Sunday, May 1: Living Stones 1 Peter 2:11–25 Theodore Roosevelt is credited with having said, “Knowing what’s right doesn’t mean much unless you do what’s right.” Jesus said something similar in Matthew 7: “You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good […]
Sunday, April 24: Living Stones 1 Peter 2:1–10 The series we’re in is called “Living Stones” and this week we’ll be covering the verse that gave us that title. Peter uses the metaphor of the Living Stone to describe Jesus, and describes us as being like living stones as well. But what are we building? […]
Sunday, April 10: Living Stones 1 Peter 1:13–25 So far in the book of 1 Peter we’ve heard some strong theological reminders about who we are in Christ, and the hope we have in Jesus. Peter gave us some good reasons for our hope, and this week he’s turning the corner with a “therefore…” It’s […]
Sunday, March 20: Samuel 1 Samuel 16:1–13 The way things look on the outside isn’t always how they appear the whole way through. If you’ve ever bitten into a piece of fruit that wasn’t quite as fresh as it looked, or stepped on a patch of ice that wasn’t quite firm enough to bear your […]
Sunday, March 13: Samuel 1 Samuel 15:1–35 The Old Testament can sometimes be a source of confusion for people who have only ever read the New Testament. When read in an off-hand sort of way, without considering the full scope of the Bible, the Old Testament God can sound like God’s younger, angrier years, or […]
Sunday, February 27: Samuel 1 Samuel 10:1–27 Do you know what it means to be “anointed?” During the time when our passage takes place, the practice of anointing was the act of pouring out oil over the head. There were several applications of anointing, some to demonstrate the establishment of a particular ruler, and some […]
Sunday, February 20: Samuel 1 Samuel 9:1–27 In our passage this week we are introduced to Saul, who will one day be King Saul, but at this point in his life he’s just Saul who got sent to find the lost donkeys. Not exactly the most exciting hero origin story. Saul is just the son […]
Sunday, January 23: Samuel 1 Samuel 3:1–21 The idea of a vocation, or a calling is often somewhat abstract. It’s not always your career, but sometimes it is. It’s not always what you’re doing to pay the bills, but ideally it’s where you’re spending a good chunk of your life. It’s not the same for […]
Sunday, January 16: Samuel 1 Samuel 2:12–36 A healthy reminder for the people of God, especially those trusted with a measure of authority, is that God really does expect things of us. God truly does call us to be his people in a particular way, and there truly is a right way, and a wrong way, […]
Sunday, December 26: The Biblical Metanarrative Approaching the Bible as an outsider can be a pretty confusing process, and the framework that seasoned Christians often take for granted is actually a pretty amazing thing. As we read the Bible, we read through different genres of literature, penned by many different human authors, separated by thousands […]
Sunday, December 19: Christmas Sunday In this season we look back to the moment when human history changed forever, when God joined with us. This season we remember the long cold nights of waiting, the triumphant announcement of God with us, and we live ever more fully into the beginning of the brand new reality […]
Sunday, November 21: The Parables Matthew 13:47–50 Here are a few questions that you can introduce around the Thanksgiving table this year that will save you money on Christmas gifts next month: “What do you think of the governor?” “Who do you think is going to hell?” Famously, the two topics that you aren’t supposed […]
Sunday, November 7: The Parables Matthew 18:21–34 How many times do you want to be forgiven? Probably as many times as you mess up, and then once more just so you don’t have to worry about it. It’s easy to empathize with the reasons that we fall short, because we know what we meant, we […]
Sunday, October 17: The Parables Luke 12:13–21 Among the many vices known to man, Greed is perhaps the most prevalent and the least recognized. That’s not a quote from anybody famous, just an observation. It’s easy to see when someone is under the affect of gluttony, or wrath, or lust, but greed usually flies below […]
Sunday, October 10: The Parables Isaiah 28:23–29 Parables are sneaky stories that get us someplace we might not otherwise go on our own. They take something that we’re familiar with, say a father and a son, and use that familiarity to enhance our understanding of much deeper truths. This week we’re going to stretch a […]
Sunday, September 12: Life Entwined Community Phrases like, “Talk is cheap” or “Walk the walk, don’t talk the talk” remind us that what we do often matters a lot more than what we say we do. The clearest indicators of what we believe are often acted out long before they are spoken. If I insist […]
Sunday, September 5: Life Entwined Worship Paul Tripp wrote, “Human beings by their very nature are worshipers. Worship is not something we do; it defines who we are. You cannot divide human beings into those who worship and those who don’t. Everybody worships; it’s just a matter of what, or whom, we serve.” The difference […]
Sunday, August 22: Kingdom Ethics Stewardship There are any number of words that have a particular meaning in Christian culture, and could even be considered “Christianese.” Guard your heart is very different than bless your heart (ask a southerner). A hedge of protection is not a gardening term, and washed in the blood does not […]
Sunday, July 25: Kingdom Ethics Sexuality As we continue to consider what a Kingdom Ethic is, what it means to live a life informed by God’s word, empowered by his Holy Spirit, and as ambassadors to his Kingdom, there are many places where we can joyfully recognize similarities with the world around us. This week […]
Sunday, June 27: Kingdom Ethics Ephesians 4:11–14 We’re starting a new series this week called “Kingdom Ethics”, where we’ll be taking a look at some of the big cultural topics at work in the church and in culture. Before we get into the particulars however, we’ll be taking a week to consider a few important […]
Sunday, June 20: Baptism Matthew 28:18–20 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all […]
Sunday, June 6: Free Galatians 5:16–26 The notion of no responsibilities, no chores to be done, and no work to do sounds especially appealing on a warm afternoon with the sun shining just right. But as you probably know, a kick-back with a glass of lemonade in the shade sort of afternoon is only possible […]
Sunday, May 16: Free Galatians 4:8–20 Two steps forward, one step back is a nice way of saying, “You’ll get there eventually.” One step forward, two steps back is sort of a warning that you need to change something if you want to improve, and as you might expect we don’t really have a saying […]
Sunday, May 9: Baby Dedication and Mother’s Day Happy Mother’s Day, Believers Fellowship!This Sunday we’re celebrating the members of our church family who have been entrusted with the weighty task of raising up children. In the book of Matthew, Jesus chose to describe himself as a mother hen, gathering his chicks to him, to describe his […]
Sunday, April 11: Free Galatians 2:1–10 As a general statement, nobody really likes to be told what to do. This goes double if it’s something that we really feel like doing, but know we’re not supposed to. And possibly even triple, if we’re being told not to do the thing that we thought we were […]
Sunday, March 28: Free Galatians 1:11–24 One of the simultaneously best and worst parts about being a human is we’re very aware of the past, even as we exist in the present, and anticipate the future. Our past can remind us of good things like faithfulness, honor, and success, but it can also remind us […]
Sunday, February 28: The Judges Judges 14–16 Last week we were introduced to Samson, the child of promise. Announced by an angel and filled with the Holy Spirit at a young age. Set apart as a Nazarite from the day he was born, his movement in the world would be a proclamation of God’s deliverance. […]
Sunday, February 21: The Judges Judges 3:1–47 An angel of the Lord appears to a woman and brings good tidings of great joy: God will enable her to have a son! This child will be set apart by God as a deliverer, this child is blessed by God, and the Spirit of the Lord empowers […]
Sunday, January 31: The Judges Judges 7–8 Gideon’s victory is a flannel board certified classic in the Bible. (If you don’t know about flannel boards, ask someone born in the 80’s or earlier.) It’s often one of the earliest stories we hear, alongside David and Goliath, about how the underdog can win with God’s help. […]
Sunday, January 24: The Judges Judges 6:1–39 As the cycle of Judges continues in chapter 6, we see God’s people have once again fallen into all sorts of evil, nonsense, and general bad decision making. Among them is Gideon, a nobody from nowhere. As the people of God finally recognize their need for help […]
Sunday, December 27: Follow Me Mark 16:1–8 And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. Mark 16:8 The final message in our series will end on a bit of a down note. We’ve seen in Mark that Jesus […]
Sunday, November 29: Baptism Matthew 28:18–20 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that […]
Sunday, November 22: Follow Me Mark 14:1–31 Mike Tyson once said, “Everybody’s got a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” And while he’s probably not a great role model in general, there’s some definite truth to that idea. We all know how things ought to go, and we can cruise right along until something […]
Sunday, November 15: Follow Me Mark 13:1–37 What do we need to know to survive the coming Apocalypse? …would be a great example of an attention grabbing headline. When will it happen? What should I stockpile? Where should I bury my many pounds of gold bullion? In our passage today Jesus’ disciples offer a casual comment […]
Sunday, October 25: Follow Me Mark 10:17–34 As Jesus continues towards Jerusalem, teaching along the way, he encounters a man who asks, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Solid question, and probably one that we all have an opinion on one way or another. Our text in Mark tells us that the man is […]
Sunday, October 18: Follow Me Mark 10:1–16 As we follow Jesus in the gospel of Mark, we’ve seen a regular pattern of his concern for the vulnerable. Whether it’s vulnerable children, the hungry, or the sick, Jesus’ ministry is marked by special care for those who are most often left out. In our passage today Jesus […]
Sunday, September 13: Underdogs Joshua 2:1–14 If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re the type of person who should be at church, it’s fun to read through the Bible and see what God has to say. An old racist who refused to preach to the Ninivites? Check, God can partner with a Jonah all day. Someone insignificant, […]
Sunday, August 30: Underdogs John 4:13–15 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal […]
Sunday, August 23: Underdogs Matthew 4:18–20 The life of Peter is a wild ride, he has some ups and downs. He’s got a solid fishing business, and he leaves it behind to follow an unknown, wandering preacher. Jesus singles Peter out as the foundation of the church in one moment, and he’s being rebuked and compared to […]
Sunday, August 9: Underdogs Judges 6:1–16 Of all the action heroes who you grew up with, saw in movies, read about in books, or even knew personally, who was the greatest? The most powerful, the most compelling, who would be the one you’d call, to use the biblical term, a “Mighty man of valor?” It’s surprising […]
Sunday, June 28: Family of God Week two of our three-week mini-series called “Family of God” continues to explore our responses to the injustices we see in the world, as followers of Jesus. Building off week one’s sermon on the imago Dei, by which humans have all been instilled with dignity, value, and worth, this week […]
Sunday, June 14: Joshua Joshua 24:1-33 Joshua 24 recounts the last words of Joshua to the people of Israel. This is after the many years of battle, through the conquest of Canaan, and through the varying degrees of faithfulness that the Israelites have shown to God. Through it all God has remained steadfast, just, and faithful. […]
Sunday, May 31: Joshua Joshua 10-13:7 Israel’s decision to start from the instructions of God and to make a covenant with some of the Canaanites has some unexpected consequences this week. Not just for the Israelites, but also for the Gibeonites who have been folded into the family of God. The decision to follow after God […]
Sunday, May 24: Joshua Joshua 9 9“They said to him, “From a very distant country your servants have come, because of the name of the Lord your God. For we have heard a report of him, and all that he did in Egypt, 10 and all that he did to the two kings of the Amorites who were […]
Sunday, April 5: Son of God Mark 8:22–38 Being a disciple ofJesus would have been the privilege of a lifetime, constantly seeing God at work in the world, following him wherever he went, and regularly having to reconsider what you thought you knew about him. He’s certainly a healer, but who is he willing to heal? […]
Sunday, March 29: Son of God Mark 8:1–21 If Jesus had a go-to meal, it was probably fish and bread. I know some of you are missing your sports statistics, so let me just point out that Jesus has already fed 5,000 men a meal of fishes and loaves, and this week he’ll feed another 4,000. […]
Sunday, March 8: Son of God Mark 6:14-29 The life of John the Baptist was anything but normal. In the womb he was jumping for joy for God, and he didn’t let up on that enthusiasm up until the day he was executed. The book of Mark introduces us to John’s death so abruptly that […]
Sunday, February 23: Son of God Mark 5:21–43 This week we follow Jesus back across the Sea of Galilee, into the town of Capernaum where his ministry began. Having just visited the Gentile country, Jesus has shown that his ministry isn’t limited to the Jewish people, but back on the home field Jesus is quickly met […]
Sunday, February 2: Son of God Mark 4:1–34 Jesus’ teaching ministry in the book of Mark begins with the use of parables. These parables hold deep truths, in seemingly simple stories. Sometimes they’re confusing, and actually, most of the time they’re not easy to understand in the first read-through. So what’s the point of these stories? […]
Sunday, December 15: Bound by the Spirit Acts 27:1–44 Paul’s journey is getting close to the end, and having been dismissed by King Agrippa and his crew of bad guys, Paul sets sail for an easy cruise over to Rome. Delightful, serene… none of these words describe what Paul encounters. Instead, what should have been a […]
Sunday, December 8: Bound by the Spirit Acts 26:1–32 Paul’s persistence on his missionary journey has gotten him to the place where he can once again deliver his testimony. He’s asked to speak to the manager often enough that folks have given him an audience with King Agrippa himself. And even before he shares the particulars […]
Sunday, October 27: Bound by the Spirit Acts 22 Paul’s conversion is a pretty dramatic moment, he’s on his way to hunt down some Christians and he’s hit with a light so hard it knocks him off his horse. He hears the voice of Jesus himself, and it turns out the religion that he’s been chasing […]
Sunday, October 20: Bound by the Spirit Acts 21:1–36 Paul’s not the guy to stay in the same place very long, and this week he’s dead-set on making his way to Rome. He’s going to encounter some resistance along the way though, with opposition from the bad guys and from the home team. What do you do […]
Sunday, September 15: Generous If you’ve ever been to a fancy hotel, you know that at some point somebody takes your luggage from you. They’re supposed to, in fact, it’s their job. The steward, or bell-hop, or porter, is given the task of taking your bags for you to your room. So you hand over […]
Sunday, August 11: Psalms Psalm 133 We’re going to be continuing our sermon series on the Psalms and looking at Psalm 133, a brief Psalm on the goodness of unity. There are familiar adages that say, “Two heads are better than one.” or “United we stand, divided we fall.” We get that it’s better not […]
Sunday, July 14: Psalms Psalm 121 Psalm 121 has been called the traveler’s Psalm, or the Soldier’s Psalm, because it engages with the reality that sometimes we run into tough spots. The path gets hard, there are uncertainties, there are questions of how we’ll even make it through, and it can seem like there’s no […]
Sunday, June 23: Psalms Psalm 34 We’re kicking off our Summer series in the Psalms by reading a Psalm of David in a pretty strange time of his life. He’s coming off of a pretty big military victory, he’s been honoring God with his words and with his deeds, when out of nowhere, his friends become his […]
Sunday, May 26: Moses Numbers 20:1–13 Have you ever wondered if the decisions you make in your life actually matter? If you grew up with “Choose your own adventure” books you might remember the drastic consequences that a single wrong decision could make. Turn to page 23, and oh! Quicksand. Life or death at the […]
Sunday, March 24: Moses Exodus 13–15 Having been freed from slavery in Egypt, the Israelite people find themselves setting off in a new direction. For the first time since they were enslaved the Israelites are confronted with the immensity of the question, “What now?” Now that we don’t have to make bricks everyday, now that […]
Sunday, March 17: Moses Exodus 11–12 As God continues to make himself known to Pharaoh, Moses, and everybody in Egypt really, the ever-more dangerous plagues finally reach their crescendo in chapters 11 and 12. In the tenth plague we see the final consequences of a life lived in opposition to God, death. While the death […]
Sunday, February 3: Lord of All Acts 19:1–20 “And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” Acts 19:2 As the gospel message spreads, Paul and his crew reach a wider and wider audience, pick […]
Sunday, December 30: Lord of All Acts 15:36–16-15 Following the clarification given by the Jerusalem council in Chapter 15, Paul sets out to strengthen and encourage the churches that he, and his missionary team, planted earlier on. The message they have is important, especially for the Gentiles who are still a little unsure of their […]
Sunday, December 2: Lord of All Acts 13:13–52 “And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, ‘You are my Son, today I have begotten you.’” Acts 13:32-33 One of […]
Sunday, October 28: Lord of All Acts 9:32–43 In Acts 9:32-43, we are reunited with the Apostle Peter and join him as he visits the early church in Joppa. The ministry of Peter is similar to Paul in many ways, but it also shows us how different people are equipped in different ways around a […]
Sunday, September 23: Making a Greater Impact 2 Corinthians 5:17-20 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not […]
Sunday, September 2: Missions Recap “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” John 17:18 As the people of God, we are sent out into the world, just as Jesus himself was sent out into the world. We participate in acts of service, by visiting brother and sisters […]
Sunday, August 5: Questions of Jesus Luke 10:25–37 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers? Luke 10:36 One of the ways that Jesus taught during his earthly ministry was with a beautifully-formed question. The sort of questions that made his listeners pause […]
Sunday, July 15: Questions of Jesus Luke 8:43–48 And Jesus said, “Who was it that touched me?” When all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the crowds surround you and are pressing in on you!” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” Luke 8:45 What does it mean […]
Sunday, May 27: Witness Acts 5:1–11 “But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet.” The post-Pentecost church was characterized by a […]
Sunday, April 22: Witness Acts 2:1–47 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to […]
Sunday, March 25: Joseph Genesis 47–50 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. Genesis 50:20 (ESV) As we’ve explored the life of Joseph and his family, it’s become increasingly clear that God is […]
Sunday, February 11: Joseph Genesis 42:1–38 When we think of the faithfulness of God, it’s easy to think of the Bible’s “Main Characters.” The big names of the Bible get their own cartoon movies: Moses and Joseph, or even Dave and the Giant Pickle, if you prefer Veggie Tales. We understand how God was faithful […]
Sunday, December 31: Baptism Acts 2:38 Do you remember the day you were baptized? Was it in a lake, or a river, or a stream? Perhaps even a horse trough? No matter where you were baptized, it’s probably a day that you will remember for the rest of your life. It’s the marker between an […]
Sunday, August 27: Who is This Man? Have you ever wondered why it matters that God put on flesh and dwelt among us? Or what the significance of God’s joining us meant for the world? As we wrap up our “Who is this man?” series considering the person and work of Jesus, we will be […]
Sunday, July 2: Who is This Man? John 14:6 In our upcoming series, we’ll be taking a closer look at the person and work of Jesus, by echoing the question about him, “Who is this man?”To start things off, we’ll explore some of the ways we already see Jesus, the familiar patterns we have in […]
Sunday, April 23: Sacred Spaces Hebrews 2:10–18 We’re in the fourth week of our “Sacred Spaces” series about the high priestly ministry of Jesus out of the book of Hebrews. In Jesus, we see a high priest who is able to fully understand us because he chose to become exactly like us. Our verses this week […]