Tom VanderPloeg: Recent Episodes
Tom VanderPloeg
Times of waiting are natural and—in fact—biblical. God uses our times of waiting to help us focus more on God’s certainty in the midst of our uncertainties.
Jesus chose to become a servant for a reason; our response to follow Jesus as servants in this world is connected with that exact same reason.
One of the things I want to note about John’s gospel this week is the unique perspective this gospel provides into the life of Jesus. The three other gospels in the Bible—Matthew, Mark, and Luke—are all known as the synoptic gospels. Synoptic is a greek term that simply means “same view.” In other words,…
Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem before the Passover shows us a collision of identities and expectations; Jesus is welcomed as a king but acts as a servant.
Sometimes God uses our individual acts of service to be much more when joined together with what God is already doing.
The servant nature of Jesus shows us not only a demonstration of God’s hospitality, it shows us the direction of God’s hospitality.
Jesus comes not only to serve his people and bring salvation, but also because his heart longs for a desired outcome to take place in the hearts and lives of his people.
Jesus shows us that he is willing to sacrifice everything in order to serve the world he loves; service takes commitment.
Jesus begins his ministry of service from a place of emptiness; the call to serve is not dependent on what we have, but on what we give up.
For most of the book of Job, God remains silent. When God does finally speak up towards the end of the book, Job is left with just one response to give.
As Job finds a path through his moment of struggle, we see his awakening recognition of exactly what he needs: a mediator to step in and advocate on his behalf.
The story of Job forces us to confront a God we cannot always understand; like Job, we search for ways to relate to God in moments when we do not understand.
Job’s friends think they have an explanation for Job’s suffering, but they are wrong about who God is.
Sabbath is a day set aside as holy to the Lord; that makes sabbath a time to reorient ourselves and our lives towards God. In other words, sabbath is a day for worship.
When Jesus prays for his disciples, he prays that “they may have the full measure of my joy within them.” The Sabbath is designed by God as a day to give yourself fully to delight in God’s world, in your life in it, and ultimately in God himself.
Jesus frames the sabbath as a time in which our God-centered focus brings renewal and restoration. Sabbath rest is part of what forms us to be more complete disciples of Jesus.
To follow after Jesus is to adopt his overall lifestyle as our own and arrange our daily life around his presence and peace. This does not begin with doing, it begins with stopping.
The gift of Jesus at Christmas is more than a gift of forgiveness and salvation; the gift we receive through Christ is the gift of an eternal covenant family to which we belong.
The peace of God which we celebrate at Christmas is about more than absence of conflict; it is about wholeness. Jesus comes into the world and gives himself for us so that we could be made whole again.
So much of what we experience as joy at Christmas centers on the people we get to be with at Christmas. So also, the joy we experience in God at Christmas is not just what Jesus does FOR his people, it is primarily what Jesus does to be WITH his people.
A perfect gift reflects both the giver and the one receiving the gift. In the birth of Jesus, God gives a gift of love that reflects both God’s generosity of grace, as well as our need to receive God’s grace.
Hope is a gift from God that orients the focuses and direction of our faith towards the promises of God.
On this day we set aside for giving thanks, let’s take a few moments and consider this story from the gospel of Luke which teaches us a little something about gratitude. It is a story full of surprises. Maybe we miss those surprises because our culture is so far removed from the day of Jesus. However,…
Today is the last in a series paying attention to all the times in which the Bible commands us to not be afraid. I have noted in the past weeks that scripture tells us over 100 times to not be afraid. In the past weeks we have examined that command in light of related features. We have noticed how worry…
Fear in our world grows and expands when we add worrying. One of the ways the Bible tells us to push fear aside is by putting our worries aside.
A 50th anniversary service which acknowledges God’s covenant faithfulness to Fellowship Church.
We come to the close of this series on the letter of James. You have seen by now the common themes which come up over and over again in this letter. The over arching motive for James is to call attention to the discrepancy between inner beliefs and outward actions. Throughout the five chapters we have…
James tells us that the allegiance of our hearts is seen in our outward actions; therefore, wisdom from heaven must begin in the allegiance of our hearts.
James tells us our attitudes and actions are both able to be shaped by a wisdom which looks upward to the example of Christ.
James is often referred to as a book of practical wisdom for the church; yet James starts his writing with advice that would seem very unconventional for his readers.
Over the past weeks we have been looking at scripture as something of a faith practice. We grow as more complete disciples of Jesus when we have a regular pattern of spending time in the word of God. And we have talked about that in a few different categories so far. We began by looking at the way in…
The creation itself reveals the creator. We are reminded through the Psalms not to worship created things, but always to see God through the creation.
The Bible not only reveals God’s gospel message of redemption, it also gives us a perspective towards our own identity in this world; it reminds us of who we are.
Christians say that the Bible is the Word of God; but what do we mean by that and how do we understand the words of these ancient texts to be the voice of God?
Prayer changes things. The most effective prayers are not the ones which seek to change my situations and circumstances—the world and people around me; the most effective prayers are the ones that change ME.
Jonah gives us an example of both a prayer that makes room in his heart, and a prayer that shuts out room in his heart. We can learn from Jonah the ways in which our own hearts either make room for prayer, or shut out room for prayer.
Learning to sift through all the “voices” in our world and to discern how God is speaking to us is a key task of discipleship. Prayer teaches us how to silence all the other noise in our world so that we can listen to God.
Everybody wants a place where they know they can belong; the Bible assures us that we are created for belonging, and baptism is the sign of God’s promise that we always have a place to belong with him.
God invites us as his people to connect our hearts with his heart; a well-rounded rhythm of prayer with God helps us as disciples of Jesus to remain connected to God’s heart.
Prayer is a practice which brings us in union with God; sometimes the best way to begin embracing a life of prayer is to let others give you the words.
The Bible often reminds us that in our attempts to seek out God, it is always in fact God who is seeking our hearts.
The gospel of Jesus orients our souls towards a new life with God; the practice of worship also orients our souls towards a new life with God. Making room in our lives to nurture the wellbeing of our community brings action into a new life with God.
Making room in my life to listen and respond to the Holy Spirit means that I must declutter my life in order to make room.
The Bible tells us that faith is interactive. This means that the faith God has planted in his people calls for a response; the Bible also gives us a clue to what that response looks like.
Samuel needed help to recognize God’s voice. God still reveals himself all around our world; sometimes we too need help knowing how to listen.
The choices we make from day to day all combine together to impact the person we become. Joshua reminds the people that their journey with God involves some choices; our path of discipleship involves choices too.
The resurrection of Jesus confronted the disciples with a question: what should they be doing now because of what Jesus has done? It is a question that still confronts us today.
Even from the time of Christ’s birth, there are those who anticipate resurrection; we can be people today who also live as those anticipating resurrection.
I would like for us to jump ahead in the story today for a frame of reference. Before we back up and trace through the events of this Maundy Thursday, let’s use a story from Matthew’s gospel to set our point of reference. You see, we may have the tendency to read these stories as an outside observer…
Jesus demonstrates the humble nature of shalom in the way he fulfils Zechariah’s words on the day of the triumphal entry to Jerusalem.
God’s salvation shalom is beyond our understanding, yet at the same time we are invited to witness and participate in all that God is doing to restore his world.
The restoration of God’s shalom shows up not only in God’s closeness to his people, but also in his people’s closeness to each other.
The prophets speak of God’s shalom as something which draws all people to himself; Jesus continues to draw people to himself today through his provision of shalom.
The prophets speak of God’s peace NOT as rest which comes apart from our places of wilderness, BUT as rest that comes even within our places of wilderness.
Nehemiah and Ezra make sure that the Word of God is not only a priority to be read and known, but that the people also prioritize their response to God’s Word; how can we plan a life of faith that responds to the Word of God?
Even as Nehemiah moved forward in faith and action, the needs of the people around him did not go ignored; Nehemiah shows us that communities of faithful obedience to God are also communities of justice and mercy.
Nehemiah faced obstacles while trying to put the vision of his faith into action; what can we learn from Nehemiah’s example in times when we too face obstacles in our life of faith?
Nehemiah had a vision of an ambitious plan for God’s people; it was essential for prayer to be the link which allowed Nehemiah to know the vision for God’s people and to act upon it.
He shall be called Prince of Peace — Jesus is the Messiah who brings the restoration of shalom.
It is the third Sunday of Advent. The series of messages we are considering over this season is based on the titles which the prophet Isaiah gives to the Messiah in Isaiah 9:6 . Isaiah 9:6 (NIV) 6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will…
he shall be called mighty God — the Messiah who makes a way of salvation for his people where there appears to be no way for salvation to happen
He shall be called wonderful counselor — the Messiah who has restored us and our world to himself by his own authority, and continues to guide his people today by the presence of the Holy Spirit
Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with a reminder that the kingdom of heaven comes with blessings; they are blessings which meet God’s people no matter where they are.
The kingdom of heaven is a gift made available through Jesus, but it is a gift that comes with expectations; how are those who receive the kingdom expected to respond?
Jesus tells a story that shows the kingdom of heaven is full of both equality and inequality at the same time.
On October 31, 1517 (All-Hallows’-Eve) Martin Luther famously posted his 95 theses to the door of the chapel in Wittenberg, Germany; but it was not the first time God’s people posted something significant to a doorway on a spooky night.
Our faith in Jesus is both personal and public; we believe and have a personal relationship with God, but we also participate in the wider restoration of God’s kingdom in this world.
Jesus shows us that there is a pattern by which we are to live within the kingdom, because it is the same pattern by which God brought us into the kingdom.
The Bible talks about the kingdom as something which exists within our world today; but that doesn’t mean the world shares equal priority with the kingdom.
We might like to think of the kingdom of heaven as huge and powerful; but Jesus points to a kingdom that shows up in the smallest places.
Jesus tells stories which portrays the kingdom of heaven existing in messy places; how do we find the kingdom in the middle of the mess?
Jesus describes the kingdom of heaven as something which starts in our world right now and is available to everyone; how do you see the kingdom in your own backyard?
Becoming better disciples of Jesus does not just happen automatically; we intentionally pursue faith practices while aligning ourselves with the Holy Spirit and one another.
Service is a response to Gods love for us in Jesus Christ that teaches us to live like Jesus through specific, tangible actions that contribute to the dignity and well-being of the people we serve.
The faith practice of remembering centers our attention on what God has done in our lives, deepening our assurance that God is with us here and now, and expanding our hope and anticipation for what God will yet do.
The faith practice of wonder helps us glimpse with surprise just how creative, faithful, good, big, and present God is.
The faith practice of prayer is a way in which we actively submit ourselves and our world to Gods ongoing transformational work in Christ by expressing ourselves to God and listening for God to engage with us.
Through the faith practice of celebrating we delight in circumstances, relationships, and occasions that help us remember and anticipate God’s abundant goodness, creativity, faithfulness, beauty, and love.
As a faith practice, listening involves training ourselves to recognize Gods voice (John 10:1-6) in the midst of all the other voices calling for our attention. It involves learning to be fully present in the moment, setting aside distractions that keep us from attending to and responding to Gods presence around us.
Justice and mercy are the tangible expressions of loving our neighbors as God has loved us. They are the ways that we live like Jesus here and now, affirming the goodness of Gods image in others and anticipating the overflowing shalom peace and flourishing that characterizes Gods coming kingdom.
The practice of engaging Scripture immerses us in the true story of God’s faithful love so that we become more like Jesus as we grow in recognizing God, ourselves, and the world around us.
Hospitality is the act of making space for guests, visitors, or strangers, and extending to them the privileges of family; biblical hospitality focuses on how we will live as God’s people in relationship with people who are different from us.
Generosity is freely sharing with others the many gifts God has given us. A spirit of generosity arises from gratitude. As we imitate Gods own generous nature, our generosity overflows to bless the people around us.
Gratitude is our response of thankfulness for God’s goodness, love, provision, and grace. It is the undercurrent of all other faith practices—the well out of which they flow.
Sabbath, God's gift to us, is a time set apart to rest from work, worship God, tend to our soul, and bless others.
holy habits that help us love God and our neighbor, listen to the Holy Spirit, and become more like Jesus
Sometimes it may seem like the goal of Christian life is to escape from all that is evil and unhappy in this world; but the apostle Paul frames the “escape room” of this world a little differently in his letter to the Philippians.
By rewinding all the way back to the beginning of John’s gospel, we discover that John himself rewinds us all the way back to the beginning of Genesis; what is it that John wants us to see by turning his gospel all the way back to the beginning?
The resurrection of Lazarus points forward to other resurrections that are on the way; all reminders of the restoration of shalom.
As Jesus enters Jerusalem, the apostle John focuses on the tension which is building up among the people who take note of Jesus.
Jesus uses the example of washing his disciples’ feet not only as an illustration of what he did for us on the cross, but also as a picture of how we are to live in response to God.
By looking back at the cross, we see Jesus reveal who God is; by seeing and knowing who God is, we see Jesus reveal something about who we are
Even before Jesus goes to the cross, he begins preparing his followers for what will come next—a new resurrection life guided by the Holy Spirit to be centered upon Christ and directed towards the Father.
We catch up to Jesus at the moment of his death sentence by crucifixion and begin working backward through the story to discover the reason for the cross.
Here we go; it is the last week on the ABC’s of an outward faith. We started by looking at the need for awareness. Last week we considered what it means to have a faith that is bold. And I left you with the teaser that this week I am actually giving you C, D, and E as a finish to this series. That’s…
Sometimes God takes us on steps of faith that travel outside of anything we have known before. It took boldness for Peter to follow God in new directions; our faith follows Jesus with that same boldness today as well.
The church in the New Testament shows an example of faith in God that is always expanding outward; how can we embrace a faith in God today that takes shape in the world beyond our church walls?
sometimes trying to figure out how God works in our lives feels like a puzzle; the prophet Samuel learned a little something about that, and it remains as a lesson for us today.
God nurtures our faith so that our faith can be healthy; the path to healthy faith centers on a love which embraces heart, soul, mind, and strength.
At the end of Genesis we see an example of the vision Joseph embraces which kept his faith rooted in God; it is a vision which enables our faith today to remain rooted in God as well.
Some of the things that Christians identify as faith-goals are actually byproducts; the real faith-goal for Christian identity is much less complicated.
Sometimes we try so hard to make Christmas feel special that forget the ways in which Christmas is also ordinary; God did something special when Jesus was born at Christmas, but it came into an ordinary world in an ordinary way.
The prophet Micah gives us a glimpse into the renewed world which follows the coming of God’s Messiah; it is a glimpse that helps give direction for us today.
God’s gift given to his people has an expected result; the prophet Micah tells us that sometimes our expectations need to align with the gift God gives.
The Christmas season can be filled with a lot of hype. But sometimes all that anticipation can leave us with empty and unmet expectations; the prophet Micah reminds us that what we anticipate and what God actually brings are not always the same thing.
The Bible gives some helpful advice on ways we can keep Christ as the focus of our faith.
Having a faith that is focused on Christ can be complicated. The Bible tells us that sometimes religion itself can become a distraction from faith in Jesus; how can we clear out everything that distracts our faith from being focused on Christ?
The mystery of the gospel can sometimes seem a little blurry when life throws a lot at us; the Bible reminds us how to find our focus back again.
The Bible does not say much about spiritual warfare; the key to understanding Paul’s words about the armor of God is to see it in the context of the entire letter of Ephesians.
What did God prepare in advance for you to do? The answer is connected to what it means for you to be saved by grace through faith.
Paul’s letter for Ephesus reminds us that God has intended purposes folded and wrapped into the grace he gives us; how is God’s grace being unfolded and unwrapped in your life?
This is the last message in a brief three=part series on themes in the book of Acts. We have already looked at the theme of the church being reborn as a new community of believers, and we have looked at the theme of the church being recommissioned with a purpose to be witnesses of Jesus. Today we wrap…
God’s people are given a mission. The stories in Acts show us how that mission takes shape in the church; it is a mission that still takes shape in the church today.
As the New Testament church was reborn, the book of Acts shares with us several of its characteristics; traits that still help give direction for the church today.
Vehicles always need refueling (or recharging) in order to keep going; stopping at the gas station or plugging into the charger is a regular necessity. What does it look like for you to regularly refuel your faith?
Having all the wheels in proper alignment helps a car move smoothly; paying some attention to the alignment of your spiritual life also checks to see that your soul is aligned in the right direction.
Often we pay attention to cleaning the outward appearance of a car to look nice, but how often do we clean inside the engine so that it runs smoothly? Is the same thing true in our spiritual lives to maintain a healthy soul?
Just the right amount of tension and pressure are sometimes required in order for an engine to run smoothly; are there necessary tensions and pressures that help maintain a healthy soul?
Often we think that we are the ones who approach God; in fact, it is God who approaches us. How does your life form a response to God?
The heavenly Father is always ready to give what we need; sometimes the question is if we are ready to receive it.
God’s people have always sought to listen for the voice of God; seeing how the Word of God shows up from the Old Testament into the New Testament helps us understand the voice of God in our world today.
The collection of spiritual fruit not only gives us instruction for developing our own Christian character, it also provides a diagnostic framework to give our lives focus, clarity, and direction.
Bearing the spiritual fruit of self-control requires discernment; the Bible tells us that discernment requires participation in God’s covenant community.
The Bible tells us that the gentle actions of those who follow Jesus shine like stars in a dark world.
God’s covenant faithfulness to his people is the foundation for us to bear the spiritual fruit of faithfulness.
The spiritual fruit of goodness is about more than being good (right behavior); it is about integrity of character.
The spiritual fruit of kindness is not about being a nice person; kindness in the Bible is a combination of two expressions: compassion and mercy.
Often we think of patience as a virtue or character trait; the Bible tells us that patience is also a spiritual fruit which comes with a spiritual benefit.
Peace is more than simply the absence of conflict; it is the active presence of God which results in the flourishing of his creation.
Joy is not just an emotion we feel that depends upon our circumstances; joy is an attitude built within us by the Holy Spirit which reflects the joy of Christ through us to others.
There is no character trait more central to the Christian life than love; it is what we have received inwardly from God, and what we express outwardly to the world.
The new resurrection life we have in Jesus comes with a purpose and a reason; the author of Hebrews concludes the book by telling us what new resurrection life means for us.
Jesus demonstrates what it looks like to walk the road of faithfulness; our road of faithfulness follows Jesus.
Hebrews connects Jesus to the Old Testament tabernacle; how does it help us that the cross of Jesus enters into that ancient tabernacle?
What is the ‘order of Melchizedek’ and why is that so important for the author of Hebrews to connect Melchizedek to Jesus?
What is it about Jesus that gives us confidence; and how do we live as people with confident faith?
The only way for Jesus to completely take away the guilt of our sin was for Jesus to become completely like us in every way; sometimes we forget what it means that Jesus has become our brother.
Jesus came to accomplish the work of God by doing what no one else but God could do; God’s entire plan of redemption for his entire creation was pointing towards Jesus the whole way
Daniel’s faith in God remained secure even though Daniel was an exile in a foreign land; what features of secure faith can we learn from Daniel’s example of faith?
Jonah’s faith needed some realignment in order to follow God’s heart; how does God align our faith today?
Sometimes faith requires careful discernment. Esther’s faith was challenged with some tough choices; how was she able to discern the right actions to take?
The prophet Elijah had a moment of losing faith when he thought his whole world was falling apart. God restores Elijah’s faith; God can restore our faith too.
Perhaps the bravest step of faith we see in the Old Testament happened when the shepherd boy, David, faced the giant, Goliath, with nothing more than a sling and some stones; how does that story help us face giants in our world today?
Samuel’s call from God came as an inconvenient disruption; how do we respond when inconvenient disruptions come our way?
Even though Ruth expresses a faith that is determined, she also receives a much-needed community of others who are faithful as well.
Even though Moses tried several times to opt out from following God’s direction, we can learn from Moses’ story what matters most about the direction of our faith today.
Even though Abram’s life of faith has its share of ups and downs, we can learn from Abram’s story what matters most about our life of faith today.
The Magi and Herod have very different reactions to arrival of Jesus; it shows up in the kind of baggage they carry. What does our baggage say about us?
Sometimes we think of advent as a time to prepare ourselves for the arrival of Jesus; God shows us in the story of Israel that we are being prepared for Jesus.
No one likes to have their life rerouted in directions that appear to be wasted; Jesus shows us that God uses these waiting times for his purposes.
Jesus shows us in the way he arrives at Christmas that he shows up in our very ordinary world; and God continues to show up in our ordinary world today.
As Thanksgiving Day is upon us, a little portion control is helpful to keep from stuffing ourselves on too much dinner; portion control is also helpful for embracing gratitude.
There is more to thanksgiving than feeling grateful; the act of giving thanks requires some attention to our boundaries.
Jesus invites us into a wholehearted life in which we can love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
Wholeheartedness is not about doing something that gives you a result; it is about being something that gives you a purpose.
God invites us through Jesus to be wholehearted; the path to wholeness begins by admitting we cannot get there on our own.
What if the greatest commandment to love God with heart, soul, mind, and strength is less of a chore to check off our task list, and more of an invitation to be whole?
The mission of the church sends us out to serve others; the way in which we serve our local community frames our actions as followers of Jesus.
The mission of the church is to reach into the lives of people; our commitment to growing meaningful relationships frames our actions as followers of Jesus.
The mission of the church is centered in God’s love for the world; our connection to the love of God frames our actions as followers of Jesus.
Every Sunday service includes an opportunity to give an offering; the weekly offering is not only a way of supporting the ministry of the church, it is also an act of worship.
Ever since the Protestant Reformation, preaching the gospel has been the central ingredient of the worship service; but what is the point of listening to a sermon every week in church?
Sacraments are more than reminders about God’s covenant; they are moments of participation within God’s covenant.
The Bible is a rather complex collection of writings over two-thousand years old; how do we best read and apply its message into our world today?
Prayer is not only the church’s way of expressing petitions to God; it is also God’s way of petitioning our hearts to receive his grace.
Confession is not just about admitting our sins and faults to God; it is about pursuing a faith that is authentic and genuine before God.
Sometimes we struggle to figure out God’s will for our lives; the Bible gives us a few key principles to help whenever we wrestle with discerning the will of God.
Faith is a gift given by God and received in our hearts; in worship we give an expression of our faith by professing what we believe together.
Worship is a part of what God calls us to do; when we come into worship, we do so in a way which responds to the invitation we have been given to enter the presence of God.
The first commandment beckons us to look at all corners of our lives which become objects of worship in place of the Lord.
The second commandment is about more than idols; it is a reminder that everything in this world has been created by God.
The third commandment is about more than blasphemy; it is a commitment to always seek the one true God as he reveals himself in scripture.
The fourth commandment is about more than just a day for church; it is about a pattern of sabbath rest which sets our hearts upon God in all our days.
The sixth commandment is about more than murder; it is about the intrinsic value of all human life, and the call of God’s people to promote the shalom-flourishing of all human life.
The fifth commandment is about more than being good sons and daughters; it is about learning to appreciate the values of respect, dignity, and service.
The seventh commandment is about more than marriage faithfulness; it is about honoring our bodies as temples of the holy Spirit.
The eighth commandment is about more than taking things that do not belong to you; it is about the way our sense of entitlement gets in the way of generosity.
The ninth commandment is about more than telling the truth; it is about living with an honest integrity which fully embraces all that God created you to be.
God intends that we see the commandments as a blueprint for shalom. God shows us in the commandments a way to live that thrives and flourishes in his creation.
The power of resurrection we see on Easter shows us that Jesus has conquered sin and death; the power of Jesus to raise Lazarus from the tomb shows us that resurrection extends from Jesus to all his people.
Let us remember tonight that this story did not begin with that sacred meal, it did not begin with that towel and foot-washing basin, it did not begin with those prayers on the mountain, it did not even begin in that stable back in Bethlehem. You see, God had this plan in mind for longer than you or…
Jesus gives sight to a man who has been blind his whole life. Jesus continues to shine light into lives that have been lost in darkness.
Jesus gives a reminder for his disciples that the creator of heaven and earth is fully capable of bringing his people where he wants them to go.
Jesus uses a lunch break for a hungry crowd to make a connection back to ancient Jewish history and point forward to a new covenant promise.
Jesus provides healing for a man in need, and also demonstrates a new pattern of living as the people of God.
Jesus came full of mercy and compassion for people in need, but also came as the Messiah so that people in need would have faith and believe in him.
The first miracle of Jesus at Cana provides the first sign Jesus gives to redefine people’s expectation of the Messiah.
Anointing someone with oil is not a custom we continue in our time, but the meaning behind this cultural ritual is still a part of our world today.
Jesus tells a story of a great banquet table, but the guest list is a surprise no one saw coming; what does it look like to come into the banquet of God today?
The catechism tells us that our only comfort in life and in death is that we belong to our faithful savior Jesus. What does that assurance look like in our world today?
The wisdom writer in Proverbs describes a life that walks in the path of righteousness.
The good shepherd not only watches over his flock, he also provides new life for his sheep.
Water is necessary for survival; Jesus reveals himself as the source of living water which will forever nourish his people.
God reveals himself to be the shepherd who leads his people to good pasture; what does that pasture look like for us today?
There are so many fairy tale stories at Christmas; but none of those stories enters our hearts and changes our lives like the true story of Christmas.
Sometimes we think of joy as a feeling of happiness; the Bible tells us that joy is so much more than a feeling, it is an outward action that comes from an inward assurance.
We often see in the Bible that peace is so much more than the absence of conflict; peace is an active momentum towards the flourishing of God’s world
We see examples in the gospel of Luke of those who made room in their hearts for love, and those who had no room in their hearts for love; we still see those examples in our world today.
Advent is about waiting for what is coming. But waiting is not empty time; it is filled with anticipation. Isaiah shows us how to make room in our hearts for hope during a time of waiting.
The Bible describes characteristics of what it means to be set free in Christ; how does this freedom shape our everyday life?
In Galatians 5 the apostle Paul begins a discussion about the meaning of freedom; it is a good reminder for us that freedom comes from Christ
Living in community with other people is not always easy; the early church needed to strengthen the bonds of their community, the church today still walks in that path
The covenant promise of God in the Bible is more than a ticket to eternal salvation, it is also an invitation to a new community of people
The covenant promise of God in the Bible is more than a ticket to eternal salvation, it is also an invitation to a new community of people
Faith and the law set two different standards; one brings life and freedom, the other brings curse and condemnation
The Bible reminds us that God’s people need each other; so how do we work through our differences to find common ground?
The Bible reminds us that God’s people need each other; so how do we work through our differences to find common ground?