Before we look at the book of Ruth today, we will recognize that Mother’s Day is a great day. If you’ve been attending BF for any amount of time, you know we have amazing moms, and many of them are new moms! Our nurseries are full of life. We’re celebrating new moms and their families […]
It’s been said that “one measure of a good short story is a surprise ending.” I think that’s generally true. I like stories with a surprise ending. That’s part of the reason I like the story of Ruth. We don’t where it’s going and then it suddenly stops short in a way we would never […]
This week we start a new study series in the Old Testament. We will be looking at The Book of Ruth. It’s not easy to find, because it’s very short. In stocking feet, Ruth is only 85 verses long. It helps to know that it is the eighth book in the Bible, but you may […]
The Resurrection Matters This week, we gather to celebrate the biggest day in history. If you think we are having Christmas in April, I wouldn’t give you too hard a time. The second person of the Trinity coming to Earth as a baby is a pretty significant day. Top three for sure. Top three? Yeah…I […]
This week Jesus gets to the end of his message and wraps it up with a short story. The outline is very simple. There are two builders who are constructing houses: one wise, one foolish; who build on two foundations: rock or sand; with two outcomes: stand or fall. The first point of the story […]
Matthew 7:13-23 Aoccdnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn’t mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae […]
This Sunday, we look at one of the most popular verses from the Sermon on the Mount. You may be thinking, “How can you pick just one?” Well, I guess I can’t, because this week we look at the ‘golden rule’, where it famously says ‘Do to others as you would have them do to […]
I like what one of my favorite “theologians”, Erma Bombeck, had to say about worry. “I’ve always worried a lot, and frankly, I’m good at it. I worry about introducing people and going blank when I get to my mother. I worry about a shortage of ball bearings; a snake coming up through the kitchen […]
There are over 6000 books you can buy on Amazon by financial advisors, who are all eager to share their sage advice about how to invest your money for a maximum return. (Step 1, buy their book.) You might be interested in some bestselling titles: Buffett’s 2-Step Stock Market Strategy by Daniel Jiwani or The […]
In this Sermon On The Mount text, we see three practices that Jesus encourages his followers to do in order to know the Father. He challenges us to give, pray, and fast. These three are key factors of our faith. But what is our motivation for doing them? Jesus gives us some warnings to keep […]
This Sunday, we unpack the last three “you have heard it said…but I say” teachings of Jesus. In each case, Jesus shows us the wisdom of living out His teachings in the Kingdom of God so that we can “let our light shine so that others see our good works and glorify our Father who […]
We dive into the first portion of the Sermon on the Mount this Sunday! Jesus starts his teaching with what our English Bibles often call “the Beatitudes.” Blessed are the… Jesus teaches the crowds and disciples what living in the Kingdom of God will look like. It’s not exactly what you think a liberating King […]
In today’s message, we begin a journey through one of the most profound sections of Scripture: the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). We will explore the context, key themes, and the heart of Jesus’ message, setting the stage for a deeper understanding in the weeks to come.
Sunday, October 27, 2024 Philippians 2:5-11 The situation in Philippi was remarkable. A decade before, the Apostle Paul had planted a church that was now flourishing. Despite living in a hostile environment, the church was still doing well. They were spreading the Good News and making a difference in their part of the world. Paul […]
Sunday, October 20 , 2024 Philippians 2:1–4 Philippians chapter 2 has been called one of the greatest chapters to describe not only who Jesus is, but His character as well. In the first four verses Paul wants to encourage the church to come together in unity. The best way for unity to happen is through humility. […]
Sunday, October 13, 2024 Philippians 1:12–26 Last week Johnny walked us through the opening verses of Paul’s letter to the Philippians. Identifying himself as a “bond servant of Jesus Christ,” Paul started off with words of gratitude and appreciation for his good friends experiencing persecution in a Roman outpost that did not take kindly to […]
Sunday, October 6, 2024 Philippians 1:1–11 Last week, Gary gave us a joyful drink from a fire hose as he delivered an overview of Philippians! We now endeavor to slow down and take it one sip at a time! As we look at these first eleven verses, we get a glimpse into Paul’s personal prayer life […]
Sunday, September 29, 2024 Philippians Overview This Sunday we begin a new study series in one of my favorite letters of the New Testament: Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians. As you may know, joy is a central theme that runs like a thread throughout the entire letter. We often think of joy, which has the […]
Sunday, September 22, 2024 Life Together: United Mission, Matthew 16:21–26 Life is better when we do life together. And the life we have been talking about is Life in Christ! Abundant life, flourishing life, everlasting life. When we put our faith in Jesus, we join a family. We are now part of a new community […]
Sunday, September 15, 2024 Life Together, II Timothy As summer fades in the rear-view mirror and fall emerges on the near horizon, we are on a short break between book studies. A couple of weeks ago we finished our summer study of Psalms and in two weeks we will start our fall study in Philippians. […]
Sunday, September 8, 2024 Life Together, Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 Last summer I led a 4th and 5th grade boys Bible Study here at the church. We called it Adventure Buds. Don’t judge the name…we had a plan. We wanted to tap into the adventurous spirit of these boys, but also tap into the practical truths that […]
Sunday, September 1, 2024 Psalm 23 This is the final week in our summer series exploring the Psalms. We’ve only covered 10 of the 150 beautiful chapters of worship, praise, lament, wisdom, love, and so much more. This week we will be exploring what it means to be a disciple of God. We will look […]
Sunday, August 25, 2024 Psalm 51 My favorite proverb right now is Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” We don’t get the beauty of Psalm 51 without Proverbs 27:17. Nathan the prophet was called by God to confront King David on his walk with God. David had sinned, and was […]
Sunday, August 18, 2024 Psalm 73 How’s your SA? As pilots, we define SA (Situational Awareness) as the degree to which our perception of reality matches reality itself. Psalm 73 describes a journey from poor SA to good SA; from disorientation to reorientation. Please join us as we consider our own spiritual situational awareness. When […]
Sunday, August 11, 2024 Psalm 16 Throughout our summer series, we have had guest speakers present on Psalms. This week we get to hear God’s word from John Lidstrom. John Lidstrom has been attending our church for the last few years and has served as a small group leader in our Middle School Ministry. He […]
Sunday, August 4, 2024 Psalm 27 Fear, you might remember, was one of the first effects of the fall. The first couple, Adam and Eve, hid themselves because they were… afraid. That’s not a feeling they had experienced before but it’s been with us ever since. Here is a short list of common things we […]
Sunday, July 28, 2024 Psalm 1 A number of years ago Andy Stanley wrote a short, but perceptive book, called, The Principle of the Path. It’s about the paths we take in life that lead to various destinations. Some are good. Some are bad. Some are joyful. Some are painful. He develops this idea he […]
Sunday, July 21, 2024 Psalm 42 When you feel a despair in your soul…what do you dwell on? What do you turn to? There are a plethora of negative paths to take…none of which are helpful. Some help can be had by modern solutions of Cognitive Behavior Therapy. But again, it falls short of our […]
Sunday, July 14, 2024 Psalm 146 Psalms 146-150 are known by some as the “Hallelujah Psalms” because the first and last word in the original language is “Hallelujah.” Translated to modern day, the Psalms start and end with “Praise the Lord.” The reason for praise differs by Psalm, and in chapter 146 the reason the […]
Sunday, July 7, 2024 Psalms 2024 – Psalm 110 In the Old Testament, David’s kingship is divided into two parts. Most of David’s accounts (18 chapters) are about when he was anointed king and found himself on the run, hiding in caves and being a king in exile. It was a time when the only […]
Sunday, June 30, 2024 Psalms – Psalm 7 I love the Psalms. There are times when I feel things, but I can’t quite put those feelings into words or into prayers. In those moments, the Psalms can give me the vocabulary to say things I otherwise can’t express. It’s comforting to know that people of […]
Sunday, June 23, 2024 Psalm 72 I used to go through the Old Testament with the youth group every few years. The series was essentially an overview of each genre and book. We called the series ‘The Bible Jesus Read.’ It’s so powerful to know what influenced a nation to know and understand how God […]
Sunday, June 16: Baptism & Baby Dedication Romans 6 Happy Father’s Day! Break out the grill and tell someone your favorite dad joke as we celebrate the dads in our life this weekend. Thank you, dads, for all you do! This Sunday, we are celebrating two major events in the life of our congregation: baptisms […]
Sunday, June 9, 2024 John 20:30–31 Learning to Trust in God My oldest son is learning to drive right now—a challenging journey for me in learning to trust! It has nothing to do with him. He’s an intelligent, safe, and responsible young man. Rather, it’s about me learning to see him as a young adult […]
Sunday, June 2, 2024 Glory – John 13:34–35, 15:12–13, Galatians 6:1–2 Believers Fellowship is focusing on discipleship this year. At every level in every ministry, we want to encourage one another to grow in their walk with God. This comes from the pulpit as well! Before leaving the Gospel of John, we want to look […]
Sunday, May 26, 2024 John 15 Abiding in Christ I love meeting new people at church. I love to hear their stories—where they came from, how they found God, what is happening in their lives now. When you first meet someone, there is a lot to say and a lot to talk about. But, as […]
Sunday, May 20, 2024 Glory – Acts 2 We continue to look at that how the early Christians lived in a post-Jesus-resurrection society. This week we turn the page from Acts 1 to Act 2 (and beyond!) In Acts chapter two, we see an amazing fulfillment of God’s promise. Pentecost is the Jewish Festival of […]
Sunday, May 12, 2024 Mother’s Day and Baby Dedications 2024 This Sunday will be a break from our Glory series as we set aside Mother’s Day for some baby dedications. Dedicating a child to the Lord is so much more than hoping the baby “grows up right.” It’s a commitment from the family, from the marriage, and […]
Sunday, May 5, 2024 Glory – Acts 1:1–11 We may be done with the book of John, but we continue our Glory series this week as we turn the page from John 21 to Acts 1! What exactly happened after the gospel accounts? What are we to do with this life-changing event of the risen […]
Sunday, April 28, 2024 Glory – John 21:19–25 This week we are wrapping up the book of John and as we learned last week, chapter 21 is more of an epilogue to this wonderful story. Last week we left off with Peter and Jesus having this conversation filled with forgiveness and assurance. This week’s passage […]
Sunday, April 21, 2024 John 21:1–19 Last week, we talked about John’s purpose for writing the Fourth Gospel. “Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples,” John wrote in 20:30–31 (ESV), “which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the […]
Sunday, April 14, 2024 John 20:30–31 The Gospel of John has some incredible reminders for us. Jesus has the power to turn water into wine. He has the power to heal with merely a word. He creates—when he is invited to the table, five loaves and two fish can feed a multitude. He opens our […]
Sunday, April 7, 2023 John 20:19–29 We live in a cancel culture. If a public figure says the wrong thing at the wrong time…forget about any future in that field. In the final chapters of our Glory series we see a similar “rush to conclusions and labels” as we do today. This week in John 20, […]
Sunday, March 31: Easter Historically speaking, the rise of Christianity was extremely unlikely. Sure, Jesus had a reputation as a wonder worker. Sure, he was able to draw big crowds during his earthly ministry. But by his trial, he had been abandoned by both the crowds and most of his closest followers. Only a handful […]
Sunday, March 24, 2023 John 19:17–30 This Sunday marks the beginning of Passion Week, when we give special attention to the cross. It culminates on Easter, on which we celebrate Christ’s resurrection in glory! We’re all excited for Easter, but let’s not rush there. Crucifixion comes before resurrection. Throughout the first 18 chapters of John, […]
Sunday, March 17, 2023 John 19:1–16 In 1 John 2:17 (ESV), the apostle tells us, “the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” We have to remind ourselves of this truth daily, lest we take our eyes off Jesus! We are in a sermon series […]
Sunday, March 10, 2023 John 18:28–40 Jesus’ path to Glory is filled with curves and U-turns. Jesus is in a trial for his life, and he is getting bounced around from one leader to another. From the former high priest to the current high priest. From one Roman authority to another (Pilate is in charge […]
Sunday, March 3, 2023 John 18:12–27 In the Upper Room Discourse, Jesus taught his disciples about the importance of abiding in him. “Abide in me,” he said, “and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am […]
Sunday, February 25, 2023 John 18:1–11 Early February is a great month for sports fans. For football fans, it’s a time to bask in the glory of the Super Bowl. The Kansas City Chiefs successfully repeated their run and now get to celebrate to fanfare and applause. Motivated by these Super Bowl celebrations, basketball and […]
Sunday, February 18, 2023 John 17:20–26 If you have been with us the past couple of weeks you know we are on the last lap of our study series in the Gospel of John. This final section, called Glory, will take us to Easter and beyond. At this point Jesus has wrapped up his final instructions to the disciples in what we […]
Sunday, February 11, 2023 John 17:6–19 We have the privilege of seeing how and what Jesus prayed for the night he was arrested. And guess what? He prayed for us! When Jesus prays for his disciples, and the ones that come after them, we see his desire for us. His desire for us is to […]
Sunday, February 4, 2023 John 17:1–5 As a church, we should be excited to get back into John! We are going to finish the Gospel of John over the next few months, and will celebrate together through Easter and beyond! As we turn the page on vision, hopefully you know our mission as a church. […]
Sunday, January 28, 2023 Vision – Mission My sons love power tools (honestly, who doesn’t?). When I am working in the garage, one of them will inevitably poke their head out and ask, “What are you working on? Can I help?” If the answers are “working with a power tool” and “yes,” then their faces […]
Sunday, January 21, 2023 Vision – “Growing in authentic relationship with God and others” We are in the midst of a Vision Series at Believers Fellowship! We want to bring clarity and direction to our efforts to unite the Church to worship God in spirit and in truth, grow in authentic relationship with God and others, […]
Vision 2024 – Worship God in Spirit and Truth What is worship? How are we uniquely called to express it? What on Earth is a fizzy? All of these questions and more can be answered as Matt Edwards continues our Vision series by detailing how we, at Believers Fellowship, live out our mission through worship. […]
Vision 2024 – Mission What do we mean when we say vision or mission? This week, Johnny lays the groundwork through a brief history lesson to share the mission for every church; setting the stage for how Believers Fellowship will follow through with Vision. If you’d like to Volunteer or are looking for a way […]
Happy New Year! Jon Lucas shares with us how impressed Paul is with the Thessalonians and how we can use that encouragement to bring in the new year. However, we must not be caught sleeping on the job! What is the job? You’ll have to watch or listen to find out! Service times are at […]
Sunday, December 24: Christmas Luke 2:8–20 Merry Christmas! I hope you have had a blessed Advent season. This Sunday is Christmas Eve, and we are going to worship the newborn King in two separate worship services. In the morning, we are going to look at “good news of great joy” in the Christmas story in […]
Sunday, December 17, 2023 Jonah – Jonah 4 Merry Christmas! I hope you are having a blessed Advent season. At my house, the lights are up, the tree is decorated, and the house is filled with the sound of Christmas music and the smell of Christmas cookies. It has been a wonderful season of reflecting […]
Sunday, December 10, 2023 Jonah 3 One of the best known second chances in literature is given to a man named Ebenezer Scrooge, in a story called “The Christmas Carol.” (My favorite version is “The Muppet Christmas Carol.”) We find early on that Scrooge’s greed has earned him the same punishment as his former business […]
Sunday, December 3, 2023 Jonah 2 One of my earlier memories is a tale of summertime loss, and a quick rescue. I vividly remember a moment of panic, followed by all the sadness a four-year-old could feel when I tripped and slammed a McDonald’s ice cream cone onto the ground. I had been running without […]
Sunday, November 26, 2023 Jonah 1 Three verses into reading the Book of Jonah, and you know that it is a book unlike any other in the Bible. The Lord speaks to the prophet Jonah and tells him to go to the Assyrian city of Nineveh and speak against it. The first odd thing we notice […]
Sunday, November 19, 2023 Exodus 34:6, Jonah 1:1 At Believers Fellowship, we believe that we should be teaching a healthy diet from the Bible. We have been in the Gospel of John, and because it’s such a long book we occasionally take breaks. Well, we are taking another break, and will pick back up next […]
Sunday, November 12: Missions Sunday 2023 Preview The opening chapter of the Gospel of John introduces the Incarnation: “The true light,” it says, “which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” (John 1:9 ESV)The pressing mystery facing the characters in the Gospel is the identity of Jesus. Who do we say he is? […]
Sunday, November 5, 2023 John 16:16–33 Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” It can be easy to forget that we have extremely small imaginations in the scope of what God considers possible. […]
Sunday, October 29, 2023 John 15:26–16:15 In Acts 6–8, we read about Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Stephen preached in the streets and at the temple that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. He performed signs and wonders and a great number of people came to faith through his ministry. But not everyone […]
Sunday, October 22, 2023 Remain – John 15:18–25 It can be a hard thing to be associated with someone who isn’t that popular, or worse, who is outright hated. Growing up in a 49ers household, it was made incredibly clear to me that we were the good guys, and the Dallas Cowboys were the worst […]
Sunday, October 15, 2023 John 15:1–17 Pruning is an act that requires knowledge of the plant, a vision for the future, and an understanding of what it takes to get there. From the outside, a gardener at work can look more like someone attacking a plant than a strategist with an intimate knowledge of their […]
Sunday, October 8, 2023 John 14:15–31 In Exodus 33, God commands Moses to lead the people of Israel away from Mount Sinai and toward the Promised Land. Moses was overwhelmed by the task before him: leading over a million former slaves into combat would be no small feat! Moses was willing to follow God in […]
Sunday, October 1, 2023 John 14:1–14 On our way back from visiting my parents in Virginia this past summer, my family got off the plane at SeaTac and one of my kids said, “I love the way Washington smells.” I agree. I had thought it, too. I don’t know if it’s the evergreen trees or […]
Sunday, September 24, 2023 John 13:31–38 This Sunday we finish out John chapter 13. Judas has left the dinner to betray his Lord. Immediately, Jesus shows us that He understands his assignment. The clock is now ticking. He is going to Glorify God by being lifted up in Glory. It’s something only He can do. […]
Sunday, September 17, 2023 John 13:18–30 Judas’ story is so scandalous that he has become a by-word, for betrayal even outside of the church. He’s the insider who sits at the foot of Jesus, who has access to God in the flesh, and chooses to give him over to be killed. He’s the perpetual villain, […]
Sunday, September 10, 2023 John 13:1–17 With summer in the rear-view mirror, we look ahead to the fall. We are picking back up in the Book of John for part two of three. Together, we studied the first 12 chapters of John, we called Signs. We saw how all of what Jesus did and said […]
Sunday, September 3, 2023 Romans Come join us this Sunday as we conclude our series on Paul’s letters to the churches by looking at the well-loved book of Romans. Paul’s letter to the Romans takes about an hour to read aloud and you are invited to read it ahead of time and pray for our […]
Sunday, August 27, 2023 Philemon In several of his letters to the churches, Paul talks about the ministry of reconciliation. “In Christ,” Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:19 ESV, “God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” In other words, the world […]
Sunday, August 20, 2023 2 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians continues Paul’s teaching and discipleship of the young church in Thessalonica. His letter provides important encouragement and hope that speaks to believers throughout human history. Paul encourages the believers to stand firm in their faith despite persecution and to trust that Jesus will come again bringing justice […]
Sunday, August 13, 2023 1 Thessalonians What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received? The best encouragement that you’ve ever been given? Was it a coach, or a parent, or a friend? First, it’s just a good exercise to remember the ways that you’ve been recognized from time to time, and second, you may notice the […]
Sunday, August 6, 2023 Colossians Today we visit Paul’s letter to the church of Colossae, which we call Colossians. Johnny Pearson’s overview of the book reminds us that Jesus as the man was equally God, the creator and head of the church, and we should strive to live like he did. How can we start […]
Sunday, July 30, 2023 Philippians Without a blueprint you can find yourself getting into trouble real fast when you’re building. Doubly so if you’ve got a couple people trying to direct the job site. Somebody might want a bigger garage, or a front porch instead of a back porch, and even if you’ve got some […]
Sunday, July 23, 2023 Ephesians The book of Ephesians is a pastoral letter from Paul to the church at Ephesus. It is not written for a specific occasion or issue, rather, is written out of his love for the people of Ephesus as he sits under house arrest. Paul’s writing is in hopes of reminding […]
Sunday, July 16, 2023 Galatians 1:1–10 There are some things that you can improve on over time, things that need to be shored up, sharpened, or need a fresh coat of paint now and then. There are some things that are pretty easy to destroy by messing around with. In the Navy there’s a constant cycle […]
Sunday, July 9, 2023 2 Corinthians If you were to take a moment to brag about your accomplishments, what would you say? In 2 Corinthians 11, Paul brags about his resume, but he doesn’t say the things you might think. He says he did more time in prison than any other apostle. He got beat […]
Sunday, July 2, 2023 1 Corinthians 1:1–31 What do you think of when you hear the word weakness? Is it a positive word or a negative one? How does weakness relate to faith? This week, we are starting a summer series called Letters to the Churches. Every week this summer, we will cover one of […]
Sunday, June 25, 2023 Joel 3:17–21 Many stories and experiences only make sense looking backwards. Whether it’s because the things in front of us are too big to see around, or we can’t fathom how God could make something good out of something so bad, it’s often hard for us to understand how God is […]
Baptisms June 18 Baptisms are an outward expression of an inward change. They are a public declaration of a Christian’s decision to receive the grace that is freely offered to us through Jesus. They are a demonstration that we have died with Christ, and have been raised again with him. Join us this Sunday for […]
Sunday, June 11, 2023 Joel 3:1-16 If you’ve ever been caught slacking off or cutting corners at work, you know it’s not a great feeling. If you get caught by your boss’ supervisor it’s even worse. Continue up the chain and your day just gets worse and worse. But if the CEO or the founder […]
Sunday, June 4, 2023 Joel 2:28–32 In Romans 4:17, Paul tells us that God “gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.” God is the giver of life. He created Adam from the dirt. He called Lazarus out of the tomb. He gives life to the lifeless. What […]
Sunday, May 28, 2023 Joel 2:18–27 When I was in Bible college, I had a friend I’ll call Jason. Jason was on fire for God. He had devoted his life to ministry, he was up early every day studying the Scriptures, he was disciplined—guarding his heart from things that might take his eyes off Jesus, […]
Sunday, May 21, 2023 Joel 2:1–17 There are plenty of times in life where we feel like we “missed our exit.” You’re traveling along, making fine time, and suddenly you realize (or are reminded) that you’re now making fine time in the wrong direction. Which, as it turns out, is not great time at all. […]
Sunday, May 14, 2023 John 19:26 This Sunday is Mother’s Day! I am grateful for all the things my mom taught me about life and faith. I am also grateful for my wife—especially for the way she loves our children and for all the time she puts into teaching them. I am looking forward to […]
Sunday, May 7, 2023 Joel 1:1–20 This week we start a new sermon series in the book of Joel, which is a short, three-chapter book of prophecy from the Old Testament. The prophet Joel gave a warning to the people of God, that even as bad as things had been (plague of locust and a […]
Sunday, April 30, 2023 John 12:37–50 The end of the twelfth chapter in John’s gospel is the conclusion of Jesus’ public ministry. In his final remarks, he reminds us that all that he has done and spoken was from God the Father. If we believe in him, we will also have believed the Father. But Jesus’ […]
Sunday, April 23, 2023 John 12:27–36 If you had one chance to share a message with the entire world, what would you say? What if you were chosen to be a colonist on Mars—sent off on a one-way trip with no future contact with earth. Before boarding the rocket, with television cameras and microphones in […]
Sunday, April 16, 2023 John 12:20–26 New Year’s resolutions in January generally seem like a great idea, but there’s a big difference between agreeing to something and actually doing it. Of the people who make resolutions, 55% last less than a year. It turns out signing up for the gym is a lot easier than […]
Easter Sunday April 9, 2023 I am so excited for this weekend! The cross is the central symbol of the Christian faith and the turning point in human history. Paul tells us that without Jesus’s death and resurrection, we are still in our sins and our faith is futile (1 Corinthians 15:17). But, in fact, […]
Sunday, April 2: Signs John 12:12–19 A very real danger that the people of God have historically struggled with is the slow, and often well-intentioned, transformation of God. From the self-revelation of God, we leave out a bit here and a bit there, emphasize a bit here and a bit there, until the “god” we […]
Sunday, March 26: Signs John 11:45–12:11 Imagine for a moment you received an insider stock tip (don’t worry, you won’t go to jail for this exercise!). A small pharmaceutical company has recently discovered a cure for a debilitating disease, and your insider tip is that this drug will receive FDA approval and the value of […]
Sunday, March 19: Signs John 11:1–44 John 11 is one of the most memorable stories in the whole Bible. In it, Jesus finds out that one of his dear friends (Lazarus) is sick and on the brink of death, but John tells us: “when [Jesus] heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer […]
Sunday, March 12: Signs John 10:34–42 Sometimes helping someone understand the truth is as important as telling them the truth in the first place. Jesus has spent more than a little bit of time in the book of John trying to explain clearly that he is the Son of God. Results have varied. Last week […]
Sunday, March 5: Signs John 10:22–33 As Jesus continues to preach and teach in the temple, our passage this week finds him talking with some very direct folks. They ask him point blank, “Are you the Messiah?” Jesus responds with a reminder, as well as a response; “I already told you, and the answer is […]