Description: C. S. Lewis wrote, “We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him.” Yet the fast pace of December can easily crowd out our experience of God’s presence. May this year be different! Join us at 9 a.m. each Sunday this month as we greet one another, sing praise, light candles, pray, rest in silence, come to the table and ponder a few of the gifts that Jesus brings to us. This Sunday, the 1st Sunday of Advent, Lead Pastor Dean Wertz will facilitate the ministry of God’s Word as we marvel at the exceedingly undeserved gift of God’s presence!
The Future is something we don’t control. For some it is something to look forward to. For others it is something to fear. As disciples of Jesus we have a future to be hopeful and excited about – Heaven! But, we are not there yet. How can we live well now with our heavenly future in mind? This week complete’s our series, The Relevance of Christ.
Continuing our series, The Relevance of Christ, today we’re examining Jesus’s relevance to the world in our present age. In Colossians, Paul says that Jesus is “reconciling all things to himself.” Wow, what a big and bold statement! Can you really believe it? The state of our world during this “in-between time” – where Jesus ascended to the throne of Heaven but we’re waiting for him to come back to bring his new Kingdom in its fullness – has made this idea the subject of much debate, doubt, cynicism, and pure disbelief. In short: for many people from many generations, it can feel like God isn’t at work at all. A natural reaction is to try to take things into our own hands, just like Abraham after he was tired of waiting for God’s promise. But maybe we have a tendency to look for Jesus’s work in all the wrong places. In times like these, we need to hear the encouraging ongoing work of Christ himself: for us, to us, in us, and through us!
After the emotional blow of Jesus’ death on a cross, and the emotional high of his victory and resurrection, the ascension of Jesus can feel a bit… anti-climactic. Whether you’re a follower of Jesus or not, you may be asking yourself: why did Jesus leave so soon after he resurrected? What are we supposed to do now without Him here on earth? Join us this Sunday as our Ministry Coordinator, Tara Farrell, brings us a message about the relevance of Christ’s ascension and casts a vision for how we can continue working with him even now, thousands of years later.
Many of our neighbors, classmates, teachers, coworkers, supervisors, friends, and family don’t believe and may never believe that they’re sinners who need a savior. But they will believe, at some point in their lives, that they’re mortal, that death is inevitable. This universal human experience is where Jesus, who died and rose again, is relevant to all people.
The identifying symbol for Christ and His followers is the cross. A vertical and a horizontal beam. Engraved in marble, forged from gold, embossed in leather, carved from wood and suspended before worshipers. Like the silhouette of an electric chair, a hangman’s noose or a guillotine, the Roman cross is an emblem of suffering and shame. Who was responsible for the death of Jesus? Why did He die on a cross? What relevance does His crucifixion have for us today? Join us this Sunday at 9 a.m. as we discover the answers to these questions from an inspired source provided 700 years in advance of the crucifixion of Jesus.
Jesus proclaimed many astounding things throughout his ministry but the most astonishing—the most controversial—was his claim that He, a human man, was also the divine Son of God. Some responded to this proclamation by trying to silence Him. Others continued listening to Him, believed His claim, and amplified it. Jesus’ claim is relevant to us today because, when we recognize its significance, we too must decide whether to silence Jesus or to amplify Him. Join us this Sunday at 9 a.m. to worship Christ, pray as he prayed, and respond to his claim of deity. Our message this week (from Executive Pastor Arik Stewart) is titled The Relevance of Christ’s Deity and is based on John 8:48-59.
Does God do miracles today? Why does He seem to give them at times and not at others? While on earth Jesus was often moved with compassion, yet the primary reason for His miracles was greater than compassion. Though worthy of fame, the primary reason for Jesus’ miracles was greater than growing a crowd. Though faithful to answer prayer, the primary reason for Jesus’ miracles was greater than growing humanity’s confidence to ask bold prayers. Join us this Sunday at 9 AM to worship God in song, pray, come to the communion table and receive guidance about miracles by discovering Jesus’ primary motivation for miracles, to the glory of God.
For many Christianity, is a religion of rules. Endless lists of dos and don’ts that prove to us that we don’t measure up cause us to despair. In fact, if we’re honest it often causes us to draw back from God and Jesus. Some may participate because it is “the right thing to do,” but this is only duty and it actually causes many people to steer as far away as possible from church, religion and anything that has to do with faith. However, in Mark 1, we read about two sets of sons who were working in their respective family businesses. One day these sons encountered Jesus during the course of their work day and the result was that they resigned from their Father’s businesses and became students of this up and coming Rabbi. What did Jesus teach that caused them to leave their life’s work so quickly and easily. It was very powerful, but it wasn’t a list of religious rules. Jesus was relevant to those men for the rest of their lives and He is completely relevant to us today because of the power of His Teachings.
December 25 is a day off work for many, a day for exchanging gifts for some and a day to worship for followers of Jesus. December 26 and the days that follow are typically a return to normalcy as a New Year begins. What if the birth of Jesus through the Virgin Mary is more world-altering than one brief day on the calendar? Join us this Sunday and invite a friend to come with you to discover the reason why the birth of Christ is the greatest cause for joy to the world! Our message this week (from Lead Pastor Dean Wertz) is titled The Relevance of Christ: The Beginning and is based on John 1:1-14.