First Mennonite Church: Recent Episodes
Brett Klingenberg
The Holy Spirit opens up a whole new way to think about culture, race, and who is included in God's kingdom
In John 4 we read about Jesus entering enemy territory to bring the good news. What he offers is at first beyond the Samaritans grasp, but once again he reveals his true self.
Should Jesus' teachings be taken seriously? If what he teaches doesn't seem to work in our world, then should we just ignore it for the time? Jesus' followers live according to heaven's ethics today no matter what.
Judgment is so tricky, we are called to make moral judgments and yet Jesus commands us not to condemn anyone. In fact, Jesus asks that we move from condemning others to humbly walking beside them.
The point of spiritual practice is to seek communion with God. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives some ideas for how to do that.
When Jesus upends Old Testament laws about retaliation and the death penalty, he calls his followers instead to be ready to act with grace at a moments notice. Loving ones enemies suddenly takes on a whole new ethic and calling.
Jesus carries all authority...is the fulfillment of the Law. What does this mean for us then as we read a huge Bible with lots of Laws?
When Jesus begins his sermon on the mount, what he says is a blessing upon all the people who didn't think they were welcome in the Kingdom of Heaven. And like a sonic boom it reverberates into our present day.
So why was Jesus baptized? Doesn't baptism mean that one has repented, died to their old life and are now raised anew? Jesus came to the world to identify with us in every way, and God declares that he is pleased with Jesus.
Jesus is the Light of the world, but his creation loved darkness more. Why is it that we are drawn to darkness and how are we so easily duped?
Jesus is named many things: Lord and Savior, Redeemer, Son of David, and so on. The author of Hebrews adds to this list: Representative, Brother, and High Priest.
Joseph is asked by God to name Jesus, claiming him as his own flesh and blood though he was conceived by the Holy Spirit. In a similar way we too are conceived by the Spirit as well as named and claimed by God.
Advent brings a new season of preparing not just for the Christmas story, but for the return of Christ. Do you have things in order so that you might welcome him today?
Part 4 of our series on Women and the Bible. Pastor Brett explores some of the women Paul worked with as well as takes a detailed look into 1 Corinthians 14.33-36.
Part 1 on our sermon series on Women and the Bible. The focus for this sermon is some history of women in the Old Testament followed by Jesus and his radical inclusion of women in his ministry.
Exile was not just an important experience for the Jewish people in 597 BC, but became a way of thinking for early Christians that Peter writes to in modern Turkey. What is it like to think of ourselves as exiles in our own homeland?
It's not the size of one's faith that matters, in fact the smallest possible grain of faith is more than enough. What matters is who you are looking at.
Through the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus and the Prodigal Son, Jesus teaches the Pharisees that they are not only alienating God's children, but are also the ones whom God wants to change.
Jesus taught his followers to use dishonest wealth to gain friends....so how does this make sense?
We all recognize the importance of our birth as well as the family, language, culture, and country that we are born into. But Jesus teaches that those things no longer matter and instead we are asked to be re-born into a whole new person and kingdom.
Jesus tells us we must hate our family, but he says that as hyperbole. The real meaning behind that statement is a question..."have you considered the cost of following Jesus?"
This sermon is a reflection both on Luke 13 and the "Loss of Turtle Island" that was held at the church the Sunday before. There are two ways to encourage people to change; either tie them up and force their hand...or untie them, like Jesus does to the hurting woman.
Giving seems to be easier when we have less, why is that? Jesus tells a story about a man who was suddenly wealthy and what happened to him when that wealth began to cloud his mind.
When Jesus taught the disciples to pray in Luke 11, he gave them two clues; pray with confidence and know that God is listening and wants to respond
Colossians 2.6-19. Paul goes on then to talk about how people will try to convert Christians into thinking that Christ actually isn't enough but that other requirement must be met to become complete.
Colossians 1.15-23. Paul writes about Christ's supremacy in all things. This might sound familiar but what does that actually mean and how does it affect our faith?
Jesus calls us to do mission, but then gives us these weird instructions to leave everything at home, eat peoples food, and then share about God's kingdom. What does this mean for us?
Jesus was a political person, but often not in the way we are used to thinking about politics. How was he political, and what political options did he reject? What kind of revolution did he ascribe to?
Proverbs is an optimistic perspective on life, as long as we seek wisdom. This sermon is an overview of the book and a look at Lady Wisdom herself.
Paul and Barnabbas, two very godly men, have a huge fight and leave on poor terms. Yet in spite of their breakup, God brings fruit out of a broken relationship, and we can expect the same.
It is tempting to ignore Jesus' ethical teachings in favor of the old Law. Often it seems as if Jesus is naive to think that his teachings could work in our world. But isn't Jesus the fulfillment of all things? Doesn't that include the law? Doesn't following Jesus mean we fulfill the law?
Sometimes we look at other Christians and wonder, "what about them?" How come their lives are so different than mine or how come they seem to be more faithful than I? What does it mean that we are all on the same journey but follow different paths?
What is possibly an epilogue to John, the story of Peter's healing is a story for us. What does it mean for us that Jesus meets Peter at the very place his wounds began? In addition, I inadvertently mixed up the Greek words "phileo" and agape", please note that phileo means brotherly love while agape means self-sacrificing love.
We are submit to the authorities right? But wait, aren't we supposed to obey God rather than the authorities? How does this all work?
The resurrection story is hard to believe which is why Jesus must first open the minds of his friends to understand. Aren't we also in need of this?
The early church was concerned with helping pagans convert to Christianity, but it wasn't easy. It often took years and major sacrifices on behalf of everyone. Today we look at the stages of conversion in the Apostolic Tradition.
The first in our early church series, After Acts, explores the life of early church leader Polycarp and his fight against the Gnostic Christian movement.
When John describes the end of time, it ends right where the Bible begins, in a garden with God fully dwelling with his people.
so what about angels...they appear all over the Bible, especially in Revelation. Who are they, what do they do, and why do they matter to us?
Chapter 11 is one of the most bizarre in all of Revelation...but it's meaning is actually not as crazy and in some ways kind of boring. It's something we've heard before and it's actually quite meaningful for us today.
The four horsemen the come from the sealed scroll bring some destruction to the earth in Revelation. However it's not so much who they are as what it means. God cannot heal the world until the world shows its true colors, represented in the horsemen, and when it does we see it for what it is.
In Revelation 4 and 5, John describes God's throne room filled with people and creatures in worship to God. Towards the end God produces a scroll with seals on it and it is made known that only the lion of Judah can open it; but instead of a lion appearing, a slain lamb appears and all of heaven and earth bow down to it
When people think of Christians do they think of people living simple lives? What does living simply really mean and what does Jesus say about it?
Popular forms of church growth today include changing up the sanctuary, music, clothing, and anything that might seem to old in order to become attractive. But when the Bible speaks of people coming to Christ it never involves any of that stuff, but instead speaks only of the light of Christ shining. Are we shining?
Ever had a song stuck in your heart? Paul uses this image to help us understand that having the scriptures stuck in our hearts and even singing them helps us be transformed
King Herod was afraid of a baby. But that shouldn't surprise us because he was afraid of anything that could possibly threaten his power. Still we find in Herod a bit of ourselves...that at times even Jesus threatens our lives because we hold on so tightly to the world
As Christians we are supposed to long for Jesus to return and set all things right. But do we truly long for that? When we encounter the buildup to the Christmas story in Luke, we find four older, spiritually mature people who are longing for the Messiah to come. What does that mean for us?
The beginning of every advent season includes a number of warnings and watches. John the Baptist speaks of a coming fire and warns us to to not only beware, but to walk towards it.
The Bible is clear that we have been forgiven once and for all, and yet at other places Jesus also makes clear that if we don't forgive others, then God will not forgive us. How does this all work?
Today we hear from the past, the stories of Cornelius and Elizabeth Schmidt, in our first ever segment on "Spirit Talks."
We all have something we hate about ourselves. We wish it would go away, that we could be delivered from it, yet it always seems to come back. Maybe it's like a crutch, we hate having it but don't know how to live without it. Jesus offers us a way out, should we take it?
The way Mark weaves his story tells of the stark contrast between the ways of the nations and the kingdom of God. Maybe when we think about the role of the Christian with politics, we could remember that Jesus is often calling us to a far different path of influence, one that has to do with ministering to those who offer us little influence
the writer of Hebrews describes Jesus as our older brother, which is different in a way but also helpful in thinking about who he is and what it means.
Our culture tells us that greatness is measured in who's first or who has the most. Once when his disciples were arguing about greatness, Jesus said that true greatness is more about being last and being the least.
We've all had dogs try to eat our food when we are having a picnic. Jesus speaks about dogs and food when describing who his message is for, and surprisingly, his metaphor may be helpful in reaching out to people
We have lots of great rituals and traditions in the church, but in the end they are just that. Jesus moves us beyond the signs to a life that matters
When Jesus clears the temple, we assume he doesn't think free market capitalism belongs in a holy place. But is that really why he does it, or do the Old Testament scriptures help us to see that he is really doing something else?
Sometimes when people show us love or grace or hospitality, our attitude changes quickly from gratitude to opportunity. In the same way Jesus offered the people grace on his terms, but they quickly seized the opportunity to use his grace on their terms
In the book of Samuel, Samuel is approached by the elders of Israel asking for a king because, as they said, they wanted to be like everyone else. Being different is tough, it's a hard calling, but when we conform, God says, it is rooted in idolatry.
Thistles are annoying...we don't want them and they are often a sign of unhealthy land. Thistles are mentioned all over the Bible and maybe they mean something to us as we wage war against them
Jesus is challenged by two groups of people in Mark 3: his family and the local scribes. To the scribes he teaches them that to speak against the Holy Spirit is guilty of an eternal sin. What does this mean and how does it work?
We've heard that we must be born again to get to heaven...but who is doing the rebirth? Maybe being re-born isn't about us praying the prayer, but about letting go so that God can work renewal in us
Visions of heaven often involve clear rivers and streams. Jesus once said that when the Holy Spirit came, it would fill our hearts and pour out of us like living water. Do we understand what God is doing in us?
What is the worst thing you can think of that might happen to you? If it did happen would God be your refuge?
Have you ever built an alter or do you have an alter or place you visit to remember a time God spoke to you? What are the alters in your life?
What were Paul's intentions when he spoke about husbands, wives, submission, and love? And what about our emotions when we hear these things? If what Paul said then was revolutionary, is it still today?
Jesus calls us to holiness, but often times that seems like a no-fun idea. Do we really believe that a life of holiness is better than the life we want for ourselves?
We see people who need Jesus all around us, but what about those people who are already living good lives? Do they need Jesus? And if not...do I really believe that the good news of Jesus is really good news?
Paul says we are unified through Christ, meaning we are chained together as one. But when we are chained together it becomes a task to move as one...so Paul reminds us of the gifts of leadership that Christ gives, and how they guide the body to its potential.
Paul closes Ephesians 3 with a prayer and benediction, a prayer asking God to fill us completely and in all ways understand Christ's mission and God's love.
the title of this sermon aptly summarizes Ephesians chapter 2. At the center of this new life together is Christ Jesus, who made peace through his violent death in order to bring about something new and different
We being part one of our study in Ephesians. Pastor Brett speaks about Ephesians as a worship service and the mystery of God's generosity in his gathering of all thing in the Universe.
If God knew that Jesus' disciples wouldn't understand the transfiguration on the mountain, then why did he do it? Maybe it's the disciples confusion that helps us understand our own
The story of Simeon and Anna is a story of the lives of two older people and how their devoted lives to God leads them into an encounter with the Messiah. What does this story tell us about growing old?
We all tend to be more liberal or conservative which can be both a blessing and curse it seems. How did Paul deal with these kinds of divisions, and, what did he advocate for?
Our service for January 21 featured reflections by three church members. They each spoke about a hymn that has been important to them. Enjoy their reflections and songs!
That Jesus was the life of the party might surprise us, and yet maybe not. This miracle at the wedding tells us something about the Kingdom of God, and it has to do with abundance and transformation.
the wonder of the story of the wise men is the calling by God through the means of astronomy to call non-worshipers of God to worship the Christ-child. How else might God be calling in unexpected ways?
The prophet Isaiah describes us as oak trees, like the ones that used to cover the midwest, providing for unique ecosystems and impervious to fire.
When we look back on Jesus' ancestors, we find that it's not a great list. And yet somehow it was redeemed in the end. What does our family trees look like and where do you see God's redemption scattered in your own history?
Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year, and yet when we examine the larger story of scripture and look around at the world, we see something much different
Before Israel entered the promised land, Moses told them their story and asked them to retell it and never forget it. Because if they did forget, then they would forget God and his commandments.
Jesus tells a confusing story about how the servants of a wealthy master made risky bets with his money and were rewarded, but how the servant who was careful with his master's money was punished.
Pastor Brett does a monologue of Ulrich Zwingli's life, the fourth part on our reformers series.
Pastor Brett Klingenberg delivers a monologue on the life of Desiderius Erasmus; reformer and devout Catholic
Tim Amor shares the life of early reformer John Wycliffe as part of our October "Reformers" series
Paul tells his friends in Philippi that even though life has become much harder now that they are Christians, they can get through it as he is himself. As we reflect this coming month on the reformers who held up a new way of being the church, may we too consider these costs and benefits
Paul dealt with some pretty interesting conflicts in the early church, one of them being a disagreement between certain kind of meat. Paul's advice, stop judging and do things for the right reasons!
Jesus gives his followers this old rabbinic power to forbid and permit certain things in the faith community...and then tells them that whatever they conclude, the same will be done in heaven
The world's philosophy for most of time has been to get others before they get you. Paul confronts this worldview with Jesus' words, and gives us a template for instituting something radically different
In a kind of weird story, Jesus gives Simon a new name, Peter, and then tells him he has the keys to the kingdom. At the time Peter didn't understand that he was going to become part of something much bigger than himself
What is God like? The new testament makes it clear that Jesus is the totality of God's character and nature...if we see Jesus, we see God
Most of our faith life we seem to worry about doubting God...but in the story of Jesus and Peter on the water, maybe it's more about doubting yourself that you can be like Jesus, who calls us to be like him
Because Daniel's visions are so image based and metaphoric, it has often been abused by people for a variety of reasons. But the message of Daniel is clear throughout the book, don't worry about the details but trust that God has already won.
when we are confronted by persecution we have three options: assimilate, accept, or suspend our beliefs to fight for our beliefs. When the culture asks us to conform, what do we do?
In Daniel's first dream he has a vision of the empires as they come and go as well as the kings of the world who think they are all powerful but they are not. How do we view the nations today? Powerful and godlike or stripped of their powers by the Son of Man?
when king Belshazzar saw a hand writing on the wall about his demise, maybe it went through his mind that he always knew better than he had acted. But isn't that true for all of us? What would the writing on the wall say about us if we saw it today?
What happens when we face uncertainty? Do we cave under the pressure or do we confess that God is good no matter what happens?
We all endure times when we realize what is really important to us. For Daniel and his friends, remaining faithful to God became a huge priority as they found themselves in a foreign country among a foreign culture.
We learn in Acts 1 that the time to remake the world has not yet come and that Jesus leaves earth and goes to heaven. But he leaves instructions to witness while he is gone. What is with this?
From Genesis 15 Abraham and God make this wacky covenant with a bunch of slaughtered animals and a bizarre floating smoking pot and flaming torch. What could this possibly mean? Tim Amor gives the sermon.
Tim Amor continues our series "Strange Stories of the Bible" by addressing the story of Balaam and the talking donkey found in Numbers 22.
Not many of us like snakes, and yet they keep cropping up in the scriptures. Like Moses and the bronze serpent, which begs the question....why snakes?
We know Jesus emptied himself of his equality with God, but Adam didn't. Finding himself as God's representative on earth he grasped for more. We all have inherited Adam's mind and yet the mind of Jesus is slowly working in us too
When Ezekiel saw the dry bones become life, he saw that it was the breath of God that made them alive. This is the spirit, which Paul says is our source of power, like a windmill that releases life giving water as the wind blows
The story of Jesus healing a blind man is really a story of our inability to see God working in our lives or the lives of other, because like the Pharisees in the story, our minds are already made up.
Sara Wenger Shenk, President of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, brings the message from John 4
When Jesus was tempted in the desert, it wasn't just a random testing, but a test on things that Jesus was vulnerable too, just as we are vulnerable when we are hungry, or hunger after things.
What do we really believe about prayer? That we need to have the right amount of faith or that we know how God should perform? While James doesn't give a clear answer about the what, he is clear that when we pray, something happens.
We hear all about fake news these days, and in many ways the ancient church struggled with the same thing. A person can have all the right beliefs and God-talk, but when it comes down to it, do they also have the works of faith to go with it?
we all make instant judgments about people based on appearances and social indicators, but in the book of James we are warned about showing favoritism to people who walk through our church doors. Is it possible to still judge yet extend a hand of friendship at the same time?
Often when we experience trials or temptation we wonder, "why is God giving this to me?" But it God really the giver of these things? James, in his letter, doesn't label God as the giver of bad things, but the one who is there on the journey, giving us what we need.
At Jesus baptism the heavens were torn apart and the Spirit came down upon him, revealing the chosen servant whom Isaiah had spoken of.
We all have expectations of God, even John the Baptist did. But what happens when God doesn't do what we expect? We become uncertain, like John, but when we do it becomes an opportunity to grow.
Isaiah proclaimed that a new king full of peace and truth would come and set people and animals in right relationship
Jesus speaks at length about his return...but he isn't trying to scare us. Instead he is helping us to see how unexpected it will be, which requires us to prepare.
While Jesus is dying, everyone seems to want him to save himself. Yet to save oneself, one must compromise another's safety.
Speaker Dale Schrag at our Fall Mission Series with the sermon title, "Remembering Rightly"
In Ephesians 1, Paul prays for the church - a prayer that has to do with our knowing something that changes the way we live.
Habakkuk the prophet saw a lot of bad things, and yet he continued to trust God despite his best complaints.
Our third sermon on Titus explores the advice Paul gives the church in Crete...live the life of an ideal citizen so that our gospel can spread
It's good to remember the past, and also to see how far we've come since then. In the book of Titus, Paul tells him to remember his old life and how different it is now that Jesus has changed him. In the same way we are called to remember. If you can't remember your old life, just remember you used to be a baby.
Weeds are a part of our lives, everywhere and all the time. And yet in spite of this, God's compassion trumps even these things.
What does it mean to say that God is in control? If God is sovereign then why do the nations do as they wish? God's promise is that he will never throw us away, but will reshape us.
The prophet Jeremiah grieved the disobedience of God's people and called them to remember their story of God's salvation. We too are called to tell the stories of scripture and the stories of God's work in our lives. The story of Alta Mill in Kansas becomes the center of today's sermon.
We all know what it's like to be corrected, which is maybe why we avoid holding each other accountable so much. But Paul makes it central to our work as a church; gently holding each other accountable and offering to bear each other's burdens. If we do...we fulfill Christ's law.
We love rules, especially those of us who like a checklist or guidelines. But Paul tells us that we can now trust the Holy Spirit to keep us from doing wrong. The Promise? That if we walk in the Spirit, we will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
When Paul calls his churches to be more like him we automatically think Paul was pretty conceited. But in the ancient world being a mentor was an important thing, especially in a society that was bent on upward mobility.
In Galatians 3, Paul tackles this question about the function of the law: how do we regard it now that Jesus has come? Paul describes the law as a jailer or a prison. What does this really mean for us?
Rural churches are well defined by the “geographic features” that sustain them: family history, traditional cuisine, time-honored worship, and long held friendships. For those who are sustained by them from within, these features bring strength and place. But for those who are outsiders, these features become a boundary difficult to cross. As rural churches experience numerical decline, how do we live into our geography while welcoming outsiders at the same time?
Paul was distraught that the Galatian church was separating into to cultural factions and not eating together. His appeal to be one is powerful and heartfelt.
A roman soldier, sinner, Gentile, and enemy, became the model of enemy love for Luke and impressed Jesus with his humility. Who are we when we are given the authority to shape our lives and others?
The second sermon of our four-part series called "Heroes of the Faith" is about the life and ministry of Mother Teresa and the scriptures that guided her life.
Some little known facts about Pope Leo the Great and what he meant for the church today.
We often experience change when we are on the road, travelling somewhere or moving to a new experience. Paul's conversion happened while on the road, and it led him to both a new life and a new community where he continued to change
Luke records the resurrection story in one day: the empty tomb, the road to Emmaus, and the room in Jerusalem. In each story, he opens the minds and eyes of his followers to understand what has happened, because they could not understand on their own. In the same way Jesus alone can open our minds to faith, something that is impossible to do on our own.
We all have hopes and dreams and sometimes we want to believe that Jesus came to fulfill those hopes...but instead Jesus comes to fulfill scripture: God's loving hope for the world.
We often describe our lives in hours, days, and years...Chronos time. But God operates on Kairos time which doesn't keep track of length of time but rather focuses on the opportune time. Our churches often fight against time, wanting to grow rapidly to keep up, and yet this doesn't match God's slow, patient way of working in the world.
Like fruit trees, we have a lot of branches in our lives. And like fruit trees, the fruit we produce in our lives gets better the more we are pruned.
Being a missional person or church seems to call for lots of 'doing." But what if "being" is much more important?
Life can be a wilderness journey...often we are taken to the edge of who we are and in the process we discover who we really are, who we trust, and what we need to let go of.
The way Jesus invites us to follow him seems absurd at first, maybe even contradictory; lose your life so that you can gain? But the more we examine this saying the truer it appears.
When Jesus called us to follow he invited us to consider the most difficult path possible: to disown ourselves, to die, and to never step out of line.
We know the right words; that Jesus is our Savior, Lord, Redeemer and so on. But do we really understand what that means. When Peter told Jesus he was the Messiah, he was technically right, but also very wrong...and yet Jesus continues to call us to get behind and follow
the retreat to the North in Mark 8 is one of the most significant turning points anywhere in the Bible; the point when Jesus takes a bunch of blind followers and shows them what is real.
Once the wise men made it to Jerusalem, they had reached the extent of their ability to interpret the world. It wasn't until they encountered the faith community and scriptures that the star re-appeared and they saw the Christ child.
Refugees are often the most powerless people in our world at any given time. Today there are more than 60 million people living this way. As we consider Jesus and his family and their refugee experience, how do we think about the coming of Christ as we interact with refugee experiences around the world.
Building roads is all about access, getting places we need to go that we couldn't get to without a road. When John the Baptist called the people to prepare the way, it meant building a road for the Messiah so that he could access our very lives. What does that mean for us today?
Looking back to the old story of Christmas often reminds us to look forward, that we expect Christ to come to restore all things.
The birth of Samuel happened out of great pain and hopelessness. Hannah was so desperate for a child she vowed to give her son to God forever. Was it worth it to her? Maybe she understood that a gift is best experienced when given back.
why are you a part of the church? Why even come when you can have anything you want or do anything you want? Why do you need God when really you are the one that takes care of yourself? Maybe our answer is like Peter's, "where else would we go?"
James shares about his time in Africa as well as challenges us to think about whether or not we are a missional church
Ruth is a story about immigration, inter-marriage, and the challenges of being the host community. But through God's will, a story of challenge becomes one of redemption.
Maybe it feels like Jesus is asleep sometimes, especially when we feel like we are drowning in the storms of life. But in the midst of the storm, Jesus is with us, God in the flesh, and has the power to bring calm.
The story of Gideon is often one we label as faithful...but is it? Gideon begins as a nobody and suddenly when he is a somebody, where is God? Like Gideon we experience this tug of war within us, feeling pulled by God one the one hand, and then by our other loyalties and idols on the other. Where is God in our lives?
God has a habit of creating pathways; from slavery to freedom and from darkness to light. But these acts of God are easy to forget, unless we have a sign or memorial that we practice so that we can remember God's faithfulness.
the past five years our congregation has changed significantly. And while much of the change has been exciting and new, we have also spent an incredible amount of energy getting used to things. In the OT God commands the people to rest from their work every seven years; how does that look for us, do we need it?
Sometimes we get the sense from the Bible that we are supposed to be fearless...that we shouldn't be afraid of anything since God is with us. But is that realistic? In the story of Joshua, there's a different word that is used to define our journey of faith...courage.
The great spy story of the book of Numbers is good fun, but also a reality check. It's amazing that the people who saw more of God's signs than any other group in bible history were often times the least faithful. How is it that we think we need signs from God to be faithful when many times it seems that faithfulness comes from something else?
Psalm 72 is an ancient prayer for a just and righteous King of Israel. It is noticeable that the expectation of the King was to be especially kind and just with the poor and defenseless. How do we perceive the leaders of our day? How do we understand ourselves as we also lead and have authority over others in our own lives?
In the psalms we are encouraged to be honest with God when we are angry at him. In many ways, we are even encouraged to be unrealistic about our expectations, telling God just how unfair things feel, even if we know logically that our arguments don't make sense.
confession literally means truth-telling. God wants us to be truthful with each other and God so that God can heal us and create a new heart and mind within. truth-telling brings new creation
What difference does it make if we remember our Creator and live with gratitude? Does praise really do anything? Well, among other things it reminds us that we aren't God, and that's a big deal
Jesus surprised two of his disciples who were trying to escape the fear and uncertainty of Jerusalem and all that had happened to Jesus. Sometimes Jesus surprises us in our sleepy little towns and farms
We crave and yearn for so many things, and when we satisfy our desires, often times we feel shallow or out of control. Can we focus our desires on God's presence and fulfilling love like the author of Psalm 63 describes?
When Isaiah had his visioin, he didn't think he should have been in God's presence, but God wanted him there, and wants us too. So God offered a burning coal for Isaiah and for us so that we too can stand in God's presence
when we pray according to God's will, we can know with boldness that our requests will be answered. So how do we pray this way? And how is this different than praying for miracles?
In so many places in the New Testament we read that if we only have enough faith, God will answer our prayers. But that doesn't work. Why is that? Is it God's will that I suffer? No. It's God's will that you faithfully live your life today, and God is walking with you through it all.
Our lives are intertwined in so many ways, but what is our true connection? Food, language, names? When Jesus calls himself the vine, it reminds us that underneath all the ways we relate, our true connection is through Christ, the true vine.
In 1 John 4, the writer speaks about the importance of testing the spirits within and without of the church. He gives a helpful formula...does a person confess that Jesus really died on a cross for our sins, and is a person really trying to love one another. This isn't about who's in and who's out, but maybe more about how we can hold one another accountable.
As children of God, we already resemble our Father simply by being called by him. But then we set about the business of becoming more like God, working at both purity and right actions in all we do.
If resurrection is the new beginning of a person, then it means letting go of the past and embracing today. Resurrection then is a good thing, but it can also be a painful experience.
Sometimes we need reasons like Easter and Christmas to give thanks to God...but really it's those Sunday's we gather "just because"--that change our lives.
Sin is so tempting for us, because it works. We use it to get the outcomes we want, especially when we know that peace, patience, and love sometimes don't get us what we want. How do we live in a world like this?
Our world is full of wisdom peddlers who think they have the corner on how the world should work. Paul reminds us that compared to God's foolish wisdom, these people and their improvised status are perishing. True wisdom can never be gained, but is only a gift when God chooses to reveal it to us.
When Jesus spoke plainly that he was going to die, he called his followers, us, to also deny ourselves. What good is it if we gain the whole world but lose our soul in the process.
when Jesus formed the new covenant in his blood, it meant God was closing his exits to run from a relationship with us
Wally and Evie Shellenberger tell stories of their experiences in Iran studying and living among Muslims.
sometimes life is great, but all of a sudden the wind shifts against us and things fall apart. But the truth of the text is this...God is for us, not against us
Did you know Jesus wore wings? Did you know the woman with the bleeding disease knew they provided healing?
The story of Jesus healing a paralyzed man makes us ask the question: would I rather be healed physically or be healed in my soul? Which is the greater healing?
God chooses the foolish and "unwise" to be the ones to come to the light and witness the Messiah
It can be daunting to think about turning your life around...so many things to give up or patterns to change. But what if God is simply asking us this Christmas season to give one thing up...to turn a little bit more towards him, who grants us the joy and wholeness of life.
The Bible can seem daunting with all its laws, commands, decrees, and so forth. But it can also be so simple. In his final speech to the Israelites, Moses reminds the people that the way to follow God is put plain and simple.
It is so tempting to keep our faith private and away from the public eye. But just as God would not allow Israel's faith to be merely private, so also God today moves our faith to the public sphere, even though the cost may be great
there is an interesting relationship between knowing something or someone, and exalting oneself. The more we know people, the less we think we are better than them.
sometimes we are quick to dismiss God's calling because we aren't gifted in "that way." But in the story of Moses' calling, it seems that Moses isn't a great fit either...but God reminds Moses that it's okay because God will be with him.
Sometimes we get caught wondering if events in our lives are because God caused them or if God was absent. But both of these questions lead to dead end answers, when the best question might be, "what is God doing in the midst of my experiences?"
Abraham and Sarah were called to be the first family, but they struggled mightily with family discord and broken relationships. Yet even so, God worked through them in some powerful ways.
When God chose Abraham and Sarah, it didn't mean other people couldn't experience God's blessing, but it meant that through this one family, all families of the earth would experience a more intense blessing
Before the flood, God looked upon his creation with sadness, as a disappointed father, and pronounced judgment. But after the flood, though sin persisted, God announced a new thing he would do
What are our areas of temptations? Do the lines of our temptations become blurred? How do we decipher between what we think is good and what is God’s best for us?
As Christians we need to live with the expectation that Christ will return. When there is an expectation, people are moved to action. What action do we take in order to be found morally blameless at Christ’s return? Am I seeking justice for the oppressed? Am I bringing healing to the sick? Am I making good and moral choices? Am I on the path to a moral and blameless life?
The people Jesus chose to be his disciples might not have had all the ‘qualifications’, but Jesus chose them because He thought they could do it. God chooses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. He believes we are all capable of following Him and doing things He is calling us to do.
The Bible is a story. A great story about God; a story of God’s redemptive work in history.
“The one who sings, prayers twice.” What are the things in this world that remind you of God? How would you write a song about God that describes something that is indescribable?
Arise and Shine! Reflect the light of Jesus to the world. That is the essence of Epiphany.
Jesus becomes flesh in order to identify with us. The one who saves us actually understands what it is like to be like us -- to understand us completely so that we might be saved completely, and transformed completely.
Just as Joseph was willing to risk who he was and his reputation by adopting Jesus as his son, God was willing to risk everything to adopt us as his sons and daughters. God has claimed us as his own.
Advent calls us to ready ourselves - to increase our vigilance, examining the condition of our hearts and our lives. Are we ready to receive Christ? Advent is a time of recommitment.
If we believe that God is the creator and owner of everything, it will influence the way we deal with land ownership. The health of the land and how we deal with our neighbors and community during land transactions matters to God.
Sacred days are given to us to focus on remembering - remembering what God is doing in our lives and how we can continue our journey of being the holy people God calls us to be.
We are called to be holy - to give our minds, hearts, and body to service. We need to seek holiness in all of our life, including sexual relationships.
The story of the scapegoat in Leviticus is a good visual for us today that through Jesus our sins are forgiven and forgotten.
God is holy and expects holiness from his people. God's holiness must be preserved and attended to. How do we represent God's holiness in our daily lives?
Our concern, as people of God, is not about a person's status; our job is to love those who are different from us the way that God loves them.
Ruth is a story about how God's people interact with an immigrant. How do we as a people of God interact with new people coming into our community?
Joseph experienced a forced migration to Egypt. Although Joseph was very successful in his new country, he never lost his love for his homeland, or doubted God's presence in his life.
Immigration is a hot political topic these days but it was also a huge issue in Biblical times. The father of our faith, Abraham, was a migrant, crossed borders, and did desperate things to survive.
Let Christ's words become life within you - eat it, digest it, let it grow so that it directs our lives in what we do and say.
Forgiveness is black and white...we have to do it. It's what sets us apart from every other religion in the world. And we also receive it from God
All humans have common experiences. The writer of Ephesians says that two of those for Christians is our common experience of sin, and also grace. As Paul puts it, we who were the living dead are now the living alive.
Paul takes great care to tell us that love matters more than anything. And yet he tells us this so that if we love our brother or sister, then everything else we do will actually mean something, including the gifts the spirit gives us.
Here is our interview and message brought by David and Rebekka Stutzman, mission partners in Bammental, Germany.
Although Matthew 28 teaches us to make disciples, Luke 10 may be a better model for how to actually go about it.
Jesus instruction to make disciples is key to our work as a church, and yet Jesus called both the disciples who had faith and those who didn't to do this important work. How does making disciples actually increase our faith?
When Jesus commands us to love our enemies and pray for them, it's not about having a tough assignment, but it's about growing up in our faith. To love one's enemy is a sign of spiritual maturity that God desires for us to experience
In Old Testament times, people really struggled to live faithfully, or maybe they struggled to fulfill their religious requirements. But what were they and how could they attain those standards
Trusting in the Lord seems easy according to Proverbs, but way harder actually do. Why? because we have so many voices promising the same things, and God's way is not always easy
have you ever realized that when you buy a bag of chips it's only half full? Jesus talks about this in ways that describe how our lives are a reflection of how we treat others...and how God treats us
The easter account in John is strange for a number of reasons, but maybe most of all that Jesus doesn't want Mary to hug him...even after what both have been through. Is Jesus tired of hugs? Or is he giving a foretaste of how the Christian message is about to spread?
I've not often thought of Jesus entering Jerusalem as a major act of self resolve on that Palm Sunday. But maybe it was, and is for us too
When someone does something good to us and we want to respond, it often takes doing something beyond "acceptable". Have you ever wanted to respond to the gift of Jesus Christ by doing something out of the ordinary?
Sometimes we carry shame...like Joshua and the people of the Old Testament. God says he will roll our shame away...but how?
Paul lived in a society that understood and used shame daily. Many of the Christians of that day probably felt shame, but Paul tells them that the shame they feel will be their salvation
In Revelation, John sees a vision of an angel who has a scroll in its hand. He's told to eat it. What he experienced was both sweetness and bitterness...kind of how we experience the Bible
It can be really hard to read the bible, let along understand it. The psalmist writes that meditating on scripture is the best way to get the bible within us...but what does that look like?
There are two great stories in the Bible about Bible people rediscovering the Bible...which is kind of weird if you think about it. But these people rediscover it in ways that are not unlike our time, and speak to us over the ages
Christians often claim to have two authorities: the Bible and the Holy Spirit. Sometimes it's hard to determine what is of the spirit and what isn't, so how does the Bible come into play?
One of the major problems we encounter when we read the Bible is when the Bible contradicts itself. What do we do? Well according to the writer of Hebrews, Jesus is the answer.
How do you describe the Bible? God's word? Law? Inspired? How about story? What if we thought about the Bible as a story, the story of God, and also the story of us. Maybe the Bible is really inviting us to be a part of the story
We tell this story every year about an old lady who gets pregnant for the first time, a virgin who gets pregnant by God, shepherds seeing angels in the sky, and magicians from Pakistan following a star. Really? Who would believe this stuff?
to make pure silver one must heat silver up until it is liquid and then the impurities wick away to the edges. the prophet Malachi describes this process as he describes John the Baptist, the one who prepares the way for Jesus, and our hearts too
The prophet Jeremiah describes the coming messiah as a branch of David. Isaiah describes him as a shoot coming from a stump. Where there was thought to be nothing, there is suddenly somthing
Are natural disasters a result of normal weather patterns or God's anger? Does it matter...well maybe not, but how we respond does
If our hope is the resurrection, then where will we be living? What is all this about a new heaven and new earth, and what does it mean for us?
While Christians talk alot about heaven as the place we look forward to, the Bible talks alot about the resurrection as the event we really should be focused on. So is the resurrection our true hope? And how does heaven play into all of this?
The writer of Hebrews begins his letter talking about how Jesus is greater than angels. Kind of a weird conversation, yet there are some tidbits to be had
James makes this annoying comment about how prayer heals sick people..like it always happens. It does, sometimes, but is James talking about another aspect of healing
We are all pounded by "wisdom" in our world, some which is helpful, some not. The writer of James takes a shot at wisdom and talks about the two kinds: the selfish kind, and the unselfish kind
James says the tongue is a world of sin, poisonous, and set on fire by hell. Is it really? Yes, but it is also a means of blessing others. So who are we? People who bless or people who curse?
We often limit our english word "faith" to simply mean "belief". But there is more to it...that faith means belief in Jesus and following Jesus
When we hear the word of life, a seed or plant is planted in our inmost person; and that plant grows depending on whether we are doers or just merely hearers
Toasters are literally called "bread refreshers" which means they refresh old, stale bread and make it like new. In the same way, throughout all of scripture, God desires to refresh us and tells us a little bit about what that looks like
Jesus begins his great sermon with blessing, blessing not the spiritual giants, but the spiritual losers. Peacemakers are a part of this blessing of the unblessed
We all have preferences, thank God, but sometimes we are partial, and that's different. Partiality gives more value to some people over others, and that can cause a lack of peace
When we talk about revenge as Christians we often say we shouldn't retaliate or do something bad in return. But what should we do? Paul says it's not just about not getting even, but doing something good in return
We all inherit things or gift them to family members. Inheritance is often a make or break deal with family. So how do we preserve peace within the family when it comes time to give things away?
Luke describes this story about how as the disciples were looking into heaven, watching Jesus ascend, some angels come and ask them what they are looking at. Why would they ask such a dumb question?
When Jesus called us to lay down our lives I think he meant it in ordinary ways too. Our mothers may have something to say about that
When Jesus calls himself the true vine, he distinguishes himself from the other vines in the world clamoring for our attention.
According to the psalmist, unity among brothers and sisters in Christ is holy and consecrated. But achieving unity is difficult, so how are we to understand what unity will look like?
John records his version of the resurrection story as one filled with confusion, grief and misunderstanding. This shows the reality that Jesus' followers didn't understand that Jesus had to die and rise again, but when they do, their understanding of God's goodness and salvation gets a whole lot bigger
Maybe Luke pays attention to Pharisee's because he traveled with a recovering Pharisee, Paul, and in this presentation, Ervin explores Paul's transformation of understanding himself.
Luke tells us that the key to greatness lies on the path of following Jesus; who showed us greatness through footwashing
As Jesus approaches Jerusalem, Luke writes about two crowds; one from the city and one following Jesus. Who was this crowd following Jesus?
We often say things like, "it's what is on the inside that counts." God has made us this way, that the condition of our inner selves determines who we are. So God works within, writing on our hearts
Paul writes this interesting letter that reminds his people how stupid and ridiculous the gospel is...and then in the same breath, reminds them that it is the wisdom of God
the story of Jesus and Peter's confrontation shows us how difficult it is to yield to the path of suffering and follow Jesus
Looking at the biblical story as a whole, covenant seems to be a major theme of how God enters into relationship with us. And this culminates with the new covenant made through Jesus
Having people take us seriously as disciples is a big task, and one that requires that we practice discipleship in all things
We want to be disciples of Christ, and sometimes it feels like we are trapped into being good people. But Paul tells us that we are free to follow Christ
Jesus tells us that the treasures in heaven are far better than having all the riches in the world. But it's hard for us to understand that, almost impossible. But fortunately, nothing is impossible with God
one of the few stories in scripture where it says that Jesus loved someone is about the rich young ruler, which ends in rejection. Why does Mark include the fact that Jesus loved him?
God is remaking us into the people we were always intended to be. Christmas marks the beginning
Maybe we could think of the Bible as the story of God's pursuit of restoring all things back to the way they were intended to be. In Jesus, God announces that the restoration of all things has begun
John the Baptist calls us to build a road for the coming of the messiah. Why a road? Because they provide access for God to come to us.
throughout the scriptures the prophets, priests, and kings functioned as God's representatives on earth. But the messiah was going to be the one to bring them all together.
Why doesn't God just chose the whole world in one moment? Maybe it's because it's God's nature to work through relationships
Paul's friends have a hard time dealing with the reality that Paul will be leaving them. They are afraid of being left behind. We know that feeling too, but Paul teaches us not to be worried
The temptation is great for churches to want to divide up into smaller groups because we often think our ideas are right. But Paul reminds us that if it weren't for God's call in our lives, we wouldn't even be here
Throughout the scriptures we see that God's spirit moves and spreads and passes to others through us...humans. What a beautiful thing that we have been chosen as conduits of God's spirit
When the church encounters new people, we have to adapt. But though we change our core must remain constant.
Paul has an emotional reaction to the idols he sees in Athens, Greece. How do we respond when we encounter the religions of the world? Do we really believe the gospel is good news for the world?
Paul and Barnabas are mistaken as gods by the people of Lystria. But Paul lets them know that their gods are worthless compared to a living God. What about our gods?
People were shocked at Paul's teaching about Jesus. Just what was it that was shocking? Maybe it was that Jesus gave up his power and died.
God has created us with the need for sleep; but that doesn't mean God sleeps. God is there all the time.
When God releases Peter from prison, the church plays a part in that release through prayer.
Peter meets his gentile enemy Cornelius and realizes for the first time that God shows no partiality.
God puts forth an enormous effort to reach the Ethiopian Eunuch, even though he is just a second rate religious person in the eyes of the Jews. How much more is the gospel for the outcast and nobody's of society.
When some Greek speaking widows in the church are being neglected in the daily food distribution, the disciples act to restore the balance of ministry.
The story of Ananias and Sapphira makes us uncomfortable because we don't like to think about God as being angry and judging. But what does this story say about God's holiness and our call to holiness?
When the disciples are confronted by the authorities, they have to choose whether they will stop speaking about Jesus, or keep doing it but suffer. We have a similar choice, but God promises to give us boldness to witness faithfully.
Peter's speech in Acts 3 is gutsy. He holds up a mirror to the crowd that they might see how they had sinned against God, but that God wanted them to return and repent, wiping their sins away.
The Holy Spirit is the true witness and gives us the ability to speak across language, speak in ways that make sense, and get people's attention through healing and attractive community.
Installation message about the goodness that comes from a healthy relationship with pastor and church