Sunday, July 28, 2019

Luke 2:1-12 “Lessons from the Land: Bethlehem”



This week we begin a new series called “Lessons from the Land.” We’ll begin in Bethlehem, contrasting Jesus’ birth in this humble village with the power and pomp of Herod the Great, whose Herodian fortress loomed over the little village. What does this contrast between the King of Glory and Rome’s puppet king mean to teach us about who God is and what it looks like to be a follower of Christ rather than the powers of the world? 

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Sunday, July 14, 2019

2 Peter 3:11-18 “In the (New) Beginning”



In this final message in our series, Peter will be wrapping up his main emphasis and conclusion. The main idea is that we are to live this life now with one eye toward the future that Jesus is bringing about. Jesus calls this future, "The Kingdom of God." We are to live in the present according to the principles we believe will be part life in the Kingdom of God. In this way, we are living 'now' in the way we believe God will have us live "In the New Beginning." 



Sunday, June 30, 2019

2 Peter 3:1-10 “From Beginning to End”



Some in the early church determined that there was no such thing as Christ’s ‘return,’ since it hadn’t happened yet. Instead, they took a naturalist view of life and creation, positing that God was mainly ‘hands off’ and that the world would simply always continue on its course of time. Peter reminds us that there was a beginning and that God has acted decisively within time and creation and will indeed do so again. That Jesus has not returned is not a sign of his lack of concern, but just the opposite, he is giving humanity more time because he doesn’t want any to miss out on redemption. The call in this passage is to continue to live in such a way as to prove that life and the time we’ve been given matters. In other words, to live as though one day we will stand before God and give an accounting of our lives.


2 Peter 2:1-10a “The Road Less Traveled”



In this passage, Peter talks about two paths we can go by. One is the Way Jesus taught, while the other is any other way that is not in line with Christ’s teachings. There are many teachers and teachings out there that deviate from the way of Jesus even while claiming to embrace Jesus. We need to be able to discern the difference. God is able to hold the deviators accountable even as he’s able to redeem those who love and follow Jesus and his Way.


Monday, June 24, 2019

2 Peter 2:10b-22, “A Freedom which is Not Free”



In this passage, Peter continues to warn against false teachings which offer a freedom which is no freedom at all. Our freedom has been bought with a great price, nothing less than the life of Jesus. But the freedom we’ve been given is a freedom from the bondage of sin, not a freedom to live for selfish pursuits.