authors intended for us to read the Bible. You can check it out here: https://bibleproject.com/podcast/series/paradigm/
Jesus stands trial before the kings of this world. Pilate represents Caesar, the ruler of the “Eternal Kingdom” of Rome. And, Herod represents the unholy alliance of religion and politics, where God’s chosen people choose friendship with the powers of this world over relationship with their Creator. They maintain the outward trappings of their faith but lack its substance. In the middle of this is Jesus, the one true King. When he says that his Kingdom is “not of this world,” he is speaking truly. However, what exactly is he King of and what’s that mean to us today?If you'd like to learn more about the Bible and how to engage it for yourself, we'd recommend The Paradigm. It's a great Bible Project podcast featuring guests discussing the core ideas that shape the way biblical authors intended for us to read the Bible. You can check it out here: https://bibleproject.com/podcast/series/paradigm/
Jesus stands trial before the kings of this world. Pilate represents Caesar, the ruler of the “Eternal Kingdom” of Rome. And, Herod represents the unholy alliance of religion and politics, where God’s chosen people choose friendship with the powers of this world over relationship with their Creator. They maintain the outward trappings of their faith but lack its substance. In the middle of this is Jesus, the one true King. When he says that his Kingdom is “not of this world,” he is speaking truly. However, what exactly is he King of and what’s that mean to us today?If you'd like to learn more about the Bible and how to engage it for yourself, we'd recommend The Paradigm. It's a great Bible Project podcast featuring guests discussing the core ideas that shape the way biblical authors intended for us to read the Bible. You can check it out here: https://bibleproject.com/podcast/series/paradigm/
Zacchaeus and the crowd that judges him represent two kinds of injury: those who hurt others because of self interest and those who do so because of their religious self-righteousness. In today’s message we see how Jesus addresses both hurts as Pastor Israel invites us to bring our injury to the Lord.In the chapter right before the one containing Zacchaeus’ story, Jesus claims that nothing is impossible for God. Whether we feel inadequate or injured, God can make us new, while the restoration and healing of salvation comes to our “house.”If you'd like to learn more about the Bible and how to engage it for yourself, we'd recommend The Paradigm. It's a great Bible Project podcast featuring guests discussing the core ideas that shape the way biblical authors intended for us to read the Bible. You can check it out here: https://bibleproject.com/podcast/series/paradigm/
Jesus said, “I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” He’s surrounded by scoundrels like Jewish tax collectors, who have become turncoats serving the interests of their Roman oppressors and growing rich in the process. In their company one often found other evil doers. Yet, in this instance, the righteous Pharisees were also there. So, who are the “sinners?”Jesus doesn’t tell us directly, but Pastor Alex tackles this question head on in the latest installment of our series.If you'd like to learn more about the Bible and how to engage it for yourself, we'd recommend The Paradigm. It's a great Bible Project podcast featuring guests discussing the core ideas that shape the way biblical authors intended for us to read the Bible. You can check it out here: https://bibleproject.com/podcast/series/paradigm/
Jesus always responds to desperation. Always. There is not a single instance in the Gospels where someone comes to Jesus in dire circumstance and he does not respond with compassion and kindness. There are occasions where he confronts cynicism and hard-hearted unbelief sharply, seeking to correct the tragic trajectory of errant hearts, but Jesus’ response to those who are hurting is to relieve their suffering. This message features a revealing look at the desperate circumstances of a paralyzed man and the lengths to which his companions go to place him at Jesus’ feet before a stunned crowd of watchers and seekers.If you'd like to learn more about the Bible and how to engage it for yourself, we'd recommend The Paradigm. It's a great Bible Project podcast featuring guests discussing the core ideas that shape the way biblical authors intended for us to read the Bible. You can check it out here: https://bibleproject.com/podcast/series/paradigm/
Jesus' baptism is a crescendo of sorts, a crowning affirmation by Israel’s greatest prophet at the time AND Jesus’ Father in Heaven, who says, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well-pleased.” One would expect that the Lord could ride this kind of momentum into a triumphant public ministry, but he doesn’t.Instead, the Holy Spirit leads him into a desolate wilderness to be tested by the Devil. The temptations don't come immediately but after 40 days of wandering and fasting. Only after he is famished and physically exhausted is the battle joined. Pastor Alex helps us see how this reveals the mission of Jesus and unearths valuable spiritual insights for those who wish to follow him today.If you'd like to learn more about the Bible and how to engage it for yourself, we'd recommend The Paradigm. It's a great Bible Project podcast featuring guests discussing the core ideas that shape the way biblical authors intended for us to read the Bible. You can check it out here: https://bibleproject.com/podcast/series/paradigm/
As Jesus’s mother, Mary had a unique perspective. She saw him as few others did and helps us view the Son in all of his fullness. She is a major figure in Luke's narrative. Mary’s responses to the revelation of Jesus — as her soon-to-be-born baby and as her crucified-but-soon-to-be resurrected Lord — bookend his Gospel. In this message, Pastor Alex helps us understand the significance of Mary's journey between those two points.The Scriptures are clear that Mary was chosen to bear Messiah because of her character, and has much to teach us by her example.If you'd like to learn more about the Bible and how to engage it for yourself, we'd recommend The Paradigm. It's a great Bible Project podcast featuring guests discussing the core ideas that shape the way biblical authors intended for us to read the Bible. You can check it out here: https://bibleproject.com/podcast/series/paradigm/
We all look through a variety of lenses to see things well. We sometimes even need glasses or corrective lens surgery to maintain that clarity as we age. The Bible, and specifically Luke’s Gospel, is one of our “lenses” that can help us see life clearly throughout our journey.However, our culture has taught us to distrust many of those lenses, like the news or what our governments tell us. So, we pull the circle tighter and tighter until we only trust what we see for ourselves. But things like deep fake images and videos teach us that we can’t even trust our own perceptions. What, then, do we do? How do we even see Jesus? If you'd like to learn more about the Bible and how to engage it for yourself, we'd recommend The Paradigm. It's a great Bible Project podcast featuring guests discussing the core ideas that shape the way biblical authors intended for us to read the Bible. You can check it out here: https://bibleproject.com/podcast/series/paradigm/
On the first day of the week following Jesus’ death, the 8th day, his followers approached his tomb with disappointment. Their only goal was to complete his hasty burial and mourn him properly. Nothing had prepared them to find his burial place empty, and messengers proclaiming that he had risen — despite Jesus’ teaching about his death and eventual resurrection.Pastor Alex helps us grasp the impact of their experience, and that of the travels on the Emmreaus Road, as the importance of the Resurrection begins to dawn on Jesus’ followers.
On the first day of the week following Jesus’ death, the 8th day, his followers approached his tomb with disappointment. Their only goal was to complete his hasty burial and mourn him properly. Nothing had prepared them to find his burial place empty, and messengers proclaiming that he had risen — despite Jesus’ teaching about his death and eventual resurrection.Pastor Alex helps us grasp the impact of their experience, and that of the travels on the Emmreaus Road, as the importance of the Resurrection begins to dawn on Jesus’ followers.
Jesus said that his Father looks for worshippers in Spirit and in truth. God's pursuit of these worshipers begs a question. Will they recognize him when he arrives? What will his visitation look like? How will it line up with their expectations? Will they miss the moment entirely?Pastor Bo walks us through such an event: Luke’s account of Jesus’ arrival during the week of his Crucifixion. It was a week filled with worship, religious indignation, and a heart-breaking lament.
The Apostle Paul often paired the concepts of grace and peace in his greetings as he wrote to the churches of the Ancient Roman World. The paring was an important one for Paul because it combined God’s inclination and affection for his people with their welfare and they way in which they would experience the wholeness and rightness of his Kingdom. Pastor Alex teases out the implications of Paul’s greeting for us and offers some practical ways that we can be conduits of God’s grace and peace to others.
Blessing is built into Creation. Even though our world is marred by the evil evident to anyone paying attention, we are still blessed and designed to be vessels of blessing. In this latest installment of the Follow series, Pastor Bo teaches a fuller understanding of blessing, a concept that has grown increasingly “thin” in recent times. She also instructs us on how we can be proponents of God’s blessings, sharing with others what we receive from him.
God arrested Moses’ attention with a bush that burned and was not consumed, a shiny object if you will. However, he commanded Moses to come only so close and no closer, remove his sandals because he now stood on holy ground. God was calling him to something and imparting the means to accomplish that calling in this holy space, and Moses was to respect the moment. As Pastor Bo teaches, we should follow suit when God invites us into his Presence to make us more like Jesus.
We all spend a considerable percentage of our lives waiting, whether for food, meetings, or that “next thing.” Most of us chafe at the lag, struggling to be patient and yearning for whatever it is we want next. While we experience waiting in a linear fashion, God does not. Past, present, and future do not apply to him as they do to us. So, when we wait upon the Lord, as the Scriptures advise, we trust in One who is outside time and working for our good even when we can’t see his handiwork and must await the result.In this message, Pastor Alex offers practical suggestions to help us embrace the waiting as a profitable pathway.
“I get knocked down, but I get up again” is the refrain of a popular song from the late 90s that celebrates resilience. It could also be a summary of the main theme from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, specifically in chapter four. Within this installment of the Follow series, Pastor Bo follows Paul’s lead and unpacks what it looks like for a Jesus Follower to be resilient, why there’s good reason to cultivate this quality of the soul, and how to do so.
“I get knocked down, but I get up again” is the refrain of a popular song from the late 90s that celebrates resilience. It could also be a summary of the main theme from Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, specifically in chapter four. Within this installment of the Follow series, Pastor Bo follows Paul’s lead and unpacks what it looks like for a Jesus Follower to be resilient, why there’s good reason to cultivate this quality of the soul, and how to do so.
This week, our series focuses on interdependence, what the Bible often refers to as unity, and why it is so important. God created humanity to work together to reflect his image and to do His work in the world. However, the reality of sin has marred his image, twisted the work, and caused all kinds of brokenness in human relationships. So, this message will examine why God wants to restore interdependence among us, what healthy expressions of that really look like, and how to cultivate it in our relationships.
This week, our series focuses on interdependence, what the Bible often refers to as unity, and why it is so important. God created humanity to work together to reflect his image and to do His work in the world. However, the reality of sin has marred his image, twisted the work, and caused all kinds of brokenness in human relationships. So, this message will examine why God wants to restore interdependence among us, what healthy expressions of that really look like, and how to cultivate it in our relationships.
This week, we continue our series on what it truly looks like to follow Jesus by examining the practice of rest. In a nonstop, frenetic society like the one we live in, Jesus calls us to a different way. Because we know that our value and the outcomes of our lives ultimately depend on God and not on ourselves, we can accept God’s gracious gift of rest. God designed humans to embrace rhythms of rest. In this message, Pastor Brad shares why this is so important and how we can embrace the gift in practice.
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In our current sermon series, we are looking at ancient practices of the church that connect us to God in a deeper, richer way. This week, Pastor Brad examines the role that beauty plays in our lives. The Bible is full of examples of when and how God has used nature, beauty, and awe to display his wonder and get the attention of his people. Though our busy, efficient world often overlooks the importance of beauty and wonder, it is an essential element in connecting with God deeply.
This is the first message in our new series, Follow: Finding New Life on Ancient Paths, where Pastor Brad talks about what it means to follow Jesus and what truly is the "way of Jesus." He walks us through what it looks like to be a person who lives listening to Jesus, and what practices we can do to be in friendship with Jesus.-In this message, Pastor Brad references the practice of Lectio Divina. On Sunday, January 8, we will have a bookmark for you that walks you through this spiritual formation practice. We also have journals and Lectio Divina books available for you at the B4 Shop (located by the Info Center).
During this third week of our Illuminate series, we focus on what it means for us to be People of Light. Jesus tells us in the book of Matthew that, together, we are the light of the world. We don’t have to work to become that, he has made his people to be a light. However, we can hide the light in a variety of ways. Despite this, being light is as simple as recognizing the innate worth of those around us and sharing the love that we have found in Christ.
At times, life seems dominated by darkness, chaos, and brokenness. And we appear bound to walk in it. But Jesus says, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) Following him, Paul claims that we’re all feeling our way toward God in darkness (Acts 17). This installment of the Illuminate series explores how we perceive and follow God’s light, revealed in Jesus, from out of darkness.
People feel more secure and active in the light. Darkness lessens our energy and activity. Moreover, things that “go bump in the night” always seem scarier. It seems like this kind of rhythm is baked into us, which is what we might expect if we take Genesis 1 seriously. The ancient world associated light with life and order while darkness represented chaos and evil. We long for light. We welcome it, still.
So it’s not surprising that the Bible’s story of God’s promise coming in the Person of Jesus weaves its way metaphorically through a tapestry from dark to light.
People feel more secure and active in the light. Darkness lessens our energy and activity. Moreover, things that “go bump in the night” always seem scarier. It seems like this kind of rhythm is baked into us, which is what we might expect if we take Genesis 1 seriously. The ancient world associated light with life and order while darkness represented chaos and evil. We long for light. We welcome it, still.
So it’s not surprising that the Bible’s story of God’s promise coming in the Person of Jesus weaves its way metaphorically through a tapestry from dark to light.
Ordinary people matter to God. They did when Paul wrote Romans — in fact, the apostle mentions dozens of them in chapter 16 — and ordinary people matter to God now as well. He knows their names and their stories. He works in and through them to invite others into his Kingdom. And, he expects […]
Echoing Jesus’ teaching, the Apostle Paul instructs us to go beyond bearing with one another’s weaknesses and actively seek to build one another up. Pastor Alex offers us some practical advice throughout this encouraging message, beginning with: be formed by the Scriptures even as Jesus was. In the course of our spiritual formation, we lean […]
This week, our series continues with a deep dive into a crucial five-verse passage that is dense and challenging. We look at how one can be strong in faith. There are practical considerations for how Christians of strong, and weaker, faith are supposed to live with their brothers and sisters in ways consistent with God’s […]
This week, we continue our series in the first half of Romans 14. This passage contains some hard truths about what should happen when Christians disagree. Paul acknowledges that there are many actions and behaviors that are not inherently sinful or wrong, but might be sinful or wrong for some people in certain circumstances. He […]
Chapter 13 contains some hard truths about submitting to authority, our attitudes towards those who rule us (especially those we may not agree with), and the attitude we are to have towards all people. The chapter also counsels us to keep short accounts and meet our civic and financial obligations – good advice, but hardly […]
During the last two weeks of this series, we’ve looked at the first two sections of Romans 12. This week, we look at the last section and some very practical instructions that Paul gives to the Roman church. Even though thousands of years separate us from the people in the church at Rome, Paul’s instructions […]
Paul specifies how Christians should live within a vibrant faith community. His main areas of focus? Faith, unity, and a clear sense of self. Paul is adamant that we all are part of an organic whole, which he describes as Christ’s body. That body has one head, the Lord Jesus, but many members — all […]
Pastor Brad, unpacks the implications of Romans 12:1-2 in this stirring message, beginning with a question: What does it really mean to be a Christian? If Jesus is who the Gospels depict him to be, then that’s a really important question. Paul thought so, and he spends 11 chapters of his letter to the Romans […]
In Matthew 16, Jesus takes his disciples on a trip to Caesarea Philippi. There he questions them, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” Pressing further, he asks, “Who do you say I am?” Peter replies with his now famous confession of faith, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” […]
As Pastor Alex points out, Romans chapter eight ends with a crescendo celebrating the loving faithfulness of God. It seems like a mic-drop moment, after which no more needs to be said. However, Paul is conscious that his teaching poses a serious question. If Jesus is both Israel’s Messiah and the savior of the world; […]
In the second half of chapter eight, Paul reminds us that God has adopted us into his family as his heirs. Our identity is not based on anything that we have done, but rather on what God has done and who he says we are in Him. Embracing this gift of grace means that we […]
We all have the desire to be truly free. However, as Paul has written in Romans thus far, we aren’t really free if we are living according to our sinful nature. If we want real freedom, then, as Christians, we pay attention to the Spirit who lives in us. We listen and let him lead. […]
In Romans chapter 7, Paul expands upon the failure of the Old Testament Law to produce righteousness in us, and our sinful natures. The Law helps us recognize sin and name it. Sadly, despite the Law’s inherent goodness, there is no human way to escape sin’s influence. However, Paul uses an example from marriage to […]
Paul uses the word slavery 15 times through 23 verses of chapter six, and most often he’s referring to sin. When he tells his readers that they are free from sin, the word he uses means “not a slave.” Literally. It seems like he’s trying to tell us all something: living in freedom is an […]
This message spotlights a problem that we all have in common. We sense it. Things just aren’t right, not everything anyway. And though we seem to enjoy small celebrations of goodness at times, most of us also suspect that those are the exceptions rather than the rule. We hold elections. We spend money. We change […]
Addressing a mixed community of Gentile and Jewish believers, Paul seeks to offer them clarity. Some of the churches in Rome leaned towards a Gospel of good works: be good and God will bless you. Others, leaned into tradition and religious ritual as a means to remain in right relationship with God. The Apostle offers […]
We all judge other people. It’s a very human thing to do but it’s not a Christian thing. Why? Well, we’re told not to because judging others makes us a hypocrite. When we judge others, we also judge ourselves. We agree that there are standards they fail to meet, and when we make that assessment, […]
Romans chapter one, verses 18-32, painted a bleak picture of a hopelessly broken and sinful humanity. Chapter 2 takes this even further, pointing out that even those religious people who have tried to “do the right thing” fall short of God’s standards. God demands absolute perfection, meaning that no one is in right standing before […]
As we continue our series, we discover that Paul has some hard words for humanity. In Romans 1:18-32 Paul describes the reality of the situation between God and the people he created. While God reveals himself to all, but many people have rejected him. They have exchanged the goodness of God for what seemed good […]
Having greeted them, identifying himself, Paul offers his readers a formal introduction in the manner typical of an Ancient Classical letter. These ten verses are densely packed, addressing Paul’s gratitude for the faithfulness of the Roman churches and his deep desire to be with them, sharing mutually encouraging ministry, The Apostle also shares his life’s […]
The Apostle Paul is a towering figure in the history of Western Civilization. Few would argue with his importance as a philosopher, theologian, and socio-political reformer. Almost single-handedly, Paul established the importance of Jesus the Messiah’s birth, death, and resurrection for the non-Jewish world. He was unique within the history of his own people as […]
Unity is a rare commodity. In fact, almost everything in our culture is designed to celebrate expressively individuality or provoke an us-versus-them animosity. However, as people of the Kingdom, we are designed to be unified. We are supposed to exhibit a contrasting view of human community where unity is the norm. But it’s hard, isn’t […]
Joy is a fruit of the Spirit, a distinct marker of the Christian life, and an important theme that presents itself repeatedly within the Scriptures. A biblical understanding of joy challenges our contemporary notions since our culture tends to confuse joy with circumstantial happiness. For Christians, joy is a deeper, more abiding quality of the […]
We live in confusing times. Never have we had more access to more information, but with more information comes more confusion. If we Google “will coffee help my eyesight?” We will get hundreds of results that say it will. But if we Google “does coffee make me go blind?” We would also get hundreds of […]
The Bible says that, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” (Gal. 5;1) Pastor Jamie shares how we embrace that freedom as she teaches from Matthew 16:24-25, where Jesus offers us a paradox: that we must lose our lives to gain them. How can losing your life yield freedom? Is there another […]
We continue our People of the Kingdom series this week by looking at the topic of justice. In a world where the word “justice” is used in many settings with many different meanings, Pastor Brad examines Isaiah 58 (along with Is. 62 quoted in Luke 4) to help us come to a better understanding of […]
Empowered by God, Daniel interprets the King of Babylon’s dream, a prophetic vision of the world’s kingdoms. Each great empire is less powerful than its predecessor, with all of them represented by a giant statue constructed of man-made materials. In the end, a great rock, “not made with human hands,” crashes into the statue demolishing […]
Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God.” Isaiah calls Jesus the “Prince of Peace.” And when Christ was born, the angel announced that this poor baby from Nazareth who would be God’s King signified, “Peace on earth and goodwill to all people.” Why then is peace so elusive? […]
We know love when we see it in action. We know when we feel it, but still, love is notoriously difficult to define precisely. That difficulty is compounded when we consider the love of God. How can a good and all-powerful God, who supposedly loves us and the world we live in (John 3:16), allow […]
In this first message of the series, we look at an idea that dominated Jesus’ preaching: the Kingdom of Heaven has come! Upon hearing that, we might ask, “What kingdom, and what does it mean to be a people of that Kingdom?” As we dig deeper, we see that Jesus taught about his Kingdom as […]
In John 14, Jesus tells us that he will make a home where a godly people can live with their just and loving God. However, there’s a problem: sin and the injustice it breeds. We cannot live in a just and loving space with God while sin persists. The story of Easter is about addressing […]
While the story of Palm Sunday may be familiar to some, and a regular part of the Christian calendar, it offers some really confusing details. When we embrace these unsettling elements of the story, we can learn new things about who Jesus is and who we are called to be in His Kingdom. As Jesus […]
How do we lose the sense of wonder and awe that the world is a beautiful place for of good potential? Is it as simple as “maturing?” Do we simply grow weary, ground down by the cares of life? Or, is it possible to retain the joy, trust, vulnerability, hope, love, and dependence of a […]
Jesus told his people to love and bless everyone, even their enemies. Literally. Everyone. For most of us, that’s a practical impossibility, because don’t know everyone. However, as this message points out: our ability to love everyone is dependent upon our willingness to love anyone. More to the point, if Jesus teaches us to love […]
Why should Jesus’ people be welcomed as a transforming presence into a community that holds a low opinion of Christians? Popular media makes it tough when it portrays Christians as hypocritical and ignorant. Admittedly, sometimes we live up to that press. But, how do these descriptions align with what Jesus demonstrates in the story of […]
Jesus described the Kingdom of God two ways: close to us and available. He also characterized it as priceless and desirable, so much so that someone would sell all they had just to have it. How do those descriptions resonate today? We live in a culture where almost anything we want can be shipped, streamed, […]
Is doubt the opposite of faith? Or, is our struggle to believe more like indifference versus faith? As we’ll see in this message, developing a solid and resilient faith will require us to dialog with doubt. Why else would John record Thomas’ resistance and Jesus’ response? Reasonable people don’t readily accept the idea that a […]
The Apostle Paul wrote, “For freedom Christ has set us free…” Without any further context, his statement begs the question: free from what? St. Paul answers us within the same verse (Gal. 5:1): “…stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” In this message, we see how Jesus offers us […]
This message unpacks an unusually intimate conversation, where Jesus offers his closest followers a high definition look at the coming Holy Spirit and his work. John captured the conversation that took place on the night of Jesus’ arrest, his trial, and coming execution. He did so in order to introduce us to the Person of […]
Jesus wasn’t like any other teacher. In this message, we see that his audience agrees. They understood that he taught with an authority which superseded any of Israel’s Scribes. In Matthew 7:13-29, Jesus makes two key points as he teaches: everyone is on a road to somewhere and everyone is building their life on something. […]
Have you ever lost something really precious? Maybe it was your phone, a treasured family heirloom, or even a loving relationship. We all have known the pain of loss, and the anxious desire to recover that which we have set our hearts on. What may surprise you is that Jesus shares this common, human experience […]
Do we see God as he truly is? Or, have layers of tradition, skewed values, or religious bondage distorted our sight? Jesus came so we could see exactly what God looked like when he was among us. And, in John chapter nine, he show us something at the Pool of Siloam that had never been […]
Friends of a paralytic man break through the roof of a home where Jesus is teaching. The house is so crowded that they could think of no other way to get the man in front of Jesus, so they lowered him through a hole in the roof. They want their friend healed and they believe […]
This week’s message comes from one of the most well-known stories in the Bible: a woman known to be a sinner washes Jesus’ feet with her tears and anoints him at a dinner held in his honor, much to the shock of the host. As the message points out, both the woman and the host […]
In Luke chapter eight, Jesus closest disciples ask, “Who is this…?” (v25) They had heard his singular teaching and seen his miraculous power. They had observed an ever-growing crowd that followed their rabbi, and yet he continued to baffle them. Jesus welcomed their questions and responded with one of his own, “Who do the crowds […]
Jesus entered his public ministry with a special affirmation from God. It all began when the Lord traveled to a particular place, the Jordan, sought a specific person, John, for an express purpose, water baptism. After Jesus came up out of the water to begin his ministry, a voice from heaven said, “This is my […]
Today, we continue our Humankind series, looking at the interactions and conversations that Jesus had with the humanity around him. Our hope and desires are that we would be really clear on who Jesus is and that our trust and faith in him would increase. This week we are looking specifically at the book of […]
Christmas focuses on the birth of Jesus, and rightly so. However, the story has been told so often that it’s easy to lose the humanity of what happened: a young couple brought a baby into the world under difficult circumstance amidst remarkable promises from God. They had to be wondering what it all meant. Meantime, […]
In this series, we have been looking at encounters that various people had with Jesus. This week, Pastor Brad examines an interesting conversation between Jesus and a religious leader named Nicodemus. Jesus’ Temple visit (ch. 2) made an impression on the rulers and chief priests, so much so that one of them sought out the […]
This week, we continue our Humankind series, looking at encounters that Jesus had with different individuals while he was on earth. This week, Pastor Brad examines a story about Jesus’ interaction with a leper. After a busy season of healing and ministry in Capernaum, Jesus decides to move on to another town. It’s there that […]
In Luke chapter 7, we see two encounters that Jesus has with two individuals who, in some ways, could not be more different. The first story is about a centurion, a person with great power, authority, and means. The second is about a poor widow who was at the bottom of society’s ladder. Despite their […]
Our culture presents a false dichotomy: someone must be either religious (that’s bad) or they are spiritual (that’s good). The only alternative seems to be avoiding the question altogether. In the first message in this series, we see a third way. Jesus invites his first followers to “come and see.” He is okay with them […]
In this final week of the Ecclesiastes series, we get to see how the author of this book concludes his message. He implores his readers to remember their creator while they are still young, to take advantage of the time they have been given here on earth, and see it as a gift. They’re to […]
Throughout this series on the book of Ecclesiastes, we have seen the writer wrestle with two tensions. On the one hand, the author reminds us that everything in our lives is ultimately futile and temporary, like vapor. On the other hand, he also tells us that the best thing we can do is simply enjoy […]
This week’s message looks at our relationship with God and the circumstances within which we experience him. Ecclesiastes chapter 5 recommends a humble posture before God, where we listen more than speak. That requires stillness within and silence without. However, we are to trust His Word and obey once we hear from him. It’s the […]
This week’s message looks at chapter 4. This chapter generally focuses on some of the frustrations and attitudes around work. Verses 5-6 include three interesting references to hand postures. A person can either fold their hands in laziness, use their hands to grasp everything they can, or simply have their hands open to receive what […]
In Ecclesiastes 3, we see “the Teacher” reflect about time. He contemplates two categories, time and eternity, examining their impact on human life. Within the realm of time, change is a constant. If things are good, something bad, or unpleasant, will eventually come our way. If our circumstances are bad, we can take heart because […]
This week is our first study in the book of Ecclesiastes. It’s wisdom literature, but it’s unlike any other wisdom literature in the Bible like Proverbs, for example. Most wisdom literature offers instructions for right living that typically yield good results, with foolish living leading to bad outcomes. However, in Ecclesiastes, the author is speaking […]
This message concludes our series A People in a Place with a look at two meaningful features from 2 Corinthians 2, verse 14: the triumph that is ours because of Christ’s victory on the Cross, and the “fragrance” we Christians offer others as we live a transformed life among our neighbors. Both qualities are an […]
This week’s message begins with 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. In these verses, the Apostle Paul is expressing the core tenets of the Gospel, and reminding his readers of its foundation in the resurrection of Jesus. Paul was writing this letter to people who had asked important questions about the resurrection of Jesus, as they were struggling […]
This week, we continue our study in the book of Corinthians. We looks at several passages that have a counterintuitive message. Paul points out to the church in Corinth that Jesus’ crucifixion, a moment of scandal and extreme weakness in the eyes of the world, is our greatest strength and the core of the Gospel. […]
In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul is speaking to a group of people who worshipped idols before becoming Christians. In contrast to their old, mute idols, Paul dwells on the Holy Spirit who interacts with us. To set the scene, we hear about how Jesus taught His disciples not to be afraid and to anticipate the […]
We see rhythms of shalom set forth in a letter from Jeremiah to the Israelites living in exile in Babylon. To the average Israelite, Babylon was considered to be the nexus of evil, completely counter to their moral and religious code. However, God gave them a new blueprint for how to “do life” in the […]
In the passage for this message, Paul constructs an argument from the Corinthians lived experience that shows how what we call communion points to everything else. He confronts them, explaining that the way the go about sharing the Lord’s Table is doing more harm than good. He then goes on to cite examples from their […]
In 1 Corinthians 8 and Romans 15 Paul addresses a problem that can easily seem obscure to us today: whether or not people should eat meat that was sacrificed to idols. Though this exact situation may not be something that we face today, Pastor Brad shows how this passage can teach us a lot about […]
Dani Cole, Senior Church Advisor for World Vision in the Pacific Northwest, shared with us how a family crisis brought a dramatic change in her life. She met Jesus in the midst of the trial, and deeply identified with the story of the Samaritan Woman at the Well in John 4. Dani also shared with […]
The people of Corinth loved litigation loved taking one another to court over almost anything. So did the Corinthian Christians, a fact that caught Paul’s attention. He argued that they should be a different kind of people with a Kingdom perspective. He believed they could and should resolve their differences among themselves, and the fact […]
Something terrible was happening within the Corinthian church. There was some sort of sexual misconduct happening that even those outside the church would have seen as immoral. However, the Corinthians were tolerating this behavior, much to Paul’s chagrin. As we examine this passage, we learn that the issue is less the sin of the individual […]
Paul’s first letter to the church in Corinth, written mid-first century AD while he was in Ephesus, addresses growing cultural disunity that had begun to creep into the church. Paul sought to restore unity by directing believers to focus solely on Jesus and him crucified. The Way of the Cross, shown by Christ, was marked […]
During this week’s message, Pastor Lane asks: “Who do you listen to? Who is the most influential in your life?” Those questions relate directly to 1 Corinthians 10:10-17 where Paul writes to the people in the church in that city who were struggling to be remain unified. Some of them preferred one leader, others wanted […]
This message begins a series on Paul’s letters to the Corinthians. Corinth was much like many contemporary cities: a mix of highly-educated movers-and-shakers sharing a place with solid blue-collar folks. Corinth was lively, prosperous, and an important imperial city known for its boastful public inscriptions. Paul founded this church (Acts 18). He loved this church […]
This week wraps up our series on Hearing God in the Wilderness by posing a key question, “How do I hear God’s voice?” At the core of the message is the assurance that we can hear God’s voice through scripture and even through the trans-rational (beyond our understanding) movement of the Holy Spirit, as we […]
When Hagar, an enslaved Egyptian serving Saria (Sarah), is given as a surrogate to Abram (Abraham) by the childless Saria, she becomes pregnant. Afterwards, Saria mistreats her and Hagar flees to the wilderness. God pursues the runaway slave into the wilderness, and two significant things happen: the Angel of the Lord shows her that she’s […]
God often speaks to us in the wilderness in unexpected ways. The story of Naaman in 2 Kings chapter 5 is a great example of this. Naaman is the Syrian army commander who seems to have it all. However, he’s also a leper. God uses a surprising series of circumstances to heal to Naaman. This […]
Pastor Brad points out three features of Exodus 19: a moment, a reminder, and a vision. First, Moses pursued a moment with God. As the leader of Israel, Moses wanted to hear from God. Next, God tells Moses to remind the people of God’s gracious love for them, and how he delivered them from slavery […]
We all go through wilderness seasons. They often aren’t pleasant, but Pastor Bo Stern Brady shows us that they can be a place of great intimacy with God and foster sensitivity to his Spirit. Pastor Bo looks at the story of Jesus’ temptation as an example of what this wilderness experience can be like. After […]
To understand Leviticus, we must understand the world in which it first appeared. The book is part of a larger story, one about a God unlike any other who wants to transform humanity into a people unlike any other. This week’s message, the final in our series, offers a recap. It describes how each of […]
Last week’s message focused on the promises of prosperity and success that God made to Israel if they would follow his commands and remain obedient to Him. This week, Pastor Lane examines the promises of punishment and devastation that God made to Israel if they failed to be faithful to him. While God ensures the […]
This week we look at God’s promises in Leviticus 26, where he tells his people of all the good things they can expect if they follow his laws and keep his commandments. However, we know that bad things sometimes happen to good people who faithfully follow God. That observation raises questions about the validity of […]
In Leviticus chapter 25, God gives the Israelites two very special commands. First, he tells them that just like the seventh day of each week is to be a Sabbath, a day of rest, every seventh year they are to take a whole year of rest. Additionally, every 50 years is to be a super-Sabbath, […]
This week we have the opportunity to be captivated by the glory of a God who is searching for us like a lamp in the darkness. We encounter the glory of God in the presence of the Holy Spirit, and the continuing work of Jesus in our lives. The Bible teaches this by using the […]
This week’s message demonstrates how the festivals outlined in Leviticus chapter 23 reveal God’s plan for humanity. The festivals that were celebrated in the springtime have multiple parallels with Jesus’ life. The festivals that were celebrated in the fall seem to have parallels with what Jesus’ second coming will be like. That places us in […]
Chapter 23 of Leviticus speaks about the rhythms of life, with festivals and sabbath rest. This is echoed throughout the Scriptures, and it’s especially apparent when we look back at Genesis where the seven-day model of creation shows that the Lord both worked and rested. This is still a model for us today. It helps […]
Leviticus 21 contains some seemingly odd prohibitions for the Israelite priests. Why was God so concerned about the everyday lives and behavior of these people? Pastor Lane examines this passage and other supporting Scriptures to show that God wasn’t saying that only perfect people can serve him. Instead, He was using the priests as an […]
As we’ve seen, this series is about a God who is unlike any other gods and a people who are unlike any other people. In the past weeks, we have focused more on the former, on God. This week, we get into Leviticus 17- 20 which shifts focus to people who are unlike any other […]
Leviticus 16 might seem like an odd passage to use for an Easter message. However, this chapter is a wonderful example of how God used religion to bring the Israelite people a kind of freedom that other religions did not. And that was only the beginning. Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, God […]
This week’s message teaches us about the practices surrounding bodily functions and what seems like some of the oddest passages in Leviticus. At first glance, these appear to be rules for good hygiene. Once we take a step back and look at the text as a whole, we learn more about the character of God […]
Leviticus 11 contains something that can seem extremely odd and arbitrary to the modern reader. This chapter contains a list of dietary restrictions that God gave to the Israelite people. Why would God care what the Israelites ate or didn’t eat? Is God picky? Controlling? And what do ancient dietary laws have to do with us, […]
Continuing through Leviticus, Pastor Alex Lessler teaches us about the consuming power of God. Sometimes we can view God as full of wrath and destruction, which can lead us to a fear any relationship with him. It can also tempt us to judge him, suspecting that he is not good after all. Instead, we learn […]
In Leviticus 9, we read about something unique. God tells the Israelites to make a specific sacrifice in a specific way so that God will reveal his glory to them in a powerful manner. As Pastor Brad examines this passage in the light of the rest of scripture, he demonstrates three truths about God “showing […]
This week in Leviticus, Moses anoints Aaron and his sons as priests in a public ceremony before the entire congregation of Israel. It’s a surreal scene that involves a public bath, bloody animal sacrifice, and exotic blood-spattered clothing. Could it feel more foreign and gross? However, what this mysterious and ancient rite signifies is that […]
Leviticus shows us how this wholly different God, who names Himself Yahweh, moves toward his people, the Israelites. They have just been freed after hundreds of years of captivity in Egypt, and now they must become a nation in their own right—living in a wholly integrated harmony with Him and one another. However the Israelites […]
This week Pastor Alex Lessler demonstrates to us valuable lessons we can learn from the freewill offering described in Leviticus chapter 3. Unlike the offerings described in the first two chapters of Leviticus, this offering was optional, not required. It was a way for the Israelites to draw near to God and it ended in […]
In the second week of the Leviticus series, Pastor Brad takes us a little deeper into the details of approaching God and much care the Lord lavishes on his relationship with us. Throughout this series, we are looking at rites and rituals of purification. We’ll also examine the instructions given to the ancient Hebrews. This […]
Pastor Brad opened up this series on Leviticus by setting the scene. He answered questions that people often ask of this ancient text. It was both challenging and engaging, as he made the case that God is in search of us, not the other way around. The rituals that feel distant and confusing are actually […]
In the final week of the Sh’ma series, Pastor Brad focuses on what it looks like to love God with our might (also translated strength). Loving God with our might or strength means that we enthusiastically put effort into loving for God in tangible and visible ways. Our faith in God and our affection for […]
The Sh’ma commands us to love God with all our heart, soul, and might. This week, Pastor Brad focuses on the word “soul.” We often think of our souls as being the spiritual part of us, as opposed to our physical being. However, that’s not how the Hebrew people thought of the soul. They saw […]
Pastor Lane preached this week on the question, “What does it mean to love God with all your heart?” He talked about love, desire, and the human heart. His message encouraged us to understand that desire is the only thing that can overcome desire, where good desires from God overcome corrupt desires, bent and broken […]
In 2020, our lives were systematically and thoroughly disrupted. We lost the public and private rhythms that normally mark our days, weeks, and months. We can lean into this and invite God to grow and transform us, but that requires that we respond to him in ways that encourage spiritual growth. One way to do […]
The Advent of Jesus the promised Messiah brought great and disruptive changes to the lives of Joseph and Mary. They experienced God move in strange, beautiful, and unexpected ways: angelic visitations, a miraculous conception, tales of a heavenly choir, and the unexpected bounty of gifts from wealthy Magi. Then they were back to normal, whatever […]
As Pastor Brad continues our Advent series, we focus on the fourth theme of Advent: love. Our culture affirms the value of love. We all long for a love that completes us, that makes us feel whole. However, we can often be disappointed and disillusioned by our experiences of human love. Advent reminds us that […]
This message is a beautifully honest sermon regarding the complicated nature of Joy. It teaches us that Joy is often found where we least expect it, and how that should be an important part of the way we understand joy.
In the second message of our Advent series, Pastor Randy Remington focuses on the importance of hope. The coming of Christ in the past gives us the hope that God will fulfill his promises and there will be a future coming where all things will be set right. In the midst of the waiting, how […]
Pastor Brad kicked off our Advent series this week with a familiar story. He walked us through the birth of Jesus, but did so in a unique way. We learned how Jesus’ birth fits into a larger story, one that includes a dictator, a long-oppressed tribe, and a revolution. There was very little that was […]
Pastor Alex concludes the All Things New sermon series with his message on Jeremiah 29:11. The focus of this sermon is the hope of God’s people for a promised future. Weekly Discussion Questions
In this new sermon series, All Things New, Pastor Brad will be using the life of Abraham to flesh out our four core values (affectionately referred to as the 4 B’s). In the fourth week of the series, we look at the fourth B: Beyond. Weekly Discussion Questions
In this new sermon series, All Things New, Pastor Brad will be using the life of Abraham to flesh out our four core values (affectionately referred to as the 4 B’s). In the third week of the series, we look at the third B: Be. Weekly Discussion Questions
In this new sermon series, All Things New, Pastor Brad will be using the life of Abraham to flesh out our four core values (affectionately referred to as the 4 B’s). In the second week of the series, we look at the second B: Belong. Weekly Discussion Questions All Things New Booklet
In this new sermon series, All Things New, Pastor Brad will be using the life of Abraham to flesh out our four core values (affectionately referred to as the 4 B’s). In this first week of the series, we look at the first B: Behold. Weekly Discussion Questions All Things New Series Booklet
In Acts chapter 28, Paul unexpectedly finds himself on the island of Malta. Though he may not have planned to be there, God is clearly at work in Paul’s journey. This week, Northwest Pacific District Supervisor, Gabe Barreiro, shows us how this chapter demonstrates the ways the Holy Spirit leads the Church and how we […]
In Acts 26, Paul is called to present his case, his testimony, before two officials: the newly-appointed Roman governor Festus and the Jewish King Agrippa (along with his sister, Bernice). The reactions to the gospel of these three powerful people—and the reaction of the Jews to Paul’s message—are good examples of three ways that people […]
In Acts chapters 22-24, Paul has a hard time. He’s almost flogged, but his Roman citizenship keeps him from that. Then he’s put on trial by the Sanhedrin, which ends in chaos and leads to some of them forming a plot to assassinate him. In the midst of the chaos, God encourages Paul not to […]
In Acts chapter 22, Paul is accosted by a mob. Despite the chaos around him, Paul remains level-headed and even uses the situation to preach the good news of the Gospel. Paul experiences this peace because of where his identity is founded. This passage shows us that we can have this same stable identity if […]
In Acts chapter 20, Paul says goodbye to his friends from the city of Ephesus. Though his words were meant for them, what he says gives us a personal peek into Paul’s life and his values. As he talks about his life and what he anticipates is coming, it is clear that Paul knows he […]
In Acts chapter 19, there are two things happening that are also happening in our own day: a fire and a riot. The beginning of the chapter tells about how many people in the city of Ephesus came to know Jesus. They were wholehearted in their desire to follow him, so much so that they […]
While Paul is in the city of Athens, he spends time in the marketplace, the center of ancient life. He starts debating with some philosophers there and they invite him to the Areopagus to share his ideas. The speech that he gives there is one of his most famous and most studied in the book […]
In Acts chapter 17, Paul and the believers in the city of Thessalonica encounter an angry mob. Driven by jealousy, the Jews in that town partner with “the rabble” to riot against the Christians. They accuse them of supporting a king other than Caesar and demand justice to be done. Though their methods were unfair […]
Almost 100 years ago, the famous British philosopher, Bertrand Russell, wrote an essay entitled Why I Am Not a Christian. He presented the essay to his academic peers as substantial evidence for why he did not embrace Christianity. In this week’s sermon, Pastor Brad presents reasons why he is a Christian, as they appear in […]
In Acts 15, the church faces a major dispute. Some of the Jewish Christians have been telling the Gentile Christians that in order to actually be saved they need to also become Jews, get circumcised, and follow all the Jewish purity laws. Paul and Barnabas debated with these Jewish Christians, and eventually, the church in […]
In our modern, rational world, we are often convinced that what we see is what we get. It’s hard for our minds to make sense of the supernatural or even believe there is something beyond the physical. However, Acts 13 gives us two reminders that we do live in a world that intersects with spiritual […]
In Acts chapter 11, we are first introduced to the church in the city of Antioch. Antioch was a large metropolitan area in the ancient world. People from all over the world lived there because it was a bustling trade hub. Jewish Christians who were scattered because of the persecution that broke out in Jerusalem […]
After Peter’s encounter with Cornelius and the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Gentiles, the Jewish believers have some serious questions. At first, they were skeptical of what Peter has done. They question him. He doesn’t get defensive. He just tells them about what God has done. Through hearing his story and the way […]
In this passage, Peter goes to Cornelius’ home. Cornelius understands the significance of the religious and cultural barriers that Peter is crossing to come to his home, and tries to honor Peter, but Peter tells Cornelius what God has revealed to him: no person is common or unclean to God. Peter then asks Cornelius why […]
In this part of Acts chapter 10, God does two unexpected things. First he speaks to Cornelius, a man who fears God but is not a Jew. Until this point in the church, everyone who has encountered Jesus has been Jewish, or closely related to the Jews, like the Samaritans. God speaking to someone outside […]
In this second section of Acts chapter 9, God appears to a man named Anainas and sends him to Saul. Ananias is hesitant. He’s heard about Saul and what he’s been doing to Christians. However, Ananias goes to Saul because God asks him to do so.
In Acts 9, we read about Saul’s conversion. While we might not all experience the same dramatic type of encounter with Jesus that causes us to convert, we all follow a similar process to what Saul experienced. First, Saul was confronted. Jesus appeared to him in a way that was unexpected to Saul and challenged […]
The story of Phillip and the Ethiopian Eunuch in Acts chapter 8 is a great demonstration that the Gospel of Jesus is for everyone. In this story, the Holy Spirit sends Phillip to a desert road where he encounters this man from Ethiopia. The man fears God and is reading the Scriptures, but he would […]
In the first part of Acts chapter 8, three responses to the Gospel are clearly laid out. Saul illustrates the first response. He is resistant to the Gospel. He sees the Gospel message as a threat and starts to persecute the church. Phillip and the Samaritans he preaches the Gospel message to represent a second […]
The early church wasn’t perfect. They had their problems, and those problems are a lot like the ones facing us today. There was discrimination and prejudice in the early church. The apostles didn’t ignore it. They were honest about it and worked to prevent it. This made the church even more appealing to their community. […]
Acts chapter 5 tells a strange tale. As people in the early church are willingly selling their possessions in order to provide for other church members, a husband and wife team get an idea. They sell a field, give some of the proceeds to the church, but keep back some of the proceeds for themselves […]
In this week’s passage we find the story of Peter healing a lame man. This miraculous event caused quite a stir. Pastor Brad explains that there are three sets of characters in this story who represent three aspects of God’s work: some were the disrupters, some were disrupted, and some were disturbed. Peter and the […]
Last week, Pastor Brad talked about how the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples on the Day of Pentecost. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues. People who saw and heard them started asking, “What does this mean?” This week, Pastor Alex focuses on the explanation that Peter gave […]
In Acts chapter 2, God’s promise to the disciples is fulfilled. The Holy Spirit is poured out on them. A great wind blows through the room where they are at and tongues of fire appear on top of their head, signifying that God is present with them. They are enabled to speak in other languages. […]
The second half of Acts chapter 1 gives us a glimpse into what these disciples did while they were waiting for Jesus’ promise of the Holy Spirit to be fulfilled. First of all, the disciples obeyed Jesus’ direction. He had told them to go to Jerusalem and wait, so that is what they did. Though […]
This week, we begin our study of the book of Acts in chapter one. Within the first 11 verses, Pastor Brad notes four things that are happening in this passage. We can all relate to these today as well: waiting, wanting, witnessing, and watching. Jesus tells his disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit. The […]
In the coming weeks, we’ll be diving into the book of Acts. However, the book of Acts is a sequel to the book of Luke. In order to set us up for the coming series, Pastor Brad looks at an important story at the end of the book of Luke: the story of two disciples […]
The book of John comes to a climax in chapter 20. The book began with a reference to Genesis (“In the beginning”) and has detailed 7 of Jesus’ miracles. The number 7 was associated with wholeness and completeness since God had created in 7 days. In John chapter 20, an eighth miracle of Jesus is […]
John chapter 11 contains another of Jesus’ miracles. Jesus is told that his friend Lazarus is sick. We’re told that Jesus loves Lazarus very much. However, instead of immediately going to him and healing him or healing him from afar (which he’s done before), Jesus stays where he is two days. Then he decides to […]
John chapter 9 relates the story of the healing of a man born blind. Jesus heals this man in a unique way. He doesn’t just touch the man’s eyes and restore his sight. Instead, he does something odd. He mixes up spit and mud, puts it on the blind man’s eyes, and tells him to […]
Last week, Pastor Brad talked about John chapter 6 and the feeding of the five thousand and how many stopped following Jesus after he gave a hard teaching. However, his closest followers, the apostles stuck with him. Why is that? Right in the middle of the story last week, there’s another vignette from the life […]
In this week’s sermon, we examine one of the most well known of Jesus’ miracles: the feeding of the 5,000. Jesus has this huge crowd following him. As the day wanes while he teaches, he asks his disciples how they plan to feed the crowd. They’re not sure. So, Jesus miraculously provides enough food for […]
In the book of John we see seven miracles highlighted. John does this to have us see clearly who Jesus is, believe in him, and by believing in him have real life. Each miracle shows us three things: who Jesus is not, who Jesus is, and what the miracle has to do with us. This […]
When we see Jesus for who He really is, and come to believe in Him, we enter a quality of life that is unique, tangibly better, insanely infectious, and described as “living water”. Even so, there is a lot of misunderstanding about who Jesus is and what He is about. Sincere “unbelief” is still unbelief. […]
The book of John has one stated purpose: to demonstrate through the life of Jesus that he is the Messiah and the readers can have faith in him. John does this by describing seven miracles or signs (8 including his resurrection). Each of these 7 miracles has a deeper meaning than first meets the eye.
As is the case with every other healthy organism, a healthy soul should be a growing soul. How do we help our souls to grow? The answer can be found in John 15:1-17. In this passage, Jesus uses an example from gardening and vine dressing to teach his disciples an important lesson. If we want […]
Romans 12:1-2 is a familiar passage for many, but it’s an important one as we seek to care for our souls. This passage shows the importance of integrating every part of our souls so we can be healthy. Contrary to what the world around us often proclaims, what we do with our bodies affects our […]
King Saul in the Bible is a great example of what can happen to a person who doesn’t care for their soul. Saul’s story starts out well. He’s tall, handsome, and anointed by the Spirit of God. He’s humble and seeks after justice. However, as time goes on, things start to unravel. He’s impatient. He […]
Life can be as dangerous as an icy road. If we’re not careful, we can end up in a ditch, a place we don’t want to be. In order to avoid this, we need to take the time to slow down and care for our souls. What does the soul need?
Our culture is obsessed with wellness. Despite that, we seem to be less happy than ever before. While wellness is a good thing, what we are really missing is wholeness. Wholeness is something that only God can provide. Psalm 42 and 43 remind us of these hard truths. Sometimes even those who are pursuing God […]
At the beginning of a new year, people often make goals and set resolutions for how they What is the soul? Our soul is like the operating system of our lives. We usually don’t take notice of it unless something is wrong. The soul is really the integration of our will, our mind, and our […]
At the beginning of a new year, people often make goals and set resolutions for how they would like to improve their lives. Most of these goals and resolutions are attempts at behavior modification. However, often, our lives are lacking something more than simply being more disciplined. We’re often neglecting the most important part of […]
Love is the final theme we’re exploring in this Advent series. Being loved and giving love are universal desires that all people have. However, defining love can be complicated when, “I love my wife” and “I love cheese” are both valid uses of the word. But while definitions are elusive, we all know that love […]
The theme of this third installment of our Advent series is joy. People have a deep desire to find joy or happiness. We all desire to be happy. Most of us seek happiness in prosperity and security. The problem is that prosperity and security can be hard to achieve, and even if you achieve them, […]
Peace is something that we all want, but it’s something that is so very hard to find. However, the Bible tells us that Jesus has come to bring us peace. It’s one of the things that we celebrate in the Advent season. But what is true peace? In Hebrew, the word for peace, “shalom”, means […]
The Hebrew word for hope carries with it this idea that no matter how bad the present may be, there is way through it, because of a future that God promises. Hope carries expectations of a new tomorrow. Hope is based on something that is in our future, but even so, it gives us courage, […]
God generously gives us His protection, which is something we should be grateful for. However, there is a tension in God’s protection. God doesn’t always keep us safe, at least not the way we think He should. The lives of many people in the Bible, including Paul and Joseph, show that God has never promised […]
Gratitude can be difficult in our modern world because we often live out of a scarcity mindset. We often think that there isn’t enough to go around, so we need to get all we can while we can. This causes us to focus on what we don’t have rather than what we do. We become […]
This time of the year, we are often reminded of the importance of gratitude. Gratitude is beneficial physically, mentally, and spiritually. However, gratitude can be difficult. Throughout the Bible, God calls his people to remember what he has done. This remembrance plays a huge role in gratitude. God is a generous God and when we […]