Kingwood UMC: Recent Episodes
Kingwood United Methodist Church
Welcome to Kingwood UMC! This channel broadcasts the 9:00am sermon from our traditional worship community. Wherever you are listening from, we strongly believe, because of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, that there is always more to life. For more information, visit www.kingwoodumc.org.
Luke’s account of the resurrection reveals a question from the resurrected Christ that each of us should answer today. We are 3rd day people, and that changes everything!
What are you consuming? As we encounter Maundy Thursday together, we pause and ask ourselves, what are we filling our hearts and heads with? What social media feeds, what conversations, are we allowing to impact us, and are we keeping the words of Jesus in the forefront of our minds? Friends, what are you consuming?
In Matthew 16 we read of Jesus question to disciples, which we all need to answer- “Who do you say that I am?” We also explore the significance of where Jesus asked this question and Peter’s response.
Bartimaeus encounters Jesus on the way out of Jericho to Jerusalem. Hindered by blindness, cultural limitations, and the noise of society, Bartimaeus had every reason to not pursue Healing. But Jesus sees Bartimaeus, and Bartimaeus encounters the Rabbi who heals.
If you prefer to listen, stream, and/or watch, join us and subscribe on Youtube:
-https://www.youtube.com/@kingwoodmethodist
In Mark 10:32-52, we see a myriad of contrasts between two disciples Jesus called and a blind beggar who calls out to Jesus. Today we look at it means to have a Bartimaeus spirit.
Most of the questions Moses asks God are fueled by his fears and doubts. Today we look at some of those questions as Ken Medema creates a song reflecting our doubts, and God’s assurance in each question.
When we don’t trust God we end up somewhere we are not supposed to be. Even in our disobedience God is already there with us! Are you running from God?
The disciple Thomas is often called “doubting Thomas,” but as we hear at the end of John 13 we realize Thomas was listening to Jesus. Jesus says there is a place he is going that we cannot go now. Where is that?
In Genesis 3, we find the first two questions of the Bible. We still wrestle with these two questions today- one intended to doubt God, the other intended to lead to a relationship with God.
At the end of Acts 22, we read Paul’s sharing of the gospel, and his witness to Jesus. If we are to witness with confidence for Christ we need to the story of Jesus, and we need to know our personal story of faith in Christ.
On Jeremy's last Sunday in the sanctuary, we explore one question... Do we truly value the kingdom of God as treasure?
If you prefer to listen, stream, and/or watch, join us and subscribe on Youtube:
-https://www.youtube.com/@kingwoodmethodist
Our church has undergone many exciting challenges over the last couple months, but something that has happened under the radar is a reorientation of youth ministry at Kingwood Methodist. Come and meet our youth staff and see how students in our community can plug into our church!
If you prefer to listen, stream, and/or watch, join us and subscribe on Youtube:
-https://www.youtube.com/@kingwoodmethodist
The only right response to God’s extravagant love for us in Jesus is love others extravagantly. This begins with us personally accepting the love so we love others. Let's dive in together!
If you prefer to listen, stream, and/or watch, join us and subscribe on Youtube!:
-https://www.youtube.com/@kingwoodmethodist
God is the source of extravagant love and the more we learn about his love for us the more we are able to live others extravagantly.
In 2 Samuel 26, we learn that when we gather together to worship God there is so much more happening than what our eyes can see.
In Luke 2, Simeon provides us with a Biblical model of what it means to worship passionately as individuals.
In Mark 1 we read of Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan River. Today we dive into the Methodist understanding of Christian baptism as part of our annual covenant renewal service.
In Matthew 2:1-12, we learn of the three gifts of the Magi brought to Jesus. What if each of those gifts represented how we can give our life to Christ?
Jesus is the light of the world. That light draws others and cannot be overcome by darkness-ever. As we listen back to the Christmas story, how is God using a familiar story to speak to you in new ways?
Today was celebration of Carols with our Sanctuary so the message is highlights the theme of the music, and celebrates carols that call us to reconcile with the saviors birth! Check out the whole program on our YouTube or webpage (Kingwood Methodist Church).
In Matthew 2:4-6 we hear the echo of the prophet Micah that Jesus will be born in Bethlehem and the importance of that specific city.
In Genesis 32 we read of a turning point in Jacobs life. How can we experience those transformational moments in our own faith?
Isaiah 11 is a forward looking text grounded in the reality of the present. Isaiah reveals the immensity of change when our hope he’s grounded in an advent faith.
In Genesis 41 we learn from Joseph the importance of staying connected to God and how that informs our stewardship of God’s resources.
Some of our friends are back! As we celebrate 50 years as a church, we read the words from the prophet Ezekiel to a people in exile. Join us to hear this profound word of hope that makes angels stand in awe at what the Lord is doing!
The parable of the Mustard seed reminds us that what God will and can do is always greater than how His work begins.
Because of God’s extravagant love we respond by extravagantly sharing the gospel. Simply put... are you a frog or a lizard?
The greatest inheritance we have been given as followers of Christ is the very presence of God in our midst. Are we passionately pursuing after that great blessing?
It is in the garden that life begins and the resurrected Christ is met. God is the gardener and our lives are the soil in which he works.
Every follower of Christ is called to be a peacemaker. Today we explore how to be peacemakers, and what that looks like in our communities.
The call of Jesus to live at peace with one another involves us needing to forgive one another. Jesus teaches us the importance of forgiveness in living in Shalom with each other.
Peace within can be difficult to find in a culture of chaos around us. In our message today, the apostle Paul lays out the way we can have inner peace no matter our circumstances.
As we start our series talking God's peace, we first need to humble ourselves and know where peace really comes from.
Jesus speaks directly into the clutter of our lines asking what we value, see, and trust. Simple questions that lead to simplicity in life.
Sabbath is God's gift to his people to lead us into rhythms of rest so that we might be restored.
Part of eliminating hurry is following both the way of Christ and the teaching of Christ. The way of Christ is filled with moments of intentional, purposeful rest.
The ruthless elimination of hurry in our lives is inseparably connected to the voices that we listen to daily.
We all need someone to come into our lives uninvited to refine our faith and we all need to step into others lives. Saul and Ananias teach us the value of both.
Zacchaues reminds us that we all need someone in our life that is searching for Jesus. We are called to plant trees for people to see Jesus and be trees so people can see Jesus because of us.
Paul poured into Timothy. Moses poured into Joshua. These Biblical examples of mentoring are critical to the legacy of faith passed on from one generation to the next. Are you pouring out the love of Jesus to the next generation?
We need jethros in our lives. We need people who speak hard truth to and we need to be people who speak hard truths into others lives. How do we do both?
Nathan spoke God’s truth into David’s life. We all need to create space through worship, prayer, scripture and serving others so that God can use a Nathan to speak into our lives.
We all need a true friend in life. Jonathan’s friendship with David shows us several characteristics we can find in being a true friend and in a true friend.
In Acts we hear about the importance of waiting on the Holy Spirit and what it looks to respond to the Holy Spirit on this day of Pentecost.
To have a true assurance of our salvation, God desires to draw for us to draw close to him in secret, honest, and quiet places of our lives. He asks us to pursue true intimacy with him over flash and entertainment. How are you drawing near to Christ?
Before our new confirmans take the stage to get confirmed, our pastors shared words of perspective, and words of liturgy.
Senior Sunday at KUMC is always a rich time at the church, but as we ask our graduating seniors about their faith and relationships with Jesus, may we see the awesome things God has done!
In Exodus 16 we see the model of dependency upon God. We learn the barriers that keep us from thriving in faith and trusting God completely.
How do we take a seat at the table God has prepared in the face of our enemies? And who is the enemy? What is the real enemy to our thriving in Christ?
Thriving in this life means that we are fully alive in Jesus. This starts by being a people who dwell with Jesus. What does it look like to dwell with Jesus?
Jesus is risen! Death is defeated! Today we talk about God's power on resurrection Sunday.
Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us, on more than just Christmas! He is God with us in everything. Including our sin. He is willing to goo to the cross for our sin and the sins of the world.
Luke gives us an intimate look into the human will of Jesus and his relationship with God as Jesus prays in the garden, "Not my will but yours be done."
God meets us in our anguish, heartbreak and confusion in the most ordinary ways. Through the story of Mary Magdalene at the empty tomb, in John 20, we see the ways Jesus gently comforts and returns us to our community to share the comfort we received. It's what Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, and it's for all of us!
Jesus and Pilate enter Jerusalem on this Palm Sunday in a different way and from a different location. Which procession will we join?
When 5,000 people need to be fed, the contrast between the disciples response and Jesus’ response is clear. Jesus’ challenge remains so true for us today.
We learn the importance of shamelessly audacious prayer in Jesus’ teaching. However, that kind of prayer begins in us, before it can begin through us.
This peculiar parable teaches us that persistent prayer sustains our faith because God is good.
For March's healing and prayer message we talk about a comprehensive theology of healing. We believe God desires to heal us, but how the Lord heals is different for each person.
Jesus encourage us to pray simply and honestly. As we change our prayer life, God begins to shift our focus from ourselves to God. As our perspective is switched, we begin to experience his grace!
Discipleship in Christ can’t be door dashed, but it can lived and prayer is integral to that journey. We need Jesus to help our unbelief turn into genuine faith.
Paul tells us that we are called to live in community as the church. Does the church reflect the love of God, or do we mimic the world more often than not?
The Holy Spirit is an active part of the Trinity. Today, we learn who the Holy Spirit is and how we respond to the Holy Spirit.
Todays healing lesson comes from John 9 where we learn about how the Lords healing takes normal days and turns them into a miraculous days. If you would like to schedule a prayer appointment reach out to Jeremy.bass@kingwoodumc.org. We would love to pray for you and partner with the Holy Spirit in seeking healing!
As we introduce the Trinity, we look at the scriptures which give witness to the Trinity and what we believe about the first person of the Trinity, God the Father.
In scripture we see there is a common story being told throughout. Today we talk about that story and how we can read see Gods heart throughout the pages of the Bible.
We believe that the Bible is the Word of God and that all it contains is God inspired. Today we learn about how the Bible is organized, how to read it and even what kind of Bible would be good to purchase if you want go deeper in Bible study.
In our current sermon series "What We Believe," we explore the sacrament of Holy Communion. What does communion mean to us in our lives, and how is God calling to us through this sacrament?
Hey family! In this B-side conversation, we are talking about our advent sermon series "Undistanced." We talk about the church history behind advent, Clint's football playoff predictions, and some practical tips to re-ignite or restart spending time with Jesus. May we draw near to God as He draws near to us!
This Sunday is Baptism of the Lord Sunday in the life of the church calendar and in our Wesleyan heritage. Today we remember our baptism, and renew our covenant with God.
Matthew records the visit of the Magi. We explore what we can know and what assumptions we we make from the text, but most importantly we learn why we don’t want to go back to Herod.
Our calling is like that of John the Baptist, to prepare the way for the Lord in the hearts and minds of the world around us though our witness of word and deed. What is the message that your witness communicates?
On the journey to Bethlehem God involves ordinary people in the extraordinary event of the birth of Christ. In Jesus, God is drawing near to us, seeking relationship with us. Do you know our savior who was born in a manger?
God sees human value differently than we do. It was no mistake that the angels appeared to the lowly marginalized shepherds rather than the noble influencers. May we echo the heart of God in our ministry to the world.
We serve a God who sees all. In spite of the mess He sees, He still chooses to love us enough to send his son. So what is our response? If you missed us in worship, go back and listen to the choirs extended Gloria. It is essential to the greater understanding of what it means to glorify the name of Jesus in the world.
In the life of Zechariah, father of John the Baptist, we find many interesting details that led to the moment when he was visited by the Angel Gabriel. Todays text let’s us know that God heard our prayers.
Welcome to advent at KUMC! As we launch this advent sermon series “unDistanced”, we learn from John that God is about intimacy with not distance. And what a wifi signal can teach us about our faith.
Christ the King Sunday is the last Sunday of the church year. Jesus reminds us that his kingdom is not of this world, but it is in this world.
As we dive into our monthly healing and prayer night, know that God desires to heal you physically, emotionally, and spiritually because of his compassion and love for you. Our almighty God loves you so much, and knows what you are going through!
We're excited to share a new project we've been working on! 'B-side Conversations' are intentional, moderated conversations with our pastors that hone in on specific questions from our recent sermon series. Though we believe God can speak to us in a moment on Sunday mornings, or Wednesday nights, God often uses intentional, specific conversations to grow us to be more faithful and confident disciples. Today's conversation is based on our recent sermon series "Callings." We hope these conversations bring up natural questions that branch off our sermon series, but if you EVER have specific questions, our pastors would love to meet and talk about them. May these conversations encourage and challenge you to grow deeper in your love for Jesus and other people!
Join us as we seek together to better understand how our distinctive tri-Italian theology changes the way we live out our faith.
Hebrews reminds us of the importance of the importance of centering the faith of those who have gone ahead of us and God’s faithfulness.
Not every calling from God is a blinding light. But, no calling should be taken lightly. The differences in the call of Saul and Ananias reveals this truth.
One of the greatest callings is to freely offer the Grace of God. But, what do you do when the other does not deserve it, and grace prevents you from dealing the justice they deserve?
In the story of Esther we find the importance of what it means when God’s call comes to us through those around us. We also learn that God calls us beyond ourselves to serve others.
In the Garden God called Adam ans Eve by name. Along shore of Galilee Jesus calls the first four disciples by name. How do we respond when Christ calls?
The early church shows us how we as a community can live differently from the world around. How does living in real transformational community make our witness shine brightly?
Jesus' words are difficult to hear but what does it mean when he says that we are to love our enemies? And what does it not mean as we strive to let The Holy Spirit make us whole.
It’s early in the morning in the temple courts and we see the difference between the gentleness of Jesus and the accusations of the Pharisees.
James challenges us to holiness in practical ways. But what does keeping a tight reign on your tongue have to do with serving widows and orphans?
Jeremiah reminds us the importance of how our sin, the things we fail to do and the things that we do, keep us from being the whole person God invites us to become.
Our identity as individuals and a community of faith is rooted in God choosing us. Though God has chosen us, we still need to take a step of faith TOWARD God. So church, what do we choose?
In Philippians 3, the apostle Paul tells us about the importance of continuing to pursue growth in Christ. We pursue perfection in every corner of our lives, but what does it look like to pursue perfection in our faith?
As we finish our Sermon series "Reset My Heart," we continue to look at how we approach life as a new school year dawns. When we approach life and all its challenges, where do we lean and who do we trust?
Our hearts are reset and aligned with God when we allow him access to our hearts. We can live a whole life in church/in community with others and not allow the Lord genuine access to our hearts. Open your heart to God today!
Ecclesiastes ends by telling us what to the think about the rest of the book. What is our response as Christians in light of all that Ecclesiastes teaches us?
July UMARMY is back after an amazing week in Jasper, TX! Hear what God has done through our students and leaders, and how the Lord made himself know in worship.
As we continue to look into the book of Ecclesiastes we try to discern the line between the realities of our world, and the hope we have as New-Testament believers in Jesus.
Ecclesiastes has us look at some difficult issues, but its purpose is to help us reorient our hearts and minds on God’s heart.
This July, we begin a new series and introduce the book of Ecclesiastes. This book is complicated and nuanced, and seems to fly in the face of other books of the Bible. So as we dig into this book, we ask ourselves and the Lord, what does is it mean to live with an open handed life?
Today we hear the witness of our seniors from June UMARMY. Listen as they share how God moved deeply in their hearts through worship and service at camp!
Church, coins can’t loose themselves! In order to be lost, it had to belong to someone, in the first place. In the same spirit, God searches for us because we have always belonged to him. How are you opening your eyes and your heart to the Lord's pursuit?
We find joy when we have faith and hope in the promises of God. Jesus came to teach us what that looks like.
Change is inevitable … growth is optional. Tracking some of the ways God has crafted KUMC over the last 20 years shows us how we have followed the Spirit, and how He might be leading us to work towards embracing a radical us with love.
The grace of God cannot be dictated and grace cannot be repaid. As followers of Jesus, we must understand that grace must be obeyed!
The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Triune God of the Christian faith. But how does the Holy Spirit work and why?
Our seniors have graduated!! Rev. Wyllie and our source 15 seniors share what the Lord has been doing over their time in youth, and prayerfully step forward into a future guided by the Lord.
In the life of Paul and Barnabas we find some insights about how God restores relationships in the midst of conflict.
When the separation is deep, the restoration can be life-changing, even eternal. May we experience the healing that overcomes our social divides and when we do, let’s praise God for the saving work He does through Christ!
In the life of Joseph we find three key aspects in discovering how our human relationships impact our availability to God to restore our faith.
Cheer Up, On your feet! Because just like Jesus restored blind Bartimaeus He’ll restore whatever healing you’re in need of.
The resurrected Christ meets the disciples at the Sea of Galilee, the same place where He first called them. Jesus restores Peter through three questions and a command that he had heard before, “follow me”.
The risen Christ meets Cleopas and another disciple on the road to Emmaus, but they don’t recognize him. What keeps us from recognizing Christ?
Though we have a "formula" for calculating "when" Easter is, we are called to SOO much more than that. We are called to be an Easter people! Every day living in the truth and the call of the resurrection, to insert the savior that rose from the dead into every day crossroads situations. On your walks back to what you know (your job, your family, your personal battles), are you letting the savior in?
We remember that there were two triumphant entries into Jerusalem through two different gates before Passover nearly 2,000 years ago. Which gate are you going to?
God promises to give us rest, but it is an invitation that requires our response. Today’s sermon looks at three choices we make that can lead to rest for our souls.
Responding to God's grace means choosing to walk towards Jesus. Our response to God's transforming Grace is to share the gospel with others, and pressing on to continue to be transformed. How are you responding to God's grace? And how are you responding to God's call in your community?
From a dark prison cell on a remote hill in what is now the country of Jordan, John the Baptist is still at work. He is still setting up crossroads moments with Christ for others. He didn’t forget who Christ was.
This week we talk about how many times, when we stand at crossroads, we ask which path to go down. To illustrate this, we look at the parable of the Good Samaritan. We can learn what our guiding principle should be when asking which path to go down as we seek the LORD in scripture and prayer.
We launch our new sermon series with a focus on where we stand. Two disciples were standing with John the Baptist, who pointed them to stand with Jesus. Where are you standing and who you are standing with determines the trajectory of your life. Where are you standing?
We are invited to share with God our gifts financially and the gifts of our lives. We will explore the difference between the fruit of the Spirit and Spiritual Gifts.
Prayer is our communication and conversation with God. It is where we both listen and speak. Paul gives us guidance about the purpose and goal of prayer in words to Philippians.
On this second week of our series we look at what the biblical meaning of service is and how we can go out to the deeper waters of service in the midst of the challenges of the pandemic.
As we launch our new sermon series "Duc In Altum," which is latin for "put out into the deep," we learn more about where Christ is calling and leading us.
On this baptism of the Lord Sunday we look at the meaning of Jesus' baptism and the meeting of our baptism. What does "remember your baptism" really mean for us in our daily lives?
The prophet Isaiah proclaims a promise of light to Gods people. If we are to be the light of the world like Jesus calls us, how do we press into that promise and command to be light in the darkness?
Today we explore what the OT has to tell us about how we respond to the arrival of Jesus in the NT. How is the incarnation of Christ calling you to change?
We all know that God loves us, but sometimes it is hard to understand how he does. The prophet Isaiah reveals “the how” as mother Mary calls us to respond to his Love.
True Joy comes from God and transcends our human emotion of happiness. Let's join together in giving the responsibility of joy back to the Lord, and not on our own striving.
Peace is not just the absence of conflict. It’s not just what we avoid. It is what we give our lives to! We are called and sent to be God’s peace makers in the world.
Hope is as fundamental to Christians as the air. We serve a God who pours out hope abundantly on us. This first week of Advent let’s look at how God is pouring hope fresh into our lives.
This week we dive into Isiah 40:21-31, and talk about God's provision for us. What are ways that you are trying to provide for yourself that are supposed to belong to the LORD?
Thanks to the way that God provides for us we have a certain hope in the present and future that enables us to not have to worry or feel anxious. God provides and calls us to help Him provide for others!
The first week of our new series, “My Hope is Built” invites us to consider the implications of Pilate’s declaration that Christ is King. What does that mean for your life in Christ?
Jesus changes Simon Peter's name because Peter proclaimed Jesus' name. In this change, Peter received the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven.
Romans 12 instructs us followers of Christ to be transformed by Christ not conformed to the patterns of this world in which we live. What ways is your heart fully conformed to the world? And where has God begun to transform your heart?
God calls us in many different ways. How are you allowing God to speak clarity and calling into your life? How available are you to respond to the call of the Lord?
Wherever we look during this pandemic, it seems as if so much is spinning out of control, and especially out of our control. This week we explore the Christian claim that God is in control and hear how that might impact the way we live and love one another.
God calls His people to be people of Justice. But what does justice look like for us in a world filled with so much injustice?
The world amplifies the idea hate your enemies. In Scripture we find a God who loves us unconditionally when we were his enemies. How does that reality allow us to amplify Gods love in the world.
While Paul in prison in Rome, awaiting his execution, he writes to Timothy about the critical aspect of the faith. Paul says that all scripture is "God breathed". Today we explore how the Bible we have today came into existence and the infallible nature of God's word in the Bible.
As pastor Chris wraps up our series “Be Still,” he asks us to look inside ourselves and really ask us about how we view stillness with the Lord. Are we making daily time to be still in the presence of the Holy Spirit?
We welcome Deneen Goldsmith to KUMC as a Ministry Intern from Perkins Theological Seminary. In this conversation with Dr Palmer Deneen shares more about her faith, her calling, and her personal preference in Chicken Wings. Welcome Deneen. We're so excited you're here!
God calls us to be still as he delivers us. But the question for us is, How do we be still as we prepare for battle?
What does it mean for the Lord to “make me” lie down in green pastures and “restore” my soul? It means that God doesn’t leave his sheep “cast”, but finds us and set us on our feet.
When Jesus is welcomed at the house of Martha, she and her sister Mary have different response to His presence. Martha is distracted Mary sits at Jesus feet. Where are you?
The Command of God to “Be Still” is so much deeper than simply a comfort in difficult times. Today we dive into scripture to discover hidden truths in the stillness and how God uses this counter cultural discipline to transform our lives.
When all is said and done, and we look back on this season of life, will we see the things we couldn't do or the Holy Moments where we met God and we're convinced to remember and respond? May we rise up as a church and move into the next steps God has for us and the community around us. Rise Up!
Dr. Palmer continues our series "What's Next?" by pointing out our propensity to take action and make plans and THEN ask God to bless them. Instead, Dr. Palmer points us to a quote by Bob Goff that reminds us to "Be where your feet are." Friends, let's return to asking the Lord's will, and then taking action.
How do you truly feel about God's Hope? In today's message, Pastor Jeremy takes us through Numbers 13 and Joshua 3, and asks us the question, do we really believe in God's goodness, and our living hope in him? Or do we trust more in ourselves and our abilities?
It’s God who comes to Joshua in the time of transition. And God’s message isn’t just for Joshua, but for all the people he will lead. And it’s a message for us today as well.
In this week's podcast, Burt and KUMC welcome our new associate pastor, Rev. Jeremy Bass to our church. Rev. Bass talks about his calling, and some of his most powerful personal moments in his walk with the Lord.
Dr. Burt Palmer asks us to lean into transitions this morning. Though they are painful, and though we are going through so many in our current world, Dr. Palmer reminds us that transitions are also a God-given opportunity for us to evaluate our "Why?" in real time.
John Wayne's last sermon at Kingwood United Methodist Church is taken from Isaiah 43:1-3; 16-21. As we transition out of the wilderness, so to speak, it is time for us to see what God is up to and join him in that work. In Isaiah 43, God not only promises to help the people in their wilderness but he promises to transform it. Maybe, this is the corporate encouragement we need in this time.
Elijah’s humanity and God’s character are on full display in this text from 1 Kings. We find the amazing truth that God relentlessly pursues us and a human tendency we all have when we respond in fear.
As we move through the wilderness, we look to Christ, who was led into wilderness by the Holy Spirit. This isn’t about how we battle with temptation it is about the hope we find in How Christ never gave in to temptation.
In the wilderness the Israelites learn about obedience and the faithfulness of God. Obedience can often be misconstrued to be something that is oppressive or demanding from God, when for the Israelites obedience was about witnessing to the world about God. This is not unlike our opportunity to shine God's light in the middle of the wilderness.
We all know that God provides water and Manna in the wilderness. What what if God doesn’t just want to get you through it? What if he is using this season for so much more!
Pastor Chris continues our series "Hope in the Wilderness," by taking us through a passage in Exodus where God protects the Israelites, and shows them that He is still moving even He seems quiet.
This past Sunday, we launched our sermon series, “Wilderness: What Now?” As the Israelite people left Egypt and entered the wilderness, this passage reminds us that God was with the Hebrew people then, and God is with us now.
When Jesus asks Peter three times, "Do you love me?", He was not trying to bring Peter down; rather he was seeking to build him up again, to restore him in leadership.
After the resurrection, Jesus begins to appear to the disciples and this story of the appearance with the men on the road to Emmaus is one of the most memorable. There are some interesting things we can learn from the two men and how Jesus intervenes in their traumatic experiences.
Easter Sunday is a celebration of God's victory over the grave and the promise for all of those in Christ. Today we complete the Becoming Lenten journey with this final "I am" statement: "I am the resurrection and the life." Jesus walks with his friends through tears and grief and then shows the fullness of his mission by bringing Lazarus back to life.