“What Mary Knew About God” (Jeff Moore, preaching) Luke 1:46-55 Mary knew about God’s mercy. She knew that God scatters the proud and their thoughts. She knew that God lowers the powerful and lifts up the lowly. She knew that God fills up the hungry with good things. Mary knew that this God – […]
Isaiah 2:1-5 First Sunday of Advent Advent begins today and (spoiler alert!) we’re waiting for something that’s already here. As Christians we proclaim Jesus as the Prince of Peace, and yet we seem surrounded by war and conflict and oppression. We live in this constant and difficult tension – some call it, “already and not […]
Psalm 122 A Song of Ascents. Of David.1 I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the Lord!’ 2 Our feet are standing within your gates, O Jerusalem. 3 Jerusalem—built as a city that is bound firmly together. 4 To it the tribes go up, the tribes of the […]
“A HI-SEAS IV Church: (Living the Promise Now)” Isaiah 65:17-25 Someday… Someday I’ll eat well, clean my room, spend more time with my family, finish my book… Someday people will live justly, honor God and one another, and live in peace. If we believe this vision from Isaiah 65 is truly God’s intention for humanity, […]
“What’s So Great About God?” Psalm 145 (esp. vss. 8-16) Remember praying, “God is great. God is good…”? God’s greatness is deeply connected to God’s goodness. How is God good? Here in Psalm 145 we have an important portion of God’s resume. Think of all the things we could say about God: “biggest,” “most powerful,” […]
“Let the Children Come to Me” (Jeff Moore, preaching) LINKS/YOUTH Service Luke 18:15-17 People were bringing even infants to him that he might touch them; and when the disciples saw it, they sternly ordered them not to do it. But Jesus called for them and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do […]
”What Is Completely Free, But Can Cost You Everything?” Luke 19:1-10 Trusting God and following Jesus challenges us to let go of so much – fear, presuppositions, dishonesty, and our over-reliance on wealth and power. It’s hard to embrace Jesus or our neighbor while we cling to so much else. Zacchaeus saw how he had […]
Luke 18:1-8 “Praying for Justice” The widow knew she was being treated unjustly. So did the judge. That wasn’t enough for justice, though. She needed to persist. Often there are systems, people, and interests that work against justice both knowingly and unknowingly. They will not – they do not – change by themselves. As followers […]
“Faith and Gratitude,” Luke 17:11-19. As we see from the stories of ten people who are “cleansed” from leprosy, there’s something important and noteworthy and faithful about acknowledging and giving thanks for God’s work in our lives. How do faith and gratitude work together in your life? Is it truly possible to have one […]
“How Deep Is Your Faith?” (Pat Jackson, preaching) Luke 17:5-10 5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” 6 The Lord replied, “If you had faith the size of a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. 7 “Who among you would say […]