Baptism can be something we take for granted today as normal. Christians have practiced baptism for thousands of years and we can forget just how odd it would have been. Even still, to read of the baptism of Jesus seems to be out of place. It doesn’t seem to fit what we know about baptism and about Jesus. However when you understand that baptism is about more than the moment, but a bigger story—you begin to understand why Jesus came to the water.
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The message of John the Baptist was shocking and counter-cultural to it’s core. But according to him, his message was just taste of the message Jesus would bring. As Christians we believe that Jesus has the words of life, yet so often it’s our daily schedules and to-do lists that we run to for fulfillment in this life. What would it look like in 2015 to live as though we truly believed Jesus’s words?
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The start of another year provides us with a good reminder to consider our lives. Regrets, celebrations, and challenges are all things that meet us in the first days of a new year. As you consider 2015, what is it that you want to accomplish? As Christians, discipleship cannot be an option for us- it should be our resolve at every step of the way. The question is- is it yours?
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The three wisemen and the King Herod- There could not be a more stark contrast. Wisemen ready to worship in joy, and Herod ready to murder in fear. These two things, death and worship, would define Jesus’s ministry. Our response to him will look very much like one of these two responses from our Christmas story. Which one is yours and how do you know?
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Matthew’s account of Jesus’s birth is surprisingly short and to the point. In just 8 verses he describes the most profound and mind-blowing miracle in all of scripture: God becomes man. Can this be true? Can we believe it? Why is it important? The virgin birth, the incarnation, and salvation from our sins—this is the Christmas story.
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We begin our study of Matthew’s gospel with the very first verses, where he introduces us to Jesus. He wants to convey the importance of who Jesus is and command our attention for this man. He does this in a way that doesn’t always make a lot of sense to us thousands of years later- with a genealogy. What do ancestors have to do with who Jesus is? Why does Matthew start here? He wants us to see: A King is Coming!
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What was Jesus message while he was with us here on earth? What did he want you to know? One of his disciples, Matthew, summarized his message by saying he came proclaiming “The Kingdom of Heaven.” So what does that mean and how does that shape our lives? As we launch our new series, we consider the Kingdom of Heaven.
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Pain, suffering, frustration, loneliness, emptiness, messiness: These are all things every person is intimately familiar with in this life. Yet, somehow we think our lives should be free of these things- that these shouldn’t be a part of our experience. Joseph’s story teaches that pain and suffering are part of life. And it isn’t the outside circumstances that dictate our lives, but our God’s sovereignty and our faith that triumph over all.
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The story of Joseph is one full of twists, turns, and plenty of awkward moments. His story begins with dreams and visions that push his brothers to betray and abandon him. However, the one they abandon will become the only one that can save them. Their story is our story, and we would do well to listen and apply.
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We continue our look at the flawed patriarch Jacob. This time he gets a taste of his own medicine as he gets deceived. In this story we see the pain of sin and emptiness of chasing after lesser things. We also see the grace of God that extends to those that feel the most unloved and forgotten
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We take a break from the book of Genesis for a week as Al Lang teaches us. He looks at the ministry of Jesus and the awkwardness that is created when he works in people’s lives. Jesus changes us but that change never promises to be easy.
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Jacob is one of the patriarch’s of our faith, yet his story is full of lies and deception. Why is it that God would work through such a flawed man? Jacob Lemons leads us as we begin our study of this prominent figure in the book of Genesis.
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(Due to significant technical difficulties, the podcast from 9/14-9/28 (The Awkwardness of Conviction, The Awkwardness of Affection, and the Awkwardness of Failure) is unavailable. We hope to have remedied this problem).
Sometimes life can get awkward because God places you in unthinkable situations. This is where Abraham found himself when God asked him to sacrifice his son Isaac. This story is horrific to modern ears, but what was God doing? Why would he ask this of Abraham? Would he ask us to do the same thing? In the end, it’s all about who you trust.
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Too often the Christian life is painted as though it should be perfect and free from pain. The reality is that life is messy and failures are part of our story. Fortunately, God’s word is full of stories that teach us that God is always at work, especially in the mess of life. When things are messiest and most painful is often doing the biggest work.
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On a very special child dedication Sunday, we consider the blessing of children. God’s purpose for children in our lives is one of tremendous blessing and strategic importance.
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