Luke 24:1-12. Like the people who shouted “Hosannah!” at Jesus arrival to Jerusalem and later chanted “crucify him,” we, along with generations before us, have also misunderstood our King. At Easter, we stop to remember our need for the grace of God. We remember, too, that he stands ever ready to give us that grace.
A Reason to Shout — John Mangrum (9 Apr 2017)
A look at the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem as their one and only true king, foretold in Zechariah 9:9-10. We oftentimes try to reign over our own lives instead of acknowledging the sovereignty of Jesus.
Confessing Sinner, Confessing Saint — Bob Whitaker (2 Apr 2017)
The Bible is honest enough to describe the weakness and failings of the New Testament disciples. However, few of the disciples seem more human than Peter. At one moment he claims that Jesus is the Son of God. At another, he denies that he ever knew Jesus. Between those two stories Jesus rebukes him for being a stumbling block on the way to the cross. Peter is both sinner and saint, a person who is remarkably similar to us.
Connexion: Ready to Rumble – Josiah Leuenberger (2 April 2017)
“Ready to Rumble.” This week’s message in our Words to Live By series (1&2 Timothy) explores the Apostle Paul’s comparison of the life of faith to a battle. We’ll think about the importance of recognizing that faith is something believer’s must contend for, consider strategies for fighting the battle well, and reflect on the goal we’re chasing after in all of this as we follow after Christ .
Confronting the Darkness — Bob Whitaker (26 Mar 2017)
From Mark 5:1-20. When Jesus came to announce the Kingdom of God, he declared his lordship through miracles. Some of those miracles included specific encounters with the forces of darkness – a war with Satan and his demons. Some modern people are skeptical of the very idea of supernatural power. However, the life and teachings of Jesus include numerous direct encounters with spiritual darkness. What does this mean for us today?
Connexion: The Gospel Example – Josiah Leuenberger (26 March 2017)
Josiah’s sermon, “The Gospel Example,” starts a 4-message series that will take Connexion to the end of the semester called Words to Live By. This series will look at key insights from Paul’s letters to Timothy and consider how they impact the way we live today as followers of Christ.
A Mountaintop Experience — Dan Waugh (19 Mar 2017)
Mark 9:2-13 recounts the events on the Mount of Transfiguration and highlights the uniqueness of God’s one and only Son. The passage isn’t difficult to understand, but how are we supposed to respond to it? Why did the Gospel writers, three of them at least, think these events needed to be included in the story of Jesus and his path to the cross?
The Invisible Kingdom of God — Bob Whitaker (12 Mar 2017)
According to the parables in Mt. 13:24-35, there are three things we know: 1) The kingdom of God is invincible; 2) the kingdom of God is often invisible; and 3) we are not always capable of identifying how God is establishing his kingdom. Let’s consider the beautiful mystery of the visible and invisible kingdom of God.
Come and Follow Me — Bob Whitaker (5 Mar 2017)
From Mark 1:14-20. “Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men…they left their nets and followed.” In Mark’s gospel Jesus’ call to discipleship is radical, immediate and abbreviated. Radical because it was a call to complete surrender, immediate because they left their nets on the sand and abbreviated because Jesus gave them no explanation. Simply, come and follow. Such a call to discipleship could be terrifying, liberating or both. How does it seem to you?
Connexion: Thinking about Cohabitation Before Marriage – John Mangrum (05 March 2017)
Pastor John Mangrum brings his wisdom and Scripture to the question of cohabitation before marriage.