Finding Joy in our Discouragements (Luke 1)
Joy is not a word that we have heard uttered much over the past year. And yet in the midst of difficulties and struggles those who follow Jesus can have a sense of joy. In our passages today we meet two very familiar women. Each with much to be concerned about, but each aware that God had chosen them to participate in His plan in a very special way. In what should have been a time of discouragement they found joy and so can we.WatchNotesDownloadDateTitle
- Dec 13, 2020Finding Joy in our Discouragements (Luke 1)
Finding Joy in our Discouragements (Luke 1)Joy is not a word that we have heard uttered much over the past year. And yet in the midst of difficulties and struggles those who follow Jesus can have a sense of joy. In our passages today we meet two very familiar women. Each with much to be concerned about, but each aware that God had chosen them to participate in His plan in a very special way. In what should have been a time of discouragement they found joy and so can we.
- Dec 6, 2020Peace in the Middle of Our Struggles (Luke 2:8-20)
Peace in the Middle of Our Struggles (Luke 2:8-20)
We see it all around. The word peace appears on cards, in Christmas displays, and even in store displays during this season. We all want peace. We desire peace. The angels declared God’s peace to those who were favored by God. But what does that mean? How can one have peace with God? We will learn what the shepherds learned 2000 years ago. Peace is a person. Jesus is the source of peace. - Nov 29, 2020Hope in Uncertain Times: Luke 2:22-38
Hope in Uncertain Times: Luke 2:22-38
Hope. It is often a word we use as a synonym for “wish.” But hope in the Bible is not used as a wish, it is a certainty that is yet to be fully realized. Hope in the Bible is based on God’s promises. We will see two individuals today who lived in hope day in and day out and were not disappointed. They saw with their own eyes what God had promised. Their story and their hope can encourage us. Howington. Released: 2020. - Nov 22, 2020A Lament When One is Down – Psalm 142
A Lament When One is Down – Psalm 142
A cave is typically dark, damp, and lonely. For most people caves are intriguing from a distance. People also face “caves” in life. We at times find ourselves in dark, lonely places in our soul. David did. We find a poignant cry to God in Psalm 142 that apparently was uttered when David was in the cave. We find a reminder that in our darkest moments, the hope that God is there can be enough. - Nov 15, 2020Psalm 94 – A Community Lament over Injustice
Psalm 94 – A Community Lament over Injustice
God is a God of justice. God expects his people to be people of justice. In this community lament the psalmist cries out to God for the way the rich and powerful are treating the powerless in the community. What is most disturbing is that the tone of the psalm points to the fact that the oppressors are actually part of the larger community of the nation. The call is for God to exact his righteous judgment against oppression of the weak. - Nov 8, 2020Lament over one’s own sin – Psalm 51
Lament over one’s own sin – Psalm 51
Sometimes we exercise the prayer language of lament when we have suffered a personal loss. But what about when we have caused the pain and the loss due to our own sin. Psalm 51 is David’s prayer of lament due to his own sinful acts. When sin empties us, God in his grace still hears us. - Nov 1, 2020Lament – Crying out to God: Psalm 13
Lament – Crying out to God: Psalm 13
No matter who you are, or how strong you believe your faith to be, you have no doubt asked God questions like: “Where are you?” “How can you not see what I am going through?” “Why do you not act more quickly?” These are the questions of Lament. God has given us Lament as a prayer language to put words to our grief and struggles. - Oct 25, 2020Jude: Stay Strong
Jude: Stay Strong
Often times we emphasize the content of one’s teaching and we will warn against false teaching or a false narrative. The book of Jude is also a warning to folks to beware of false teachers. But his approach does not delve into the specific nature of the teaching. Instead he focuses on the character and behaviors of false teachers. The readers in the First Century as well and you and I today are warned to beware of those who use God’s grace as an excuse to be selfish and sinful. - Oct 18, 20203 John: Walk the Walk
3 John: Walk the Walk
God expects us to not just claim to follow him, but that we actually do so. Our actions should support our claims. Another word for it is to be authentic. In this brief letter we are introduced to three men. Two are authentic, they walk the walk and the description of them is refreshing. The third is a man who is all about himself. We can learn much from this brief letter about what it means to be people who walk the walk in following Jesus. - Oct 11, 20202 John: Stay Grounded
2 John: Stay Grounded
How do you know? How can you tell if what someone believes “squares” with what you understand the Bible to teach? In this brief letter, we discover a core reality of our faith that will help us make wise decisions regarding what others teach. One thing that we see in all of John’s writings in the Bible is an emphasis on the love of Christ and how our obedience to his teaching is our best expression of our love for Jesus. - Oct 4, 2020Philemon: Useless to Useful
Philemon: Useless to Useful
Philemon is the most personal letter of the entire New Testament. It is also a very difficult letter in that it deals with a run away slave and for us in the 21st century that brings up a host of emotions. As we look at this letter we will see the compassion of the Apostle Paul and an appeal to Philemon to show unprecedented grace and mercy to one who has wronged him and his household. Forgiveness, compassion, and restoration are among the themes we will see in this letter. - Sep 27, 2020Obadiah: The Foolishness of Pride
Obadiah: The Foolishness of Pride
We know the truth: Pride does come before a fall. We each have, at one time or another, been the unfortunate recipient of the pain caused by the pride of another. And yet we tend to struggle with this most tenacious temptation. If we are honest we all struggle with pride. It rears its ugly head in so many ways. In Obadiah we see what God thinks of pride and how he deals with it. Hopefully, we will be challenged to make some changes in our own lives. - Sep 20, 2020Making One Another Better (Heb. 10:19-25)
Making One Another Better (Heb. 10:19-25)
We have a specific purpose for meeting weekly. Yes it is about expressing our heart to God. Yes it is about learning from God’s Word. But it is also about coming alongside one another. It is about using the brief time we have to make each other better. God expects us each to stir up one another to love and good deeds. God expects us to encourage one another as we gather. Who will you encourage today? - Sep 13, 2020Forbear with and Forgive One Another (Col 3.12-14)
Forbear with and Forgive One Another (Col 3.12-14)
We all have idiosyncrasies that others have to put up with. It stands to reason that we would understand that we should put up with others as they put up with us. We all have hurt or offended someone and longed for their forgiveness. It stands to reason that we would want to grant forgiveness to others. And yet it seems we tend to struggle with granting to others what we desire. Our passage today reminds us of the model of Christ who bears with us and forgives us. - Sep 6, 2020Submit to One Another out of reverence to Christ (Eph. 5:21)
Submit to One Another out of reverence to Christ (Eph. 5:21)
This is one of the “one another” passages that elicits some of the strongest reactions from people. Submission in our world is sometimes equated with weakness and defeat. What we will discover in this passage and the explanatory verses that follow is that when we follow God’s Word and submit to one another, the result is harmony and unity.