Are there times in your life where you don’t quite feel like yourself? Are there empty places inside and you’re just not sure what is happening? This Sunday as we close out our sermon series on “Colorful Characters in the Life of Jesus,” we’ll explore Jesus’ encounter with a blind man and how this can […]
Category Archives: Life of Christ
All In The Family
Have you ever wondered what politics and culture looked like in Jesus’ day? Actually, politics and culture were just as polarized then as now. Yet somehow Jesus managed to transcend those divides. His first disciples were an amazing conglomeration of previously polarized people. This Sunday, as we continue our sermon series on “Colorful Characters in […]
The Gospel According to Joanna
Did you know that one of Jesus’ foremost disciples was named . . . Joanna? Have you ever heard of her? Do you know her story – and what we’re supposed to learn from her? In this sermon we’ll reconstruct the life of an obscure disciple who has something very important and practical to teach […]
CSI Jericho
This sermon launches the series “Colorful Characters in the Life of Jesus.” In each one, we study someone who crossed paths with Jesus and ask what we can learn from their example. We begin with a man named Bartimaeus who experienced a transformational miracle. In CSI fashion, we investigate the story, seeking clues for how […]
The Unpardonable Sin
In one of the most intriguing passages in the Bible, Jesus asserts that every sin can and will be forgiven. . . except one. In today’s sermon we’ll explore what that one sin is, why it’s so different from other sins, and the practical lesson we’re supposed to learn from all of this.
Something Old, Something New
We live in a polarized culture. Some of us love that which has been; we’re called Conservatives. Some of us love that which is to come; we’re called Progressives. So which was Jesus? You might be surprised! From his example, we can learn how to better navigate the same divide in our culture.
What’s Wrong With This Picture?
The life of Jesus was so compelling, ordinary people were drawn to him like a magnet. By contrast, most people today have a very negative impression of Christians. What happened? Where did we go wrong? We’ll take a careful look at what it means for us to be Jesus in the world. It’s probably not […]
Crazy
Life is like a pressure cooker. The stress often threatens to take us apart bit by bit. Amidst all the craziness, how can we keep our sanity? Better yet, how can we keep our serenity? This week’s vivid gospel story offers important clues.
The Way We Were
There is a constant tension between the comfort of the familiar and the adventure of the unknown. Most of us tend to prefer the comfort of the familiar — to the point that we easily get stuck, resist change, and sometimes long for the past. In today’s scripture, Jesus challenges us to “let go” and […]
Jesus’ Prescription For Positive Living
Bad things happen every day. Often it’s people who disappoint us, and we get so upset. Other times, it’s not people, but our circumstances that seem impossible and make us feel helpless. Either way, staying positive is a constant battle. Becoming negative is so easy. Jesus faced the same challenges, but triumphed over them. How? […]
Weird People
Have you ever felt boxed in, like you can’t be genuinely yourself because others might think you’re weird? And how many times do we do the same thing to others — imposing our expectations on them, or even on God? In the Bible, some of the most stunningly effective characters were the “weirdest.” This sermon […]
Equilibrium
Life pushes and pulls us in many directions. It’s easy to get wobbly and out of balance. Jesus faced the same push and pull — all the same tests we do — yet managed to keep his center. How did he do this?
Not What I Expected
Life has a way of throwing us curve balls — unpleasant, unexpected surprises. In such times, how do you react? Some tend to fall apart, while others survive and thrive through the crisis. What makes the difference? This sermon examines how Jesus’ Father and Mother reacted to all the disruptions surrounding his birth.